Martial artist Police officers?

[ShotoSan]

Hey all, Im just wondering; how many of you are police officers. When I graduate (gr 12 now), I want to go to college, and eventually become a police. Is it a good life style for a martial artist?

Id really like to talk to a police officer here if there is one, see what I can learn... /cheers!

 

[Tgace]

Depends on where you work. Some departments pay well, some less so. Shift work, rotating schedules....it can also be very rewarding.

 

[Vadim]

Hi ShotoSan. I am currently a police officer. I commend you for wanting to be a police officer. Make sure that you behave in an appropriate manner and dont get caught up with hanging with a bad crowd that can lead you to making bad choices and ultimately ruin your chances to get on a department.

Just know that police work is not what you see on TV. Leads and the bad guy are not always developed and caught within the half hour or hour. Keep your head grounded and use common sense. Pursue as much advanced schooling as you can. Some departments will give you a better pay rate based on your education.

As far as being a martial artist while on the job just remember that police work deals with swing shifts. You may or may not be assigned to a permanent shift, but may alternate from days to middles to night shift. The length of the shift may also vary from eight to twelve hours. It is possible to practice martial arts but as with anything it requires mental discipline to stay consistent and train. Good luck with your chosen path. If you have any more questions ask away.

-Vadim

 

[TonyM.]

Don't expect to find a martial haven. When I was a Correctional Officer there was only two of us out of eighty someodd that had any training.

 

[GAB]

Hi,

Back when I was on the Job it was not very often you found someone who was involved and if they were, usually Armed Forces related.

It is best to be in good shape, run, workout and be good with a hand gun and firearms in general.

The Dept. had its own training and usually they wanted you to be doing what they trained.

Dept. Policy is the big picture.

Regards, Gary

 

[Ronin Moose]

Good advice from Tgace and Vadim above. Be very careful between now and then, as the background investigation for most agencies will not allow much foolishness, regardless of age. As for me, I've been in the biz for 32 years now, and have enjoyed almost every day on the job. I believe the rewards of public service outweigh the negative times (and yes, there will be plenty of those, too). Best of luck with your career and martial arts choices.

-Garry

 

[Disco]

As has been mentioned, Department Policy's are at the top of the mountain. Martial arts training is great for your personal objectives, but it may come into conflict, depending upon what you study, with policy guidelines. The rules of engagement for police are well defined and have been implemented to not so much protect the individual officer, but to safeguard the public in general. Case in point; if you use the tools given (night stick, stun gun, pepper spray, even the gun, you will be under policy dictates. If you use your martial arts training to inflict any serious injuries (broken anything), you will be inviting a police brutality charge. That's not to say that you won't be able to articulate your way around it, but it will present a problem. Granted, you can fall into that PB charge while using your tools, but it takes on a different outlook when you have used just your natural talents and wrecked somebody. Lawyers enjoy those kind of cases. Common sense goes a long way in police work, so stay focused to that aspect. You will get 2 different venues of training / learning. The academy and then the real learning, the street. Glad you are seeking to fill the ranks.

 

[shane23ss]

I am in law enforcement. I do investigations as a Drug Task Force Agent, so my schedule is a little different than most. When I was on patrol, my shifts would change monthly, so it was hard to find the time to train. But like mentioned above, stay focused and determined and you should be ok. As far as using your training on the job, I would agree with what has already been posted, it is an invite for trouble so be careful. Again, I suggest what has already been posted, and get as much education as possible, it will help. I had a Criminal Justice degree and 5 years in the Army, 3 and a 1/2 of those as a Criminal Investigator, before I went to a PD. It really helped me move up quick. Also, you should look at the size of the agency you want to work for. A small agency has its pros and cons, and so does a large one. Small one usually means less pay, but also means less people, ie. chance for advancement. A large agency means more pay, more people, usually slower advancement, but you will probably be in a bigger city, meaning more special teams. Either way I think you will enjoy your career.

 

[Shu2jack]

Out of curosity, do all departments have rotating schedules? If not, what are the odds of a rookie getting set work days?

 

[Tgace]

Out of curosity, do all departments have rotating schedules? If not, what are the odds of a rookie getting set work days?

I worked days (8-4), four days on, two days off, for the first 4 years on the job. Im now on midnights 11-7.

 

[dearnis.com]

The odds are a rookie will get the worst schedule....


but worse is relative. SHift work actually allowed me more free time. I am on fixed days/weekends off now, but am on call for a week to three weeks at a stretch. It is a good life, with a lot of rewards, but you make a number of sacrifices.

 

[Shu2jack]

I was planning on going into policing, but I already do 12-hour night shifts on various days of the week. The only way I can make it work while still running a club is that my bosses know that Mondays and Wednesdays are off limits.

I'm afraid that if I choose to go the police officer route that I would have to stop teaching unless I can get set days.

 

[Tgace]

When it comes to police schedules, that could be very tough....

 

[still learning]

Hello, My neighbors are police officers. You may want to add Jujisu or judo to your training too. Anyone train in the martial arts and is a police officer needs to pay attention much more to how much force you use to take down someone. Many of the police officers here do not train in any arts and think the gun will save them...wrong thinking. The cons are well aware they will not shoot, at unarm person so they will attack you.

A good percentage,approx 45% of the time you will be attack by two or more persons as a police officer. You can tell the scare police officers because they always arrive late for fights and domestic fights. and other stuffs too.

Aloha

 

[Tgace]

Lots of assumptions in that there post dont ya think??

 

[Shu2jack]

When it comes to police schedules, that could be very tough....

After changing what I wanted to do as a career 3 times, I finally decided on martial art instructor. However, I want to have a back up career in case that does not work out and policing/military are the only things that really catch my interest.

Do you guys think that security agencys or a buisness that pays resonably well for security work would consider an Asscociates Degree in Criminal Justice and completion of the police academy a very good asset to have or would those things not really matter too much?

 

[Blooming Lotus]

My fiance is a police man in the guangzhou china defence force, and while he did a hard core standardised ma programme in the 2 yrs at the academy, and has some ma training at work every now then, he doesn't really use his arts on the street at all. He did do a big football match recently though and was glad to have some training, but honestly..... you're there to maintain order and often just your presence alone will be enough to difuse the situation without ever having to dip into your ma arsenal . I asked him about the amount of incident he meets at work, and he's of the school that if there's that much need for that amount of force, him and his team are either not doing their job, or they need a bigger team, though of course the duristiction area you have will largely dictate that. Just don't expect it's all hero work, even police have mountains of paper work and continual tests and reports etc to prepare and oft times, passion it might be, but glam it's not.


As for the shifts, I guess that varies again to where you're working, but he has the most crazy hrs I have ever encounted in any profession ever. To start work in the afternoon after a midnight to 11am shift and turn up at home after 2 am, is a regular thing for him. On top of that , to be called away at a moments notice is also something we half expect at most times. He loves what he does and wouldn't want to change career for anything. If you decide to go ahead, and you and your partner can deal with the lifestyle, I also commend your choice and wish you well.

cheers and good luck

Blooming Lotus

 

[dearnis.com]

Lots of assumptions in that there post dont ya think??

yup...

Do you guys think that security agencys or a buisness that pays resonably well for security work would consider an Asscociates Degree in Criminal Justice and completion of the police academy a very good asset to have or would those things not really matter too much?

Depends on what you mean by security.... The average security guard is barely above minimum wage and at about minimum training. Security work involving high-end salaries will expect a solid background in police or military work, not an AA or academy cert with no experience.

Folks, law enforcement is a great way of life for some people, but if you are not prepared to put all other aspects of your life on hold, and to be endlessly explaining to those you care about why you are missing holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, etc. etc. And you expect to get off work on time, actually not get called in on your days off..... it is NOT the career path for you.

Yes, I managed to teach martial arts through the first 6 years of my career- right up till I quit teaching in fact- but only by having a support system of back up junior instructors, being up front about the classes I would miss, and being prepared to burn my meagre allotment of vacation to attend MA events.

 

[Blooming Lotus]

On the security guard issue, I'm also a licenced security guard myself, and have just signed on with a new firm, and you're right, those qualifications definately put you in better stead with prospective employers. A surprising number of Security really have minimal training in any other type of combat or defence at all and the number of fellow students ( even in the 40+ age group) who were clueless to the relevant laws and their concepts was shocking to sat the least. An average wage for this position on those grounds ( of noob status) in Australia pays between $14 - 18 an hour ( which personally I think is jack though justified). I myself have many yrs of ma, fitness and gongfu instruction and some training experience with the army and get offered in the bracket of $18-30 if I'm lucky. ( Don't worry though because in China top salary for this position is CNY 4000 at extreme max and that's inlcuding police and municpal branches!!! Police starting wage here at around 45K pa) Not a wage I want to sit on, but enough to get by for now. There are many factors that contribute to your employablity in this industry, just don't be shy to think laterally on it and plug your attributes.

cheers

BL

 

[Cruentus]

On the security guard issue, I'm also a licenced security guard myself, and have just signed on with a new firm...

Reeely...through whom are you a "licensed security guard" and what firm are you signed with....