It has been 30 long years on the force and time has flown by. Who would have thought I had what it took to become Chief of police? I worked hard everyday and I loved every second of it. I have met so many people and seen so many faces. The best part of my job is I get to help people. There is nothing better than resolving conflict or bringing a hardened criminal to justice. I have done every job in law enforcement from street and traffic patrol to criminal investigations. Obviously, to be a good police officer one must be well rounded. I was not just a good law enforcement officer, I was the best. To be the best, an officer must be hardworking and determined. I was every bit of those words and I was successful. Unfortunately my time has come and gone. It is time for me to unlace my Hi-tek boots and trade them in for two first class tickets to the sunny skies of south Florida. I am retiring. As this story illustrates, to be successful in law enforcement, skills police officers must have are knowledge of the law, observation skills, and good decision making skills.
             One skill needed to be successful in law enforcement is knowledge of the law. A police officer that does not have common knowledge of the law should not have the shield. Every police officer takes an oath to the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics. According to Tom Barker's book, Police Ethics: Crisis in Law Enforcement, "We will always depend on law enforcement officers who prescribe to the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics to respect the Constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality, and justice" (Barker 13). Police officers have to govern equally no matter what race, religion or creed. There is no room for prejudice in law enforcement. Barker goes on to state, "The police in a free society, such as ours, have a hard task to perform. They must perform their duties and exercise their authority within the constraints of the law&quo...