What makes a good law enforcement officer

Listening and Observation. Law enforcement officers often need to interpret and understand the needs of others in conversation. They listen to the stories of witnesses, the tragedies of victims, the perspectives of suspected criminals, the concerns of the local community. So, in order to be a great law enforcement officer, you must have strong active listening skills. The more you absorb from others, the more prepared you will be to help.

Active listening goes hand-in-hand with observation. Just as you need to pay attention to others and effectively interpret their needs, you must be able to pay close attention to your environment and take in all the details around you.

These will be essential for your success in law enforcement, as well, whether that be solving a case or writing an investigative report. The more detail-oriented you are in your listening and observation skills, the better equipped you will be for your future career.

Listening and observation will be key components of any law enforcement training you pursue. Effective Communication. Similar to observation and listening skills, law enforcement professionals must be able to communicate effectively with others — those on their team, and those in the community.

They must have both written and verbal communication skills. On the written side, officers must be able to communicate the details of a scene or report clearly and thoroughly. On the verbal side, you must be able to communicate positively with a diversity of people and populations. People from all walks of life will look to you for advice and guidance. The better you can communicate with them — and the more thorough, factual, and empathetic you are in your delivery — the more the community will trust you and all that you do.

Conflict Resolution. Conflict is an inherent part of law enforcement work, with calls and arrests often involving some level of dispute. Ask yourself: Do you find that you are the peacemaker between your friends, family, or children? Do you find that you can de-escalate situations that are getting out of hand? Can you effectively calm someone down who is overly angry or emotional? Can you keep a level-head yourself in these situations? If so, conflict resolution is a skill that will help you thrive in your career path as a police or law enforcement officer.

Whether you wish to become a police officer, detective, park ranger, immigration specialist, DEA agent , or public safety guard, these law enforcement skills can be difference-makers in your career. Police departments biggest responsibility is to make sure they are serving the community, all too many times, police departments fight against the community instead of working with the community.

But not all of the responsibility should go on police departments, since there are limited resources and manpower for many of the departments. The role of the community, has a huge part on keeping any city or town safe. This paper will be going over the Sir Robert Peel 's nine principals, how police departments should be training there officers, and the different types of community policing, Sir Robert…. Although police officers must strive to abide by all the rules and regulations, it does not always happen that way.

Even the most formalized of agencies face discrepancies between their formal policies and informal practices. Insubordination can be detrimental to a department and the image of law enforcement officers in general. Having officer at the dispose of the community is a great way to make sure that people have a good idea on what activities are illegal or criminal. Although some of these problems are important but they may not be seen as urgent criminal matters.

In incidents such as this it is beneficial to have a trusted well known police official to work as a mediator or voice of reason so the problem will not escalate further. This gives the inhabitants of the neighborhood a stronger sense of responsibility for the things that occur within their environment.

Which are all possible good reason but it is wrong, you have to have a calling for it. This paper will be discussing the following: Police Corruption, Reasons for police corruption, Responsibilities of law enforcement officers, how to become a police officer, good traits of being a police officer and my own personally….

Essays Essays FlashCards. Browse Essays. Sign in. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. Show More. Read More. It is easy to overreact and have a physical response to a difficult situation.

But it takes an officer with superior negotiation skills to find solutions and remain calm in a volatile situation. Effective negotiation skills also include active listening, expressing empathy where appropriate, remaining non-judgmental, treating suspects with respect, and referring to them by their name whenever possible. Failing to listen and being judgmental only results in escalates situations to disastrous proportions.

Maintaining a I know it all attitude can be detrimental for police officers in terms of their career and their ability to build relationships with community members. A good police officer must be naturally curious and willing to expand their knowledge and abilities. Keeping an open mind and an eager attitude allows officers to make a sizeable impact in the department and the community.

Expectations for police officers are quite high, and only an officer who is committed to learning and upgrading their skillset can avoid disappointing the department and the citizens. Begin your career in law enforcement today and do your part to safeguard the community and protect and serve the people of New York. If you have completed the initial requirements and have the necessary qualifications, you can start preparing for your civil service tests today. Sign up for preparation courses and comprehensive workshops with the leading civil service exam preparation institute in New York.

At Civil Service Success, we are dedicated to our candidates and ensure they score top marks on their first attempt. We offer the services of highly trained and qualified instructors as well as extensive resources and materials to prepare you for any written and verbal tests in the process of getting hired by the New York Civil Services.

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