As someone who did not make it in law enforcement, here’s my advice: you need to reflect on your life and ask yourself am I willing to put myself into harms ways on a daily basis and am I okay with stepping up in a situation where I may lose my life? For me that answer was no. I was on the job and had that answer come to me only a couple months in. I resigned because *I* couldn’t handle it. There are thousands of people who can, and the majority of the public respect LE and call on them every day. If you can answer their call, do it but think about the risk before you apply and raise your right hand

I did for over 35 years. I have no regrets but I am glad it's behind me. All of the coppers I used to work who are also retired all say the same thing as well. If I had to do over again knowing what I know now, I wouldn't do it. If you are really determined I would suggest going federal.

Thanks for this Scott!

Thank you guys in the video for giving your advice...

This was inspirational. Thank you.

New officer here: been on the job 5 months now and let me tell you everyday i think about walking away. A year ago me would have thought i was crazy. The academy was brutal but that’s just how it goes. I thought i knew what i was getting myself into but i didn’t. I had ride alongs and they made the job seem fun. Honestly the ride alongs made me want to do it. But being on the other side of the seat it’s different. But i don’t want sit here and be a negative Nancy. If it is something you wanna do, go for it. Just understand the job can be something you end up working really hard to get in to, and may end up not enjoying the job.

Too many so called bad apples in law enforcement nowadays, makes one think law enforcement is a career for criminals who want to get away with crimes & broken people. It takes away from people who genuinely love and have a passion for the career.

This was so cool to watch! I appreciate how the advice is always leaning towards “remember who you are and why you got into this”. It seems like many of the outcomes in the job depends on an individual’s attitude. As someone who is seriously thinking about joining Law Enforcement, I was wondering if you have any insight as to how life is during the academy and during the probationary period/rookie year (year 1). I assume it’s stressful given you have to study and learn everyday especially as a new officer. However, something I will be prioritizing after leaving my current career is to ensure I have a work/life balance and time for my family/personal relationships. So my question is the following - do recruit officers during the academy and rookie officers during their 1st year have the ability to create a work/life balance? Thank you for your insight! Your videos are amazing and very informative to those of us who want to join this career and make a difference.

Respect brother, just got my dream job working mobile patrol

Something I tell people is to have a steady head for chaos. You have to be the one on scene that has self control and a level head because everyone will be looking to you for answers. I would say to be prepared for constant tragedy because as I tell my new officers prior to them starting FTO, no one ever calls a cop when theyre having a good day.

Im certain this is what I want to do. I have worked a dozen different jobs over the last 10 years, and have always come back to wanting to get into law enforcement. Its like its gnawing at the back of my mind, "you can do more" "you can be better". I want to help people, and from what I have dealt with in my life, I know that I can do some good in this world, because I am always willing to do the things that noone else is willing to do. What ever it takes to make my community safe for the people I care about, and set a good example for those around me. There is a lot of crime in my area, and while I wont be able to stop it all, I can at least have a direct hand in its reduction. Your videos along with officer 401 and Mike the Cop have been very informative and helpful in learning a portion of what Im in for. I know there are a lot of bad things out there, but thats why I want to do this. Not because I want to see dead people, but because I want that victim's family to sleep easy knowing that the person who caused all their grief is behind bars. Im doing this because I care about people. If it works out, I'm more than likely going to become a detective. LET THE PAPERWORK ROLL IN!

I did 36 years. If I started today, I would have never made it. If I did, I would have had bad mental problems.

I wanna say if you wanna do law enforcement as a career try doing a ride along to see what is like. I did that and I knew from the start I loved this job

Wow thanks for the inspiration nd advice which reinforced my dream to be a great cop…more vids like this!👌

Thanks for the video Scott! I’m excited after the army to go out and apply to my local dependents, it isn’t till 2026 tho

I been struggling to figure out if this is what I want I always wanted to do law enforcement or military I’m 31 wife and kids I want to become an officer I have CO experience. But I second guessed it because of my height and just scared a lil bit but yeah

Love this! Usually you’d expect everyone to say “no” because of the stigma around law enforcement nowadays but this motivates me to stay true to myself and continue to pursue a law enforcement career!

Do u know how to weld welders make pretty good money once u get certified I worked with a few x police officers great guys

I see videosand can’t believe how patient cops have to be. And it’s like mischief makers try to act up to generate a lawsuit. I couldn’t do it for 1 day.

I’m almost 20, and I’m very glad I watched this video. I’ve had a desire to be a police officer my whole life. It’s nice to see the real side of it and remind myself why i want to be a police officer.

I put in 25 years as a state game warden, and it nearly put me in an early grave. Not just because of bad guys with bad intentions. Every cop has to deal with that. It was the stress, compounded by 24/7 call with no sleep, irregular diet, sporadic exercise, no social life to speak of, abusive command staff, and a string of governors who hated game wardens. The lot of us were burned out beyond our time. At one point, I even quit using high beams and take-downs at night to avoid pissing someone off and the inevitable complaint that would soon follow. Yes, it can get THAT bad.

31 years old... am i too late to consider this as a good career? I have been known to be a good defuser of tense situations, and i am a natural leader. I love helping people, and am not afraid to defend myself or another in a hostile situation. Would it be wise of me to leave a career in the kitchen to pursue a law enforcement gig? Honestly this video has left me torn on my final decision.. any advice?

I like this. I've finished the hiring process for a Sheriff's Department in what's known as the worst county in my state because we have over 2 million people, all the most dangerous cities, and just constant intense activity and I can honestly say I have no regrets applying and going through the process with my county because I know that for me personally it's worth it regardless of whether people say it's worth it or not.

Hold on... Did that guy say it took him 3 years to get hired!? What!?

3:17 done. I'm going to the next county over and applying. I stopped cold turkey on weed and i am ready.

Prayers to all cops & their families. It’s a sacrifice that many do not understand unless they are a cop or a spouse of a cop. Many thanks! 💙💙

Thanks

Just started the process now. Passed the written exam and have the fitness test in two weeks. Being a Police Officer is something I always wanted to do. I am 21 years old now and finishing my Bachelor’s degree now

people would have a better view of law enforcement if they weren't exploiting our tax recourses and violating our rights on a daily basis

No matter what, law enforcement is the career for me

Back the blue till it happens to....✌

I would not recommend it to anyone. The negatives far outweigh the positives. If you are in it long enough, it changes you-not for better. It can rot your soul.

Thank you for letting me be apart of this ❤

Run, join the fire department!

I became a cop in the 80s. You will begin your career working nights and weekends. This means you will be on a different schedule than your peers. This makes dating and marriage difficult.

If you have an inflated ego and your scared. Don't!

I would think that if you already had military training you should be fine

It's the perfect job for the otherwise unemployable.

Thankyou again for all your videos I know we talked last year, I finally graduate the Sheriff academy in 3 weeks 🫡🫡

Fuc yes

Consider your eyebrows

Want to help...be a fireman

End QUALIFIED IMMUNITY

Been doing it for 12 years. Don’t do it. Work stress is a real thing and then you deal with the politics and your own personal life. You will miss birthdays, holidays, and you will miss a majority of your children’s baseball games or whatever sport they play. You work 12 hour shifts and will always be tired. Get a regular 9-5 job so you can have weekends and holidays off 😂 it will be a better career choice. Also, keep in mind every time there is voting for a president, the media pushes out a police video that angers everyone and even though you didn’t do it, they all hate you too. Do what you want, but this is my very strong opinion 😂

I wanted to become a police officer the only thing that stops me its that i can’t rotate since i have sleep issues, it is what it is.

Did 31 years in Los Angeles. Don't become a police officer... at least not in a blue state. Service to others is noble, but the sacrifice has to be worth it. Be a fireman.

Honestly, I want to be a police officer because I want to change the public perception of cops. I would also want to hold other cops accountable for misconduct or violations of constitutional rights because as we know, cops have a "us vs them" mentality. Even though society hates cops, we need cops to maintain law and order. Look what happend in cities that dramatically defunded the police. And it's about to get worse in california with the new misconduct law, which is predicting a 4% loss to the total amount of police officers per year due to serious misconduct. If 4%, or 3500 police officers are removed per year due serious misconduct, it's no wonder why people hate cops. Change needs to happen now, and i'm hoping to be that change. Is that a valid reason to become a police officer, or should I pursue another career?

I think every generation of officers who make it to retirement have the same sentiment: "I would never want to be a cop today with all the..." When I started, the old-guard said policing was 'ruined' by the Miranda decision. When cameras first came into our lives, by and large the LEO community did not want it, and now they demand it so they can be accurately represented in controversial actions. Each generation that enters the job adapts to current law and societal demands...its what they know and they have nothing to measure against from past practices beyond what we (the elders of the profession) tell them, and even then it is barely relational. Being a LEO is still, and will always be, an honorable profession of service in one of the most challenging environments of any career. Few can stand the test of time in this regard, and those that do earn their place amongst the beautiful heroes that allow us all to sleep in peace, freedom and safety.

first

For me, I joined Law Enforcement based on my own choice 👮‍♂️

10 years in and it’s gotten substantially worse the last 5….wouldn’t recommend it to anyone

The biggest challenge is the camera watching you 😂

I’d never be able to look at myself in the mirror again if I became one of you.

Death star is the thin blueline.

Do not become a cop if you have an easily bruised ego, or are a sadistic tyrant. That is easily 80% of all police in America right now.

They don’t make enough.i think it’s by design. They don’t want you poor enough you feel no motivation and they don’t want you making so much you have the freedom to enjoy life so much you want to leave or retire early

Save yourself the headache and don't do it.

You have to be a GOOD LIAR

Simply put? I say no. Having been a LEO for the last 36 years and finally retiring this year, the job has changed for the worst. No other profession mandates that the employee wear a body camera every time they're having an interaction with someone and most of the time the body cameras don't capture everything well enough because of the positioning of the camera. They can help but many departments also look for body cam footage strictly to discipline officers for saying a bad word, even if it is not in front of the public. Can you imagine the uproar if doctors were required to wear body cameras every time they interacted with a patient, including in surgery? The doctors would lose their minds and refuse to do that. No other profession is scrutinized and second guessed like a LEO, especially with decisions that have to be made in less than a second. I would never start this job in todays world and I feel bad for anyone who takes up the mantle.

Not in today's society.

4 Things You Really Need to Know if You Want to Be a LEO: 1) Learn that your highest duty is to honor and respect your fellow citizens - no matter who they are. Also, they’re not Civilians. They’re your fellow citizens! Your fellow citizens who’ve granted you a serious and grave responsibility and legal authority to deprive them of their freedom and even use deadly force if necessary. You didn’t get that authority from the Mayor, City Manager, Sheriff or CoP, it is entrusted to you by your fellow citizens and they genuinely and desperately want to trust and respect you. Please help them do that! This means keeping your ego and personal feelings in check at all times. PS-get regular mental health and spiritual counseling. 2) Learn the laws you’re sworn to enforce. The US Constitution is the supreme law of the land. It supersedes department policy, municipal codes, state law and the whims and caprices of fickle politicians who won’t hesitate to throw you under the bus. Also it will make your job much easier. Knowing what you can’t do is more important than trying to see what you can get away with. Also following the Constitution will keep your Qualified Immunity intact, keep you from getting charged by the Feds and keep you out of prison. 3) Abide by the laws you’re sworn to enforce. Don’t be a hypocrite. Don’t make exceptions and excuses for yourself and your fellow officers. Do not do things you know you’d cite and or arrest a fellow citizen who did the same thing. Don’t be a “do as I say” cop but rather be a “do as I do” cop. We are a nation of laws not men! 4) Most Important of All: Hold your fellow officers accountable to the law and for doing the right thing! If you can’t do that - YOU HAVE OFFICIALLY BECOME THE THING YOU DIDN’T WANT TO BE - A CORRUPT COP! The “good” cop who doesn’t stop the bad cop has herself become a bad cop. If you don’t have the intestinal fortitude integrity and courage to do that one thing, then please by all means, quit immediately and, go do something else.

Several hundred thousand dirty cops on KZfaq you could be next.

I am so sick and tired of hearing people say their job is dangerous blah blah blah blah, your job comes in about 13th As far as dangerous jobs. You also have qualified immunity, so you are never held accountable. you only need to work 20 years and you get a good pension. the rest of us have to pay for all the lawsuits law enforcement causes. If you had any skills at all you wouldn't be in law enforcement, you'd be in the private sector where you would be held accountable and would actually have to work.

Nah

Only psychopaths may apply.

no

No....get a job instead. Check your ego at the door.

N O

ABSOLUTELY NEVER!

Do NOT BECOME A POLICE OFFICER IN MINNESOTA.

I think cops need more power when dealing with violent criminals. Violent criminals get too many protections now days.

I been struggling to figure out if this is what I want I always wanted to do law enforcement or military I’m 31 wife and kids I want to become an officer I have CO experience. But I second guessed it because of my height and just scared a lil bit but yeah