Should the requirements for being a police officer include that you be of higher-than-normal intelligence? I certainly thinking it should. People's lives and freedoms may literally be at stake with that profession. Also, I just remembered something. At one time, at least in the US, there was a requirement that police officers be of higher intelligence. I forgot where I read or heard that. Does anyone what I am talking about? Because I think they should bring that requirement back now. And under no circumstances should someone with any mental illness or any mental deficiency, even borderline, be allowed to be police officers. I'm sorry. Also, I know very little about psychology. But my understanding is, that people mental deficiencies tend to have minor behavioral issues. Also, problems with social skills and comprehension, that are vital for police officers. Again, I'm sorry. Both groups should be welcome in every other job though.
The average score for current police officers in the US who had to take a certain test that is designed to measure cognitive ability indicates that police officers do have higher than average intelligence. The average score for police is slightly higher than the average intelligence indicated for the population as a whole. Now, if you're talking about a specialty in police administration, such as negotiating contract provisions with police unions, or work as homicide detectives, you will find even higher levels of cognitive ability represented. That's by necessity. As far as what most police officers do, however, successful military service is a much better screening criterion. Those who performed well in their prior military service tend to make excellent patrol officers, as they arrived at the police academy with knowledge of firearm safety, and they are less likely to panic and over-react with deadly force when confronted with physical violence. Aside from the dishonest, those who make the worst police officers aren't the unintelligent. They're the ones who have never been in a fight in their lives and who start shooting as soon as someone puts hands on them.
OK, here's the deal here. In NC, state troopers start out with a salary of about $35000...kind of like the teachers and fire fighters, local departments can be even worse. That's shameful. Beyond that, they get continual shit about every single thing they do from a layer of society that feels they can do whatever they want with no consequence. When my son went through the police academy, there was all kinds of education, testing, just like two years of college. There were psychological tests, crazy FBI background checks, and to wind it all up, an extensive lie detector test. So, after ten years, he's at a sergeant's rank as a detective chasing down the worst of society for like $50k. Not a lot to get shot at - especially when cops all know they are only one split second, one shot away from an indictment and are far out gunned. He had a colleague take two in the back of the head....for fifty grand a year...by some piece of shit dealing heroin. Of course there's cops on power trips. Of course there's crooked cops. Of course there's a crazy here and there but 99% are just regular guys trying to do an impossible job.
Robo Cop is coming to more than just a theater near you. My best guess is, right after the ocean rises 20 feet, the Pentagon will suddenly produce a few tens of thousands from a warehouse somewhere, and that will end that. Welcome My Son, Tooooo The Machine!
Doesn't appear that we have a lot of choices. What? You can't find people to work 12+hour rotating shifts, weekends, holidays, get shit on, shot at, scrape people out of crashed cars, keep people from killing themselves, attending to those that did, deal with kids and elders that are abused, roll the dice on who is behind the door on every domestic call....all that for less than you'd make at Walmart. Oh, and you only get the basic vest...the nice stuff comes out of your pocket .. On top of that you can spend all of your day off in court 40 miles away so some shit bag doesn't walk or a DUI career offender gets his keys back... Gosh, why can't we recruit more good cops?
