Can anyone please tell me how they find policing as a career, I want some general advice.?

Question

I'm thinking of applying to work for Victoria Police in Australia, I live in Tasmania at the moment though I am just asking for some genuine advice on to how people working within police anywhere around the world find the job in the following areas.
1) work/personal life balance
2) pay/benefits-in australian currency if possable
3) advice on application from those within VICPOL if there are any on this

I am only looking for genuine answers as the best answer will be receiving not only 10 points but very positive feedback.

I thank everyone in advance.

Mitch
Launceston, Tas
Australia

Answer 1

Being an officer is not a job, it's a lifestyle, your neighbors watch you closely and scrutinize you, some friends stop talking to you, as well as some family members. The community looks up to you, but at the same time fears you and doesn't trust you....it's weird. You will feel helpless when you see certain things, like accidents where children are involved, or where a drunk driver really hurts someone, you will feel very proud when you apprehend a burglar, or when you stop a drunk before he gets a chance to hurt anyone, and that will make up for the helpless feeling. You'll feel frustrated when you return to the same house for the third time in a month for domestic violence and you will feel even more frustrated when it's a couple that you just arrested either one for violence, then the other half goes and bails them out of jail, just so they can fight again in three days. You will feel glad when they actually get divorced, or move away, very glad.......The main thing about being a cop is that it's thankless hard work, that only 3 in 10 people appreciate, and when you come across those three and they tell you how glad they are to have you around, then it feels like 30.....thankless, but very rewarding

Answer 2

I work in Community Corrections as a Probation Officer, a field which is related to police work. From speaking to officers, I find that there are the same sorts of issues as with any other field.

1) It's just like every other job. There are those who will shortchange family for the job, and there are those who are able to have a healthy balance between work and personal life. They're always on the job, so to speak, but they don't take the job home with them. When they're with family, they're not Officer Smith, they become Daddy or husband who just happens to be an officer.

2) In our area of the US (in Indiana), our officers are paid pretty well, and get pretty good benefits. The job requires a college degree, and the pay is commensurate with that.

Does VICPOL allow non-officers to go on ride-alongs with their officers? This might be a way for you to see what the job entails and for you to speak with actual officers one-on-one. You would spend a shift basically job-shadowing a patrol officer on duty, riding along on all his calls with him and observing what happens.

Good luck with your application, and with your career.