Anyone here serve as a police officer?

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This is sort of off the wall, but I have this recurrent thought.

I am a software developer; I solve other people's problems with software.

Sometimes, I think about other careers I might have pursued had software not appealed to me. The first thing that comes to mind is physician; I think that in another life, I might be really passionate about solving other people's problems with medicine.

I could also see myself working in a blue-collar profession, such as an auto mechanic, a fireman, or a builder.

However, there is one job that experience tells me that I, as an aspie, would never be good at: police officer.

I wrote in a previous post that I feel like I have a special talent for upsetting people by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person. I can only imagine being summoned to a bar fight to smooth things over; I imagine walking in with the intention of telling everyone to settle down and stop fighting, and the fight turning into a full-scale riot.

Or perhaps, can you imagine an aspie police officer being summoned to someone's house when the neighbors report that a husband and wife are screaming and hitting each other?

Then again, I've heard that about 1/3 of a police officer's time on duty is spent enforcing traffic laws. Can you imagine an aspie police officer dealing with a drunk driver who is inconsolably outraged about being arrested?

I think that these are things that I could never do well.

I'm just curious as to if there are aspies out there who choose this line of work for whatever reason. What motivates you? How does your autism affect how you do your job?

I don't think it's imposable, but I would put it at the bottom of the list. Being a PO would involve a lot of "not-so friendly" human interaction and would put you in very stressful situations. I could say that being a PO will expose you to about 10 time more sensory stimulation/overload then being behind the cash register at a fast food joint.

BTW: I should also point out that there are others here on WP who have done military service. So they might be in a better position to tell you more about this.

Police Officer would not be a good idea I think, too much quick paced social interaction.

But there's more to the police than just first hand interaction, occupations such as detective work or criminal investigation would be a great fit to me.

A friend of mine told me about a relative who is an Aspie and a police detective. She had some problems socially in her role - but was very successful given her attention to detail and managed to acquire a reputation as a very skillful investigator who solved crimes others failed to solve.

I don't think there is any kind of work off limits to Aspies.

Contrary to your thoughts on it, law enforcement officer is actually listed as an aspie friendly profession that many choose - right up there along with military. It's because there are very clear black and white rules, structure, and guidelines etc. Also, many aspies tend to be very calm under pressure during emergency situations. For these people, it can be a well suited career.

My older brother has AS signs & traits that I pick up on. He's been in federal law enforcement for nearly a decade. He's also a firearms instructor for them.

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No for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.

Hi, i have been a police officer for twenty seven years. I was diagnosed with asperger's about nine months ago. It might explain some of why im not very good at my job. Or it might be that im genuinely incompetent, badly organised and poor at social interaction, irrespective of the asperger's. I would like to think it's not a coincidence but i genuinely do not know the answer to that.

Hey, Scribbler!

I'm sorry to hear you say that you feel that you're not very good at your job. Maybe your recent diagnosis can help you make adjustments that can help you do better. I hate to imagine feeling incompetent on account of being an Aspie, so please hang in there and do the best you can for yourself and the community you serve. We're all rooting for you, but if it doesn't work out for you, I still wish you the best.

If you have some particular difficulty you need to talk about, we are certainly here for you.

Thanks mad man. It was a career i sort of drifted into by accident and I have to do it for only another two years ten months. it will pass soon enough and i will definitely hang in there. But as you posted the question in the first place, Im very happy to answer any specifics, unless the posts have already answered your question anyway. kind regards

lol, yeh retired and able to give more careful consideration to my next career

I was just ruminating, but if you're looking for a question to answer, I wonder how a policeman with Asperger's deals with people on a regular basis.

As I was saying before, I just can't imagine myself in the shoes of the officer to has to respond late at night to a call that a husband and wife are screaming and hitting one another, or a call that a drunk bar patron is threatening to hurt someone. Actually, I can hardly imagine an NT doing that.

I would think that responding to such calls would require very delicate interpersonal skills that I simply don't possess.

Maybe that's why there are so many stories about encounters with the police gone horribly wrong; maybe it's the case that even when people sign up for the job and give it their best, it's still a really hard job. Maybe the last time I heard a story about a police officer using a taser inappropriately or battering a suspect, that officer had been pushed to his breaking point by having to deal people at their worst.

It's one of the few jobs that I really just can't imagine myself doing, much less doing well.

There might be a "mental health check" to use a firearm. Many gun laws have an exclusion for people with a history of mental illness.

I don't see autism as being a complete barrier to working in law enforcement, but the odds are you would best serve in a non-patrol capacity.

I know a guy who is a sworn FBI agent, but he does IT work for them. Has a badge, doesn't carry a gun.

You have to think outside the box and angle for a position that would best suit your "personality."

I have always given cops a wide berth.

I was going to; did Criminal Justice and all that (didn't finish though because I found out I couldn't be one).

They don't let people with Asperger's join here.