Less police officers???

[kana_marie]

I read an article that said less and less people are joining the force. I'm curious, why do you think that is? Could be the bad press a few bad apples are giving the police as a whole? Or do you think it could be because of the increase in violent crimes as a whole are scaring people... Making them worry about their safety if they were to join?

 

[bala]

It is because the world is bent on doing other professions that are hassle free and can mint them more money.It is just my perception and i am not generalizing.People becoming politicians is a common sight rather than them becoming a cop.
Sigh..:/

 

[ABC123]

It could be as the original post mentions that there are less police officers and less people entering that field. I wonder also if it because the generations that are entering the work force have been raised in a tech world and they are entering those fields more.

 

[thegrey1]

Personally I think it could be because the police aren't much respected anymore. They are maligned constantly, and every time a thug is shot, a cop has to be investigated, and sometimes forced to resign for his own safety. Why should they bother?

 

[JoanMcWench]

Perhaps it just generally has to do with people understanding you're not paid very well & you are taking an enormous risk? I'm not sure why numbers are down but I doubt it has to do with the publicity. There have been so many time periods where the police were accused of corruption (justified or not) & not much changed.

 

[sillylucy]

Do you think this has anything to do with tenure and it is harder for people to join? How are academies in other parts of the states? I heard in Los Angeles it is hard to join because of tenure.

 

[Gabe]

Besides being a dangerous job, there are so many other professions to choose from. Many people like the freedom of being self-employed and with the internet it's possible, so the 9-5 paycheck jobs aren't as attractive and are more restrictive. It's like factory workers, there are less of them because it's not a job people want and you can't force people into jobs they don't want to do.

I worked at a police recruitment fair in the UK and there were people wanting to join, but they weren't suitable or the bar was too high for those who wanted the job. You do need standards so maybe the pay and benefits should go up as an incentive?

 

[Josie]

It's more than just a "few bad apples", but I digress. With all the video footage out there now, it's more real than ever. It's a very dangerous job, especially with people actually gunning for them. Even a routine stop could lead to a horrible outcome. There is no mystery to it anymore.. where people see it as just protecting the community and stopping some drunk drivers or wrestling a jerk into cuffs.

 

[Onionman]

I'm guessing that the high regard that police used to have has disappeared for many people. The issues that we've seen on TV can only have been a negative. Hopefully it won't put off too many that want to work in the system.

 

[missbishi]

In my country, there are less cops because the police forces have had their budgets cut. They now have less money to spend on staffing and as a result, are recruiting less.

 

[Profit5500]

I read an article that said less and less people are joining the force. I'm curious, why do you think that is? Could be the bad press a few bad apples are giving the police as a whole? Or do you think it could be because of the increase in violent crimes as a whole are scaring people... Making them worry about their safety if they were to join?

It is a combination of both. The violent crimes that are happening are getting more intense. Not to mention the killing of unarmed citizens has been up there too so yes lots of scrutiny which is no good for people who want to join the police force.

 

[FuZyOn]

Being a part of the law enforcement isn't something that everyone can do. You need to be smart, fit and have a lot of experience to be worthy of your rank. That said, I think most people are scared because sometimes cases get hard and they risk losing their lives.

 

[thomas pendrake]

I don't think it is when thugs are shot, but when a twelve year old boy playing in a playground with a toy gun is shot on sight by a police person, or a man is killed by a policeman using a take-down specifically forbidden by his police department for selling loose cigarettes there should be questions. The move used by the cop in NYC was taught to me in the Army as a kill technique. Incidentally, the law in New York specifically allows a person to resist illegal take-downs. I am a 68 year old white Southerner and I have no doubt that African Americans are subject to police abuse. I have watched it all my life. Please don't lie to me about this subject.