Beyond the Badge: Making a Healthy Second Career Choice

Life after retiring from the police department can be a challenge for many as they deal with the transition from law enforcement to civilian occupations. Some officers stay until they reach the maximum age for retirement and return to civilian life having given their all to police service. Many who joined the force in their early twenties accept a pension in their forties and realize that they miss the job so much that they look for employment at another agency with no maximum age requirements. The allure of being a cop is so great, that they simply cannot walk away. For those officers who seek a sworn position in another municipal or federal police agency, and for those who work well past twenty-year anniversary at their current agency, a few health factors need to be understood.

Police work is a young person’s job. Patrolling the streets in a marked sector car and chasing criminals becomes more dangerous with age no matter what kind of shape you’re in. According to an article in Medline Plus, as we get older, our bones become brittle and may break more easily. Inflammation, pain, stiffness, and deformity may result from breakdown of the joint structures. These are just a couple of the physical transformations which take place over time as detailed in the article. Chasing bad guys – many armed with firearms – while suffering from sciatica and arthritic joints is not the safest career decision. You wouldn’t pitch in the major leagues in that condition, let alone wrestle with suspects while attempting to handcuff them.

One of the most harmful aspects of policing is stress. The effects of stress on the human body can be both physical and psychological. Moreover, in older adults also, the consequences of long-term stress can be very damaging. The Yale School of Medicine’s website, Yale Medical Group, cites a number of effects stress has on older adults. Chief among them is that long-term stress can damage brain cells and lead to depression. The WebMd website states that “untreated depression increases the chance of risky behaviors such as drug or alcohol addiction. It also can ruin relationships, cause problems at work, and make it difficult to overcome serious illnesses.” An article in Psychology Today, "Double Trouble: Depression and Heart Disease,"  reports that “depression and heart disease frequently travel together” and also “clinical depression and heart disease are the two leading causes of disability worldwide.” An officer can complete twenty years of service in one department, and take a position in another, only to risk serious health issues in an already hazardous profession due to the aging process. Meanwhile, another aging officer who refuses early retirement takes greater health risks with lengthy service to the department.

Indeed, law enforcement is a unique an rewarding vocation; but, knowing when to leave the job and look for something both less stressful and less dangerous can be a challenging decision. Considering the psychological and physiological effects of long-term police service may make the disadvantages seem to outweigh the advantages of continuing a law enforcement career. The choice is up to the individual. Changing careers is often the healthy choice.

About the Author: Michael J. Kannengieser is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus. Click Here to buy a copy of Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel "The Daddy Rock."

ICE announces creation of Public Advocate position

WASHINGTON — As part of the agency's ongoing detention reform initiative and other enforcement-related initiatives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today announced its first Public Advocate, ICE Senior Advisor Andrew Lorenzen-Strait. Lorenzen-Strait will serve as a point of contact for individuals, including those in immigration proceedings, NGOs and other community and advocacy groups, who have concerns, questions, recommendations or other issues they would like to raise.

"As our first Public Advocate, Andrew Lorenzen-Strait will work to expand and enhance our dialogue with the stakeholder community," said ICE Director John Morton. "We want the public to know that they have a representative at this agency whose sole duty is to ensure their voice is heard and their interests are recognized, and I'm confident Andrew will serve the community well in this capacity."

Lorenzen-Strait has served with ICE since 2008, first as an advisor and analyst on policies related to immigration enforcement, detention and juveniles and most recently, as the senior advisor for Enforcement and Removal Operation's (ERO) detention management division. In 2007, Lorenzen-Strait was named the Maryland Attorney of the Year for Pro Bono Service for his work with Community Legal Services of Prince George's County.

In his new role as public advocate, Lorenzen-Strait will report directly to the Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Director Gary Mead and will be responsible for:

•           Assisting individuals and community stakeholders in addressing and resolving complaints and concerns in accordance with agency policies and operations, particularly concerns related to ICE enforcement actions involving U.S. citizens;

•           Informing stakeholders on ERO policies, programs, and initiatives and enhance understanding of ERO's mission and core values;
•           Engaging stakeholders and building partnerships to facilitate communication, foster collaboration, and solicit input on immigration enforcement initiatives and operations; and
•           Advising ICE leadership on stakeholder findings, concerns, recommendations, and priorities as they relate to improving immigration enforcement efforts and activities.

The creation of the Public Advocate position is another milestone is ICE's ongoing work to enact significant policy changes and improvements to focus the agency's immigration enforcement resources on sensible priorities that promote public safety, border security and the integrity of the immigration system. In addition to implementing policies and processes that ensure discretion is used in deciding the types of individuals ICE prioritizes for removal from the country, the agency has also embarked upon a long-term detention reform initiative. These reform efforts are focused on prioritizing the health and safety of detainees in our custody while increasing federal oversight and improving the conditions of confinement within the detention system.

ICE will continue to analyze its policies and the results of its programs, making improvements where necessary to meet our priorities.

Law Enforcement Jobs

So, you’re seriously considering a job in law enforcement. But, you have questions – What’s the job really like? How do I apply? Where can I find openings? What is the process like? How can I score the highest possible?

These are important questions. Indeed, anyone who has gone through the application process for a law enforcement job knows it is critical to score as high as possible. It’s your score that gets you in the door. Remember – the highest scores are passed on to the next phase of the application process for a law enforcement job and they are the ones who ultimately become the cop on the beat, the homicide detective, SWAT or tactical officer; or, even a future chief of police.

But, those dreams never happen if you don’t score as well as possible. Every cop gets asked these questions and two of them have taken the time to write down the answers. First, the Police Officer Exam, 3rd Edition, was edited by Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA. Many of the questions were updated to reflect current testing. More importantly, entire passages were re-written or developed to give you practical, down-to-earth advice on the process. Detective Lieutenant Barry Baker, Baltimore Police Department (ret.), has written “Becoming a Police Officer: An Insider’s Guide to a Career in Law Enforcement.” Lieutenant Baker’s book not only helps you with the process, but helps to visualize your career and to make that career happen.

Lieutenants Foster and Baker give you a coast-to-coast perspective on a career in law enforcement and the one-two punch you need to score high, get the job and begin your career. You need both books to be successful. Order both books today!

Click here for more information on the books

Police-Writers.com now hosts 420 police officers (representing 183 police departments) and their 894 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.