do not offer its officers the more more glamorous divisions such as those offered by the Portland Police 
Bureau (PPB). An officer at PPB can promote to the following divisions: Drugs and Vice, Narcotics, Asset 
Forfeiture, Youth Services Division, Traffic, Family Services Division, Detective, K-9, Explosive Disposal, 
Gang Enforcement, Air Support Unit, Rapid Response, and more. 
Policing can be multifaceted thereby keeping its officers engaged. Unlike many other professions, the 
daily job of a police officer, depending on the respective department, can change with divisions. One year 
a police officer may be writing a traffic citation from a patrol car, and the next year the same police officer 
may be driving an off-road motorcycle patrolling the local park or riding a mounted horse in the downtown 
area. 
The choice to have a career in policing is enormous, but the candidate must go one step further and 
start researching to decide what type of policing, and then dig even further to pick which agency and what 
possible divisions the candidate would like to have the opportunity to join one day. 
 
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office demonstrates K-9 patrol procedures during the annual Lock-In Event at Southern Oregon University. 
During this K-9 class students get to learn how patrol dogs operate and they actually get to see a bite demonstration and learn how the 
K-9’s are trained. 
Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System
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