Should there be term limits for cops?

Question

I think five years in law enforcement should be the max. I have often found that people who want to be and become cops should not be allowed to do so. Limiting their time on the job will limit their ability to do damage.

Answer 1

I feel that there should be a 20 year to retirement time for police and firefighters.

5 years is about the time one becomes proficient within their field of expertise.

Answer 2

That would be real bright....

A bunch of rookies without experience or leadership out on the streets.

Oh yea.... that's New Orleans PD.....

Wouldn't ever work. Any more than limiting the time that plumbers, preachers, electricians or store owners could stay in their jobs.

Again, not a bright decision.

Answer 3

Horrid idea. Officers on the beat without any experience means officers getting killed or injured.

Wouldn't you want an officer who knows what he's doing looking for a suspect with a gun in your backyard?  

Answer 4

It's rare that someone who shouldn't be a cop becomes one, but those are the only ones you hear about.  If there was a limit to the amount of time someone could be a law enforcer, then people who were born to be cops wouldn't get to do their job, and there would be a horrible shortage of police officers.

Answer 5

It's called retirement, and thank you very much for the large pension and good benefits.

Answer 6

Age is the term limit, unless your an elected Sheriff with term limits, but that's completely different.  

At five years you just have a good veteran officer ready for most anything thrown at them while on shift.  With only five years on the job your murder convictions would drop because the best investigators are the old guys that have that gut hunch.  With the back log of crime scenes evidence to test a rookie officer might have to be called out of retirement to testify at a trail with five year limits.

And yes there are plenty of Police officer how wear a badge and should never have gotten one.  Look at IMPD (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department) this month alone!!!!

Answer 7

That is a bad idea.  At 5 years a police officer has gained a lot of experience.  That makes him a good cop.  Why would you want a bunch of guys out there who are inexperienced?  

You apparently have a problem with police officers.  Police officers are not bad.  There are bad apples in every barrel: teachers, clergy, clerks, CEOs, gas station attendants, etc....  You can't judge them all based on the small number of bad ones.

You know, I am thinking you may already have your wish.  It takes a certain kind of person to put up with the stress, low pay, and ideology like yours.  Most people cannot put up with that for 5 years, so they get weeded out.  The remaining officers are the ones who really care about their jobs and community, regardless of how much some people hate them (the same people they are sworn to serve).