Houston Police Department Essay
After I graduate from Sam Houston State University with a degree in Criminal Justice, and I want to become a police officer. I would like to work for the Houston Police Department. The headquarters of the Houston Police Department is located at 1200 Travis in Downtown Houston. HPD has many police stations located around the city of Houston with each station having their own jurisdiction. When I was in introduction to Criminal Justice we were assigned to go on a ride along with a police officer. I went on a ride along with Officer Sergeant Martinez of the Houston Police Department. The police station that I went to was called Northeast Police Station which is located at 8301 Ley Rd, Houston, TX 77028. I got to experience a day in the life of
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a police officer. I was also able to explore and gain knowledge about the workplace and environment of a police officer.
When Sergeant Martinez and I first drove up to the police station we had to go through a gate to get into the back parking lot where all the police officers parked their personal cars.
This gate required an access badge, so that only the police officers were able to get in. Once we walked up to the station we went in through the side door where all the officers enter using an access badge. As soon as we walked in Sergeant Martinez started to give me a tour of the station. The police station was not very big, but it did have many different rooms used for different functions. First I was shown where all the offices were located. They had large offices for the higher ranked officers in charge such as the Chief, Deputy Chief, etc., and then it had another room of offices that had about ten cubicles. Those cubicles were also only used by the higher officers such as the Captains, Lieutenants, and the Sergeants. Sergeant Martinez had an office and he showed me his desk, where he does all of his paperwork. The other general police officers did not have offices, but they did have a small computer lab down the hall that they could use to do their paperwork and check their e-mails. Next, I was shown where the roll call room was. In that room it had a few rows of tables and chairs set up like a classroom. It had a chalk board and a podium in the front facing all of the tables. This room is used for making announcements at the beginning of every shift. One of the higher ranked officers assigns and reminds their lower officers about their duties that need to be filled during their
shift. Then I was shown where the locker rooms were located. There were two lockers rooms across the hall from each other. One was for males and one was for females. The locker rooms were used for the officers to get their uniforms on, store their belongings, or for when they were using the gym. In between the two locker rooms was a gym with workout equipment so the police officers were able to work out during their free time. After that I was shown the room where the police stations stores all of their weapons and equipment used during their shifts. Some of the items were specialty items only used during certain times and the officers would have to check it out whenever they may need it. They had an open window where there was an officer standing guarding the equipment, and any of the officers had access to go up and get something if needed. Then I was shown where they have a jail cell where they kept people that they arrested until they are able to transfer them to a different facility or they release them. It was a small room when only two cells with a bed, sink, toilet and then there was a desk for the officer who was in there with them. The last place I was shown was the lobby area. In the front of the police station there is the main front door where anybody can come in. If somebody would like to speak to a police officer to get some information, to report information, or to pick up a report this is where they can check into the front desk.
Police officers are not in the police station all day while they are working. They also have patrol cars where they spend majority of their shift. Patrol cars are a part of the work environment for being a police officer. In the parking lot towards the front is where all of the patrol cars were located. There were many different types of patrol cars located in the parking lot. Some of them were black, some were white, some were SUV’s, and some were sedans. The exterior of the car had the red and blue lighting, the car decals, and the sirens. In the exterior it has video systems, extra guns, vests, a spike strip, racks, license plate readers, and more tools that might be needed just in case. The vehicle also has a computer system set up inside that the police officers use while they are driving around. When I went on my ride along I was shown how to navigate through the system.
Overall, I enjoyed seeing and learning about the workplace of a police station and what a police officer’s environment is like on a daily basis. I think it’s great that they have a facility that they are able to do paperwork and store all their gear and belongings, but I also like how Police Officers do not have to sit in a desk and stay in a building all day. They also are able to drive around in their police cars and go to their assigned areas and patrol the streets. I learned a lot about the workplace of a police officer, and it helped me learn what my work environment will be like when I get started with my career.
a police officer. I was also able to explore and gain knowledge about the workplace and environment of a police officer.
When Sergeant Martinez and I first drove up to the police station we had to go through a gate to get into the back parking lot where all the police officers parked their personal cars.
This gate required an access badge, so that only the police officers were able to get in. Once we walked up to the station we went in through the side door where all the officers enter using an access badge. As soon as we walked in Sergeant Martinez started to give me a tour of the station. The police station was not very big, but it did have many different rooms used for different functions. First I was shown where all the offices were located. They had large offices for the higher ranked officers in charge such as the Chief, Deputy Chief, etc., and then it had another room of offices that had about ten cubicles. Those cubicles were also only used by the higher officers such as the Captains, Lieutenants, and the Sergeants. Sergeant Martinez had an office and he showed me his desk, where he does all of his paperwork. The other general police officers did not have offices, but they did have a small computer lab down the hall that they could use to do their paperwork and check their e-mails. Next, I was shown where the roll call room was. In that room it had a few rows of tables and chairs set up like a classroom. It had a chalk board and a podium in the front facing all of the tables. This room is used for making announcements at the beginning of every shift. One of the higher ranked officers assigns and reminds their lower officers about their duties that need to be filled during their
shift. Then I was shown where the locker rooms were located. There were two lockers rooms across the hall from each other. One was for males and one was for females. The locker rooms were used for the officers to get their uniforms on, store their belongings, or for when they were using the gym. In between the two locker rooms was a gym with workout equipment so the police officers were able to work out during their free time. After that I was shown the room where the police stations stores all of their weapons and equipment used during their shifts. Some of the items were specialty items only used during certain times and the officers would have to check it out whenever they may need it. They had an open window where there was an officer standing guarding the equipment, and any of the officers had access to go up and get something if needed. Then I was shown where they have a jail cell where they kept people that they arrested until they are able to transfer them to a different facility or they release them. It was a small room when only two cells with a bed, sink, toilet and then there was a desk for the officer who was in there with them. The last place I was shown was the lobby area. In the front of the police station there is the main front door where anybody can come in. If somebody would like to speak to a police officer to get some information, to report information, or to pick up a report this is where they can check into the front desk.
Police officers are not in the police station all day while they are working. They also have patrol cars where they spend majority of their shift. Patrol cars are a part of the work environment for being a police officer. In the parking lot towards the front is where all of the patrol cars were located. There were many different types of patrol cars located in the parking lot. Some of them were black, some were white, some were SUV’s, and some were sedans. The exterior of the car had the red and blue lighting, the car decals, and the sirens. In the exterior it has video systems, extra guns, vests, a spike strip, racks, license plate readers, and more tools that might be needed just in case. The vehicle also has a computer system set up inside that the police officers use while they are driving around. When I went on my ride along I was shown how to navigate through the system.
Overall, I enjoyed seeing and learning about the workplace of a police station and what a police officer’s environment is like on a daily basis. I think it’s great that they have a facility that they are able to do paperwork and store all their gear and belongings, but I also like how Police Officers do not have to sit in a desk and stay in a building all day. They also are able to drive around in their police cars and go to their assigned areas and patrol the streets. I learned a lot about the workplace of a police officer, and it helped me learn what my work environment will be like when I get started with my career.