Demeanor of a Police officer

Demeanor of A Police Officer

There have been many negative police incidents that have grabbed headlines around the world that question the professionalism and discipline of police officers who took an oath to serve and protect the citizens of the United States. These negative incidents has caused some to question the selection process and training of our police officers. Are the leadership doing enough to make sure the right measures are in place to better the selection process of new recruits and to enhance the training of new recruits so the incidents can be reduced to a minimum? Or does the recruitment and training program need to be revamped to better equip police officers to be able to command their temper and emotions no matter the situation they are in? Our police officers around the world must be able to uphold a clean professional image in order to maintain the public’s trust and confidence and to be able to maintain order.

When it comes to policing, one of the most important qualities a police officer must have is being able to command and control his or her temper. It is very essential and highly important that a police officer is able to command their temper because they are dealing with and setting an example for the public. Turner, 2009 states “To be an effective and efficient law enforcement officer in today’s environment requires intelligence about and control of emotions to meet the demands faced on the streets.” To a police officer, loss of temper means loss of control of the situation. The more command a police officer has, the easier it is for him or her to think the situation through clearly and make good decisions. An officer can’t control a situation if they can’t control their temper. No matter how hostile or how ignorant a person is acting, a police officer has to set the example and control his or her temper. By keeping control, the officer will raise his or her chances of dissolving the situation without incident. Dissolving a situation without incident is what is called good police work. Good police work can’t be done without an officer having control of their mind. That is the standard and that’s what the public deserves.

When it comes to the question whether or not enough has been done in law enforcement to develop the demeanor of law enforcement officers the answer is yes. During the selection process recruits are put through a psychological test to help determine the recruit’s demeanor. Furthermore, officers already on the force will continue to receive updated training to help them stay in control of their emotions as well as the situation. However, in real life situations it comes down to whether or not the officer at the scene choses to recall or use his/her training to help them not only maintain control of the situation but also maintain control of their emotions. In real life situations police officers are continuously challenged by citizens