Hectic Week/First Steps

This past week has been extremely hectic and depressing. I logged over forty hours of work and still got sick even after receiving the flu shot, but I pressed on. This week was one of reflection and determination. I met with two professors and outlined my reasons for wanting to go to Graduate School. Professor Hagedorn(Criminal Law and Justice Department) gave me key tips on how to succeed. I explained to him what I was currently working on for my senior project and he said I should take his independent research class next semester! If I could get into his class than I know that would be a step in the right direction. He is the type of professor that is a great motivator and allows you think outside the box. He has also encourage not to view things as black and white, but as a plethora of colors. Never take things by its' face value. Friday, I got the chance to meet with Professor Stovall(Sociology Department) before meeting with him I was worried about the GRE exam and the scores needed, but he took my fears down a notch. I never realized the importance of the personal statement for graduate school before meeting with him. I have to take time and sit down and outline my reasons for graduate school, including what I hope to gain and what I could bring to the department.

Things seem to be moving at a rapid speed at this moment, graduation is in May. Deadlines for everything seem to be around the same time.

Last week was a back and forth pitfall with trying to find interviews. I had one set-up but it fell through and then I got another and got stood up. And then...

Our lovely Mrs. Dade, gave me a contact that she knew, Chief Brown. I sent him a couple of e-mails and left messages at the police department but didn't hear anything until Sunday around 7:30p.m and at the time I was at work and didn't get off until 11:00p.m. He left a voicemail and he stated that he didn't know my assignment was due at midnight last Sunday until Mrs. Dade mentioned it at church! Thanks ANGELA! So I sent him an e-mail Monday morning while at work and now we are in the stages of trying to find time to actually do the interview.

This week has mostly been about getting into Graduate School. I also got the chance to speak to Dr. Erez in the CLJ Department. I explained to her my worries and what I was working on for my senior class and she said she would love to see me in Graduate School! Hopefully all the great feedback I am receiving is a sign that I will be able to get into Graduate School!

This class has truly allowed me to outline what steps I need to take to reach my goal. My ultimate goal wont come to fruition for another 5-10 years, but my current goal is getting into Graduate School and I wont stop until I receive that acceptance letter.

Even though this week was hectic, I got the chance to speak to two wonderful professors. I know now that I need to push myself even harder :)

Emotions with Planning Wall

I actually like the planning wall better than the flowchart! The planning wall allows me to look at something more "concrete" than the free flowing bubbles of a flow chart. My only hang up is deciding what I will be doing in the next five years! I cant even push past the next year. However, I like the month to year analysis of plans! On my planning wall I entered in goals that were not only academic but personal goals that I would like to achieve.

Planning Wall

Planning Wall!!!

Interview

This past week has been very hectic and also rewarding! At this point I am very overwhelmed with taking the GRE. I have been studying my workbook and also trying to complete homework and prepare for midterms at the same time. To add gasoline to the fire, one of rocks that keeps me grounded is in Aruba! My boyfriend left for Puerto Rico and Aruba yesterday for a week vacation with his family. I had the opportunity to go, but school is way more important! Anyway, it took forever and a day to get an interview with a detective (whom wants to remain anonymous). I ran into schedule conflicts and utter rudeness from his peers, whom I overheard said it was pointless talking to some college kid about his job. I have reached a plateau of in my life where I no longer let stupid crap like that bother me. After all of the problems I encountered with "time conflicts", I enlisted a little help from my boyfriends uncle whom is a cop. I asked him should I approach him a different way. He said in order to talk to a detective, you need to be humble and understand their authoriy. Basically, play the role that he is the best person on the face of the earth! Yes, he just told me, a person whom is not a follower or a kiss ass, to basically play the role of one to get what I want. He said detectives work hard as cops and take on long hours to become detectives. I complied. After going to his office and him not being there, I sent him a e-mail practically begging for an interview. I asked that the next time he goes for a coffee run, I would meet him. Supringsly, he said yes. He also said that I seem like a dedicated person and would be perfect for the job!

Interview Highlights

• Our meeting turned into a hour long conversation talking about real-life situations and the demanding role of a detective!
  
• The first step to becoming a detective, is being a police officer
  Take the night shift,if you can. This will allow for you to respond to high-crimes(Robberies, Murders, Burglaries)
  
• Become close to the Captain. Express your interest in become a detective. Usually after your first five years on the force
  
• As a detective, you have to be vigillante and dedicated. Which he said I already posses these characteristics because I would not leave this man alone!
  
• Stay in shape. Mentally and Physically. He says that I will come across very heinous crimes, I have to learn how to separate the job from my life.
  
• He said be prepared to be called all times of the time. If I want kids, its best to have them before becoming a detective. He said he missed very important stages of his kids life. He should have done it when he was a cop instead.
  
• I asked him why did he want to become a detective and his answer was very truthful and honest.
  He states he became a detective 70 % because of the money and great benefits. He said 30% for solving crimes. He said that he was going to be completely blunt, he needed money. He wanted a lot out of life. He wanted things that he never had before. He planned on having kids and he needed to support his wife. He wanted a house built from the ground up and wanted to fill it with everything "he" wanted. He says the 30% is the sheer pleasure of solving crimes and helping the community!

Interviews

Officer

Dave

Why did you become a police officer?

He states, "I became a police officer because my twin brother was shot over twenty times by gang members". All because he did not want to join a gang. I vowed that I would find his killers and to this day I have found one and I am working on the others. I have a personal vendetta against people who harm others. I joined the force for personal reasons, but as I trained and entered the force I noticed that I could help others and help solve crimes and its a very rewarding experience.

What steps did you take to become a police officer?

At the time that I became a police officer, the age requirement was a 18 and you did not need that much college. But now things have changed drastically. There are so many steps and rules to become a officer, you cant be discouraged. Now you must be at least 21, in good shape, a Bachelor's Degree, and not a speck of a criminal record. The reason why the rules are so stringent is because at one point in the 70's and 80's, gang members had infiltrated the police department, unbeknown est to the Captain.

Were there times where you did not want to be a police officer?

Of course. The moment I am dispatched to a crime scene of children. I have two kids of my own and I have to take a step back and breath and remember this is my job and I going to see some heinous and sad things. My first call as a rookie was to the crime scene where a mother flung her newborn out of the window because he wouldn't stop crying. At the time my girlfriend was pregnant with our first baby. I couldn't look at the baby, I couldn't go into the apartment I stayed in the car and threw up. My partner whom was a veteran, came to the car and slapped me in the face. He yelled WAKE UP, this is reality. If you cant handle this, you cant handle the other crazy shit in Chicago. From that point on, I knew that I had to push on. I bit my lip and processed the scene.

Retired Remote Terminal Operator (Youth Division of Police Department)

Beverly

Why did you become a RTO in the youth division?

Crime and criminal behavior has always intrigued me. It boggles the mind what people are capable of doing to each other. Its even more perplexing what people do to children they gave birth to.

How did you become a RTO/ what do you do?

Well, I was 23 and was downtown with a friend putting in random job applications. At the time I was going to Business School. I went to city hall and read the job description and qualifications and applied. Within a week I was called to come in a take the typing test. I passed and they placed me in the Youth Division. A RTO, inputs data from police reports into a computer system for a audit trail of crimes done by youths or crimes done to youths in Chicago. We have millions and millions of files of some of the most horrific crimes.

* I was told a few of the crimes, due to privacy I will not post the crimes*

Were there any times you did not want to work in the Youth Division?

Not at all, I knew this was the place I was going to retire from. Other jobs did not give me a since of fulfillment the way this job did. I wouldn't change the long hours of putting everything together for anything in the world.

Analysis of Interviews

I learned from both interviews that Law Enforcement takes patience and dedication. I understand that by entering into this field I will come across things I have never seen or heard before in my life and I have to hve the strength to push through and complete the case.

Exercise #2: Five Lives

1. David Williams: Lawyer/Professor @ UIC
2. Linda Konczyk Clinical Nurse of Emergency Services @ UIC Medical
3.Chicago Sky Dive (e-mailing me more contact info)
4.Heather Risser Visiting Professor in Criminal, Law, and Justice @ UIC
5. Beverly Martin: retired from the Chicago Police Department

Exercise #1: Plotting my Goal

In Barbara Sher's Wishcraft, she states that the best way to plot a goal is to work backwards. All this time I have been plotting goals in the opposite direction. I would first start by listing what I knew to do to achieve that goal and at the end of the spectrum, there would be my ultimate goal. ( I tried to copy and paste a flow chart from Microsoft Excel, but the Blog Uploader does not recognize the file)

Goals(Linear Style)

Profession
*In two to three years, I hope that I have been accepted in the FBI Victimization Department. With the two years prior to induction, I will be preparing myself with a Master's Degree in Criminology and gaining a law enforcement background.

Post Graduate School
*After Graduate School I will hopefully be in law enforcement, either the police or federal sector. Throughout Grad School I hope to fil out at least thirty applications to suburban, state, and federal law enforcement.

Graduate School
*During this time I will be filling out applications for police departments and trying to narrow what I want to do in life. I will increase my network web and let people know that I will be looking for a full-time position after Grad School.

Undergraduate
*This is where I am now. I know I need to buckle down and study for the Graduate Record Exam and start asking professors for recommendations. I need to compile a package of documents for Grad School prior to the March 15 2010 deadline. I have started to piece the package together now.