How Does Police Work Affect Relationships?

[Rainman]

Most of the cops I knew had very few friends and most of those friends also happened to be other cops. While it certainly is normal to spend more time with the people you work with one is expected to have friends from all walks of life, right? Does being a cop make people less willing to hang out with you just because you are a cop?

Or should I rephrase the question? Does being a cop negatively impact how other people [some of whom might have been your friends] relate to you?

 

[lushlala]

I don't think someone being a cop would have any bearing on my being friends with them or not. I have nothing to hide, and certainly don't see someone being a cop as a turn off. I actually admire them and respect what they do. It's not by design that I don't have any police officer friends, I just don't seem to come into contact with them anywhere LOL. It's a very demanding job, and I'm guessing they are almost always on standby, which will impact on their social time sadly.

 

[missbishi]

For some reason, I always thought that cops hung out with other cops. I'm sure that there are plenty of things that they just can't talk about outside the Department so an understanding ear would probably come in very handy. I've heard of bars being used exclusively by cops before now.

Personally, I do know one detective. We went to college together and still talk online to this day. I never ask her about work though and she never mentions it.

 

[JoanMcWench]

I'm not sure it's in the hands of the people who are not police officers. It seems like officers prefer the company of other officers/detectives/court employees/etc. It may have a lot to do with spending so much time on the job & establishing relationships there. Being an officer is a tight knit community. I assume a lot of them feel it's difficult to relate to people who don't encounter what they do on a daily basis.

 

[dyanmarie25]

I had a classmate in high school who is a police officer now, and as I have noticed, he really didn't change at all. I mean, he's still pretty close with my former classmates and we've also been hanging out lately. I don't think being a cop affects his/her friendships with other people.

 

[Patrick]

Funnily enough I've only been friends with people who subsequently became police officers later on in life, I've never befriended anyone who was a police officer at the time. I think being in the force makes you more doubtful over trusting others, after all your life may be at risk.