NCJ Number
124488
Journal
FOP Journal Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1990) Pages: 26-29
Date Published
1990
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This profile of a female undercover narcotics agent explains the nature of her job, her attitudes toward her work and toward other law enforcement professionals, and her plans for the future.
Abstract
The agent, who is given the pseudonym Andrea, frequently changes personalities, clothes, and appearance. She is aware that many police officers and civilians believe that women are not physically capable of undercover work, but believes not only that she is physically capable but also that the social conditioning of suspects means that female officers are less likely than males to find themselves in violent confrontations. She also believes that violence will have a lesser part in her work in the future, because investigation before arrests is receiving increased emphasis. She derives great satisfaction from her work, although it sometimes interferes with her personal life and involves many stresses. She dislikes the paperwork, the irregular hours, the lack of respect she feels from uniformed officers, and ignorant questions from civilians. She also plans to change to another type of law enforcement work in the future. Illustration.