"I've gone into hundreds of fortune-teller's parlors, and have been told thousands of things, but nobody ever told me I was a policewoman getting ready to arrest her." - New York City Detective
Law enforcement is less glamorous and more tedious than television writers have led you to believe. If you have a burning desire to protect and serve your fellow man (and woman), you may have what it takes to wear the gold badge.
I evaluate prospective officers using psychological, personality and IQ testing instruments. I attempt to select candidates who will adhere to the Police Ethical Standards, of which this is one paragraph:
"As a Law Enforcement Officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidations, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the Constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality and justice."
Law enforcement standards are exceptionally high, as they should be.
We also look for candidates who are friendly, caring, intelligent, polite, assertive and emotionally and psychologically stable. Do you have the characteristics necessary to become a successful officer? Let''s see...
Choose your best answer to the following questions. Answer the questions with a ''Y'' for YES or an ''N'' for NO, or ''a'' or ''b'' where applicable.
Would You Be A Good Cop?
1. ___ Is your IQ above average?
2. ___ Could you go into your garage and sit alone in your car for 12 hours and still be alert enough to respond immediately to a distress call?
3. ___ Could you walk into a dark building with only a gun and a flashlight (which tells anyone in there where you are) knowing that an armed and dangerous suspect is somewhere in the darkness? Oh, and he does not like cops.
4. ___ Could you wear 20 pounds of body armor and tools of the trade (i.e., weapon, handcuffs, baton, flashlight, knife) in 100-degree heat and still be able to chase a suspect several blocks on foot.
5. ___ Could you listen to all of the doughnut jokes and still smile whenever you hear a new one (or even an old one)?
6. Which is more important to you? ____
(a) A substantial salary
(b) Serving your community.
7. Would you rather