What do police officers do in an average day?

Question

I was wondering has does an average day as a police officer goes, and what can you expect to happen? And how fit must you be to become a police officer, and what kinds of routines do you do to get in shape and what to expect from the academy, and how to train for that, and if you want to go back to school but still have a job of being a police officer can you do that and what does it take to get there to become a police officer?

Answer 1

It will depend (I'm writing that alot recently)....

Fitness-look at the Cooper Test standards. Different depts will have different levels that are required. Many depts will post these standards on their websites. To prepare physically I did alot of "crossfit" training, google it and you'll see what I mean.

Academies are again different by dept. Mine was a so-called "stress academy" and based very much upon boot camp. The main thing to understand with an academy, is that you are there to learn, and to show that you have what it takes to be a cop. Our academy was intentionally tough at the start to weed folks out...but as time progressed it got progressively easier. Lots of "yes sir, no sir", etc but they are putting alot of money into your training and want you to succeed.

As for going back to school, it is positively encouraged, with many dept paying some or all of your tutition if it can be related to your work (including things like management classes). As you pick/bid on your shifts in advance it is relatively easy to have the ability to make classes and work mesh.

As for what we do in an average day...no such thing as average. It will also depend on what type of cop you are....

For me once I've loaded up and gone thru roll call, I drive to my beat area. I check the problem areas (drug houses etc), check the warrant list and then I start to hunt (pulling traffic on dirties, ped stops, watching drug houses) until I get dispatched to a call. Sometimes one call can end your shift (s*x assualt etc)...sometimes you spend the day going from call to call, other days are quiet and you can hunt all day...it all depends.

I have worthless fcuks on my team who will sit in their patrol car in a parkign lot and not do a thing unless they are dispatched...to me that would make for a very long day....

Good luck.