Police Officer Hours?

Question

I would like to know if I become a Police Officer, will I always have messed up shifts? I really want to enjoy life and have my own time and most importantly if I get married and have kids I want to be there for them and I dont want my job to ruin my life in the sense where I will be missing out on my family.

Do you know if later on you can get more normal hours? This is the only thing that has been really worrying me and I need to know before I pay money for college and make this my career for the rest of my life.

Any help is appreciated thank you in advance :)

Answer 1

12 hour shifts around here. Everybody gets their turns at nights weekends and holidays. We are the Police... we don't close.



Some work four 10 hour shifts, Some work 5 eights but they are rare.



Admin gets the cush hours. Mon-Fri 8-5, but admin's jobs are always on the line whenever a new Sheriff or Chief comes to office.



If you value your time so much and want a "normal life"..... stay out of law enforcement. Not trying to be a smartass, just giving you the best advice I can. You won't be happy. You can pretty much bank on missing birthdays, anniversaries, recitals, plays and ballgames. That's why law enforcement sports some of the highest divorce rates of any profession. Dark side of the profession, sorry.

Answer 2

What type of schedule officers work depends mostly on what police department they work for. Some officers have to work rotating shifts. Shift hours and how often you rotate can vary. For example, some officers rotate every week, some every 2 week, and some every month. Some officers work 8 hour shift, some work 10 hour shifts, and some work 12 hour shifts. Some officers work steady shifts. Some officers have steady days off, and some don't. Most officers have to often work midnight shifts, weekends, and holidays. It is great that you are considering college. Getting a college degree is one of the best things that you can do. Many departments require or prefer applicants to have college. Having a degree could help you get hired by some departments. Some departments pay their officers more if they have a degree. Having a degree can also help you get promoted during your career. Getting police officer jobs is becoming more and more competitive. Do whatever you can to make yourself the best candidate that you can. Best of luck!

Answer 3

You will always work different hours. You will always work weekends and holidays. You may be called out for emergencies 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You will end up missing special events in your children's lives. You stand a much higher than normal chance of being injured or killed on the job (most likely while standing outside your patrol car on a traffic stop). There is always the chance that you will run into a violent felon when you are out with your wife and kids at the movies or shopping center.



You would have to have an extremely understanding spouse to keep a marriage going.

Answer 4

In my department we work eight hour shifts, six days on, three days off. It is nice to have the "three day weekend," however the three days off are not always on a weekend. It is nice for Doctor appointments and other things to have days off during the week. We do not have shift change at the same time so there is always coverage. Day shift A is 5am-1pm, B is 7am-3pm; swing shift A is 1pm-9pm and B is 3pm-11pm. Third shift A is 9pm-5am, B is 11pm-7am. The Sergeants work 6am-2pm, 2pm-10pm, and 10pm to 6am. All officers begin their law enforcement career in uniform patrol. You can expect to be there for at least four years before you can apply for a different position within the department. During your FTO phase after the academy, you likely will rotate to all shifts as different shifts tend to bring different types of calls. After the FTO phase, typically you will work where you are needed. In my department every year every officer can put in a request to the Captain with three preferences as to what shift you would like to work. The Captain gives the officer with the highest seniority the shift he wants. The Captain will accommodate everyone the best he can, but the employee who has been there longer will have choice over newer officers. If your six day on, three day off rotation has you working on Christmas or holidays, then you are working the holiday. That's how it goes in law enforcement.

Answer 5

I am conversant in a department nearly Greensboro and the officers are probably on 12 hr shifts. There may be most often an overlap in shifts for the duration of the final two hrs of the shift to deliver is recent faces and to enable the officers who've been on to wind down. Each division varies however you will have 2 days on 2 days of or 4 days on 4 days off. Which means you work in a cycle . Your shift time will even trade every few weeks. Example. 3pm -3am shift one month and 6am shift till each time the subsequent month.

Answer 6

Someone so concerned with bankers hours would never be able to pass the gruelling psychological evaluations and training that police recruits endure. You're probably best to become a meter maid.