Policing Course Reflection
Throughout this course I have learned a lot more about policing and it has definitely swayed my view of a police officer. Although the overall picture of what my view of a police officer is still the same, the job’s and activities that police officers do is completely different. My first difference is that officers are not usually directing traffic, but most of their job is dealing with the community. My first picture was of a police officer directing traffic and the new picture is of a police officer assisting a woman in changing the tire. I changed my view because, the textbook Policing: Community and Change, states, “These activities account for the overwhelming majority of time that police spend engaged with the public,” (p. 17). The textbook
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These are three big components in what an officer is likely doing on a daily basis. The textbook states, “Police culture is characterized by extreme loyalty to one’s coworkers, particularly one’s partner,” (p.99). This quote describes why I changed one of my pictures to two men walking together. This textbook has drilled into our heads that police work together, and they will rarely go against each other. I thought this was important to have on my visual representation because it is such a big part of their job. My first one showed the basic function, whereas this visual representation got deeper and more personal. I think the biggest difference between my first and second visual representations were the last two photos. I changed them to corruption and stress. When someone thinks of a police officer, like I did before taking this course, you are going to think of the media versions of what a police officer does. This course has showed me the darker side of a police officer and that they often deal with corruption within their own departments. The textbook stated, “the nature of police work, the police subculture, the police organization, community characteristics, and the status and pay of policing can all contribute to the opportunity for and facilitation of police corruption,” (p.146). Just how policing works, it is natural for corruption. That is why I added it to my visual representation because it affects so many police officers around the country and won’t stop any time
These are three big components in what an officer is likely doing on a daily basis. The textbook states, “Police culture is characterized by extreme loyalty to one’s coworkers, particularly one’s partner,” (p.99). This quote describes why I changed one of my pictures to two men walking together. This textbook has drilled into our heads that police work together, and they will rarely go against each other. I thought this was important to have on my visual representation because it is such a big part of their job. My first one showed the basic function, whereas this visual representation got deeper and more personal. I think the biggest difference between my first and second visual representations were the last two photos. I changed them to corruption and stress. When someone thinks of a police officer, like I did before taking this course, you are going to think of the media versions of what a police officer does. This course has showed me the darker side of a police officer and that they often deal with corruption within their own departments. The textbook stated, “the nature of police work, the police subculture, the police organization, community characteristics, and the status and pay of policing can all contribute to the opportunity for and facilitation of police corruption,” (p.146). Just how policing works, it is natural for corruption. That is why I added it to my visual representation because it affects so many police officers around the country and won’t stop any time