Career Paper

Jillian McKinney Criminal Justice 1010

I chose to interview a former police officer named Beau Babka. Many residents of the alt !ake "alley know this name very well# and know a little bit about his history as a cop. I was lucky enou$h to interview him for my career paper# havin$ a %ob ri$ht ne&t to his current place of employment. I don't think I could have found a better person to interview# and I learned a lot talkin$ to him about his e&periences. 1( Job )itle Mr. Babka had several %ob titles throu$hout his career# with the hi$hest career bein$ *nder heriff for Cottonwood +ei$hts. +e was also the Chief of ,olice for outh alt !ake for several years. +e didn't start at the top obviously# but actually started as a patrolman in outh alt !ake. +e went throu$h the !os -n$eles ,olice .epartment # and moved to alt !ake shortly after to continue his career as a police officer. +e also spent many years teachin$ Criminal Justice at alt !ake Community Colle$e/ 0( 1a$e cale I was 2uite shocked to hear how much Mr. Babka was bein$ paid at certain points in his career. I had no clue that you could make that much money a year in this career/ -s an *nder heriff he was makin$ 3145#000 a year. -s the Chief of ,olice in outh alt !ake he was makin$ 3116#000 a year. I certainly don't think every individual in the law enforcement career makes this $ood of money# but Beau Babka is a special e&ception# havin$ worked his way up the ladder to hi$her and hi$her positions throu$hout his career. 4( Benefits )hrou$hout Mr. Babka's career he had public employees health insurance# which consisted of minimal copays. +e also will $et a $ood retirement when he turns 50# which will be

607 of his hi$hest earnin$ three years# each year in retirement. In other words# he will make about 360#0008350#000 per year. 9( :ducation ;e2uirements It is not re2uired to have a de$ree in order to become a police officer# but instead you must $o throu$h the police academy. In his words# Mr. Babka <made the education re2uirements within the departments.= If an officer wanted to test up to a hi$her position such as a !ieutenant or Captain# he would re2uire them to have a Bachelor's .e$ree. >or Mr. Babka personally# he was e&tremely educated. +e accredits this as the reason he was so successful in his career. +e $ot his Master's .e$ree in 0000# and also received his second Bachelor's .e$ree while teachin$ at alt !ake Community Colle$e. In his opinion bein$ someone on the top of the food chain in the career of law enforcement# he liked well educated cops# and thinks it makes the individual a better person# in turn makin$ them a better officer of law. 6( ,romotion ?pportunities >or Mr. Babka# his promotions came 2uickly in his career. +e attributes this to his hi$h level of education# and ability to do well on presentations and tests. ,romotions are $iven with a combination of factors@ a written test# a scenario based test# and an oral interview. -s stated previously# Mr. Babka re2uired his officers to have a de$ree in order to apply for promotions of a hi$h level. )his may not be true of most departments. 5( -pplication ,rocess -lthou$h he completed the academy in !-# he had to reapply to the academy here in *tah. +e had to do a written test# physical fitness test# and oral interviews. )ypically after completin$ the academy you will <shot$un= and apply at several different a$encies. +e

e&plained it's smart not to put your e$$s all in one basket# similar to applyin$ for colle$e# it's smart to apply for several and $o from there# dependin$ on who accepts you. A( Job .uties ince Mr. Babka had several %obs durin$ his career# he chose to tell me about his favorite %ob in re$ards to the various duties re2uired of it. .urin$ his time as a !ieutenant watch commander# he was in char$e of lots of ser$eants. +e would drive around and check up on his officers underneath him while they were on the %ob. +e would evaluate the crime fi$htin$ strate$ies as an a$ency# while helpin$ his officers when necessary. +e would also assist in traffic stops# and stated that this was the most fun %ob he had. B( kills ;e2uired Mr. Babka $ave me a $ood idea of the skills re2uired for police work in $eneral# havin$ had many different %obs in his career. ?ver any other skill# he believed the ability to communicate effectively was the most important. Co matter what rank you are# it's vital to be able to talk to people# whether that be civilians# criminals# or fellow police officers. Communication is key# and can save lives in those tou$h situations. Dou also need to be able to present yourself well# and have the ability to adapt to different situations. Dou need to be on your toes# and be able to make 2uick decisions# and ensure those are not only 2uick# but the right decisions. !aw enforcement isn't your everyday career# so your ability to act the ri$ht way can easily mean life or death for you# your partners# or civilians. E( Came of IntervieweeF Beau Babka 10( .ate of InterviewF Covember 1E# 0014 11( ,hone Cumber of IntervieweeF 184B6800B86490 10( ,rofessional Bio$raphyF GhttpFHHwww.linkedin.comHpubHbeau8babkaH4EH54aH1EAI

14( -dditional Information Instead of talkin$ about a specific e&perience# we discussed law enforcement in $eneral. Mr. Babka noted that police work has chan$ed a whole lot# especially in *tah. )he ability to retire at a decent levelHa$e has chan$ed# and many are movin$ to other states where they have better incentives# and better retirement pro$rams. It's also become increasin$ly difficult to retain $ood 2uality officers. It is a uni2ue profession that affects people in a different way from your everyday %ob. -s a state we are stru$$lin$ to find committed individuals# that are in it for the ri$ht reasons. 19( My Comments and ?pinions I knew $oin$ in to the interview that I wanted to address somethin$ I have thou$ht about cops personally# and many others share that belief. )he sti$ma associated with law enforcement is very ne$ative in my e&perience. I wanted to know why he thou$ht that was# and he did e&plain his thou$hts re$ardin$ the matter. Most people's only encounter with cops is a ne$ative one# whether that be for traffic violations# or bein$ cau$ht havin$ a little too much fun. )hey have the ability to save lives# but also ruin them# and cost you lots of money in the meantime. )hey hold a profession that $ives them the ability to detain you# arrest you# even shoot you. )hat creates a hu$e barrier between law enforcement and civilians# and I know it personally has made me see them as a threat. Ironically# I live in Cottonwood +ei$hts and $rew up here# which is who Beau Babka used to work for. Currently Cottonwood +ei$hts ,olice .epartment is under much scrutiny# partly for bein$ the most staffed in relation to the siJe of the re$ion it covers# and also for corruption in other areas# includin$ ille$al stops# and basically fishin$ for .*Is. Corruption like this is not helpin$ the sti$ma attached to police officers# and Mr. Babka blames small town

politics for that. +e believes Cottonwood +ei$hts is a small bubble# and many thin$s $o unnoticed. It's unfortunate that thin$s are this way# but much like other professions# politics and money rule all. >or me personally# takin$ this class was solely to learn# increase my knowled$e# and of course attain credit necessary to $raduate. I do not want to be a cop# or have any position in law enforcement. I think only a select few people can take on a %ob such as this# and I am certainly not one of those people. I hate to admit but I will probably continue to have an overall ne$ative look at police officers# and this class nor the interview has chan$ed that opinion. ?ne thin$ I did $ain from this class is knowled$e of my ri$hts# which I know many officers bank on civilians bein$ clueless about. I think it's so important we know what our ri$hts are in every situation# and knowin$ them can help us avoid certain trouble or hardships in our lives. )hat bein$ said# I know police don't e&ist just to $ive us a hard time# or $et us in trouble. )hey do a lot of $ood# and in instances such as EH11# and even )rolley 2uare which is much closer to home# they are heros and I am very $rateful for that. I %ust wish every cop had societies best interest at heart# and not take advanta$e of their position for their own personal $ain. ?verall I am $rateful for what I learned over the course of this semester# and I en%oyed $ettin$ an insider's perspective of what the career is like. I think little by little# piece by piece the barrier between law enforcement and civilians may be broken# and that would be a beautiful thin$. -fter all# we're all people tryin$ to learn lessons and en%oy our time in this life.