| Introduction | | | | supervisor is responsible for ensuring that officers |
| A career in Criminal justice offers an individual | | | | understand their respective duties and they know |
| numerous challenges, opportunities and room for | | | | how to carry them out. (Department of |
| growth. The latter paper is a rough draft of what | | | | Corrections, 2009) |
| it entails to follow such a line. This information was | | | | Being a sergeant also requires a different set of |
| obtained through a personal interview between | | | | challenges. First of all, one has to be committed to |
| myself and a Sergeant in the Department of | | | | the job because one can get called at any time of |
| Corrections. The interviewees name was | | | | the day be it day or night. On top of these, the |
| Sergeant B. Campbell. He has been with the | | | | needs of the unit are always the most important |
| Department of Corrections for a number of | | | | and sometimes, this may come in the way of |
| years and was also my supervisor during my | | | | one's personal life. In fact, the sergeant asserted |
| term of service within the force. | | | | that this was one of the most difficult issues that |
| Revelations from the interview | | | | he had to face in his position. |
| Sergeant Campbell asserted that in order to get | | | | The Department of corrections has a lot of |
| to his respective position, a lot of patience and | | | | opportunities for growth and all one has to do is |
| wisdom had to be exercised on the part of the | | | | to demonstrate that they possess the right kind |
| officer. This was because he had always had his | | | | of qualities to fit into these positions. Being a |
| eyes on that rank within the Department of | | | | sergeant within the Department of Corrections |
| Corrections (DOC) but it took a meticulous record | | | | requires one to portray managerial skills and may |
| and prompt response from his part in order to | | | | signify potential for filing in other positions. The |
| achieve this. Before discussing how he got his | | | | sergeant position is between the corporal and the |
| promotion, Sgt. Campbell revealed some | | | | officer and here one has the option of deciding |
| information about the process of entering the | | | | between varieties of positions. For instance one |
| force. He asserted that there were a series of | | | | can be a first sergeant who is responsible for in |
| both physical and mental test that he had to | | | | house duties one may be any of the other |
| undergo. First of all, he explained how a | | | | sergeant ranks within the DOC. If one has been |
| demonstration of good weapons control was | | | | placed at a suitable position within promotion lists, |
| necessary. (Kelly and West Attorneys, 2009) | | | | then chances are that they would have greater |
| Physical fitness was another important milestone | | | | chances of achieving it. Usually, one is subjected |
| in this process. He was required to demonstrate | | | | to rigorous testing both within the job and outside. |
| that he could run for long distances, do long | | | | It should be noted that the latter Sergeant |
| jumps, push ups, bench presses and even vertical | | | | heightened his chances of promotion by taking |
| leaps within a short span of time. As if these | | | | part in additional training that was necessary for |
| were not enough an officer in that line is required | | | | performance of certain duties. |
| to demonstrate their mental capabilities through a | | | | Sgt. Campbell asserts that the most important |
| series of interviews. Here, one is required to show | | | | part of his job is knowing that he has contributed |
| that they are capable of making good decisions | | | | towards making his country safer by playing his |
| under high stress situations since police work my | | | | part. He finds great reward in knowing that such a |
| subject one to choose between life or death. | | | | crucial Department relies on his duties and that |
| Also, high levels of discipline, respect for authority | | | | most of the work he does reflects positively on |
| and passion for police work had to be | | | | the performance of this correctional department. |
| demonstrated. | | | | The sergeant also explained that police officers in |
| The Sgt. Also asserted that education and training | | | | general and sergeants in particular have a wide |
| were important parts of this process. He had a | | | | degree of job incentives such as health insurance |
| degree in criminal justice and was given extra | | | | for their family members. Also, one enjoys a |
| points for doing a post graduate diploma in | | | | relatively high level of security within their job |
| accounting. It took a lot of patience for him to | | | | positions in this particular Department. However |
| enter the force because he was rejected three | | | | the Sergeant was quick to add that one's own |
| times. The reasons given were that there were | | | | security was the major issue within this line of |
| no vacancies within the Department of | | | | work. He claimed that the hardest point for him |
| Corrections at that time and that he had no prior | | | | was when a close associate was knifed twice in |
| experience. | | | | the stomach when trying to capture a suspect |
| After gaining admission into the Department of | | | | that had tried evading this respective officer. Sgt |
| Corrections, the Sgt. warned that all is not over. | | | | Campbell had a hard time recovering from that |
| In fact, this is where the real challenge begun. | | | | sight because he was there when the events |
| First of all, he had to maintain his level of physical | | | | unfolded. At the back of his mind, he knew that |
| fitness because any sloppiness in the job could | | | | the same thing could happen to him as well. |
| result in a very big repercussion. Additionally, the | | | | However, he claims that no such thing has |
| officer was challenged to lead a clean life because | | | | happened in subsequent periods. (Kelly and West |
| members are subjected to random checks and | | | | Attorneys, 2009) |
| trials every now and then. On top of these, there | | | | The sergeant also explained that pressure levels in |
| was a need to have multitasking abilities since | | | | such a line of duty were extremely high. He |
| officers are required to make frequent reports of | | | | asserted that one had to be on their toes most |
| everything that they have done within any given | | | | of the time because one could never be sure |
| day. The Department of Corrections was a | | | | when or where their services were required. In |
| particularly interesting one owing to the fact that | | | | fact, he claimed that the most important quality |
| one has to come in contact with some dangerous | | | | within his line of work was having multitasking |
| criminals. In certain circumstances, the Sergeant | | | | abilities. One had to be able to respond to another |
| explained dealing with these cases was the most | | | | call from their associates, supervise other |
| challenging aspect of his career. He added that the | | | | individuals while at the same time review |
| situation was particularly tricky owing to the fact | | | | performance records and job ratings. |
| that one could not be able to predict another's | | | | Conclusion |
| reaction within a high stress scenario. In this | | | | Sergeant Campbell's interview provided a deep |
| regard, he asserted that it was indeed difficult for | | | | insight into the life of a police officer (as he was |
| him to handle such situations because if he | | | | one before promotion) and also some details |
| demonstrated bad judgment, then he would be | | | | about the life of a Sergeant. It was found that |
| answerable for it. (Department of Corrections, | | | | these positions are quite demanding and one had |
| 2009) | | | | to possess immense levels of dedication and |
| The officer also explained that a good memory | | | | passion to thrive in any criminal justice |
| was an important part of the job within the | | | | field.references |
| correctional department because in certain | | | | Kelly and West Attorneys (2009): New Highway |
| scenarios, he was expected to testify in the | | | | Patrol First Sergeant; Record Publishing Company |
| court of law. Therefore a police officer has a lot | | | | Department of Corrections (2009): Home Page, |
| of responsibility in his hands. If anything like a false | | | | retrieved form accessed on 23rd Jan 2008 |
| accusation is made, then chances are that the | | | | Appendix: Interview questions |
| individual under trail will miss a chance in justice. | | | | What education and previous experience were |
| Additionally, such kind of conduct could put one's | | | | required for the job |
| job on the line after it has been established that | | | | What was the training like? |
| there are some problems with the testimony | | | | What are the expectations for a new officer? |
| given by a police officer. | | | | What should you not do or do as an officer? |
| The sergeant also asserted that the Department | | | | What makes a good officer and what makes a |
| of Corrections has a lot of room for orientation | | | | bad one? |
| of new police officers. Consequently, one ought | | | | What are some of the career advancement |
| no to worry about fitting in. A supervisor is | | | | opportunities within the DOC? |
| always assigned upon arrival and he/she is | | | | What are the most challenging issue in the DOC? |
| responsible for all the social, physical and | | | | What kind of benefits do you get? |
| psychological needs that an officer may have | | | | What sort of security and safety do you expect? |
| within the line of duty. This implies that all the | | | | What is your favorite part of the job? |
| questions and inquiries that new officers may | | | | What amount of stress levels are you subjected |
| posses need to be addressed. Also, the | | | | to? |