Stuart Shaver Career

Gilmartin begins by describing the typical rookie officer. Most are energetic, idealistic, enthusiastic and very driven. Quickly this enthusiasm can change from one of positivity to one that is very cynical and emotionally charged. These behaviors and thoughts over time if not corrected become exacerbated leading to noticeable mental and physical changes. The author, Gilmartin, uses personal experiences and other real life stories effectively so that many officers can relate and identify with the topic of the book.

My current position as an Area Commander for the Federal Protective Service (FPS) is not without its challenges. I am responsible for supervising eleven federal law enforcement officers to include two K9 units and approximately forty-five contracted protective security officers. As a team we address security related issues on a daily basis. Our position description encompasses two major disciplines; the first is federal law enforcement and the second physical security. Both occupations can be viewed as one, yet separate in their ever changing complexity of development. The greatest challenges are staying up with the constant progression of technical advances in the way each vital role is implemented. Combining two occupations into one job description can at times be overwhelming.

The New Jersey State Police does not experience much turnover. However, within a twenty-five year career, a trooper’s attitude, and how that attitude relates to job satisfaction and output can be measured. While a trooper with 10-15 years experience may be distrustful of command staff, junior troopers (those with 1-5 years) are viewed as zealots. Junior troopers are productive and engaged in their field. A trooper’s job satisfaction can be measured by his/her’s perceived organizational support. Job satisfaction has a direct correlation to employee engagement and perceived organizational support.

Finding a career in which you feel personally rewarded by helping others and knowing that you are making a difference should be one’s main goal. Officer Mares, was able to achieve this goal when he joined the LAPD as a police undercover agent back in 1996 when he was only 21 ½ years old. Nineteen years later, he is going strong, satisfactorily performing his duties as an officer and serving the community of Los Angeles. He feels rewarded, with this career and loves his schedule, and he is happy when he goes to work. He focuses on knowing that he is making a difference one person at a time. He states, “ I may not change the world, but I am making a difference one individual at a time, which in turn makes a better community for our kids to grow in.” (Mares) Back in the days, around 1960 being a police officer or becoming part of a department that served and protected the public was highly regarded. However, that is no longer the case. Now the Police Department is an affiliation you almost do not want to be involved in.

Throughout the story a criminologist, David M. Kennedy talks how citizens who want to be a cop are hired without being taught psychology, anthropology, sociology and criminology and other classes that will prepare them for the job. This is true, I believe people who want to work in this profession should at least have some type of college education. In the text book “Police in America” written by Steven G. Brandl explains, police officers who have

The fourth value enumerated in the Oregon State Police Officers Association’s mission is “to foster and maintain, among members of the Association, the highest standards of professionalism and devotion to duty.” A devotion to duty has become more to me than actively perform one’s responsibilities. What I believe has molded me into the young man that I am today is that I have set a precedent of service in my life so great that I want my entire to be devoted to it. Service has become the act that benefits and advances all people with the talents that I have been granted and in the ways I am trained to do, and I am in the process of dedicating my life to this continual form of duty.

Policing is a job that is displayed in media daily through reality crime shows, the news, and dramatized Television, but what does a police man really do. I talked with a lifelong friend and thirty-one-year cop, Rene Calderon to figure out what being a police officer is truly about. As well as being a Sargent for the HPD airport division, Rene has five brothers that are all also police officers. All together the brothers have 200 combined years in police work under their belt. In our interview we discussed the pros and cons of policing, what the long-term policing career is like, and what true policing is versus the way the medias portrays it, and the future of polcing these main points helped me get a firm grasp on what policing is truly

“Stressful, but rewarding career. Some must be good at dealing with the public, that is the majority of what they do. But they also must be willing to accept and handle the stress of a dangerous work environment.” Ultimately the increase on murder, rape, and burglary rates, many have came to believe that their police department is ineffective.

In 2002, I left this department for a much larger agency, the Metro Nashville Police Department. It was a much needed change and was like a breath of fresh air walking into a positive workforce. I really don’t have the words to describe how much different it was. In looking back, I credit a lot of this to our wellness program. I am now a captain with our agency and serve as our department’s Director of Training. I have been in this position for 3 years. Our agency has nearly 1450 sworn employees with an additional 500 civilians that serve the city of Nashville. Working at the Training Academy, I have the opportunity to oversee all of our training with new police officer trainees as well as overseeing our annual in-service training.

Captain Edith Strong is an 18 year law enforcement veteran and is currently the watch commander of a Field Operations Division in the city of Rogerville; a city that covers 65.4 square miles and has more than 101,000 citizens. The Field Operations Division is mostly made up of White males. There is a definitive chain of command and each job is clear-cut and each officer follows his or her job description religiously. Deviation of a job description always result in disciplinary action, which typically results in a write up. This division takes care of 62% of the departments’ measurable workload, yet

Reacting under pressure and the ability to think on my feet are two qualities I possess which have guided me through the years. Situational awareness, quick response and multitasking are what I consider my strengths; all of which contributed to being recommended as a Field Training Officer, Corporal, Field Training Officer Coordinator assigned to the training academy and eventually promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Although my career filled with unforgettable experiences, it has not all been positive. Unfortunately I am no exception to issues that plague police officers. There are external and internal sources of stress that impact us every day. Several times throughout my career, I question why I continued to serve in such a thankless

The great Douglas McAuthur once said, “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” Being a leader in criminal justice follows these exact standards. How criminal justice people are as professionals, how deeply invested they are in their work/job, and how much planning and preparing for changes every day proves why criminal justice people are true leaders in society. Leadership is an valued item in a wide range of associations, both open and private therefore, numerous criminal justice organizations, incorporating different police officers

Being the first female patrol sergeant in my agency left me facing many obstacles I did not see coming. What should have been a blessing in my career was almost a curse. Experiencing different levels of discrimination was not something that I would have predicted. I thought everyone would welcome me with open arms. I had no idea the road ahead of me was paved with that kind of evil. Perhaps I was too naive to realize that existed, after all it was the 90’s. Overcoming these obstacles during my 22 years in law enforcement has made me stronger not just as a woman, but as a person.

Lawyers and psychologists require even more schooling, a minimum of around eight years. Police officers end up being all of these things, and more. To obtain the real goal of law, and prevent crime, officers must have the trust and respect of the community they serve. "Instead, policing has been defined as uneducated people's work" (Fyfe, 262). Many citizens feel that the people protecting them are not as smart as they are. This leads to disrespect, and a sense of superiority within the community. With disrespect comes uncooperation, something any department would be worlds better without. If officers were required to obtain more basic schooling, and focus on social issues and psychology more during training, they would be better equipped to take up the position of law enforcement in any community. Besides the obvious benefit of being more adept at dealing with citizens, there would be added bonuses in police departments requiring more strenuous schooling. With four years of general education, officers would inherently become acquainted with a wide range of topics that they might not otherwise be exposed to with the minimal curriculum now required. Foreign language, art, and psychology classes would be especially useful in exposing up and comers to the varied environments they might encounter in their careers. Most importantly, people in the community would have a new respect for the

When I arrived in Barstow Lieutenant Hunter was preparing to retire. He has been fighting crime in the city of Barstow for 26 years. He said, “The most difficult thing about my 26 years was probably the work schedule. Being a police officer is a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week job. You have to work weekends, holidays, nights. Most of all, you miss a lot of family time." He has enjoyed being involved in the community and being able to help the people. He has always wanted to be a police officer. Once he graduated from high school he got his associates in criminal justice and a bachelor’s in management. The rest is history.