My Reason

[Brinksta]

Good afternoon, guys. I wanted to let you guys know why I have wanted to strive to become a law enforcement officer.

My freshmen year of college I took a criminal justice class. Our instructor gave us an essay to do. It could be about any criminal event that has ever happened. I did a little research and decided to do mine on the Columbine shooting. I knew very little about it. As I studied this horrendous shooting I felt like I couldn't get enough. I spent days, no weeks studying everything about it. How two kids could do the unthinkable. I studied each of the victims. Now I have done research on some shootings before, but this one touched me to my core. If only the warning signs were followed up on. If only the building could have been breached right away. What these kids went through tears me up.

Columbine is the reason I want to be in law enforcement. To help follow up on the warning signs. To help protect innocent people like those kids whose lives were lost that day. My job history may not be the best, but I intend to finish college and fulfill this promise that I made to myself after I wrote that paper.

I was wanting to know if this is a sufficient reason to want to be in law enforcement? I don't want to sound stupid when I get in an interview and tell them this.

[icu650]

Your reason to want to be a LEO is fine and commendable. Continue with your education and look into other avenues that might be interesting to you as well. Check into guidance counseling and social services. Getting on a LEO job can be time consuming, stick with it but don't slouch look at other avenues to keep you employed and paid.

[retdetsgt]

I agree with icu650. Remember, police are much more reactive than proactive. There is nothing in the job description that would have been helpful in preventing Columbine. As the name law enforcement says, we enforce laws that have been broken and really can't do much prevention.

If that interests you, why not go for a PhD in psychology? You could have much more of an impact on that sort of thing than being in any area of LE and you would have the training and tools to perhaps do something.

Good luck in however you choose to proceed.

[Officer20]

Having sat on a couple of oral board panels, I can tell you that what you say is not nearly as important as how you say it. For me, that question gives me a chance to hear your communication skills and get a feel for your personality more than anything. Of course, if the answer was thoughtless or ridiculous, that would factor into my scoring, but for the most part, this particular question is more about how you communicate.