October | 2016 | Laura Motes

As a former police officer who had an exemplary career with the force, Laura Motes knows the main qualities every aspiring police officer should possess. When an officer of the law has these skills in their professional repertoire, not only does their job become a lot easier, but they will be much more respected by the public, which, in return, helps their work more willingly.

Laura Motes

A Good Officer Is a Problem Solver

Top-notch officers are able to solve problems in a variety of ways. They can achieve results alone, doing problem-oriented work, and they can take advantage of the help that the community can provide within the confines of community-oriented problem solving. Whichever they choose based on the situation, they are able to take advantage of their resources and achieve the desired outcome.

A Good Officer Can Follow Orders

A quality officer can work and get results on their own, but they also need to be able to follow orders. Policemen and policewomen regularly have to do things that they don’t necessarily want to, but they have to believe in their supervisors’ judgment and abilities.

A Good Officer Can Learn New Things

The best officers are life-long students who aren’t afraid of questioning their knowledge on a daily basis. It’s important to be open about the process, communicate with the civilians, and listen to what they have to say.

Laura Motes is a former police officer who had a long and fruitful career with law enforcement, working in Athens, Georgia.

Sources:

http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/police-skills-law-enforcement/2015/07/03/id/652904/

As a former police officer who had a successful 21-year-long career with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Laura Motes knows what it takes to become a member of the force.

Laura Motes

Basic Requirements

In the United States, the basic requirements include meeting an age limit, having a driving license, and being a legal resident of the country. When these three prerequisites are all present, one can officially start the process. It’s important to note that some police departments have additional requirements, like a higher – the applicant has to be at least 21 – age limit.

Education

In order to become eligible for the training, one has to have a high school diploma, or alternatively, they can also pass the GED (General Education Development) exam. While having a college degree is not necessarily a must, having one definitely provides a competitive advantage over other candidates. While attending a college, one can also take courses that are either directly or indirectly related to law enforcement, which can be another crucial advantage.

Police Academy

Any aspiring police officers must attend police academy in order to earn their certification. A lot of police departments have their very own academy. The overall length of the training is usually 3 to 4 months, and it includes learning about constitutional law, civil rights, subject apprehension, firearm use and self-defense, among others.

Laura Motes took her training extremely seriously while attending the police academy; and those results led to a very long and successful law enforcement career with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.

Sources:

http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Police-Officer