2. OVERVIEW OF MY CAREER
CHOICE
Since I have migrated to the US, I always knew that I wanted to work in the criminal
justice field.
My first career choice was the medicine field, but the amount of years one has to
complete before being able to be considered as a doctor did not appeal me.
Criminal justice was my second career choice, but it has become my first because it
requires less years to complete it.
3. Criminal justice is a very vast field because it correlates with all of the
other professions in one way or another.
The field has boomed a lot over the years due to the high demand
that is required by the population. Security seems to be a major
problem all over the world; precisely, in the us.
The Criminal justice system is consisted of three main departments:
the police which is the backbone of the system, the courts and
corrections.
The police is the department that focuses on apprehending the
individuals that break the law, but also, the police is considered as
one of the main agencies to help in case of an emergency of any
sort.
4. The courts department which deals with the sentencing of the
offenders.
The corrections department that deals with the rehabilitation and the
necessary help required to help an offender/inmate.
Criminal justice is known to be a dangerous and challenging job;
however, there is nothing more rewarding when one is in a position
to provide security to their community.
To me, The most attractive part of being a law enforcement specialist
is to provide security and to help the people that are victims to
crimes one way or another.
5. As an animal lover, I have always been interested in working for the
k-9 department, but one has to prove themselves before a police
department can offer them this position.
Not only has to protect themselves and their community, but also,
one has protect a dog which heavily relies on one’s commands to
behave.
I think I would be a perfect fit to working as a k-9 officer because I
am very patient with animals and I think a dog and I would be a
great pair.
6. Personally, I want to start working as a patrol officer which is usually
the starting point for anyone who wants to venture into the field.
Working as a patrol officer, one’s primary duty is to patrol a section
of a territory by responding to urgent calls made by the people of
that particular territory.
A patrol officer is often the first one at a crime scene, although, they
are not often the ones who are in charge of the crime scene.
My lifetime goal is to be an FBI agent; consequently, I think that
being a patrol officer and being promoted to more prestigious ranks
such as detectives can serve me a lot when I become an FBI agent.
7. JOBS OF A PATROL OFFICER
Provide for public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies,
protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws,
and promoting good community relations.
Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.
Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities.
Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations
were involved.
Render aid to accident victims and other persons requiring first aid for
physical injuries.
8. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE JOB
An officer getting
ready to go on
patrol, ensuring that
everything is in
proper function.
A patrol officer
giving a dui test, he
is determining
whether or not the
individual is
intoxicated.
A patrol officer at a
crime scene. He is
trying to console
the family members
while the others are
securing the area.
9. A patrol officer who is usually the first at
a scene.
Patrol officers are to able to be
everything at the same time; per
example , counselors, first-aids in
providing medical assistance
This patrol officer is performing CPR on
a patient who happens to have a cardiac
arrest. Him being able to help is
necessary until the EMTs can reach the
scene.
10. OPINIONS AND COMMENTS
Criminal justice jobs are considered to be challenging and
dangerous, but as long as one has the passion to work in the field, it
should not be a problem.
All jobs can be dangerous, it heavily depends on how one perceives
the job.
At the end of the day, one working in the criminal justice field;
especially, as a patrol officer, their goal should be “ to make it home
at the end of the day”.
Honesty and integrity are priorities for me, but one can not always
be honest performing police work. It can cost one their job or career.
11. A law enforcement specialist has to be very careful to who they hang
out with and how they live their daily life.
It only takes one mistake for one to lose their life in a senseless way
One’s family and friends can feel ignored; especially, if one enjoys
working overtime which is in high demand in the field. A lot of
birthdays and important family reunions can be missed.
I value time with family and good friends, but sometimes, I will have to
miss these moments in order to perform my job.
I definitely need to work on my teamwork skills because it is greatly
needed in police work, everything is accomplished through teamwork.
