Essay Example on Police Officers: Essential Characteristics for Quality Service Delivery

Police officers are public servants who work under law enforcement services. Police officers are required to possess different vital characteristics that help in the dissemination of services to the public. Individuals who need to become police officers can evaluate their specific challenges and attributes for quality service delivery to the citizens. Despite the police officers being physically fit and courageous, they ought to possess multiple vital characteristics that make them useful police officers. For example, some of the traits good police officers should have are; effective communication skills, integrity, eagerness to learn, and excellent negotiation skills (Scherman 2019). Therefore, since the different traits possessed by police officers play a significant role in their career, this paper will discuss the characteristics possessed by good police officers.

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Good police officers have effective communication skills as it helps them to relay accurate information without leaving the essential details. Also, one can draw a picture of the occurrences which happened at a specific scene in the minds of people. Communicating effectively allows a police officer to gain trust from the society in which they serve as law enforcement officers (Birzer 201). In courts, well-drafted reports by the police officers can be used to get justice from specific cases. Also, police officers with excellent communication skills tend to listen and ask questions regarding the issue before writing reports. Therefore, effective communication skills are useful in obtaining appropriate information, which helps in the law enforcement system.

Consequently, police officers are required to have integrity as it helps them to obtain the trust from the public and confidence in their law enforcement duties. The best police officers tend to go beyond those who hustle without focusing on rewards. Police officers with integrity get involved in more risks present in the community as the society members have developed their trust in problem-solving (Birzer 201). Societal members allow police officers into their compounds as strangers since they feel safe around them. Therefore, integrity among police officers helps them gain trust from the people they serve as they offer quality law services.

Moreover, good police officers tend to have effective negotiation skills since they help the public in finding solutions to specific issues. Also, the officer tries to calm other individuals who are present at particular scenes as they find solutions to the problem. For example, officers might experience crisis incidents at the workplace, thus becoming their obligation to decide on an appropriate way to calm the situation (Scherman 2019). Besides, officers with proper negotiation skills have the responsibility of treating other individuals with respect and paying attention while listening to others. Officers who have poor negotiation skills are judgmental, make promises that they cannot keep, and are demanding. Therefore, with useful negotiation traits, officers can get to learn the inside story of a specific issue and provide appropriate solutions towards the problem.

Good police officers are willing to learn new skills as it makes their job abilities and knowledge to grow. A police officer is trained to become a jack-of-all-trades since they deal with issues about public interests. Through continuous learning, officers can adapt to the changing plates, which are added in the law enforcement sector. For example, a good officer attends classes and conferences which are related to their career to gain more knowledge (Scherman 2019). Therefore, through continuous learning, an officer can make appropriate decisions that help in solving issues affecting the public.

Therefore, good officers possess appropriate traits that help in the dissemination of services to the public. Some of the characteristics possessed by these officers include; effective communication skills, integrity, eagerness to learn, and excellent negotiation skills. These traits have proved to be advantageous to both the officer and the public. Therefore, individuals who want to become police officers can evaluate their specific challenges and attributes for quality service delivery to the citizens.

Works Cited

Birzer, Michael L. "What makes a good police officer? Phenomenological reflections from the AfricanAmerican community." Police Practice and Research: An International Journal 9.3 (2008): 199-212.

Jess, Scherman. 6 often overlooked qualities of a great police officer. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/justice-studies/blog/overlooked-qualities-of-police-officer/