CJS/241 Requirements and Challenges Worksheet: Police Officer Career

This homework assignment, designed for a criminal justice course, delves into the multifaceted world of law enforcement. The student explores the essential requirements for becoming a police officer, including the necessary mental stability, physical fitness, and commitment. The assignment examines the warrior versus guardian mentality, emphasizing the need for officers to balance assertiveness with a protective approach. It further outlines the components used in the recruitment and selection process, highlighting the importance of an applicant's motives. Part two of the assignment addresses the emotional, physical, and social challenges officers face, such as stress and career advancement obstacles. The student provides strategies for stress management and identifies potential career-related challenges, such as the increased use of law enforcement and ethical issues. The assignment draws upon various sources to support its points, offering a comprehensive overview of the realities of a police officer's career.

CJS/241 v5
Requirements and Challenges Worksheet
The path to becoming a police officer and being eligible to be promoted start with an understanding of the
expectations of an officer and the role of diversity in the field. In this assignment, you will show your
writing and critical thinking skills. There are two parts: Part 1 focuses on recruitment and training; in Part 2
you will explain the importance of diversity and the challenges diverse candidates face.
Part 1: Recruitment
As a potential candidate, the recruiter and hiring officer wanted to test your skills at answering questions
and providing supportive content. In this part of the assignment you have two short answer questions you
have been asked to address.
Answer each question in 45 to 90 words each.
1. Which type of mentality makes the best police officer: warrior or guardian? Explain why.
In the job nature of a police, the mentality and the identity of the working nature of the
police officer is very important factor. The nature and the kind of the person opting for the post of
a police officer is a very important factor as well. Therefore, a police officer needs to stay
motivated and verge on the challenges that he or she needs to take up while working on a case
of investigation. He or she should be ready to take up all the responsibilities of being an officer
and should not be behaving in a partial manner as well. Both the aspects of being a warrior and a
guardian needs to be incorporated in the police officer. The mindset of the officer needs to be
clear. The warrior intentions composes of being a person who is willing to take up any challenges
and work under every situations under any circumstances. Also being motivated and focused
enough to never give up and not to let go of the criminal is a very important aspect of the warrior
mind set of a police officer.
Again, the police officer must be having the mentality of a guardian as well. The
guardian mindset makes the officer to be tactfully safe and to be eligible enough to put down the
bad or to catch the one who breaks the law. The guardian mentality motivates the officer to be
strategically correct and be sure to every actions he or she is taking.
Thus both the nature of a warrior and a guardian needs to be present in an police officer
to perform well.
2. What are the requirements to become a police officer? What are the components used to test and
select recruits? Does an applicant’s motive impact his or her ability to join the force? Why?
The person who wants to be police officer needs to be mentally stable and should be
knowing all the factors that he or she needs to take up for the engagement of him or
herself in the cases alongside with the risk factors like-
 Being stable and composed in own decisions,
 Being calm,
 Being energetic,
 Able to work at any time of the day,
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 Able to perform any type of work and should not put forward personal likes or
dislikes regarding any situations,
 Must not mingle or engage personal with the profession life.
Components needed for the recruitments-
 Be citizens
 Holding of diploma in high school
 Having physical fitness,
 No criminal records,
 Meeting of the age requirements,
The person must be motivated enough and be engaged in the present situation that he or
she is living in. Therefore, the factor of commitment and dedication is a very important factor.
Thus, the person must be suitable for the police to take up risks and be willing deliver at any cost.
Sources Used-
Han, H. (2018, December). Study on the Police Occupational Ethics Education in New Era. In 2018 2nd
International Conference on Economic Development and Education Management (ICEDEM 2018).
Atlantis Press.
Gascó-Hernández, M. (2017). Digitalizing Police Requirements: Opening up Justice through Collaborative
Initiatives. In Achieving Open Justice through Citizen Participation and Transparency (pp. 157-172). IGI
Global.
Aiello, M. F. (2019). Gendered messages in police recruitment. Policing: An International Journal.
Part 2: Officer Challenges
Now that you have answered questions about the requirements of becoming an officer, you have the
chance to explain some of the challenges a police officer might face in the scope of his or her career. As
an officer candidate you want to understand what you will encounter so you can be prepared once you
are on the job.
Answer each question in 45 to 90 words each:
1. Identify an emotional, physical, and social challenge that an officer may face.
Emotional Quotients-
 Mental Stability,
 Dedication,
 Commitment,
 Focused,
 Optimistic,
 Believer,
 Witty,
 Strong willed,
 Go getter,
 Able to take up challenges,
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 Serious and
 Adventurous.
Physical Challenges-
 Threat to the health and safety of the officer,
 Boredom,
 Responsibility regarding protection to other’s life,
 Controlling of emotions,
 Presence of the gun,
 Fragmented nature regarding police work.
Social Challenges:
 Stresses of police work,
 Internal stress within the department,
 External stresses from the society,
 Internal stresses including distinct individual officers.
2. What are strategies an officer can use to manage or combat stress? Provide a resource that you
could use to manage stress.
 Exposure from the people suffering from pain
 Receiving of threats regarding the officers’ health and safety.
 Responsibility regarding protection of the civilians.
 Controlling and taking over the aspect of emotion, even when the officer is
provoked.
 Quick alternation of the rate of completion of job.
 Being responsible for owning firearm.
Resource: Koskelainen, M. (2016). Stress management as a part of police work.
European Law Enforcement Research Bulletin, (15), 21-29.
3. What potential challenges are associated with career advancement in the field of policing?
 Increased use of Law and Enforcement,
 Opportunities due to certain chosen candidates,
 Low pay scale,
 Unethical behavior,
 Not being physically fit,
Sources Used:
Koskelainen, M. (2016). Stress management as a part of police work. European Law Enforcement
Research Bulletin, (15), 21-29.
Crockett, C. (2019). Stress Management Treatments among Police Departments (Doctoral dissertation,
Walden University).
Tuttle, B. M., Blumberg, D. M., & Papazoglou, K. (2019). Critical Challenges to Police Officer Wellness. In
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
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Copyright© 2018 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.