Police Officer
(Female, Age 25) from Chatham, IL
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 25 who works as a Police Officer in Chatham, IL. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Police Officer |
|---|---|
| Salary | $46,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 40 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Chatham, IL |
| Years Experience | 2 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work for a police department that protects and serves over 40 different parks and facilities. The department has 4 full time officers and 6 part time officers.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I answer radio calls for service from a range of problems such as park violence, speeding, accidents, park police violations, etc. I write reports based on these incidents, issue citations, and place violators in jail.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
3 weeks vacation, 12 sick days, 401k, union representation, health and dental
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
under compensated
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
I work with other officers within multiple police departments and persons of the public on a daily basis. I would say I like my job because of the different people I get to come in contact with and dislike that many times it is under unfavorable circumstances.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 1
Benefits: 3
Hours: 2
Co-Workers: 5
Supervisors: 7
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 6
The Actual Work: 4
A day in the life of…
Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:
| 5am to 6am | |
| 6am to 7am | |
| 7am to 8am | This time is spent getting ready for work. I take a shower, put on my vest and uniform. I inspect my uniform for particles, stains, etc. I then drive to work. |
| 8am to 9am | Once arriving at work I check my email inbox for messages. Afterwards I check my desk for any messages. Typically I have notes to correct on my reports from the previous day. |
| 9am to 10am | I spend this time reviewing reports from the previous day and answering office phones. We rarely have any calls in the office. |
| 10am to 11am | Once my reports are reviewed I inspect my police car and take my log sheet with me and begin patrolling the area parks. I look for people improperly parked, expired plates, and any policy violations such as dogs off the leash. |
| 11am to 12pm | I continue to do as stated above until noon. |
| 12pm to 1pm | I take my lunch break. |
| 1pm to 2pm | |
| 2pm to 3pm | |
| 3pm to 4pm | |
| 4pm to 5pm | |
| 5pm to 6pm | |
| 6pm to 7pm | |
| 7pm to 8pm | |
| 8pm to 9pm | |
| 9pm to 10pm | |
| 10pm to 11pm | |
| 11pm to 12am |
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
local newspaper ad
What was the application process?
paper application, 2 interviews, background investigation
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
I had two interviews, the first was with the department Chief which asked me about my experience as a police officer, the second was an interview with the Director which entailed the same questioning.
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
How will your past experience as a police officer benefit you for this job? What kind of specific training have you had?
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
I would say yes. Eight months is a long time to really learn how to do your job properly. After the in school training you also recieve on the job training for an additional 8 weeks.
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Yes, I went through an 8 month police academy that taught law, defense tactics, policies, procedures, firearms usage. We also undergo yearly training for firearms usage.
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
I would say yes and no. While the classroom education did provide help in understanding the laws it didn’t provide the hands on training such as vehicle use, firearms, handcuffing, and talking with the general public.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
Yes, 12 weeks of on the job training gave me a chance to see how other officers do their jobs and teach me skills you don’t neccessarily learn in the police academy.
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
The first thing they would need to do is make sure they have a criminal free background, contact their local police department for a ride a long to get a feel for the job. Next they would need to contact the department of choice for thier testing dates.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
Police Officers should a broad range of physical skills such as knowledge in use of firearms, use of force, and defensive skills. Dealing effectively with the public is a must have. Police Officers meet with people of every age, race, sex, and income, and being able to communication effectively is needed.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
most departments require a minimum of 2 years of college in criminal justice, it’s imperitive to have an understanding of the law
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
It’s important to be in good physical condition before starting the police academy. You should also take time to familiarize youself with state laws and the steps needed to become a police officer.
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes. My only plan was to become a police officer, it didn’t matter where. I’m especially grateful for my current position because we are a smaller department and really get to know the people we work with as well as the community we serve.
What are your current career goals?
I would eventually like to be in a command position and possibly one day be the Chief of this department.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
Being a police officer isn’t a job, it’s truly a lifestyle. You have to want to serve the public, place yourself in harm’s way when needed, and sacrifice much of your personal time for the police department.
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | Police Officers | 2 years | 34000 | Patrolling a metropolitan city, answering 911 calls, filing police reports, accident investigation, testifying in court, issuing citations. |
| Prior Job 2 | Loss Prevention Officers | 1 year | 11.00 per hour | Maintaining a secure environment in the store, identifying and apprehending persons committing store theft, as well as employee theft. |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:3.2
| GPA | School | Degree | |
| College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
2.9 | Lincoln Land Community College | Criminal Justice |
| Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
n/a | n/a | n/a |
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