Police OfficerPower

As a police officer, you can tap an extensive resource network to help resolve an uncomfortable situation, or even to make a bad situation a little better. For example, you can stay with a panicked driver until a tow truck removes her broken-down car from an expressway ramp. You can support a domestic violence victim while she removes her belongings from a home where she is in danger. You can even retrieve a stuffed animal from your patrol car's trunk, and gently hand it to a frightened child who has just experienced a fire in his home. If the home is too damaged to be habitable, you can contact relatives or your city's Child Protective Services Division to make sure the child has a place to stay.

However, power also has an ugly side. Abusing your power can lead to all sorts of nasty consequences, including your possible dismissal from your job or even criminal charges. For example, you can't use that power to overlook a serious traffic violation for the mayor's son. You can't demand some form of compensation so you'll keep quiet about an illegal gambling operation in your district. Ever heard of blackmail or extortion? And don't even think about dipping into the evidence room. Here's the bottom line: You cannot abuse your power for illegal purposes or for personal gain, or in a manner that violates your oath to the citizens you protect. It's just not worth the risk, and it's the wrong thing to do.