This does not mean caving in or being overly emotional -- to me, it means trying to put myself in another person's shoes and see things from their perspective. To me, being judgmental is the opposite of being compassionate, so I always strive to consider all of the circumstances rather than just writing off a human being as a just a useless criminal or as 'trash'. I remember an instance in my own life when I saw police officers hassling a homeless man and calling him names and I thought to myself, "How can they treat another human being that way?" I also understand, however, that it is not wise to get too emotionally involved and also that appearing vulnerable can be perceived as a sign of weakness. That is what makes finding the balance between authority and kindness such a difficult task. Going to extremes is always a problem, meaning that finding a balance is a very worthwhile goal. Because police officers are in an authoritative position, we cannot afford to have extreme reactions or behaviors. When an officer does not know his own boundaries, this is when situations tend to spiral out of control.

Knowing my limits and boundaries is a challenge that I have been working to meet through the process of self-reflection. My training and my experience...

This is an area in which I was most definitely lacking in the past, but ironically, I was not aware of this because I never took the time to look within myself and search for the areas which were in need of improvement. For example, I used to think I was very forgiving but then after reflecting on some of things I have done, I realized that I still have a lot of work do. I have gotten better, but I have certainly not mastered this task by any means. I am however making a concerted effort to try to better understand myself, including my values, my motivations and my behaviors. I believe that this will be an invaluable tool that I will seek to hone for the rest of my career and the rest of my life.
All of my life I have wanted to be a police officer because I have wanted to make my community a better and safer place to live. I have always admired police officers for their bravery and dedication to the force, and to each other. I desire that same type of pride in myself and in the work I do. I intend on being the best police officer I can possibly be, and to always strive to improve both myself and the small piece of the world that I serve.