Officer Robinson's introductory remarks:
I just want to preface this by stating that these answers I'm providing as an almost 25 year patrol officer are more than likely going to be completely different than that of a 5 or even 15 year officer. I think the reader needs to understand that any answers provided here are from a senior member and it would be interesting to compare my answers with more junior members of the service, because I think the answers I'm providing are not going to be the typical answers readers of the Hamiltonian may expect. Regardless, I hope they provide some insight from a long time patrol officer in Hamilton.
1. Public perceptions of police work can vary widely. What are some lesser known responsibilities or challenges of being a police officer that the general public might not be aware of?
I'm not sure the public is aware of just how busy things can be for a patrol officer. There are a lot of pressures involved for patrol officers as I'm sure your readers can imagine but the sheer number of calls and duties on a shift to shift basis I believe are much more than people realize.
On top of answering 911 and non emergency call dispatches, officers are also trying to find time to complete proactive traffic enforcement, RIDE lanes, follow-up work from calls which have taken place previously, court requests by the Crown Attorney for upcoming cases, assigned follow-ups from supervisors if the matter is deemed time sensitive and can't wait until the return of the original investigating officer, community special attentions to attend hotspots of traffic problems or criminal activity, relentless pursuits where there is a warrant out for a high risk offender and locating the offender is a priority, missing person investigations which are worked on 24/7 and assigned to patrol, and other community interaction and outreach based duties which are important for the public to know that the police are accessible and aware of their needs.
Patrol officers are always trying to squeeze in all of these extra responsibilities between the incoming