Police Chiefs

The individual I choose to interview is the Chief of police in a small town located in central New Jersey. Besides the overseeing of the departments day to day activities, the Chief is also responsible for putting together a budget for presentation before Borough Counsel Members, attends public and private functions that effect law enforcement and he is the public face of the police department. The Chief has been in law enforcement for over 28 years. He started his career in a county correction facility were he served for approximately 5 years, he than became a municipal police officer. In the time since he became a police officer he worked his way up the ranks, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and in 2007 he was promoted to Chief of Police.

We stared off the interview by discussing the difference between "Street Cops" verse "Correction officer". The Chief, having experience in both disciplines makes him somewhat of an expert on the subject, the following are the differences between the two, he began with the must obvious. Correction Officer have to deal mostly with the criminals that Police arrest, there is very little interaction with the public on a day to day basis while performing their official duties. On the other hand Police Officers, the majority of their tour is interacting with the public. Correction officer are confined to a structure, response time is within 30 seconds to a one minute if there is an incident, they also know who the criminals are. Police Officers are patrolling an area that could be as large as a 30 to 40 city blocks. When a Police Officer is involved in an incident backup or response could be as long as 5 minutes, it may not seem like a long time but believe me it feels like an eternity.

Police Officers have to ware a duty rig which consist of a flash light, handcuff case, radio, holster for the gun, a double magazine case, mace holder and some sort of baton while performing the tasks. Correction Officers although they have full police powers in the State of New Jersey, are not allowed to ware their equipment within the secure perimeter of the correctional facility. However, if the Correction Officer is detailed to an outside post like a hospital detail or an armed post like the perimeter or tower of the Correctional facility they too must ware their duty rig which has the same equipment as the Police Officer.

When a police officer effectuates an arrest he may spend anywhere between 1 to 2 hours with the individual from arrest to and including transfer to the county facility. Once the inmate is transferred he may spend as long as 3 years in the county facility before the matter is completed before the courts. Police Officers are confronted with an array of weapons, including guns, cars, knives etc, Correction Officer are also confronted with weapons, however must are home fashioned by the inmate population. They may be different in how they are obtained or made, but they both have the same devastating effect to cause injury or even death.

When dealing with their elements, Police Officers are able to exit there vehicle to enter a store or simple interact with the general public. If they work in their community the y have the ability to see their neighbors, kids and from time to time stop in at home to say hello. They see the good and bad of society.

However, Correction Officers are confined to the facility, when they have a lunch break they are not even allowed to leave they must be able to respond at all times. Unlike the Police Corrections, for the must part deals with the worst of society, murders rapist and other violent offenders. Think about it would you rather be taking to a law-abiding citizen or violent criminal everyday. The other facet that goes unseen or addressed the time spent with their elements. Police Officer has very little if any inaction with a person they arrest or give a ticket to. In corrections you spend your entire tour with inmates who have nothing better to do then study you. They know your name, the car you drive; if you had a good day or bad day they can even tell you if you had an argument with your wife. This wares on the correctional staff and adds to the stress that they have to deal with on a daily basis.

As we discussed the difference between the two law enforcement disciplines the interview or conversation turned the issues that are confronted by both correction Officers and Police Officers. Despite all of the facts that were discussed up to this point the following issues have no boundaries when it comes to the decisions that are made by the law enforcement community. The behavior or moral compass of these individuals is not dictated