6 Compelling Reasons to Change Your Career to Policing

If you are looking for a change of career because you are feeling bored and dissatisfied with your 9-5 office job, the idea of working as a police officer might have crossed your mind. If you are looking for a career change that’s going to be a far cry from your old routine, provide you with lots of opportunities to advance your career and an environment where no two days are going to be the same as you help and support others, working in the police might be an ideal choice for you. While working as a police officer certainly comes with its fair share of challenges and risks, it’s definitely a career path that has a lot to offer. Here are some of the top reasons to become a police officer that you just can’t ignore.

Study Online

If you want to change your current career but are worried about how you’re going to get the knowledge and skills that you need to be successful in the police as you are working in your current job, the good news is that it’s now easier than ever to qualify online in a more flexible manner. Online police courses from Wilfrid Laurier University are designed to help you kick-start your policing career from the comfort of your own home with flexible courses that are perfect for anybody who needs to continue working full-time while preparing for a career change to the police.

Launch an Exciting Career in Criminal Justice

If you have ever dreamed of working in an exciting career as a detective or a federal agent, the good news is that many people who work in these careers started out in the police. And the earlier you start, the better, since the older you get, the harder it becomes to transfer out of the police into these other departments of law enforcement from a different career. That being said, even if you have left it too late to get into certain criminal justice careers, it’s never too late to join the police. And once you have qualified as a uniformed police officer, there are several exciting career options to move up into such as a detective, sergeant or investigator.

Excellent Compensation

Good police officers are in high demand, and this is reflected in the amount that they can earn. The starting salary for a police officer is fairly generous compared to other career paths and the salary will increase often based on seniority, with many opportunities to move up the career ladder in law enforcement once you have gained some experience. Police officers who have been working in this role for several years can often end up earning significantly more compared to when they first started out, and there will often be the option to earn hazard pay and overtime pay. In addition to the generous and stable pay, police officers can also earn a wide range of attractive career benefits including generous retirement packages, health and life insurance for themselves and their families, and other benefits that you would not usually get access to when working for a private company.

Mobility

No matter where you go, just about every country, state, county, city and town will employ police officers. You can work as a police officer almost anywhere in the country where there are communities in need of your protection. There is usually a higher demand for police officers in bigger populations that tend to experience a higher degree of crime and have more people to serve. However, wherever you want to live, it’s usually not difficult to find a career in law enforcement. Once you are qualified to work as a police officer, you can take these skills with you wherever you go in the future.

Exciting and Fast-Paced Work

One of the best parts of working as a police officer is that this career path is filled with variety. No two days are ever going to be the same when you are on the job and you will be dealing with a wide range of different duties and tasks. On a typical day, it might be impossible to predict what is going to be happening next. One day you could be investigating a murder and the next day arresting somebody for shoplifting. While paperwork and admin tasks are something that you can’t get away from when working as a police officer, the majority of the work does involve exciting field work, with the chance to see and hear things that you wouldn’t in any other line of work, and do things that no other professionals can do such as responding to emergencies, tracking down criminals, investigating serious crimes and more.

Save Lives and Help Others

Other than working in healthcare or the other emergency services, there are not many careers out there that will offer you as many opportunities to do good for others and save lives compared to being a cop. Police officers will often be the first responders on the scene in emergency situations such as accidents, house fires, and fights and you will often be responsible for providing first aid, getting medical attention to people who need it and rescuing people from dangerous situations that could potentially take their lives. Even when you are not providing direct assistance to people who are in danger, the work that police officers do has an impact that can indirectly save lives. Every time you arrest a criminal or stop a violent action, there is a chance that your actions as a cop that day are going to potentially save somebody’s life or save somebody from experiencing serious harm as a result.

Along with all of the above, one of the main reasons to pursue a career as a police officer is that this job is one that will make you proud of yourself. The reward that comes with knowing that you are working in a career path where the work you do makes a real difference in the lives of others is second to none.

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