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“Interview with a Police Officer”
I scheduled a meeting with Patrick Murphy, a police officer from my county Sheriff’s office. As I interviewed Sherriff Murphy, he mentioned that he had several impressions of the police. He talked of character and ethics as essential elements in law enforcement. As a law enforcement officer, he also said that his fundamental responsibility is to serve the people of his community (Nolan et al., 2021). He also has to protect innocent people against deception, protect people’s lives and their property, and respect the constitution’s rights regarding rights to equality, liberty, and justice, among other duties.
I asked officer Murphy if there were hardships faced during his service. He said police officers are trained to work in any condition and location. They can work in the countryside and towns to urban areas of various sizes. The problems faced in urban areas are different from those encountered in rural areas. There is also a difference in workforce availability, pace used, types of crimes experienced, and facilities or services required to provide adequate police protection to the community. The officers also encounter personal problems, but they have to maintain self-control and be efficient in their work.
Finally, I asked officer Murphy what made him end up in this profession and how he finds the job. He said that this had been his passion ever since he was young. He grew up with a normal childhood, but his home location was very insecure. Plenty of security patrols always responded even on petty crimes, which got him interested in the job. He finds the job both interesting and cumbersome. Each day has its challenges, and there is always a risk of having a bad day. They are constantly dealing with dangerous situations that put their lives at risk.
Reference
Nolan, J. J., Parsons, T., & Crispino, F. (2021). “Doing Right”: Police Ethics in an Age of Reform. In Policing in an Age of Reform (pp. 233-250). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
