Expert: Dick Rogers - 8/23/2007

Question
Sir,
Do you know of any surveys, or will you discuss based on your own experience with many colleagues, why people choose to go into law enforcement as a career choice?
Much appreciation,
larry g.

Answer
Larry, don't know if my take is valid or not but guys I've known got into law enforcement because it is definitely a job that gives immediate satisfaction.  An interesting sidelight is that when I was working patrol there were quite a few teachers who opted to change to law enforcement.  From what I saw they couldn't have been happier with their decision.  Our world in becoming more difficult to live in and being on the front lines of keeping the lid on is rewarding in it own right...example, when the lid was off during the sixties and seventies, no one, I mean no one, wanted to be a cop.  But when some of us joined, it was one incredible experience...you actually could see that the "pigs" were doing a damn good job of keeping the "revolution" from becoming a revolution if you get my drift.  As Patton said, when they come and ask you what you did when the shit was hitting the fan, you don't have to answer that you were shoveling shit in Louisiana.