It's too dangerous...

[rlf1810]

Hello All,

Since revealing my career aspirations as an LEO to my family, their most common concern has been, "I don't want you to do that, it's too dangerous." I'm sure the same concern was presented to you in the early days of your journey and I'm wondering what your response was. Whatever it was, did you ease their concerns or just accept their worry as inevitable?

Thanks!

-Robert

[retdetsgt]

A lot of construction jobs are more dangerous than being a cop. You'd play hell getting me up on high steel. The last I read, the most dangerous job in America is being a bicycle messenger in a large city.

[DCF]

At some point, we all have to live our own lives. If we try to live a life that makes our families happy, chances are great we'll be miserable. I explained to them that; I was well trained, not an idiot, and wanted to end each shift with coming home. I wanted them to understand if they were worried, it was their problem and not mine.

[mobrien316]

One of my buddies at the PD has two grown sons, both in their mid-twenties. All of their lives their mother told them they were "not allowed" to be cops like their father because it was too dangerous and the hours were too hard to live with.

One of them is now a cop.

Do what you want - it's your life.

[retdetsgt]

Nobody and I mean nobody in my family was pleased when they heard I was becoming a cop. Frankly, I wasn't even sure I wanted to do it when I took the test. Now I can't imagine having done anything else for a career. There wasn't a single day in my life that I dreaded going to work because I was tired of the job. Not many people can say that about their's. Live your life, they'll get used to it.

[mcsap]

Career and personal satisfaction go hand in hand. As long as you are not doing anything illegal or unethical , YOU have to decide what is best for you.

Do you want to be a career receiving dock person whose greatest accomplishment was to have recycled damaged cardboard boxes or do you want to have made a significant contribution to your town ?

No parent wants their child to be in a dangerous situation but you at some point will or have ceased being a child and will or are an adult. Many thousands of men and women have made the career choice to go into Law Enforcement ,military , Fire Service , EMS etc. I am sure they are QUITE thankful that when they call 911 , someones son or daughter will show up at their door to help.

Why can't YOU be that someone for other people ?

[rlf1810]

Thanks for the replies guys, they're helpful. I think there may be a bit of confusion over what I was looking for in posing this question though.

My concern is not with whether or not I should do what I want to do, but rather how I might ease the concerns of those worried about my safety on the job. Yes, I will do what I want to do with my career but I find it a bit callous not to at least attempt to lessen the worry my family has. Whether they remain worried even after my convincing them they needn't be is unfortunate but entirely up to them.

[mcsap]

Your family watches all of the police shows and movies and there are ALWAYS shootings etc. That is not always the case. IN 25 years , I have never fired my gun at a person. I work for a 50+ man dept covering 50 sq miles with a population of over 50k.

[marinepilot]

My concern is not with whether or not I should do what I want to do, but rather how I might ease the concerns of those worried about my safety on the job. Yes, I will do what I want to do with my career but I find it a bit callous not to at least attempt to lessen the worry my family has. Whether they remain worried even after my convincing them they needn't be is unfortunate but entirely up to them.

My mother is still not happy with my post-Marine Corps career choice (like I wasn't in constant danger there, right? LOL). But my wife was able to get her to understand that should something happen to me in the line of duty, that at least it would be while I was doing something that I loved and made me happy.

Tell your family that if they love you, they would want you to be happy, even if that means you have a dangerous career choice. Worked for me.