Internship - Personal Statement Example

The Matteson Police Department is in the Village of Matteson which is located 28 miles southwest of Chicago's downtown and has a population of 16, 579. The department's reason for existence is emphasized in its mission statement as "to respond to a multitude of situations that require a person with unique authority to assist in reducing or resolving problems associated with law enforcement and public order maintenance." With this commitment, the Matteson Police Department carries out its day to day activities through its Chief of Police, 41 sworn officers, and ten full time civilian employees.

The agency is headed by Chief of Police Norm Burnson and is organized into departments according to their respective responsibilities. With the establishment of a single goal, the police department is unified in acting to the best benefit of the Matteson Village. The organizational structure is highly centralized with most of the power emanating from the superior to the lower level officers. The chain of command is highly established and power distance is relatively high. The respect between officers and other employees becomes very visible through all their dealings and interaction with each other.

I have also noted that the chain of command is more pronounced especially in situations where decision making is very important. Operating in a relatively small village, the staffs in the Matteson Police Department are very much familiar with the citizens in the area. On many occasions, the officers extend their friendship, greet the people that they know, and even call some by their first names. In other cases, I have witnessed how the staff shows their authority especially in the enforcement of different regulations.

The Matteson Police Department has showed me the difficult task of striking a balance between being firm and authoritative in law enforcement while being friendly and approachable. All in all, the agency bestowed respect to the villagers acknowledging their rights and punishing them for their misconduct. I believe that this level of socialism and professionalism instilled the public with the respect which is due to the officers. However, some of the arrested individuals have been apprehensive and uncooperative during the necessary police processes.

As an intern, I am very impressed with the warm welcome from the staff of Matteson Police Department. From the first day of my internship with them to the last, they have been very helpful in letting me acquire the knowledge and experience that I need. Being around professional and highly sociable staff, I have tried my best to deal with the public the same way that they do. Notwithstanding the fact that I am just an intern, I never find it difficult to deal and relate with the villagers because they have also been cooperative with me.

My internship at the Matteson Police Department has mostly been on routine patrol. In order to familiarize myself with typical police jobs and responsibilities, I have been given the chance to ride patrols with different officers and in different occasions. I have also observed and learned how emergency calls are