Could you build a family with your significant other if he/she is on the verge of becoming a cop?

[EyeOfNewt]

Recently a police chief wrote on twitter that if someone on the force was afraid to run towards gunfire, they should hand in their badge. His tweet drew praise and it's understandable. A cop has to forfeit his/her personal security for the collective.

But suppose your significant other (cop) wants children. How do you reconcile these two ideas:

1. He/she has a duty towards the child to provide everything a child needs to succeed in life.
2. If your job demands that you put your life on the line and be absent, how can you do 1.

Is it a stretch to say that people doing dangerous jobs and who claim to want a family are consciously or unconsciously lying to themselves? Would you do a dangerous and demanding job if you'd really like to have a kid?

Related: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-yor...ficer-parents-jobs-dangerous-article-1.241965

 

[Clear Winner]

Nope. Where am I going to hide all of my drugs and bank heist plans?

 

[JJ Frog]

Not a chance. For starters I doubt I’d be into a chick trying to live that life. Mainly it just seems too stressful and isolating of a career to have and at the same time share a life.

 

[Clear Winner]

Not a chance. For starters I doubt I’d be into a chick trying to live that life. Mainly it just seems too stressful and isolating of a career to have and at the same time share a life.

True.

Also, the constant fear of there being a mad person on the loose in your town and she could be called into action and potentially leave you to raise kids on your own. Not the sort of stress I need in my life.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

Yeah that’s why cops in dangerous cities/areas are the worst

 

[Congo66]

The last UK police officer was killed in the Westminster attack in March 2017 so it really wouldn't bother me at all.
Setting up a family with someone who cycles in London or who rides a motorbike is probably more dangerous or one who smokes......

 

[Cole train]

No because i dont like people that work as enforcers to our shitty goverment.

(Catching criminals is fine though no prob there)

 

[IGotAHugePeckah]

Yeah, no problem. It's a dangerous job but you can't just live life saying "well I can't do this because at some point I might die" lol. Plus I live in a very safe area where cops don't face nearly the kinds of dangers that American cops do.

I don't think they are lying to themselves because, as human beings, we generally never think "it's" going to happen to us, regardless of what "it" is. A cop, firefighter or soldier doesn't think they're going to die, even as they're running into a dangerous situation.

 

[Merlotte's]

No I'm not into lesbians.

 

[Madmick]

I think cop chicks are hot.

I wish more of them were actually hot.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Never. My significant other must be an unemployed, uneducated, virgin, no friends, has never dated another man before, and will tend to my every need 24/7.

~ Mayberry

 

[EyeOfNewt]

Yeah, no problem. It's a dangerous job but you can't just live life saying "well I can't do this because at some point I might die" lol. Plus I live in a very safe area where cops don't face nearly the kinds of dangers that American cops do.

I don't think they are lying to themselves because, as human beings, we generally never think "it's" going to happen to us, regardless of what "it" is. A cop, firefighter or soldier doesn't think they're going to die, even as they're running into a dangerous situation.

With no kid maybe I can adapt to that. However if there is a kid in the picture, what do you tell the kid when the mother comes home with a scar or something worse? It's odd to say the least.

"Your mom loves you but she'd rather put her life on the line for the rest of us"

It's noble, no doubt, but how do you explain that to a child? It's almost like schizophrenia. A parent has a duty towards the child, but that duty comes second when facing police work.

 

[Badger67]

Nope. And not because of any inherent danger; there will be no insects in my family.

 

[IloveTHIS]

Got massive love for LE. Would give anything to be part of it myself. But with that said, being a cop isn't 1/10000th as dangerous as its made out to be unless you live in an outlier city, like in the shit parts of chicago or something

"Out of approximately one million police and law enforcement personnel, with 126 deaths per year, the death rate for police is 12.6 per hundred thousand"

Working in construction or roofing is literally more dangerous than being a LEO

 

[Zer]

I wouldn't mind. Just need to get her life insurance sorted before she's 3 days away from retirement

 

[plataoplombo]

Nope, most cops tend to have a douche attitude 24/7.

 

[IGotAHugePeckah]

With no kid maybe I can adapt to that. However if there is a kid in the picture, what do you tell the kid when the mother comes home with a scar or something worse? It's odd to say the least.

"Your mom loves you but she'd rather put her life on the line for the rest of us"

It's noble, no doubt, but how do you explain that to a child? It's almost like schizophrenia. A parent has a duty towards the child, but that duty comes second when facing police work.

Well, view it from the child's perspective: would you rather be alive and have a mother who has a job that is somewhat dangerous, or to never have existed because your parents didn't want to take the chance of you losing your mother at some point in your early life? I find that to be a tad neurotic, especially considering the inherent risks that are found in all areas of life.

FBI says an average of 64 cops were killed on the job per year from 1980-2014. How many people are killed in car accidents per year? Could we then say if you want children, you should avoid driving a car?

Plus I think there are other issues way more paramount to the child's upbringing than the danger of one of the spouses jobs (ie abusive homes, etc).

 

[Fluffernutter]

Decent salary
Lots of opportunities for overtime
Union membership
Very good pension plan.


Therefore, yes.

 

[SL1200]

Nope. And not because of any inherent danger; there will be no insects in my family.

Insects?

 

[MusterX]

Is it a stretch to say that people doing dangerous jobs and who claim to want a family are consciously or unconsciously lying to themselves? Would you do a dangerous and demanding job if you'd really like to have a kid?

One thing you have to realize is police officer is not even in the top 10 for most dangerous jobs. As of 2016 these were the Top 10 most dangerous jobs, you think none of these people should have kids? I'm not sure cops even make the top 20 for most dangerous jobs.

1 Logging workers 135.9 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers 91 total deaths
2 Fishers and related fishing workers 86 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers 24 total deaths
3 Aircraft pilots and flight engineers 55.5 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers 75 total deaths
4 Roofers 48.6 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers 101 total deaths
5 Trash and recycling collectors 34.1 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers 31 total deaths
6 Iron and steel wokers 25.1 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers 16 total deaths
7 Truck and sales drivers 24.7 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers 918 total deaths
8 Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers 23.1 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers 260 total deaths
9 First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers 18 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers 134 total deaths
10 Grounds maintenance workers 17.4 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers 217 total deaths