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Oscar Medina
Ms. Kuroki
English 1a
2 March 2015
Hopes and Dreams of a Police Officer
A police officer who is known to protect and serve the community, enforces the law, and
has the power to arrest people and held them for a period of time. Also Law enforcement
agencies have different positions from lowest to highest, such as: a police officer, detective,
sergeant, lieutenant, captain, commander, deputy of chief, and chief of police (The Los Angeles
Police Department). However, becoming a police officer has eight processes in order to get into
it a Police Department, but before filling out the application the candidate must be honest with
all questions and prepared. For instance, making a mistake on the application or being dishonest
will affect the candidate and lead to disqualification. Becoming a Police Office can show
negative people that there is hope and dreams and show trustworthy. The role of a police officer
is to respond emergency calls, patrol the community, issue tickets, make arrest to suspects,
investigate crime scenes, and then appear in court. Therefore, the Police communication between
each other is through radio calls responding and using radio codes. Police communication is just
a way of a Police language so other people cannot understand it. The law enforcement agency
that I would like to join is the Pasadena Police Department because is a small department with a
lot of events going on, such as: the rose parade, events at the rose bowl, and old town Pasadena.
Also I would like to help the people and show a good role model for the city of Pasadena.
Martinez points out that the application has different process which is starting off with
preliminary background application and written test. Starting off by filling out an application like
every other job, and then the department will contact the candidate to write an essay to show if
he or she has good writing skills. After passing the written test the candidate will have a

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background investigation by asking our neighbors and reference questions about our personality,
past, and present. Then the candidate will have a polygraph investigation, which is an interview,
but answering questions to a lie detector. After passing the polygraph investigation the candidate
will have a physical abilities test, which means checking everything from head to toe. For
example, if the candidate is found to have back or leg problems, then they could easily get
disqualified. After passing the physical test the candidate will have a department interview, so
therefore, is a must to represent with office attire and be confident. Once passing the department
interview the candidate will receive a certification and join the police department academy.
While being in the police academy the candidate will be on probation in order to become an
Official Police Officer.
Moreover, in order to pursue for this career, I must not give up, and get out of Pasadena
City College with an Administration of justice degree. Before getting out of Pasadena City
College I must concentrate, study, and maintain good grades to get out as soon as possible. All I
need to finish is my general education courses before I transfer into Cal State. After completing
my last courses at Pasadena City College I will move on, and join the criminal justice program at
Cal State and stay with my plans and dreams. My plan is to continue school and succeed in Cal
State by taking the requirements, which is to complete eighty-eight units, and receive a Bachelor
of Science degree in Criminal Justice (California State university of Los Angeles). If I complete
the way I am setting my plans, then I will join any department, but I mainly focus in the
Pasadena Police Department.
In the police academy the candidate will start earning a salary, which is at fifty to sixty thousand
a year. It takes up six months to be in the academy, and new officers are shown to write reports,
learn more about the law, self-defense, firearms, and physical fitness. For example, during the
academy when candidates learn about the law, it is taught how crimes are against children and

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women, search and seizure, laws of arrest, and crimes against persons and property (The Los
Angeles Police Department). While being in the police academy it can be challenging for those
candidates that are out of shape because most of them will not make it through. If the candidate
makes it through the Police Academy then they will have a graduation with the rest of the new
officers. The candidate will receive a medal for completing the whole process and a department
badge, which means an official Police Officer.
In addition, a coursework that will enhance my profession is writing reports in Spanish,
translating from English to Spanish, and possibly public speaking practice. For instance, I can
speak Spanish to a crowd, but when it comes to translating some words will just not come across
my head. Public speaking is something that most people struggle with by start acting nervous,
but it takes practice to go away, and a good way to develop is by taking speech classes.
Additionally, the kinds of discourse, language that are used in the county of Los Angeles are
mostly Spanish rather than English because there are more Hispanics communities. So therefore,
learning a second language or even a third is important for the community, for translation,
communicating, and writing. A good way that could be improved on the written Spanish is to
take courses at Pasadena City College. I made a mistake by taking French courses in high school
because I do not use it like Spanish that it is used most of the time.
Martinez states people in the criminal justice field could continue with their education,
and could do something else like teaching after serving ten to twenty years of policing. For
example, professors in Pasadena City College are teaching while they are police officers.
Professors teach students because is a good way to motivate students, and give them tips for the
process of a police department. We have professors that are from the Los Angeles Police and
Pasadena Police agencies which are the two departments that I am interested the most. The type
of skills that law enforcement agencies are looking for are dedication, honesty, and a degree in

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the field. Also starting of as a cadet with the department or school campus will look good for the
candidate. Therefore, there is no hand experience, qualification for the candidate because in the
police academy will be taught all they need to know.
There is internships that could be available related to the field, but we need to put in the
effort and find openings in school campus or in a police department. Also any type of unpaid
community service shows doing something for the community, and could look good in our
resume. For example, I coached a soccer youth team, helped in church, and at Kaiser
Permanente. I would like to do more unpaid internship, but due to a full time job and school will
not fit into my schedule. Meanwhile, skills relevant to the field are my current job which is a
Target Security and be in good steps. My job as a security is relevant to the field which is to
protect merchandise, assist guest problems, communicate by radio, and make daily reports.
Working as a security has helped me developed to be polite to the customers, be a team leader,
and have good communication skills.
Additionally, my next step in preparation for the field is to stay out of trouble, keep a
good driving record, maintain a good credit score, and help the community in any type of way.
Because a having a bad driving record, bad credit score, and not helping the community it could
lead to disqualification for any police department. For example, a police department does not
chooses candidates who have a bad record, takes any drugs, has convicted a DUI which means
driving under the influence, and nor have a felony crime. Louis acknowledges in a police
department, they are seeking for police officers to help and serve the community with honesty
and reliability. Before a candidate becomes an officer they are expected to promise and tell the
truth and nothing about the truth which means no lying.
In conclusion, the actual work that I would like to be doing is something that I can enjoy
at daily basis, and earn decent money. Living pay check by pay check is a struggle and becomes
sad not providing at home, or family with their needs. However, I want to work at a place where

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I can help people out, and keep them safe and away from bad steps to have a future someday.
Those people following the wrong steps can change from it if the person is willing to put effort,
dedication, and motivation. Then the person will have my help to be in the right path. Finally, the
actual work that I am pursuing for is to become a Police Officer because I want to help and
protect my community, and also go around the community and recruit them; so therefore, it can
keep them away from drugs, continue school, and not living to struggle in any type of way. Such
as, money wise, family relationship, and home needs, which is the most important in life.

Work Cited
Ackerman, Thomas. Federal Law Enforcement Careers. Canada. Jist Works, 1999. Print.
CalStateLA.edu. California State University., Los Angeles, 2015. Web. 2 March. 2015.
JoinLAPD. City of Los Angeles Personal Department., Los Angeles, 2011. Web. 2 March. 2015.
Johnson, Louis. Preparing Students For Criminal Justice Careers. FBI Law Enforcement
Bulletin 67.9 (1998). Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
Stinnchcomb, James. Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Careers. United States. The
McGraw-Hill Companies, 2003. Print.

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Martinez, Linda. Interview Questions. Message to the author. 20 Feb. 2015. Email.
Police Officer Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation, 21 Feb, 2015. 22 Feb, 2015.