Police Officers
Researched by Hannah R. 2003-04	RESEARCH REPORT  MY INTERVIEW  BIBLIOGRAPHY  ABOUT THE AUTHOR  DEDICATION  WHY I CHOSE THIS TOPIC  SELF-EVALUATION  THANK YOU

HISTORY
In the 1800s police patrolled on foot or horseback. That didn’t work very well.
On foot they were not fast enough and couldn’t go very far. Also horses need a lot of care. Police started using cars in 1933.

TYPES OF POLICE
Some different types of police are patrol officers, correctional officers, guards, fire marshals, inspectors and detectives.
 

BIKE PATROLLING
Some police use bikes for patrolling in big cities. One reason is they’re easier. They cost less money. Cars and motorcycles cost more to repair. Bikes are more maneuverable in big crowds and traffic. 

POLICE DETECTIVES
Detectives are an important part of police squads. There are a lot of detective assignments. Here are just a few: auto theft, criminal intelligence, financial crime units, gang detail, homicide, international affairs, narcotics, sex crimes, domestics, and child abuse. Detectives do lots of research to figure out how a crime happened and who committed it. They have to be smart, observant, and good at solving problems.

GOOD AND NOT SO GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE JOB
Some good things are police officers get a good salary, protect people and can feel good about helping others. Some not so good things are dangers on the job. It keeps them away from family and it risks many police lives.

TOOLS THEY USE
Some tools they use on the job are identification badges, weapons and safety tools, like handcuffs witch trap the persons hands so they cant try to fight the police officer. Also in the police cars, they have computers. Many police officers carry a first aid kit and fire extinguishers. Also most officers wear bulletproof vests under their shirts. The vests protect officer’s back and chest from bullets. Officers also wear leather jackets and boots.

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS
Some police get special assignments. Here are just a few:  Crime prevention, community relations, personal training, air support unit and recruiting. Depending on their assignment they may work alone or with a partner. 

EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Police need a lot of education and training. They need 20-50 weeks of special police training. The classes help police do their jobs well and make fewer mistakes. They also need a license.

AVERAGE SALARY
The earnings of a police officer depends on how long they have been employed and what type of officer they are. Most receive around $3,200 a month. Patrol officers make about $40,000 per year ($3,300 per month). Detectives make about $50,000 per year. Police supervisors make about $60,000 per year. 
 

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
As a police officer you have promotional opportunities. You can move up to a detective, sergeant, police lieutenant, police captain, assistant police chief or finally police chief. 

THE FUTURE
The future of law enforcement is that jobs are supposed to increase through 2010. 
 
 
 

Who I Interviewed And What I Learned On December 20, 2003 I interviewed Pauli Martin. Her job is a police officer in Selah. She has been involved in law enforcement for 20 years. She started as a dogcatcher when she was eighteen because she needed money and worked her way up to a police officer. She had to train thirteen months at the Seattle Police Academy.  Her favorite part about being a police officer is she gets to deal with children plus she gets to drive fast and park wherever she wants.  Her average salary is $3, 200 a month. Some good things for her are meeting lots of people and being able to follow all the way through the case. People at big academies don’t often see the other end of their cases.  Some important police skills are English, writing, and math. She says one fun part of her job is scaring people she knows with her air horn.  Also the scariest part of her job is looking for lost children. She has never gotten a speeding ticket. She likes having kids from school come talk to her. She doesn’t like seeing people hurt one another.  The fastest she has driven her police car is 98 miles per hour. I think Pauli was an excellent choice. She gave me all the facts of her police officer career. Pauli was a great interviewee.

Bibliography Boras, Tracey. Police Detective. Minneapolis: Capstone Press,\2001 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2002-03 Edition, “Police and Detectives,” on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos160.htm (visited February 10, 2004). Cosgrove, Holli R. “Police Officers.” Careers Discovery Encyclopedia.2000. Cosgrove, Holli R.  “Police Officers.”Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance.2000. Felkins, George. “Police Officers.” The World Book Encyclopedia. 1999. Greene, Michael. Bicycle Patrol Officers. Palo Alto: Riverfront Books,1999. Martin, Pauli. Personal Interview. December 12, 2003.  “Police Officers.” Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe 2001.CD-ROM Microsoft Corporation.

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