NCJ Number
207855
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 52 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2004 Pages: 94,96,98,100
Editor(s)
Ed Sanow
Date Published
October 2004
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses ways in which a police officer can develop his/her police career through self-investment, thereby building the asset called career currency.
Abstract
Law enforcement officers know that experience, education, advanced training, positions held, reputation, and personal qualities will assist them in their chances to be successful or be promoted. However, officers can do significantly more to fine-tune and develop their careers beyond the traditional and common efforts. It is the extra accomplishments that define an officer’s self-investment. This investment builds a valuable professional asset for an officer called career currency. The more career currency officers invest, the more background they have to draw on and represent their nature. Building career currency relies on the basics, but these basics become extraordinary when they’re added together over a period of time. Ten suggestions are presented on how to build career currency and include: (1) be a developer of others; (2) become a subject matter expert; (3) become a published author; (4) report form modification; (5) maintain professional affiliations; (6) modify and improve policy; (7) build a professional resume; (8) start networking; (9) seek public speaking opportunities; and (10) maintain personal and professional balance. Career currency opens the door to selection for more assignments or positions, career advancement through promotion, selection to train personnel inside or outside the agency, outstanding performance evaluations, and it gives supervisors and managers real-life examples to demonstrate how officers can achieve expectations.