Many children, from the time they are old enough to be attracted to a siren and flashing lights, dream their whole lives of becoming a police officer. As a retired police officer, herself, Alley Evola looks at the daily ins and outs of the job of a police officer. From recruitment, life at the academy, patrol and eventually promotion, she provides a helpful understanding of what you can really expect. She also looks at the current issues, including race and gender, and how these have shaped certain expectations from the public that a police officer needs to be prepared for when working in this field. When you're young and dreaming you don't think about the process it will take to become a police officer. And it's also not evident until after the police academy the many challenges and issues you will face in the field. So You Want to Be a Cop is for everyone who secretly wishes they were a police officer, or is pursuing their dream in hopes of transforming it into reality.
Introduction 1. Myth versus Fact: From dreaming to Testing and Entering the Force 2. Your Hired! Now What? 3. The Police Academy, or Hell on Earth 4. Field Training 5. Congratulations! You've Earned a Spot on the Bottom 6. Liability in Policing 7. Finances, Health, and the Police Officer 8. Communications and Inter-Agency Cooperation 9. Welcome to Your New Office 10. Going to Court 11. Vandalism, Littering and Other Criminal Mischief 12. Unwanted Subjects 13. Traffic Stops, Vehicle Pursuits, and Road Rage 14. Calls for Service: When You Are Called to Serve and Protect 15. Domestic Disturbances: Dangerous and Unpredictable 16. Alarm Calls, 911 Hang Ups, and 911 Open Lines 17. White-Collar Crime, Fraud, Forgery, and Deceit 18. Violent Felonies 19. Death Scenes: Walking into a Nightmare 20. Burglaries. Theft, and Crimes of Opportunity 21. Motor Vehicle Accidents and DUIs 22. Drugs, Narcotics, and a Cesspool of Misery 23. Shoplifting, or Five-Finger Discounts 24. Critical Incidents and the Use of Deadly Force 25. Specialties in Law Enforcement 26. Hate Groups and Hate Crimes 27. Using Force: My First Wrestling Match 28. Why Did You Do Your Job? Now I'll Have to Write You Up! 29. Race, Gender, and theEconomics of Policing 30. Riding the Storm of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 31. Show No Weakness Policing in the Twenty-First-Century-America Notes Index About the Author
