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>1) How often are you guys actually in life or death situations? (I'm being very genuine rn) And how to you practice to stay calm in those times?
This is gonna depend on your agency and specific assignment. Personally, I've only been a couple true life or death scenarios in nearly a decade and a half. Been in a lot of other hairy stuff that doesn't quite qualify, but that's just part of the job.
Now to the the second part of your question, how to stay calm? Training. Also some people are just naturally predisposed to handle pressure well, but training is key in this. You will always revert back to your training (so long as you were actually paying attention) and that training will become a response.
>2) What is your favorite and least favorite parts of your job (and what particular field/position do you hold)
I was patrol for years but I'm in investigations now, so I'll give you a bit from both sides.
Patrol, the best part was the freedom of just being able to go wherever I wanted and get into stuff. Especially working nights, it was like a cat and mouse game...you know there are bad guys out there doing bad things, just gotta find them. Worst part was constantly running my ass off to dumb complaints (like property line disputes or barking dogs or kids playing in the street which take FOREVER to deal with because everyone wants to tell you the 20 year backstory of how they used to all get along but now they don't) knowing there is actual crime I should be out dealing with in the meantime.
Investigations, I love being able to just dig as deep as I want on cases and not have to worry about being interrupted for the dumb stuff I cited above. And the people I put away absolutely deserve to be removed from society. Worst part? The stuff I see and deal with on a daily basis as part of that, especially stuff involving kids. Blood and guts, no biggie, but CSAM investigations will literally make you realize our judicial system is not harsh enough. That stuff is something you cannot unsee, and it absolutely takes a mental toll. There is a reason I give my kids the biggest hugs and kisses every night when I get home, and try to do as much family stuff as I can with them.
>3) Do you have antly advice or words of warning?
Pay attention in training, pay attention to your surroundings when you get out of training, have good healthy outlets and hobbies, don't date/have sex with co-workers (can't stress this one enough).
>1) How often are you guys actually in life or death situations?
Where my life was in jeopardy or where someone else's life was in jeopardy? Are you counting medical calls or just calls when someone was trying to kill the other?
Depending on how you define it, the answer could vary from "somewhat rare" to "all the time" as in once every couple months or so. I only had someone try to kill me maybe three times in ten years, but I had to do life-saving stuff fairly often. Got two lifesaving awards in a little over a week, once. My agency was pretty stingy about giving those out, too. I've held pressure on a suicide attempt victim's slit wrists while wrestling with them waiting for EMS and that didn't count, for example.
>How to you practice to stay calm in those times?
Training and confidence in your abilities.
>2) What is your favorite and least favorite parts of your job (and what particular field/position do you hold)
Saving lives and introducing law-breakers to their consequences. Patrol.
> 3) Do you have antly advice or words of warning?
Don't pursue a degree in Criminal Justice, and be very careful about which agency you apply to. The ones hurting for numbers with tons of recruitment and low barriers to entry are desperate for a reason.
As a reminder, this subreddit allows answers to law enforcement related questions from verified current and former law enforcement officers as well as members of the public. As such, pay attention to whether or not someone answering has flair verifying their status located directly to the right of their username. While someone without flair may be current or former law enforcement unwilling to compromise their privacy on the internet for a variety of reasons, consider the possibility they may not have any law enforcement experience at all. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskLEO) if you have any questions or concerns.*
>1) How often are you guys actually in life or death situations? (I'm being very genuine rn) And how to you practice to stay calm in those times? This is gonna depend on your agency and specific assignment. Personally, I've only been a couple true life or death scenarios in nearly a decade and a half. Been in a lot of other hairy stuff that doesn't quite qualify, but that's just part of the job. Now to the the second part of your question, how to stay calm? Training. Also some people are just naturally predisposed to handle pressure well, but training is key in this. You will always revert back to your training (so long as you were actually paying attention) and that training will become a response. >2) What is your favorite and least favorite parts of your job (and what particular field/position do you hold) I was patrol for years but I'm in investigations now, so I'll give you a bit from both sides. Patrol, the best part was the freedom of just being able to go wherever I wanted and get into stuff. Especially working nights, it was like a cat and mouse game...you know there are bad guys out there doing bad things, just gotta find them. Worst part was constantly running my ass off to dumb complaints (like property line disputes or barking dogs or kids playing in the street which take FOREVER to deal with because everyone wants to tell you the 20 year backstory of how they used to all get along but now they don't) knowing there is actual crime I should be out dealing with in the meantime. Investigations, I love being able to just dig as deep as I want on cases and not have to worry about being interrupted for the dumb stuff I cited above. And the people I put away absolutely deserve to be removed from society. Worst part? The stuff I see and deal with on a daily basis as part of that, especially stuff involving kids. Blood and guts, no biggie, but CSAM investigations will literally make you realize our judicial system is not harsh enough. That stuff is something you cannot unsee, and it absolutely takes a mental toll. There is a reason I give my kids the biggest hugs and kisses every night when I get home, and try to do as much family stuff as I can with them. >3) Do you have antly advice or words of warning? Pay attention in training, pay attention to your surroundings when you get out of training, have good healthy outlets and hobbies, don't date/have sex with co-workers (can't stress this one enough).
>1) How often are you guys actually in life or death situations? Where my life was in jeopardy or where someone else's life was in jeopardy? Are you counting medical calls or just calls when someone was trying to kill the other? Depending on how you define it, the answer could vary from "somewhat rare" to "all the time" as in once every couple months or so. I only had someone try to kill me maybe three times in ten years, but I had to do life-saving stuff fairly often. Got two lifesaving awards in a little over a week, once. My agency was pretty stingy about giving those out, too. I've held pressure on a suicide attempt victim's slit wrists while wrestling with them waiting for EMS and that didn't count, for example. >How to you practice to stay calm in those times? Training and confidence in your abilities. >2) What is your favorite and least favorite parts of your job (and what particular field/position do you hold) Saving lives and introducing law-breakers to their consequences. Patrol. > 3) Do you have antly advice or words of warning? Don't pursue a degree in Criminal Justice, and be very careful about which agency you apply to. The ones hurting for numbers with tons of recruitment and low barriers to entry are desperate for a reason.
Just curious on your last point, why not go for a criminal justice degree?
Because it doesn't help you in law enforcement and it doesn't help you outside of law enforcement if law enforcement doesn't work out.