Posted: 8/11/2014 1:24:13 PM EDT
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I'm 17 almost 18 and after high school I want to go the academy I've had this question ever since I was interested in the career.
How do you deal with seeing all the stuff you see on a daily baises ie death, murder and rape? How do you deal with having to see that? |
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Death is a part of life. Sometimes violent death is a part of life. Not an enjoyable part but a part never the less.
There is a reason you see a sick sense of humor among emergency workers and ER medical personnel. We are emotional people and when you face trauma, you can either laugh or you can cry. Crying doesn't do any good so you make sick jokes. It's a defense mechanism. Some people can't handle it. Those people don't belong in LE. I've seen enough death that I've learned to cope with it. You talk it out and get it out of your system. Or you don't and it consumes you. |
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Don't know whether you mean police or fire, but from the fire side, it's work. You try not to get too emotionally involved. You have a job to do, and you are no good to the next patient if you are still torn up about the last one. Occasionally stuff gets to you. For me it has only happened twice in 9+ years, and even those didn't stick for very long. But I am fairly lucky in that respect that not much gets to me. And it isn't because I am an uncaring cynical bastard. I really care about my patients and I love what I do. And well, the fire stuff is fun. I don't like people's stuff catching on fire, but if it is going to happen I hope it is when I am on shift.
Edit: also, if that is a consuming thought for you, think very carefully about whether this is what you really want. It isn't for everyone whether it is red or blue you are looking at. |
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Quoted:
I'm 17 almost 18 and after high school I want to go the academy I've had this question ever since I was interested in the career. How do you deal with seeing all the stuff you see on a daily baises ie death, murder and rape? How do you deal with having to see that? Go to college and get at least a 2 year degree BEFORE going to the academy... at your age, you more than likely lack life's experiences that are necessary to work the road as a cop. You will find it difficult at best to get hired under age 21 or 22. The experiences of life will help you become better prepared and "qualified" to deal with the things you will deal with in LE work. Trust me when I tell you, this job will change the way you look at life and other people. There is no going back... 
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Quoted:
I'm 17 almost 18 and after high school I want to go the academy I've had this question ever since I was interested in the career. How do you deal with seeing all the stuff you see on a daily baises ie death, murder and rape? How do you deal with having to see that? Get some LIFE experience (beyond High School) first. A lot of departments would like to know that you have done something out in the world as an Adult. Military service wouldn't hurt. Also, as others have suggested, get some more education. You'll have a leg up if you have at least an Associate's Degree (which is rapidly becoming equal in value to an HS Diploma/GED, unless its a skilled trade). Many agencies require a certain number of college credits just to apply...many won't look at you seriously without some sort of degree. Foreign Language skills (Spanish, Hmong are in high demand in my area) help. As far as how to "handle" things... It takes a "special" individual to do this line of work. You must be brave at times (being scared at times is only human), compassionate (but firm when you need to be), have some degree of physical fitness, a sick sense of humor (to get you through the BS stuff, the deaths, etc.), and know how to shoot and not be afraid to fight. I have only been at it a little over 4 years. Before that, Army (NG) with two OIF deployments. I had my first OIS in April of this year. It wasn't a big deal to me other than how it affected my wife. That is something that they can't teach you or prepare you for is how your family will deal with things. I didn't get "the shakes" until I went home to my wife and had to talk about things with her. I didn't eat more than once a day for the first 3 days afterward. The shrink said it was because your brain tells the body that you don't need to eat because you got more important shit going on. Everybody processes things differently. I've seen people that were on the scene of an OIS--that didn't even shoot anyone--get "PTSD" and take off work a month or more. It was simple for me; the bad guy played his hand by pulling a gun on me and my partner and then I played my hand. I was going home in one piece, regardless. I think the hardest thing you'll have to deal with these days--and I'm sure most on this thread will agree-- is all the anti-cop haters (Anonymous, Cop Block, etc.) that make it their life's work to label ALL cops as corrupt and "pigs" and think they are all Spielbergs by filming you on the job trying to catch you in the act of doing something wrong. If you are a good cop and honorable to your badge, you'll have no worries...but its still annoying as fuck. Deal with things as best you can WITHOUT resorting to Alcohol. Play sports, hunt, fish, and if something bothers you TALK TO SOMEBODY so that you don't become a statistic that either leaves the job because you came to work drunk or committed suicide. And NEVER, ever bring your work home with you. Other than that...this is probably one of the best jobs (sometimes one of the worst) that you could imagine. You'll make life-long friends, brothers and sisters (maybe an enemy here and there). Just remember to treat everyone with respect...it could help you in the long run or bite you in the ass later. Do your job as if somebody is always filming you...because they probably are. Sometimes you'll ask yourself "They pay me for this job?" other days its "I don't get paid enough for this crap". |
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Is there any certain degree that would be more appealing to make me stick out above other candidates for a job? Just about anything other than criminal justice. Accounting, Finance, Business, Computer Science, Chemistry... Something that can be used within law enforcement but also provides you alternate career options if law enforcement doesn't pan out. Add in a foreign language minor, too. Spanish is probably most useful for state/local LEO's. Feds also look for Chinese, Arabic, Farsi, Pashtu, Russian, Korean, Hindi. |
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Quoted:
Get some LIFE experience (beyond High School) first. A lot of departments would like to know that you have done something out in the world as an Adult. Military service wouldn't hurt. Also, as others have suggested, get some more education. You'll have a leg up if you have at least an Associate's Degree (which is rapidly becoming equal in value to an HS Diploma/GED, unless its a skilled trade). Many agencies require a certain number of college credits just to apply...many won't look at you seriously without some sort of degree. Foreign Language skills (Spanish, Hmong are in high demand in my area) help. As far as how to "handle" things... It takes a "special" individual to do this line of work. You must be brave at times (being scared at times is only human), compassionate (but firm when you need to be), have some degree of physical fitness, a sick sense of humor (to get you through the BS stuff, the deaths, etc.), and know how to shoot and not be afraid to fight. I have only been at it a little over 4 years. Before that, Army (NG) with two OIF deployments. I had my first OIS in April of this year. It wasn't a big deal to me other than how it affected my wife. That is something that they can't teach you or prepare you for is how your family will deal with things. I didn't get "the shakes" until I went home to my wife and had to talk about things with her. I didn't eat more than once a day for the first 3 days afterward. The shrink said it was because your brain tells the body that you don't need to eat because you got more important shit going on. Everybody processes things differently. I've seen people that were on the scene of an OIS--that didn't even shoot anyone--get "PTSD" and take off work a month or more. It was simple for me; the bad guy played his hand by pulling a gun on me and my partner and then I played my hand. I was going home in one piece, regardless. I think the hardest thing you'll have to deal with these days--and I'm sure most on this thread will agree-- is all the anti-cop haters (Anonymous, Cop Block, etc.) that make it their life's work to label ALL cops as corrupt and "pigs" and think they are all Spielbergs by filming you on the job trying to catch you in the act of doing something wrong. If you are a good cop and honorable to your badge, you'll have no worries...but its still annoying as fuck. Deal with things as best you can WITHOUT resorting to Alcohol. Play sports, hunt, fish, and if something bothers you TALK TO SOMEBODY so that you don't become a statistic that either leaves the job because you came to work drunk or committed suicide. And NEVER, ever bring your work home with you. Other than that...this is probably one of the best jobs (sometimes one of the worst) that you could imagine. You'll make life-long friends, brothers and sisters (maybe an enemy here and there). Just remember to treat everyone with respect...it could help you in the long run or bite you in the ass later. Do your job as if somebody is always filming you...because they probably are. Sometimes you'll ask yourself "They pay me for this job?" other days its "I don't get paid enough for this crap". Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm 17 almost 18 and after high school I want to go the academy I've had this question ever since I was interested in the career. How do you deal with seeing all the stuff you see on a daily baises ie death, murder and rape? How do you deal with having to see that? Get some LIFE experience (beyond High School) first. A lot of departments would like to know that you have done something out in the world as an Adult. Military service wouldn't hurt. Also, as others have suggested, get some more education. You'll have a leg up if you have at least an Associate's Degree (which is rapidly becoming equal in value to an HS Diploma/GED, unless its a skilled trade). Many agencies require a certain number of college credits just to apply...many won't look at you seriously without some sort of degree. Foreign Language skills (Spanish, Hmong are in high demand in my area) help. As far as how to "handle" things... It takes a "special" individual to do this line of work. You must be brave at times (being scared at times is only human), compassionate (but firm when you need to be), have some degree of physical fitness, a sick sense of humor (to get you through the BS stuff, the deaths, etc.), and know how to shoot and not be afraid to fight. I have only been at it a little over 4 years. Before that, Army (NG) with two OIF deployments. I had my first OIS in April of this year. It wasn't a big deal to me other than how it affected my wife. That is something that they can't teach you or prepare you for is how your family will deal with things. I didn't get "the shakes" until I went home to my wife and had to talk about things with her. I didn't eat more than once a day for the first 3 days afterward. The shrink said it was because your brain tells the body that you don't need to eat because you got more important shit going on. Everybody processes things differently. I've seen people that were on the scene of an OIS--that didn't even shoot anyone--get "PTSD" and take off work a month or more. It was simple for me; the bad guy played his hand by pulling a gun on me and my partner and then I played my hand. I was going home in one piece, regardless. I think the hardest thing you'll have to deal with these days--and I'm sure most on this thread will agree-- is all the anti-cop haters (Anonymous, Cop Block, etc.) that make it their life's work to label ALL cops as corrupt and "pigs" and think they are all Spielbergs by filming you on the job trying to catch you in the act of doing something wrong. If you are a good cop and honorable to your badge, you'll have no worries...but its still annoying as fuck. Deal with things as best you can WITHOUT resorting to Alcohol. Play sports, hunt, fish, and if something bothers you TALK TO SOMEBODY so that you don't become a statistic that either leaves the job because you came to work drunk or committed suicide. And NEVER, ever bring your work home with you. Other than that...this is probably one of the best jobs (sometimes one of the worst) that you could imagine. You'll make life-long friends, brothers and sisters (maybe an enemy here and there). Just remember to treat everyone with respect...it could help you in the long run or bite you in the ass later. Do your job as if somebody is always filming you...because they probably are. Sometimes you'll ask yourself "They pay me for this job?" other days its "I don't get paid enough for this crap". Awesome advice! |
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Quoted:
I'm 17 almost 18 and after high school I want to go the academy I've had this question ever since I was interested in the career. How do you deal with seeing all the stuff you see on a daily baises ie death, murder and rape? How do you deal with having to see that? Find a nice FD, start a side business and buy a pickup. |
| make sure before you actually commit to a long term career choice. i have seen many people come to fire/ems and after their first bad call or bad fire they start looking for something else to do. i would recommend starting in ems because it less commitment inn the beginning, and if you like it it will help your resume for fire and leo, everybody needs a medic sometimes. and even if you don't like it for a career the training could save your life someday. |