Would it be right for me to consider becoming a police officer?

[broehain61]

I'm 20 years old and almost done with the amount of college credentials I want. I've worked full time for the past three years as a custodian, became a volunteer firefighter and graduated a fire academy. My Dad was a cop. I know I have what it takes to be a police officer but the problem is, I really don't agree with the drug laws in America. It has never made sense to me to put a non violent drug user in jail. My history teacher in high school was a retired cop and believed marijuana should be legalized. I don't do drugs and regardless how you feel about drug laws doesn't matter. My question is, if anyone who answers this is or was a police officer ever feel the same way? I can really see myself as an officer but regardless on how I feel about certain things - should I just fulfill moral obligations as a police officer?

[chadburne48]

Police are supposed to follow the law, despite their moralities.

However, my dad was a police officer and fireworks are illegal in my state. He constant saw people setting off fireworks on the 4th of July but he never said anything to them unless a neighbor complained because he didn't want to be some jerk ruining the innocent fun of someone else.

[devdutta58]

I'm a retired cop. I came to the job with a bachelors degree and work in the normal world, making a lot more money, for 7 years.
Before the police I was a civil rights and anti war activist (much later actually worked, as a detective with a guy who had infiltrated our SNCC group).
I also felt antipathy towards most drug laws, kept that feeling just as I kept my other ideals throughout the job.

Did not keep me from enforcing the laws that needed enforcing.

One of the best ways to foment change is from inside, using your brains instead of just butting your head up against the wall.