Being a police officer means living a life full of dangerous trails, but nothing compares to what rookie police officers face in the first few days of joining their department. Being a civilian, it is easy to judge policemen if they mess up, but have we ever stopped to think about what these individuals go through to ensure our safety daily, especially if we consider rookie cops? When a rookie cop joins their department, they are full of hopes and dreams about protecting their community. However, they soon get a reality check on the harsh realities that could haunt them for a lifetime.
It is during the very initial phases of their job that a rookie cop learns how their work isn’t limited to receiving a paycheck. What they signed up for is to serve the community with their will, physical and mental abilities, as well as their life. Each day, they face challenging and gruesome crime scenes, the images of which leave lasting scars on their minds. Some police officers have to undergo therapeutic sessions for the rest of their lives. Quickly, they understand that being a police officer is more than enforcing the law. It is about learning the truth about the dark side of humanity.
Surveys show that rookies usually start out by wanting to make a difference. They all do! They want to serve, protect, and earn an honest living. But it’s not long before they face the reality of corruption and bribery that prevails in their department. Navigating this tricky landscape is hard, especially when they see colleagues not always sticking to the same values they believe in.
Due to the pressure of their work, these amateur cops have to make quick judgments that could mean the difference between life and death for others as well as themselves, often resulting in stress and self-doubt.
Then comes the phase where these cops have to cope with how we, the public, view them. Imagine having to go through such life-challenging situations only to be labelled corrupt officers. The same individuals they work so hard to protect are hostile and mistrustful of them.
Rookies have additional challenges that we often overlook. For example, they have the additional pressure of proving themselves to their peers and superiors. To prove their competence all the time, they are under constant pressure to execute flawlessly in any circumstance and not make mistakes that could risk the life of an individual. To conclude, being a rookie policeman is not easy. If you wish to dig deeper into the life of a rookie and things they encounter on a daily basis, you’ll surely love “The Double Deuce” by H. Roc Traylor. This book is based on the life of a rookie policeman learning his job, understanding what it entails and what it doesn’t. After completing his military obligations, he seeks an honest way of making a living, never realizing that this job is more than just a job. It is about a cop facing various crimes in daily life, offering an authentic glimpse into the dilemmas and realities of a rookie police officer’s life.
Available on Amazon.