Open Letter

To Whom It May Concern,

My research over the course of the semester regarding this specific topic, has been quite interesting despite the fact that I would have never even considered a job in law enforcement, due to the fact that my previous run-ins with the law haven’t been the best of experiences. Although it’s not a complete passion of mine to be a police officer, it is a stepping stone and a solid foundation, as far as career wise, to further my knowledge and utilize my compassion to help others and protect those who are in need of it. I believe that in order to achieve success in whatever you do, one must understand each aspect and every angle of the particular subject that interests you. I take pride in how mentally strong I am, so I decided to research the psychological aspect of law enforcement and what it takes to be a police officer when faced with certain situations or accumulated stress from experiences on the job. I had actually begun my research long before I even enrolled in this critical thinking class. Around this time last year I was applying for the San Francisco Police Department and OPD as well. Unfortunately I still have not been successful in being accepted in a Police Department or Academy, due to unexpected circumstances. However, after speaking with my uncle, an Ex-Navy Seal, who had also been through the evaluation process of applying for a police department, he informed me of what I needed to do and what they’re looking for in a candidate as well as advice he had gotten from some of his friends who are police officers. He then let me borrow a book entitled, Cops by Mark Baker, which is a collection of interviews done with real police officers and gives the reader an in-depth view of what they have experienced on the street as an officer. Some of the stories are amusing and even exciting, while others can be quite graphic and disturbing at times. My research conducted about this topic has definitely given me a different perspective as far as what I need to be mentally prepared for out there as a police officer. To those of you who are planning on pursuing the same career or who are already in the process of doing so as I am, good luck to you, because it is definitely not an easy process.