Most Important Skills for a Police Officer at UCLA Police Department
For a UCLA Police Officer, strong communication skills are paramount, as "you can talk people into handcuffs," de-escalating situations through conversation rather than force. Beyond communication, a commitment to continuous learning and growth, through opportunities like sexual assault or DUI training, is equally crucial for professional development and effectiveness in the role.
Communication, Physical Fitness, Desire to Learn, Problem-Solving, Self-Reliance
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
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Lindsay Schirner
Police Officer
UCLA Police Department Department
UCLA, 2015
n/a
History, Art History
Government & Public Sector
Legal
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Good communication skills are essential for de-escalation and positive interactions.
2. Physical fitness and self-reliance are crucial for situations requiring physical intervention.
3. A strong desire to learn and grow is vital for continuous improvement and professional development in law enforcement.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
The number one skill you need is to be a good communicator. You can talk yourself into really bad situations if you're terrible at communicating and interacting with people. In some cases, you can actually talk people into handcuffs.
I would much rather have a conversation with someone and explain why things are going the way they are than fight with them to get them to go to jail. It sounds silly, but we've certainly talked people into handcuffs on more than one occasion.
Having good communication skills is especially beneficial at a university. You're surrounded by intellectual and intelligent students, and you want to be able to have conversations with them. I firmly believe that being a good communicator is your number one skill.
I also think that good physical fitness is important, not necessarily a skill, but a necessity. You need to have good physical tactics because in instances where you can't communicate with someone, you need to know you can rely on yourself in a situation.
Additionally, having a desire to learn and grow is essential. I don't know if I'd consider it a skill, but the desire to learn is key. There are so many learning opportunities in our department.
You can put in for training in many different areas, and the department will approve it if you have the desire to grow as a police officer and do better. I've attended sexual assault, DUI, and traffic collision training classes, among others.
So, my two top skills would be being a good communicator and having the desire to be better and learn more.
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