ATTN: New Officers! Feeling the same as I am?

I will be starting my Law Enforcement career this week with a department near St. Paul, MN. I am 24 year old female and am very, i dont want to say nervous, but anxious, to start my career as a cop. I dont want to screw anything up or make a dumb mistake or forget a statute number or unintentionally do something not constitutional or anything like that. Is this a normal feeling? Are you feeling a little lost right now too? Should I be more confident at this point? I have two degrees in law enforcement AND went to Skills recently, but I am really apprehensive still.

leslie S

Brit, relax, you will screw up and you will forget and it is all part of the learning process.
The day before I retired I messed up on something and learned a number of new things. That is the wonderful nature of police work, besides the public service, you are doing something new and learning something new every day.
Remember the important thing about laws and tech stuff is that you know where to look to find the info you need. Not that you have the penal code memorized.
There is nothing wrong with feeling either nervous, anxious or even overwhelmed. Plug away and you will do it.

c4urself

What you're feeling is common. Rest assured, you will make a mistake at some point. Just try your best not to make a big one (i.e. using a gun instead of a tazer). Contrary to popular opinion, we are people too. Nobody is immune to human error. Try as best you can to relax and trust your FTO. He/she will not steer you wrong. As for statute numbers-some will come and go. You can't memorize the criminal code book. You will remember the codes that you deal with on a daily basis. Confidence is important. Don't doubt yourself so much. Showing confidence will show your FTO that you are acclimating to your new line of work. Good luck and stay safe!

dude i totally feel you. in my department after the academy, if you fail the 3 tests more than twice you automatically get fired on the spot and escorted out of the building.

thats if you fail any ONE of the THREE tests TWICE pretty insane. thats what im worried about

EagleWatcher

I ain't no cop, but I come from a LONG line of them.
In my opinion,
I would be more concerned IF you didn't feel that way.
That's a lot of responsibility to have. In a spit second, the decision you make may mean taking of, or sparing a life.
Think of the officer who walked in to see that girl's being decapitated by her brother, and then to have the assailant come at YOU.
WITH A WEAPON!
Overridden with quilt as to not being there 15 seconds earlier, AND having to make that life or death decision?
"Hell, yea, I'd do it", I've heard people say. I wonder about them as how much respect do they have for life?
My father taught me a lesson that I've used quite a few times:
Kill or be killed".
(not a person, but we all have our own kinds of death. Spiritually, ur self-respect or the respect of others )
Having that on your shoulders is in itself, responsibility.
Use it wisely!
Good Luck And May God Bless!
ps. have a safe day!

Lov4nzyx2

If you have been trained through the police academy, you should know what is right or wrong. Don't worry about statute numbers, new officers are issued law books that have the most common statutes in them. Plus, new officers don't start on the street by themselves, they have Field Training Instructors, so if you have been through the academy, you would know that and not feel so nervous about it! You should be more confident at this point.

Cptainamer

Take a deep breath and relax everything will be fine !

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