Notes on the Realities of Police Work

Difficulties and Realities of Being a Policeman

• The mother's perspective: the job doesn't have enough status.
• It's awkward having a policeman around the house.
  • Friends become reserved, parties are affected.
  • Loss of first name; replaced by terms like "cop," "flatfoot," etc.
  • Not much of a life unless one doesn't mind constant interruptions and working weekends/holidays without overtime.
  • Pay is adequate but requires careful budgeting to afford things like college for kids.

First Night and Encounters on the Beat

• First night involves facing harsh realities, such as arresting a prostitute who rips the uniform. The replacement cost is out-of-pocket.
• Rubbing elbows with the less desirable elements of society (pimps, addicts, thieves).
• Dealing with various categories of people:
  • Liars, cheats, the classes, people in skid row, and the heartbreak.
  • Underfed kids, beaten kids, molested kids, lost kids, crying kids, homeless kids, hit-and-run kids, broken arm kids, broken leg kids, broken head kids, sick kids, dying kids, dead kids.
  • Old people that nobody wants, the reliefs, the pensioners, the ones who walked the street cold, and those who tried to keep warm and died in a $3 room with an unvented gas heater.
• Picking up the pieces on one's beat becomes a key responsibility.

Real Adventure in a Prowl Car

• Unknown trouble calls at odd hours (2 AM) in backyards lead to encounters with potentially dangerous individuals.
  • Kid with a knife, a pill head with a gun, or two ex-cons with nothing to lose.
• Spending time alone in a car with only the radio for company allows for considerable thought.

Transition to Detective Work

• After four years in uniform, one may transition to detective work.
• Flying by the seat of your pants becomes common due to the nature of the job.
• Dealing with a vast number of suspects (3 million) for every crime with limited facts and relying on hunches.
• Running down dead-end leads and working long stakeouts.
• Talking to numerous people:
  • People who saw it happen but really didn't.
  • People who insist they did it but really didn't.
  • People who remember, those who try to forget, those who tell the truth, and those who lie.
• Endless paperwork and report writing are required.
  • Reports are filled out when right, wrong, or unsure.
  • Reports list leads or state the absence of leads.
  • Report on the reports you've made.

Dealing with the Legal System

• Dealing with:
  • District attorneys.
  • Defense attorneys.
  • Prosecuting attorneys.
  • Judges.
  • Juries.
  • Witnesses.
• Not always being happy with the outcomes of court decisions.

The Policeman's Perspective

• Despite the difficulties, many policemen (over 5,000 in the city) recognize the importance of their endless, glamorous, thankless job.