COMS 101

INFORMATIVE SPEECH OUTLINE

Rodney Courson COMS 101 B34 2/13/12 Organization: Audience analysis: Topical pattern. The intended audience would be those in high-school or college that are considering entering the field of law enforcement.

Topic: Law Enforcement Rhetorical Purpose: To inform my audience about the basic steps needed to entire the career of Law Enforcement. Redemptive Purpose: To educate people that it is possible to be in Law Enforcement and to help meet the needs of the people you come in contact with. Introduction: I. II. III. IV. Attention-getter Law Enforcement is the career that allows you to experience what other only gets to read about. Establish Credibility For the past eight years I have served as a Deputy Sheriff in my community. Purpose Statement My goal is to share with the audience the information needed to become a law enforcement officer. Preview Statement The steps that are essential in becoming a Law Enforcement officer is to make sure you are ready to commit, obtain the education needed, be physically fit and ready to perform strenuous tasks, and graduate the police academy. Body: I. Be ready to commit. A. According to the North Carolina Criminal Justice Analysis Center (NCCJAC), the average officer has tenure of about 33 months before he quits. B. Potential police officers must understand the potential risks and lifestyle changes that are needed to commit to a law enforcement career. C. According to Dewayne Orrick, the turnover rate is around 14% in patrol positions in law enforcement given the top reasons from poor pay to over whelming stress. Education is an Essential tool for Law Enforcement. A. Almost every single agency in the nation requires at least a minimum of a high school diploma to serve as a law enforcement officer.

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B. A degree in Criminal Justice is very beneficial in law enforcement. Criminal Justice degrees consist of teaching human behavior, legal issues, and other various subjects that help a person to perform the everyday duties of the law enforcement job. C. Potential police officers with an Associates or Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice not only have an advantage in their learning and understanding, but it looks very well on the application for employment. III. Be physically fit and ready to perform strenuous tasks. A. Most agencies require that every potential officer pass and physical examination to show they are ready to perform the duties that are required of an officer. B. Law enforcement officers tasks require running after suspects, wrestling with suspects that become combative, and other duties as a first responder to emergency situations. C. Becoming physically fit for duty should also remain after the job is obtained and become a part of that lifestyle change needed to make a long career in law enforcement. Graduating from the Police Academy is the final step in becoming a law enforcement officer. A. The police academy is the place where a person receives the proper training of laws of the state in which that person has decided to serve. B. Recruits are often supported by their sponsoring agencies to the Police Academies at no cost to the recruit. C. According to LawEnforcement.com, the length of training for the average police academy is 12-14 weeks of training. D. The graduate of the police academy, newly police officer, must understand that in law enforcement training is always an ongoing task as laws change and criminal acts change. Conclusion: Summary The potential people that have decided to make a career in law enforcement and are ready to make the commitment, get the education, become fit for the duties, and graduate the law enforcement academy has now been placed into a job that they can truly make a difference in their community. As a Christian and a deputy sheriff, I have had the privilege of helping those in need and am on a platform that promotes God in ways many others cant. Refocus Audience Attention The Apostle Paul told the Roman people that For the one in authority is Gods servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are Gods servants, agents of wrath to

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bring punishment on the wrongdoer. With that said, I feel in my heart that I serve not only as a law enforcement officer in authority but also as a minister.

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Works Cited

Police Turnover By Dwayne Orrick, Chief of Police, Cordele, Georgia, September 2005, http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine LawEnforcement.com, http://www.lawenforcement.com/Academy/ Accessed February 12, 2012 North Carolina Criminal Justice Analysis Center, Recruitment and Retention Study Series Sworn Police Personnel, by Douglas L. Yearwood (April 2003) Aura Mirchandani, http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Cops-Need-To-Be-PhysicallyFit/1192180 Romans 13:4, Holy Bible, New International Version