Secret Squirrel
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2003
- Posts
- 1,257
Remember, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. It is only after we actually jump over to the other side we see all the brown patches.
I loved my 5 years as a police officer. But I lost 3 friends in shootings and traffic accidents, and a bunch more that had to medical out and will never be physically the same. There are many events I remember fondly that I really helped people and felt a sense of accomplishment. But what really sticks out in my mind are the many traffic accidents where I could not tell where the SUV ended and the bodies started. The many young people who took their own lives with guns, scum of the earth that molest or abuse their children, and morally dead people addicted to drugs are really what stick in my mind.
There was the time I was the first responder to a child not breathing and had to do cpr on a newborn I knew was dead. The mom got drunk, fell asleep with the baby in bed and rolled over on it. When she woke up she found the baby not breathing (probably was screaming and struggling to breath that woke her up) she screamed and work up the 10 other drunk people in the trailer and they called police. I can still smell the three homeless people we found in a burned out building, huddled in the corner to try to escape the flames, bodies half burned half normal. The horror on their faces eternally burned and eternally etched in my mind. Or then there are the fond memories of going with DFYS to take someones kids away from their parents. Or trying to hold a guys jugular as he bled out from 20 stab wounds around the head and chest while I waited for the ambulance to come. I saw him die in front of me. Both of us looking in each others eyes.
Now I am not trying to dissuade you from becoming a cop. I did love the job. But just realize that there is a dark side to the job. You are always a cop no matter what you do. You go to a party and everybody knows you are a cop. Everybody has that story about how the cop mistreated them because they were just traveling with traffic and everybody was speeding. You tend to lose friends who are not cops and be closer with the people you work with. Good luck with your decision. I actually think people should have to do ride alongs with their local police to realize how evil some people really are, and how bad some areas of their town really are. Sorry it was so long
I loved my 5 years as a police officer. But I lost 3 friends in shootings and traffic accidents, and a bunch more that had to medical out and will never be physically the same. There are many events I remember fondly that I really helped people and felt a sense of accomplishment. But what really sticks out in my mind are the many traffic accidents where I could not tell where the SUV ended and the bodies started. The many young people who took their own lives with guns, scum of the earth that molest or abuse their children, and morally dead people addicted to drugs are really what stick in my mind.
There was the time I was the first responder to a child not breathing and had to do cpr on a newborn I knew was dead. The mom got drunk, fell asleep with the baby in bed and rolled over on it. When she woke up she found the baby not breathing (probably was screaming and struggling to breath that woke her up) she screamed and work up the 10 other drunk people in the trailer and they called police. I can still smell the three homeless people we found in a burned out building, huddled in the corner to try to escape the flames, bodies half burned half normal. The horror on their faces eternally burned and eternally etched in my mind. Or then there are the fond memories of going with DFYS to take someones kids away from their parents. Or trying to hold a guys jugular as he bled out from 20 stab wounds around the head and chest while I waited for the ambulance to come. I saw him die in front of me. Both of us looking in each others eyes.
Now I am not trying to dissuade you from becoming a cop. I did love the job. But just realize that there is a dark side to the job. You are always a cop no matter what you do. You go to a party and everybody knows you are a cop. Everybody has that story about how the cop mistreated them because they were just traveling with traffic and everybody was speeding. You tend to lose friends who are not cops and be closer with the people you work with. Good luck with your decision. I actually think people should have to do ride alongs with their local police to realize how evil some people really are, and how bad some areas of their town really are. Sorry it was so long
