I have ALWAYS wanted to be a police officer.?

Question

However, my husband says that I am too "little" for anyone to take me seriously. I'm really not THAT little. I am 5'6", about 105 lbs. Should that stop me from pursuing my dreams? I really want to know what u think, and how you would feel if an officer with my build were to pull you over. Does an officer's height and weight have anything to do with respect that an officer should be given? I would REALLY love to hear from those in law enforcement as well.

Answer 1

I will tell you from my experience, that in real world and out in the street , people will use anything they can to "get under your skin".( I'm 26 years old male 6'0 foot 185 pounds that is in shape, I look and fit the perfect mold of what people expect a police officer to be and they say" look at the tall mother f*ck cop.) Police work is physical,however it is more mental. You will be insulated almost everyday. You are a female so they will not comment a lot on your size because our society expects females to be small. Instead they will use terms to insult your gender, you have to have thick skin and be able to take insults. (at first it bothers you but after awhile its kind of fun telling other officers what you have been called)
As far as the physical aspect, train and work out hard. Lift weights and run. You will learn techniques and weapons that can overcome size of a subject.
Follow your dream, have good self-esteem and don't worry about what others are thinking about you.
Good luck

Answer 2

There is a strong likelihood that you can perform most of the police office functions well. Probably 95% at least. It's the other 5% that can overwhelm you and have a significant impact on your marriage. As soon as you get into a full physical confrontation with someone who doesn't really care what happens to you, and they are clearly the stronger, it can lead to a tragic result. And if you balk at jumping in or going quickly to an event that is predictably a violent encounter where fellow male officers are also going to, or are there already, you reputation is shot. Stress sets in. Size matters at times in police work. And when it matters, it determines who walks away in good health or not..and a bad result could last the rest of your life.

From a husband's perspective, he'll have to get accustomed that you are going to be 'hit on' by many other officers. That's the nature and culture of things. Police work is rife with a high divorce rate. A husband has valid concerns. In fact a wife of a police officer also has many valid concerns.

I don't know what else to say.

Follow your dreams, but don't give up the dreams of the marriage and life you have now.

Answer 3

I am a female police officer and though I am a bit bigger than you (5'7", 145lbs), you should pursue your dreams. I don't think it matters how big or small you are when it comes to being respected. Low class people are going to disrespect you any way. I will do what I have to do to go home at the end of my shift. Look at it this way: if you are concerned about your strength, work out and build muscle. Run to get your endurance up. Eat right and take care of yourself. Even small people will kick your a**. Take some self defense classes.

Answer 4

Hon, you are tiny. Police work involves a lot of physical strength. If you think you can chase after and take down criminals three times your size, go for it. But remember that a lot of people will look at you and judge you based on your size and think they'll be able to overtake you.I personally wouldn't care if a little officer pulled me over, but a hardened criminal might try things with you he wouldn't normally try on a larger, male officer.

My neighbor is a police officer (female) not as petite as you, and she has a much harder time on the force. It's probably not like this everywhere, but police owrk is viewed as a brotherhood and often women just aren't "allowed" in. She's faced a lot of sexual harrassment, both on and off duty, and a lot of time administration looks the other way.

Answer 5

Size does not always matter. I have several female co-workers in law enforcement that are small, and they are hella-good cops.
When I entered into law enforcement, I was 5-10 and weighed 118 pounds and I survived very well. You learn to adapt, by using your head more. If you want to be a cop, go for it. My husband and I are both are street cops and we can handle ourselves pretty well. People will try to test you if you are smaller, but if you show them that you know what you are doing from the beginning, you'll gain their respect. Besides, you can get to the gym and build up some muscle that may come in handy should you encounter someone who wants to get "froggy".

Answer 6

Size has little to do with it, it has more to do with attitutude.
That is why so many on here often complain about the way officers act, they want everyone to understand they are in control

From the physcial side, the worst I was ever done in self defence class was this little 5 foot 2 in lady about 100 lbs who threw me around like a rag doll.

Now of course a 6 foot 9 in officer weighing 250 lbs will get thier attention easier and will scare them faster, so you will have to work harder to get that presence of person.

Answer 7

Go for it. I worked with a female officer that was only about 5'3" and 110 lbs and she was a very good police officer. She worked out all the time and was in great shape but also had the ability to resolve a lot of potential conflicts without violence. Of course, when the situation called for it she could kick butt. The self-defense training they give you is excellent and size won't matter.

Answer 8

I think you would need to buff up some. At 5'6" you are quite thin and since muscle weighs more than fat, I have to assume you are not very muscular either.

You are taught a lot of techniques that can make up for your stature, but as a former female officer - I honestly think you are too small. I don't mean to offend you, but you need to be able to keep up with the guys in your department or they will not respect you.

Answer 9

Let.. NO one stand in the way of your dream!... The only person who can make your dream come true is you. Don;t let anyone tell you, you can't become a Police officer! Because you can, follow your dream and your heart go out there and become a police officer!

Good Luck and Have a nice life.

Answer 10

You should at least try. I am a Reserve Officer and any department in their right mind knows they need a diverse force. Like the suggestion above by the male officer, get into shape. At least 6-8 months before testing. RUN, RUN, RUN. The typical 1.5 mile run killed most, get them abs into shape and do push-ups. Over-prepare.

If you are smart and can communicate well, you will be fine.