Where you guys scared at first?

[Mike Romeo]

In 2006 I arrested over 100 people (in some cases, the same person two or three times) and of all those arrests, I was genuinely afraid for my well being in about 3 cases. One of which I ended up in a ground struggle to get the suspect in custody. For 3 in 100 to go south--I consider myself lucky. After all, this ain't firefighting. Most people aren't glad to see me and I seem to catch them at their worst.

Arrests aside, I've lost count of how many times the hair on the back of my neck stood up because something didn't seem right. Running code to a shooting happens here all the time. Talking to people on the street that would rather kill you than look at you is another. I already keep a little extra Officer safety in the back of mind for the wife and kids to begin with. And I think a little fear in my back pocket keeps me from making unacceptable risks. Too much fear and I wouldn't be able to do my job; not enough and I'm the next dead Officer.

I can remember be very cautious at first, mainly because I acknowledged to myself as a rookie that I was inexperienced. Things change over time and the confidence level goes up and the fear subsides, but not completely. But that's what works for me.

[Whitebear]

I always said, if a cop is never scared of anything, I don't wanna work with him....he can be a dangerous cop by the fact that he will have hard time to know where is the line of his power in a given situation and might also take stupid risk and play the hero... we are not heros, we are cops, we are not machines, we are humans.. we have to know our limitations. By exemple when as a patrol officer I have to call the swat to help me. When do I have to call for simple back up? when do I have to retreat. that means that even if you are 200 pounds, 6 feets tall we might be afraid in some situations......


being a little bit scared of something can keep you alive.... but there is also a difference between being scared of something and be terrorised by something.....

there is a difference between being a yellow and using our judgement...

[patchcop]

Our job is dangerous, off course, but, like an old man said more than 25 years ago to me - go out there on patrol. This is Disney World and you don't have to pay for it. Well, sometimes I think he was right in what he said.
The first day after the acadamy and the year in the riot state force I was afraid to leave the way to the headquarters because I wasn't there any time before (My dept. is not the dept of the area I was grown up). And the next half year was the most boring time in my life -patrol duty at the airport:mad: Nothing was more important than wearing your hat!!!!

[jiggaman023]

hey , thanks a lot guys for responding and to clear things out ..im not terrified or anything. i guess its just that feeling of what the real thing would be like. How often things get really bad etc..As for now im hopefuly going to get hired as an NYPD cadet, ive been in the process for about 2 weeks and im very excited because i think it will give me a feel for what officers go through. For wat we have been told, we will ride along with officers and attend a few crime scenes here and there aside from paperwork at the station. It seemed like a great opportunity so i jumped on it. I already had my medical done and will be doing the psychological part and physical within the next two days. After that its about a month in the academy and if everything goes ok, ill be in.

Once again thanks for the replys and i hope to one day be one of the guys.

[Taxx]

I am pretty new....a year and half in. And yes, I was scared/apprehensive my first day, because I wanted to pass probation. My department is famous for kicking guys loose deservingly. Anyways, since then I have only had two calls that have scared me.

1) A suspect, that I know from my corrections days, ran from a car that I stopped. I went to look for him in an abandoned garage. I kicked the partially opened door open and saw nothing. I pulled my Taser out and looked quicky behind the door and there he was standing with his hands up. Now if he had gun.......Let's just say it was a learning experience.

2) I am looking for a suspect in a DV Assault. I hear 4 gunshots the next street over, I mean close. I go running through the yard in the pitch black of night and it hits me......I'm running towards gun shots. I slow my pace down and peer from around a house and I see two cars occupied and about 7 guys hanging out by the cars. I hadn't even heard my backups sirens approaching yet.