Reference no: EM133106316

Police Officers begin their careers with the idea of wanting to serve and protect the community. During the academy, recruits are exposed to artificial stress to see how they perform under pressure. A para-military academy involves strict rules, uniform expectations, and proficiencies in academics, tactics, and firearms. The mistakes made in the academy have no real consequences. These stressors are done in a controlled environment and are not permanent. Once an officer graduates and starts his assignment, an officer is expected to perform at a high level with no mistakes. Mistakes can cause injury or death to the public, his partners, or himself. The police officer soon realizes the academy scenarios are different from the real world. Suspects do not follow commands; there is no second chance or remediation. Newly assigned police officers are expected to perform, and they want to impress their peers and supervisors. They experience stress to perform all tasks efficiently without complaining. The police officers are expected to function with minimal sleep working on graveyards and double shifts. In some cases, unhealthy food choices are typical. During their shift, their heart rates race while responding to the "hot call." These factors take a physical and mental toll on a police officer. A police officer does not want all of their blood, sweat, and tears to be for nothing. They want the efforts to be for the betterment of the community and the noble cause of the profession.