5 Reasons To Become A Cop

Today's media has shed a lot of light on instances in which America's finest have been surprisingly not so fine. To put it bluntly, cops today are more than deserving of their endearing collective nickname, "pigs." Most cops suck, this is true, but the world needs the police. Without them, criminals would run wild, and citizens would be much more afraid for their safety than they already are. To save the modern world from this cataclysm, someone needs to encourage more people to join the police force. Today, that torch passes into my hands. Here are the top five reasons I can think of to become a good police officer.

1. Community Involvement

The telltale sign of any good cop is that they are involved in their community. Policemen have the opportunity and privilege to lead in public committees, charity programs, and schools. A cop is a public servant, and it only makes sense for the duties of the badge to extend past the every day routines.

Almost every kid at some point in their educational career is summoned to the school's pep rally location to listen to a police officer talk about gun violence, drug prevention, or general safety. Police officers can potentially shape the lives of the youth with how they interact at these events, and a cop should definitely develop a love for children at some point.

Charity is also a social aspect in which leadership is needed. Cops can be seen marching in parades, doing canned food drives, and giving people rides when their cars are broken down. Although cops aren't forced to do charity work, many choose to give back to the community. Society needs more people who are willing to give back, and cops have the perfect opportunities to do just that.

The boys in blue tend to have a large importance in local government. Chiefs of police and sheriffs are usually elected by their district voters, and in consequence, keeping public opinion at a tolerable level is kind of a big deal. Many high ranking policemen serve in city councils so that they can influence and gain insight into their district's needs. As a cop, people can gain huge political sway, and hopefully use their influence for good.

2. Solving Intense Crimes

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Despite what soap operas and Hollywood dramas would have you believe, the life of a police officer is sometimes a little short of glamorous. Usually, a street cop is assigned to simply make sure people go the speed limit, stop at stop signs, whatever. But after a while, if proven competent, a policeman can be assigned to special units, such as homicide, narcotics, etc. In these units, they'll focus on sometimes large criminal cases, and this can become dangerous. Detectives in homicide can expect to have much more work in the near future, especially with murder rates skyrocketing in America; for example, in 2015, the city of New Orleans, LA experienced over 120 murders by late August, according to The New York Times. There will be a need for more cops of high caliber soon, seeing as how craziness in the world seems to get higher every day. Solving many crimes can even land police officers with bonus paychecks in some instances, and the solving of a big crime almost always comes with recognition by the press. Also, there's the feeling of fulfillment that comes from helping people get justice, if you're into that.

3. Free/Reduced Prices!!!

Come on, if you say you don't appreciate a discounted meal every now and then, you're probably a liar. Cops get the perks of half-priced meals at most fast food chains, and there are always discounts at other restaurants. I worked at Whataburger, a fast food restaurant, in high school, and as an employee I would receive half-priced meals whenever I wanted them. Let me be the first to say that a Chicken Strip Monterey Melt tastes infinitely better when it's half the cost. In addition, cops are pretty much guaranteed free coffee at chains like McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts, and this would probably help with long night shifts.

To make things even better for cops, the line of discount extends to almost every facet of consumerism. Cops can expect discounts on clothes at many retail outlets, and many movie theater chains give police officers free or reduced entry as a tax deductible. Reduced prices can even be found at car dealerships in some cases, which is insane, but it makes up for the fact that cops make a considerably small amount of money compared to say, a doctor or a fast food restaurant owner.

4. Early Retirement

If you're a fan of not working after age 50, then police work might be your thing. The benefit of a 20-25 year retirement plan is offered to most policemen. This makes sense because the job calls for a certain level of athletic ability and physical fitness. Nobody trusts an old man running the streets for criminals.

If you're not a fan of retiring at a decent age, then you can always apply for desk jobs or higher ranking jobs that don't require as much athleticism. Police chiefs are chosen based on experience and merit, not on physical ability. Go old people!

5. Pride

Possibly the best thing about being a police officer is the pride of protecting and serving the public. Loving what you do is important if you want to be happy, and it makes life worthwhile. If you truly want to help others, policing is the job for you. The job comes with a great degree of public respect and an even larger amount of resentment. If something goes wrong in a public protest or in a traffic stop, the police are usually the first to be blamed. Even though public scrutiny usually falls on the shoulders of the police force, the public depends on cops to keep order and to help people. Children look up to them, adults respect them, and the people should be more grateful for them. Even though police get a bad wrap most of the time, this is only a small problem for people who want to actively serve their community. The benefits outweigh the risks and downsides, and a police officer can rest at night proudly knowing that they had an honest day of work. The world needs more good cops. Hopefully this article shed some light on the good aspects of being America's finest.