HARDtoTOP

Well, it is a very rewarding, challenging and certainly fun career. I am paid decently, considering that I enjoy what I do and do not mind the danger that comes along with it. If you take into account some of the situations I have been in and I am sure will in the future, I am probably not paid even close to what I am worth. There aren't too many jobs where you really have to wonder if you will be coming come again every time you leave for work. I know we discussed some of the stuff you did in the Army, and I am sure you would be fine with the danger aspect.

In policing, there is a usually a good opportunity for advancement. But, none of that comes without paying dues in the salt mines. there is no getting hired to go straight into K9 or detectives or any other speciallized assignement. You must spend several years most cases in patrol before you can even hope to land a spot elsewhere. Not that this is a bad thing because I think patrol is where all the fun is anyway.

To me, and I think you are like this too, there is nothing more satisfying than doing a job where I get to actually make a difference directly in people's lives. Directly. You will get to save small kids, get someone's stolen stuff back, pull someone from a fire (because the firemen are still trying to get out of bed when you get there ) and make sure the scum bags are stopped from inflicting misery on innocent people (even if just for your shift before they get bailed). To me, it is the greates job in the world and I would never trade it for ANYTHING.

Now...
The down sides:

-long hours
-weekends/holidays a rarity
-shift work
-maybe on-call
-you deal with the scum of the earth and get cynical quite fast
-running into criminals you have arrested while you are with your family
-you will become incompatible with some of your old friends
-might miss a lot of your kids growing up
-might not always have enough time to devote to your wife and end up divorced
-stress most people can't begin to comprehend
-frequently exposed to death and dying and extreme human suffering
-you will be looked down on by some folks because part of your job is to enforce traffic laws
-EVERY decision you make in a split second will be monday morning quartebacked by everyone and their brother who have no sack to do the job themselves
-some other things I would rather discuss with you in private

So, I know it seems like my bad list is longer than my good list. To be honest, there are a lot of downsides to the job. But, if you take enough pride in yourself and want to have fun helping make a difference, the positives far outweigh the negatives.

If this is something you think you want to do, GO FOR IT! The worst thing I could ever imagine in life would be to wake up one day, old and gray, and not know if I had what it took to do the job I always wanted to do.

LazyProfessor

Good info - Thanks!

I may run into you on sunday - depends what I have going on.

JJARVIS

Hey...the police are almost always there first because they're already working the late shirt!

We firefighters have to wake up from a deep "REM" sleep and be on scene and pumped for action in just minutes!

Josh

HARDtoTOP

^^^^ I know. I just like busting their butts. They do the same to us. They call us the "blue canaries"

I wondered why until someone told me that in the old mines, the miners would use canaries to see if the air was good. If the canarie died, the air was bad

I was a firefighter in the Navy and that was my second career choice.

JJARVIS

It seems no matter where you are police and firefighters are always busting each others balls.

All in good fun though!

For real though...everyone knows the PD and FD have each other's back!

Josh

HARDtoTOP

Exactly. After all, the FD runs the ambulances. I wouldn't want them pissed off at me!!!

JJARVIS

Damn right!!!

zzziippyyy

If I did anything in LE it would be forensic photography. Now thats where its at. If you can stomach it.