September 2020
equal opportunity employment journal
Page 3
How To Build a Successful Law Enforcement Career with The Three Cs
I
by Amaury Murgado
recently had a great conversation Competent with one of the owners at the Being competent means having armory where I work as operathe necessary ability, knowledge, tions manager. He is former milior skill to do something successtary, former law enforcement, and a fully. Of the three elements, I feel competitive shooter like me. Since competency is the simplest, though we share similar backgrounds, we not necessarily the easiest to obtain. were able to have a fruitful discusCompetency is born out of the classsion about what characteristics make room: a great deal of training and a good soldier, a good law enforcetons of study. ment officer, and a well-rounded Since the only cure for inexperiemployee. ence is experience, you must create a At the end of the day, we had group of related abilities, knowledge condensed a laundry list of elements bases, and skills that will enable you into just three. We agreed that these to act with purpose to meet your three were critical components that goals and objectives. In other words, cut through all professions and not must first learn the technical In order to have a successful law enforcement you just our own. We found that these side of your job and how to apply three elements were an active part that knowledge in a wide variety of career, you need to be competent, of any desirable trait, skill, or charsituations. capable, and confident. acteristic, especially in law enforceLaw enforcement competency ment. Deciding it was worth sharing, I present our combined thoughts in involves a great deal of hands-on training and an equal amount of the form of three elements one would need in order to have a successful scenario-based role play. Your training must identify what you can and career. You need to be competent, capable, and confident. can’t use in the field. Your role play is where you try out your new
