Discretion is important as a police officer. You have to decide when a situation is dangerous and what level of force is required. A problem can occur for inexperienced officers or officers that may not be able to effectively judge how serious a situation is. Granted citizens can’t always appreciate the danger an officer faces, […]

Once you become a police officer, you will realize that there is a lot of freedom patrol officers have and their ability to use discretion can sometimes cause problems. Even officers with good intentions can routinely make morally questionable calls. It is important to determine the type of officer you wish to be and make […]

New police officers have to learn that there is a lot of discretion that police officers have when they are performing their duties. Because officers spend a great deal of time on their own (or with partners) they can make different decisions on how they choose to enforce laws, and serve the public. This can […]

Domestic assault is a serious offence. As an officer I encountered it on a weekly, and unfortunately at times it seemed a daily basis. Victims and witnesses often don’t want police involved, as an arrest of a family member can cause obvious problems including financial hardship, destroyed relationships or potential escalation. Police have a duty […]

Many police organizations are quite large, and as a new recruit, you are going to have to realize that with large organizations, there will inevitably be people that you have to work with that you just don’t get along with. This could be an even bigger problem in a smaller service, where there might be […]

Once you are hired as a police officer, you are going to encounter many situations that will have multiple solutions. Depending on the officer and or sergeants involved, different approaches will be taken. You are going to have to make sure that you are comfortable with any decision you choose to make. These decisions will […]

If you are hired by a police service, and begin a career as a police officer, you are going to be put in situations that require strong decision-making skills. There are times when you will be the first officer on scene, and completely in charge of crime scenes or traffic collisions. Despite excellent training, testing, […]

Officers encounter a lot in the course of their work. They are involved in situations, looking through property, and coming across all sorts of things. In some cases you come across things that are clear-cut and you know what actions you should take. In other situations, officers will have to make judgment calls about what […]

As a serving police officer you have a lot of control over your day. On slow days with few radio calls, you have a lot of discretion on how you patrol and how you spend your time. If you are working with a partner, your day can be very enjoyable and rewarding or very frustrating. […]