The Badge by Georgia

The Badge by Georgia - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

I was running as fast as my legs could carry me. I could hear the sirens behind me and the lights flashing out of the corner of my eye. Faster. Faster. Faster. They were getting closer. I was tired of the chase. My lungs felt ready to give up.

“I got her!” I heard the policeman yell suddenly as he grabbed my right arm and threw on a pair of cuffs. A stampede of his fellow officers came rushing to his side, “Alpha 34 to dispatch, we’ve got one in custody,'' an officer stated over his radio. I was booked at the county jail that day for robbery in the first degree. My mom was so upset when I got home covered in grass stains and dirt, but playing cops and robbers was a weekly tradition in my neighborhood. We all wanted to be police officers when we grew up. We gathered every Sunday to “train”. Half of us would act of cops and the other half as robbers. We assigned ourselves weekly “police officer homework”. and spent our days after school reenacting episodes of COPS and Law and Order.

Instead of an allowance, my dad used to drive me through the police station parking lot to see the patrol cars. I loved it. Seeing those cars gave me the type of joy that money just can’t buy. I was young, but I knew that one day I would wear the badge too.

The summer between eighth grade and my freshman year, I spent every weekday from 8 in the morning to 5:30 in the evening watching court cases proceed at the Marion County Courthouse. I attended every community event that my local law enforcement agencies held. And by the end of the Summer, I was accepted to be a volunteer police cadet at the Salem Police Department. At only 14 years old, my dream was finally beginning to become a reality. I at least had my foot in the door. Three years have passed since I first became a cadet, and although I no longer want to be a police officer, the police department is still my favorite place on earth. I volunteered over 2,000 hours with my cadet unit. I assisted police officers on patrol and worked alongside other cadets representing Salem PD at community events.

My time as a cadet made me realize my passion for domestic violence awareness and prevention. I completed many of my monthly ride alongs with domestic violence resource officers and attended several DV trainings offered through the department. Domestic violence is a complex crime and working with victims of abuse is no easy task, especially since many victims, both men and women, believe what they are experiencing is a form of love. Working with victims requires good listening skills, patience, and a TON of compassion. Sometimes victims make decisions that sabotage an investigation or put their own lives in danger, which can be frustrating to law enforcement who may feel their sincere efforts aren’t helping. Every year, more than 10 million men and women become victims of family violence in the United States alone. I am currently working towards my clearance to become a trained domestic violence advocate with the Salem PD. Domestic violence advocates are a part of the DVRT (Domestic Violence Response Team). The team is composed of highly trained DV officers who respond to DV calls and DV advocates who offer 24/7 crisis intervention support for DV survivors.

Volunteering with the police department has certainly helped me discover and pursue my passions. I’ve learned how to work with individuals. Listening without judging, empathizing, and being patient with people are all skills I exercise regularly when volunteering at the PD. Further, I’ve experienced a growth of passion since becoming a part of the police department. When I was a kid, I wanted to a police officer, but after becoming a cadet, I found I have a special passion for DV and other crimes against people. The experiences I’ve had volunteering at the police department shaped my career plans and goals for my adult life. I plan on attending college to become a social worker.