zlacker

What percentage of them become police because they enjoy power over others?

This statement seems like a false bias to me, particularly given that pretty much every policeman/policewoman that I've known personally have been humble and good people and became police either on a desire to help people, or just because it was a paying job.

My evidence is anecdotal, but what is your evidence based on?

>>finder+(OP)
I have anecdotal evidence in the other direction, but here is the oft-referred-to "Police Family Violence Fact Sheet". http://womenandpolicing.com/violenceFS.asp

Here is a really brilliant Reddit comment that covers a broad survey of studies that broadly support my point: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskSocialScience/comments/b9fkny/is...

>>nickff+e2
Thanks, that still seems to be a reach as to the cause that they became police originally though. Though the studies seem to disagree with each other, it could be indicative of why they remain police.

I'd argue though that working in a profession that is inherently violent at times and in which you see the worst in people can't be good for your mental health, not to mention potential PTSD from some of the things that police witness. Family abuse is absolutely not good and should be looked into/stopped, but correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation.

>>finder+p7
I never said that a potential for violence was the reason they became police, I only said there was a correlation, and that the correlation increased with respect to tenure.

>>nickff+G8
I took your statement to mean that they became police BECAUSE they enjoy wielding power over others. Re-reading your statement though, I see what you mean