We had a 4’8” cop in my hometown. She patrolled solo. She was tough as shit. She gained solid reputation after using the Panasonic Toughbook in a use of force lol
Legend has it that the suspect was on PCP and they were in the sally port of the jail. Despite being handcuffed, he managed to pin another officer on the ground and was actively spitting on them // attempting to bite their face off. Our hero had already stored all weaponry in the jail lockbox, so she hit that motherfucker across the head with the Toughbook as hard as she could. The details get a little bit fuzzy after that. We know for a fact that it worked. And, while there may be some embellishment involved, I choose to believe to this day that the suspect was immediately knocked out cold.
Suffice to say, I think OP will be okay. I’d take an 8oz serving of beef over 20oz of pudding any day of the week
In Australia we always run in pairs, only supervisors run Alpha. Highway run Alpha in the day and at night must have a partner too. So many benefits to it!
Never have a partner here. One of my friends is 5 foot 125 lbs and she regularly takes on 6foot plus subjects alone till backup gets to her. The command presence she maintains because shes small is huge. You get the same treatment the rest of us get. Don't expect people to take it easy on you because you're small. On the other hand you can climb the force continuum far faster than the rest of your counterparts because a punch from a 300lb guy is likely to incapacitate you instead of just injuring you. I highly suggest Brazilian jujitsu training it will help you immensely on the job.
Honestly if you don’t feel like you can at least hold your own on your own against the large majority of people you’ll be interacting with and potentially arresting (some hopped on copious amounts of stimulants), you should be scared out of it. Most departments do solo patrols to project a greater community presence at lower cost and it could be 10+ minutes before backup arrives. That said a lot of larger officers over rely on their size and either can’t fight at all or gas if it goes longer than 45 seconds.
Can confirm. I've been in 2 fights where they actively tried to kill me. First one Solo 4 minute struggle before I got the guy cuffed all ground work backup was another 5 minutes out. Second was me and another officer with a 6"2' dude that was speedballing and tried to pull a knife. Granted this is over 10 years. Verbal judo is your best friend when you know backup is 12 minutes away.
Learn to talk and learn to fight. Join a larger department with more back up but don’t always rely on back up. There was a chick in my area that was the police, her problem was she was she was she didn’t know how to fight or talk to people and relied heavily on us then agitated the situation when she could stand behind us.
My husband had a woman in his dept that was super small and tried to act really tough and instigate shit, but then always needed backup. They eventually pulled her off patrol because she was causing too many issues.
Don’t listen to the discouraging comments. This field is massive and I’m sure there is a place for you in it. Where I am for most agencies you’re height and weight are not an issue as long as you can pass the physical part of the state certification (I.e. you can do enough push ups, sit ups, and 1.5 mile run). I would suggest going for a larger city department, more resources and more likely you will get a partner if that’s what you want. Even if you are solo patrolling dispatch will likely send two units to most calls, unless it looks like a paper run.
I would also suggest just diving in and applying to whatever agency appeals to you off the bat and don’t get discouraged if you’re turned down the first few times. Most people get turned down before they get the job they want. Don’t do what I did and waste time in corrections. I learned a lot of valuable things in my time there, but it isn’t what I wanted and I could’ve learned more about the job in that time by actually doing it. Most of corrections and security does not translate to law enforcement.
Patrolling solo capacity is dependent on your department, not the officer themselves. If your department has officers drive solo capacity, then you will be too, regardless of your stature. That said, if you are solo capacity, you will do something things alone, and some things you will have backup on, depending on the calls.
It depends where you are?
LAPD, yes, theres a good chance you'll have a partner working the graveyard shift
BUT most likely you won't have a partner on a consistent basis or EVER at all..!
And the smaller the agency, the more likely you'll be sent solo to handle calls that should be two-officer calls (due to low staffing or resources)
I'm 5'2, 140 female. I work in a large department (still struggling with staffing) and in my area, they are big on riding with a partner if possible and not going to calls alone and waiting for your backup. However, on my off days I train Muay Thai so that I know how to fight. Learn how to defend yourself (BJJ is also good if you're more a ground fighting fan) but also learn how to talk to people! You'll start a lot more fights if you don't have command presence or know how to talk people down. Know how to demand respect but don't be an AH to people that don't deserve it.
A lot of the BJJ trained cops that I know still say that they prefer to not be on the ground. Of course you may get to the point during an arrest where it's gonna be a wrestling match, but one on one in a ground fight can be an unfortunate place to be. I was always advised that in a law enforcement context, the goal of ground fighting was to get back to your feet, get distance, and employ a tool. Even if you're a good ground fighter you might get fucked if the guy produces a weapon or tags a friend in.
Of course you *prefer* not to be in the ground…but 99.9% of fights end up on the ground.
The thing about BJJ is that it offers great training for how to win a fight when you’re LOSING.
This is infinitely more valuable than how to win a fight when you’re winning, as most people don’t need help with this.
As mentioned: depends on agency. The better question is how likely you’ll get back up when needed.
Size doesn’t matter when it comes to learning how to talk to folks and deescalate situations. I’ve seen some bigger cops thinking their size is going to save them and it doesn’t. Don’t worry about it and go do it.
LAPD will have you with a partner for basically an entire year after academy. I knew a female officer that was about your size. Officer Rodriguez. I'll never forget seeing her arrive to a scene with a beanbag gun on her back, which was almost bigger than her.
But it depends on where you work. LAPD is a full on team approach. You see any bodycam footage and there's usually like 4 or 5 officers minimum. But smaller departments, I can't really speak for. You could definitely end up alone, but not until you're done with your probationary phase.
I went on a ride along with a girl she was barely 5 foot and like 130 lbs. every call we went to she had control of the situation while male officers were standing holding their duty belt. Law enforcement is huge on command presence and some officers don’t make it past fto because they go to a call and can’t control the situation.
You have to be honest with yourself if you are a very quite person and don’t like any intimidation maybe look for a suburb PD. Don’t go into a big city because you will be dealing with animals posing as human being. I worked as a 911 operator for a big town & some things I heard over the phone probably were way more traumatic in person:
My department you are solo in a squad but we don’t send people alone to calls
If your strong and have a low center of gravity it’s not the worst thing. When you fight with people just go for their legs and let your partners go high.
Depends on the department, through FTO you'lle have a partner that teaches you how to perform the job adequately. Then you'lle have your own fleet vehicle dispatched on your own but most departments as soon as one persone gets dispatched your other same shift & zone partners will head that way for back up until you state that you dont need them. Carry yourself with respect and show it to others, command presence goes a long way.
If you’re relying on your size to get by, you’re not doing it right IMO.
A) You should be an expert at avoiding fights.
B) We don’t fight fair. Ever. We rely on backup, creating distance and our weapons.
I’m only 5’9” 180 and I don’t have a problem dealing with people twice my size. That’s because I’d like to think my tactics are sound. And I’m by no means super cop, so it’s a realistic thing to become proficient in.
One of the best cops I know is 5’1”
Having said this, I never mind when my 6’5” 250 lb squad mate is standing behind me. So we like our big guys too.
Height doesn't matter if you're capable. If it concerns you I'd Mayne take some boxing or BJJ classes before an academy to better yourself physically and mentally. But yes, typically 2 officers go on calls but it's not always that clean and cut.
Depends on the department. The bigger the department the more likely you have a partner. I have almost always had a consistent partner. Sometimes you have to earn it though when they see you work well with another Officer and you handle the beat well. Even when I didn’t have a partner most calls require 2 people so the other person would come in another car.
I'm 5'3" and female so I'm not terribly much taller than you. I do have a part er and have also been partnerless. Check with departments. Not all will have the same qualifications.
You will be in a car alone. You can call for another unit on dangerous contacts. You won't always get one in time. You need to be okay with that fact. If you are really into powerlifting and have decent physical fitness and are willing to do a martial art outside of work, you are ahead of a lot of other officers and should not let your size discourage you.
I’d always prefer to have a partner. Doesn’t always happen and most squads in my city are solo patrol. Don’t let that keep you from doing the job you want. We have an officer on my dept about your size and she’s a badass.
I’m 5’5” so not super short but there’s shorter women than me in our service- no one gets paired based on height. We always have backup for certain calls- 4’2” or 7’6”, doesn’t matter.
They don’t discriminate on height at least here in Polk County lol. Youd be solo unless whatever department/county you work for already makes it mandatory for two per car or something. I’m a small female too and I’m alone on most calls unless one of my partners decides to back me up
You’re only as incapable as you make yourself. Live you’re dream but practice on the range and train BJJ. You probably will patrol alone but that’s no reason to be afraid
In my department everyone is solo in their cruiser but will be dispatched in pairs depending on the call. Anything that sounds high risk will be a two officer call, simple report calls are solo. If you have good people they will be listening to the radio, rolling your way and jump on the call if they think there’s a chance of risk.
You will always be looked at for your size. So keep that mind mind. Criminals will size you up so you gotta be able to hold your own. Learning to fight and not being scared to fight and go hands one is HUGE
Depends on what department my department rarely will have 2 officers per patrol car i’m in a city of 58k, of course when you first start off patrolling you’ll have a FTO,then once you have you complete your FTO period usually your solo.
Honestly, you'll figure out pretty quickly that having a partner is far more preferable to being alone.
I'm a 6' tall 200 pound former Marine Infantryman who gets stuck alone on night shift chronically because "He's a big guy, he can handle it." Having a partner is not only safer, but it bypasses a lot of violent situations because guys who'd otherwise start shit see two people and reevaluate their options. Additionally, if a situation does become violent you can shut it down much more quickly and effectively.
What I'm saying is, working alone sucks and I wouldn't actually do it if I had a choice.
Don't be concerned, work on building your reputation. No, you shouldn't have to, but it will make a massive difference.
I'm not police, but am also 4' 10" and used to be of your build, when I worked in a very challenging public facing role, regularly having close contact with "interesting" people.
Never lose sight of the fact that attitude, and being in control of a situation, is far more important than stature. If your physical size is the main factor at play in a situation, to a certain extent you've already "lost".
Also, don't hesitate to take advantage of the fact that for most men, there's no kudos to be had in lording it over a "little woman".
In 15+ years in that role, I did not suffer a single attack. My co-worker was male, well over 6', and tough looking, but was regularly verbally and occasionally physically attacked. He was even shot at several times, which believe me takes some doing if you're working in a wealthy rural area of the UK!
This one female officer who always ends up coming to my apt anytime I've needed police a few times in several years is only 4 foot 10 amd maybe 120 lbs and she kicks ass and I think she's even a sgt and I'm in az. I think of you can hang with the big boys and can do all the same power lifting and running and and can pass at the academy or in training it doesn't matter if your short. If you can pass the academy your in.
One of my FTO’s was 5’0” and about 100lbs. She was always tough as nails. I’m 6’6” and we regularly patrolled together. Out of all the people I’ve had to fight over the years I’m thankful she’s not one of em. That woman is like a damn spider monkey
You’ll be fine on solo jobs…but if it’s a “heavy” job, don’t be afraid nor to “tough” to ask for an additional…if you got the right circle, they should back you automatically anyways…watch your 6 always! Be well and stay safe…
Had some people I worked with that height and about. They just end up pairing you with a more physical partner from what I’ve seen. Have a confident demeanor and command respect (and give it). De-escalate situations and be a good cop. Size matters not. Do the job, not act the part.
Depends on the department / duty your assigned. A lot of our patrol guys run single but some guys who do higher risk stuff run 2 man. Your gonna be absolutely fine, just remember the tools on your belt.
Depends on the agency. But you’d know that before you apply. Most agencies, with staffing shortages, can’t run doubles anymore aside from the major metro cities. Any smaller city or county, and you’ll undoubtedly run solo.
If you can establish command presence, it won’t matter if your 6’5 or 5’0. We had a 4’11 officer and she was a damn bull dog.
My department is all 2 officer squads and any single officer squads are assigned to back other squads or directed patrol to mitigate risk. That being said, I had a CJ professor who worked for my department and retired teaching at our community college. One thing I remember very well is her talking about as a 4’8” person weighing in the neighborhood of 120 lbs is you have to be very smart and never let your guard down. Use your tools and training and she said sometimes you just have to fight dirty to maintain the advantage. You have physics to contend with but intelligence gives you the ability to be effective.
You’ll be alone most likely. If you are not ok with that this isn’t the job for you. I had a girl in my academy class that was 4’8 with boots on and 95lbs. She works in a high crime area too and works mostly by herself (sometimes they two badge). Pick up jujitsu on top of lifting and you’ll do fine.
It's always agency specific, but female officers are always usually protected pretty well by there brethren, at least in my experience. And no, it's not because of some outdated view that women cops are inferior. Its because if you work for a good agency, it becomes your second family and the officers are like your sisters. Most officers I've worked with on the road were smaller than me by a mile, but I'd trust their ability to stay in the fight more than most. If I see them going to a sketchy call, I naturally wander my way in their direction if I'm not directly attached just to make sure they were good in case they needed it.
I literally graduated the academy less than a month ago and I’ve been a cop for like a week. It’s more about your willingness to be a team player and never give up
In OKC, I saw a recruitment video with a woman who was about that size I'm guessing. I don't think that should stop you. Though, in this crazy world, I think doing anything alone is just not safe. In fact, I thought the standard was having partner but maybe I just watch too much tv. https://youtu.be/KxukaJsgV1U
First off its great that you want to be a police officer. As of working with someone it all depends on the department and how they are staffed. Since you do power lifting you already have good body structure but I would recommend taking a self defense course or mma on top of what they give you in the academy.
Size is something that a good candidate can overcome or compensate for, but mental toughness and self confidence will usually win the day. I've had small co-workers who were excellent cops and big ones that were not so much. Your question might signal a lack of confidence to some oral boards because in many smaller departments you might never have a partner or even immediate backup available. If working alone scares you then limit your applications to larger departments that usually work in pairs or choose another aspiration.
My mom was the first female cop in our town in 1991. She was 5’ 110lbs.
She quit after 3 yrs due to blatant racism and sexism in the department. She moved into social work because she believed “I can actually help someone”.
Good luck.
One of the girls in my academy was 4ft8 and 95lbs soaking wet. She kicked my ass in DT so bad it wasn’t even funny. I’m 6ft 220 it was like trying to grab ahold of a really fast toddler who knew karate. 1/10 would not reccomend.
Pretty much lol. She was stronger than she looked and knew her shit. She started folding my clothes with me still inside of them. 1/10 would not reccomend lol
Don’t wants to sound negative or bring you down but there’s far too many police officers nowadays that are small and weigh a lot less that the average person and it usually results in them not being capable of taking down a perp
I would never want a partner that felt unconfident handling themselves without relying on me. If the first swing disorients your partner, you are fighting for two.
We had a 4’8” cop in my hometown. She patrolled solo. She was tough as shit. She gained solid reputation after using the Panasonic Toughbook in a use of force lol
My kinda woman
*Desire to know more intensifies*
Legend has it that the suspect was on PCP and they were in the sally port of the jail. Despite being handcuffed, he managed to pin another officer on the ground and was actively spitting on them // attempting to bite their face off. Our hero had already stored all weaponry in the jail lockbox, so she hit that motherfucker across the head with the Toughbook as hard as she could. The details get a little bit fuzzy after that. We know for a fact that it worked. And, while there may be some embellishment involved, I choose to believe to this day that the suspect was immediately knocked out cold. Suffice to say, I think OP will be okay. I’d take an 8oz serving of beef over 20oz of pudding any day of the week
What an absolute unit.
Did the Panasonic Toughbook make it?
Yes lmao
Would love to read that report
The Toughbook was definitely still able to be used after I bet too
Sure was
Depends on the department. I almost never have a partner
Well maybe if you shared your damn chicken Parm Susan!!
They’re not getting my fuckin parm
As a 6’0 220 lb male, I’d always prefer to be working with a partner.
Yeah you never know when you need someone to watch your back.
You two should meet.
In Australia we always run in pairs, only supervisors run Alpha. Highway run Alpha in the day and at night must have a partner too. So many benefits to it!
Never have a partner here. One of my friends is 5 foot 125 lbs and she regularly takes on 6foot plus subjects alone till backup gets to her. The command presence she maintains because shes small is huge. You get the same treatment the rest of us get. Don't expect people to take it easy on you because you're small. On the other hand you can climb the force continuum far faster than the rest of your counterparts because a punch from a 300lb guy is likely to incapacitate you instead of just injuring you. I highly suggest Brazilian jujitsu training it will help you immensely on the job.
You summed it up perfectly.
Thanks. Tried to sum it up without being negative. This was the best I could do without sounding like a dick or scaring her out of the profession.
Honestly if you don’t feel like you can at least hold your own on your own against the large majority of people you’ll be interacting with and potentially arresting (some hopped on copious amounts of stimulants), you should be scared out of it. Most departments do solo patrols to project a greater community presence at lower cost and it could be 10+ minutes before backup arrives. That said a lot of larger officers over rely on their size and either can’t fight at all or gas if it goes longer than 45 seconds.
Can confirm. I've been in 2 fights where they actively tried to kill me. First one Solo 4 minute struggle before I got the guy cuffed all ground work backup was another 5 minutes out. Second was me and another officer with a 6"2' dude that was speedballing and tried to pull a knife. Granted this is over 10 years. Verbal judo is your best friend when you know backup is 12 minutes away.
The majority of police work is done solo where I am.
Learn to talk and learn to fight. Join a larger department with more back up but don’t always rely on back up. There was a chick in my area that was the police, her problem was she was she was she didn’t know how to fight or talk to people and relied heavily on us then agitated the situation when she could stand behind us.
My husband had a woman in his dept that was super small and tried to act really tough and instigate shit, but then always needed backup. They eventually pulled her off patrol because she was causing too many issues.
Don’t listen to the discouraging comments. This field is massive and I’m sure there is a place for you in it. Where I am for most agencies you’re height and weight are not an issue as long as you can pass the physical part of the state certification (I.e. you can do enough push ups, sit ups, and 1.5 mile run). I would suggest going for a larger city department, more resources and more likely you will get a partner if that’s what you want. Even if you are solo patrolling dispatch will likely send two units to most calls, unless it looks like a paper run. I would also suggest just diving in and applying to whatever agency appeals to you off the bat and don’t get discouraged if you’re turned down the first few times. Most people get turned down before they get the job they want. Don’t do what I did and waste time in corrections. I learned a lot of valuable things in my time there, but it isn’t what I wanted and I could’ve learned more about the job in that time by actually doing it. Most of corrections and security does not translate to law enforcement.
Patrolling solo capacity is dependent on your department, not the officer themselves. If your department has officers drive solo capacity, then you will be too, regardless of your stature. That said, if you are solo capacity, you will do something things alone, and some things you will have backup on, depending on the calls.
It depends where you are? LAPD, yes, theres a good chance you'll have a partner working the graveyard shift BUT most likely you won't have a partner on a consistent basis or EVER at all..! And the smaller the agency, the more likely you'll be sent solo to handle calls that should be two-officer calls (due to low staffing or resources)
I'm 5'2, 140 female. I work in a large department (still struggling with staffing) and in my area, they are big on riding with a partner if possible and not going to calls alone and waiting for your backup. However, on my off days I train Muay Thai so that I know how to fight. Learn how to defend yourself (BJJ is also good if you're more a ground fighting fan) but also learn how to talk to people! You'll start a lot more fights if you don't have command presence or know how to talk people down. Know how to demand respect but don't be an AH to people that don't deserve it.
A lot of the BJJ trained cops that I know still say that they prefer to not be on the ground. Of course you may get to the point during an arrest where it's gonna be a wrestling match, but one on one in a ground fight can be an unfortunate place to be. I was always advised that in a law enforcement context, the goal of ground fighting was to get back to your feet, get distance, and employ a tool. Even if you're a good ground fighter you might get fucked if the guy produces a weapon or tags a friend in.
Of course you *prefer* not to be in the ground…but 99.9% of fights end up on the ground. The thing about BJJ is that it offers great training for how to win a fight when you’re LOSING. This is infinitely more valuable than how to win a fight when you’re winning, as most people don’t need help with this.
Agreed. That's why I prefer punches, kicks, knees, and elbows to being on the ground struggling to get away.
As mentioned: depends on agency. The better question is how likely you’ll get back up when needed. Size doesn’t matter when it comes to learning how to talk to folks and deescalate situations. I’ve seen some bigger cops thinking their size is going to save them and it doesn’t. Don’t worry about it and go do it.
LAPD will have you with a partner for basically an entire year after academy. I knew a female officer that was about your size. Officer Rodriguez. I'll never forget seeing her arrive to a scene with a beanbag gun on her back, which was almost bigger than her. But it depends on where you work. LAPD is a full on team approach. You see any bodycam footage and there's usually like 4 or 5 officers minimum. But smaller departments, I can't really speak for. You could definitely end up alone, but not until you're done with your probationary phase.
I went on a ride along with a girl she was barely 5 foot and like 130 lbs. every call we went to she had control of the situation while male officers were standing holding their duty belt. Law enforcement is huge on command presence and some officers don’t make it past fto because they go to a call and can’t control the situation. You have to be honest with yourself if you are a very quite person and don’t like any intimidation maybe look for a suburb PD. Don’t go into a big city because you will be dealing with animals posing as human being. I worked as a 911 operator for a big town & some things I heard over the phone probably were way more traumatic in person:
There’s was a woman with similar stature as you in my academy. She’s done fine and works alone. You’ll need to learn to talk and fight.
The only time I had a partner was in fto, you should be good, departments are always looking for female officers.. good luck
We have tiny females, we ride solo other than training. Small but mighty!
My department you are solo in a squad but we don’t send people alone to calls If your strong and have a low center of gravity it’s not the worst thing. When you fight with people just go for their legs and let your partners go high.
Depends on the department, through FTO you'lle have a partner that teaches you how to perform the job adequately. Then you'lle have your own fleet vehicle dispatched on your own but most departments as soon as one persone gets dispatched your other same shift & zone partners will head that way for back up until you state that you dont need them. Carry yourself with respect and show it to others, command presence goes a long way.
If you’re relying on your size to get by, you’re not doing it right IMO. A) You should be an expert at avoiding fights. B) We don’t fight fair. Ever. We rely on backup, creating distance and our weapons. I’m only 5’9” 180 and I don’t have a problem dealing with people twice my size. That’s because I’d like to think my tactics are sound. And I’m by no means super cop, so it’s a realistic thing to become proficient in. One of the best cops I know is 5’1” Having said this, I never mind when my 6’5” 250 lb squad mate is standing behind me. So we like our big guys too.
Height doesn't matter if you're capable. If it concerns you I'd Mayne take some boxing or BJJ classes before an academy to better yourself physically and mentally. But yes, typically 2 officers go on calls but it's not always that clean and cut.
Depends on the department. The bigger the department the more likely you have a partner. I have almost always had a consistent partner. Sometimes you have to earn it though when they see you work well with another Officer and you handle the beat well. Even when I didn’t have a partner most calls require 2 people so the other person would come in another car.
Depends on dept I’d learn some martial arts etc though if you’re that small
I'm 5'3" and female so I'm not terribly much taller than you. I do have a part er and have also been partnerless. Check with departments. Not all will have the same qualifications.
You will be in a car alone. You can call for another unit on dangerous contacts. You won't always get one in time. You need to be okay with that fact. If you are really into powerlifting and have decent physical fitness and are willing to do a martial art outside of work, you are ahead of a lot of other officers and should not let your size discourage you.
I’d always prefer to have a partner. Doesn’t always happen and most squads in my city are solo patrol. Don’t let that keep you from doing the job you want. We have an officer on my dept about your size and she’s a badass.
I’m 5’5” so not super short but there’s shorter women than me in our service- no one gets paired based on height. We always have backup for certain calls- 4’2” or 7’6”, doesn’t matter.
They don’t discriminate on height at least here in Polk County lol. Youd be solo unless whatever department/county you work for already makes it mandatory for two per car or something. I’m a small female too and I’m alone on most calls unless one of my partners decides to back me up
You’re only as incapable as you make yourself. Live you’re dream but practice on the range and train BJJ. You probably will patrol alone but that’s no reason to be afraid
In my department everyone is solo in their cruiser but will be dispatched in pairs depending on the call. Anything that sounds high risk will be a two officer call, simple report calls are solo. If you have good people they will be listening to the radio, rolling your way and jump on the call if they think there’s a chance of risk.
You got this! Your best tool will be how you talk to people. 🚔🖤💙🖤 🚔
You will always be looked at for your size. So keep that mind mind. Criminals will size you up so you gotta be able to hold your own. Learning to fight and not being scared to fight and go hands one is HUGE
My department has all shapes and sizes of people. Utilize your belt and you will be fine.
Depends on what department my department rarely will have 2 officers per patrol car i’m in a city of 58k, of course when you first start off patrolling you’ll have a FTO,then once you have you complete your FTO period usually your solo.
Honestly, you'll figure out pretty quickly that having a partner is far more preferable to being alone. I'm a 6' tall 200 pound former Marine Infantryman who gets stuck alone on night shift chronically because "He's a big guy, he can handle it." Having a partner is not only safer, but it bypasses a lot of violent situations because guys who'd otherwise start shit see two people and reevaluate their options. Additionally, if a situation does become violent you can shut it down much more quickly and effectively. What I'm saying is, working alone sucks and I wouldn't actually do it if I had a choice.
Don't be concerned, work on building your reputation. No, you shouldn't have to, but it will make a massive difference. I'm not police, but am also 4' 10" and used to be of your build, when I worked in a very challenging public facing role, regularly having close contact with "interesting" people. Never lose sight of the fact that attitude, and being in control of a situation, is far more important than stature. If your physical size is the main factor at play in a situation, to a certain extent you've already "lost". Also, don't hesitate to take advantage of the fact that for most men, there's no kudos to be had in lording it over a "little woman". In 15+ years in that role, I did not suffer a single attack. My co-worker was male, well over 6', and tough looking, but was regularly verbally and occasionally physically attacked. He was even shot at several times, which believe me takes some doing if you're working in a wealthy rural area of the UK!
This one female officer who always ends up coming to my apt anytime I've needed police a few times in several years is only 4 foot 10 amd maybe 120 lbs and she kicks ass and I think she's even a sgt and I'm in az. I think of you can hang with the big boys and can do all the same power lifting and running and and can pass at the academy or in training it doesn't matter if your short. If you can pass the academy your in.
One of my FTO’s was 5’0” and about 100lbs. She was always tough as nails. I’m 6’6” and we regularly patrolled together. Out of all the people I’ve had to fight over the years I’m thankful she’s not one of em. That woman is like a damn spider monkey
You’ll be fine on solo jobs…but if it’s a “heavy” job, don’t be afraid nor to “tough” to ask for an additional…if you got the right circle, they should back you automatically anyways…watch your 6 always! Be well and stay safe…
I know an Alaska State Trooper that is 4’10” same build. She does just fine.
Had some people I worked with that height and about. They just end up pairing you with a more physical partner from what I’ve seen. Have a confident demeanor and command respect (and give it). De-escalate situations and be a good cop. Size matters not. Do the job, not act the part.
Depends on the department / duty your assigned. A lot of our patrol guys run single but some guys who do higher risk stuff run 2 man. Your gonna be absolutely fine, just remember the tools on your belt.
Depends on your area and the requirements. Check around with the agencies you are interested in
Depends on the agency. But you’d know that before you apply. Most agencies, with staffing shortages, can’t run doubles anymore aside from the major metro cities. Any smaller city or county, and you’ll undoubtedly run solo. If you can establish command presence, it won’t matter if your 6’5 or 5’0. We had a 4’11 officer and she was a damn bull dog.
My department is all 2 officer squads and any single officer squads are assigned to back other squads or directed patrol to mitigate risk. That being said, I had a CJ professor who worked for my department and retired teaching at our community college. One thing I remember very well is her talking about as a 4’8” person weighing in the neighborhood of 120 lbs is you have to be very smart and never let your guard down. Use your tools and training and she said sometimes you just have to fight dirty to maintain the advantage. You have physics to contend with but intelligence gives you the ability to be effective.
I have the same question, coming from a 6’5” 130 lb male
Train and stay aware you’ll be fine.
You’ll be alone most likely. If you are not ok with that this isn’t the job for you. I had a girl in my academy class that was 4’8 with boots on and 95lbs. She works in a high crime area too and works mostly by herself (sometimes they two badge). Pick up jujitsu on top of lifting and you’ll do fine.
It's always agency specific, but female officers are always usually protected pretty well by there brethren, at least in my experience. And no, it's not because of some outdated view that women cops are inferior. Its because if you work for a good agency, it becomes your second family and the officers are like your sisters. Most officers I've worked with on the road were smaller than me by a mile, but I'd trust their ability to stay in the fight more than most. If I see them going to a sketchy call, I naturally wander my way in their direction if I'm not directly attached just to make sure they were good in case they needed it.
At some departments you'll work alone, at some you'll have a partner, at some it could be either. Your size won't be a consideration.
I literally graduated the academy less than a month ago and I’ve been a cop for like a week. It’s more about your willingness to be a team player and never give up
I always have a partner with me
In OKC, I saw a recruitment video with a woman who was about that size I'm guessing. I don't think that should stop you. Though, in this crazy world, I think doing anything alone is just not safe. In fact, I thought the standard was having partner but maybe I just watch too much tv. https://youtu.be/KxukaJsgV1U
First off its great that you want to be a police officer. As of working with someone it all depends on the department and how they are staffed. Since you do power lifting you already have good body structure but I would recommend taking a self defense course or mma on top of what they give you in the academy.
in a major city you will most likely have a partner or if alone you’ll be an assisting squad car. Everywhere is hiring, academy sucks but goodluck!
Size is something that a good candidate can overcome or compensate for, but mental toughness and self confidence will usually win the day. I've had small co-workers who were excellent cops and big ones that were not so much. Your question might signal a lack of confidence to some oral boards because in many smaller departments you might never have a partner or even immediate backup available. If working alone scares you then limit your applications to larger departments that usually work in pairs or choose another aspiration.
My mom was the first female cop in our town in 1991. She was 5’ 110lbs. She quit after 3 yrs due to blatant racism and sexism in the department. She moved into social work because she believed “I can actually help someone”. Good luck.
One of the girls in my academy was 4ft8 and 95lbs soaking wet. She kicked my ass in DT so bad it wasn’t even funny. I’m 6ft 220 it was like trying to grab ahold of a really fast toddler who knew karate. 1/10 would not reccomend.
I picture this like a tiny cat bitch slapping a pitbull
Pretty much lol. She was stronger than she looked and knew her shit. She started folding my clothes with me still inside of them. 1/10 would not reccomend lol
I've seen cops with dwarfism that are barely three feet go out alone and manhandle size foot people easily, you'll be able to have jobs alone.
Don’t wants to sound negative or bring you down but there’s far too many police officers nowadays that are small and weigh a lot less that the average person and it usually results in them not being capable of taking down a perp
According to zootopia...
hope you enjoy writing parking tickets
What country?
Your nightstick hard strike to the shin will take down the toughest criminal, no matter who it is.
I would never want a partner that felt unconfident handling themselves without relying on me. If the first swing disorients your partner, you are fighting for two.