[MZ Police Officer] "Physical Strength Is the Lifeline on the Scene"... One Year of a New Officer Recruited for Martial Arts Skills

<40> Serim Park, Team 5, Singok Police Precinct, Uijeongbu Police Station, Gyeonggi Province

"I apprehended a suspect who was threatening a passerby with a weapon, preventing further harm."

Serim Park, a 25-year-old police officer on Team 5 at the Singok Police Precinct of Uijeongbu Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, recalled her experience in July when she arrested a suspect who had been walking around the streets concealing a hand axe. After receiving a report that "a middle-aged man was threatening people with an axe," Officer Park responded to the scene and, during her search, spotted a suspicious individual. The suspect tried to act as if nothing was wrong, hiding the weapon, but in reality, he had concealed a hand axe behind his back. Officer Park made an emergency arrest and booked him on charges of special intimidation. For her role in preemptively stopping a potential threat, Officer Park received a commendation from the Commissioner of the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency.

Officer Park joined the police force in July 2024 and is quickly growing, leveraging her solid physical strength and composure. From 2008 to 2021, she was active as a Taekwondo athlete. She was a member of the national youth reserve team in 2018 and 2019 and has won awards at several competitions. After entering the Department of Taekwondo at Yongin University, the cancellation of various tournaments due to the COVID-19 pandemic led her to reconsider her career path. It was at this time that seeing her university seniors become police officers after graduation inspired her to pursue a career in law enforcement.

Officer Park said, "Of course, my goal was to become a national team member and win a gold medal at the world championships, but the hiatus caused by COVID-19 made me consider 'another path,'" and "at that time, I met seniors who had joined the police force through special martial arts recruitment and received their advice, which gave me confidence that policing was a career where I could make the most of my strengths." After making up her mind, she took first place in her weight class at the 2023 Police Chief's Martial Arts Competition and was selected for the special martial arts recruitment program she had aimed for. Currently, she also serves as a physical force instructor at the local police agency.

She once rescued a large man who was attempting suicide. At that time, a man over 190 cm tall and weighing more than 100 kg tried to jump out of a window, and Officer Park held on to him for over 10 minutes. Unfortunately, the backup patrol car was delayed due to manpower issues. Officer Park recalled, "I was able to hold on until the end because of my physical strength," and "I had only been on duty for a few months and had little experience, so I was proud when my seniors praised me." For this achievement, Officer Park received a commendation from the Chief of Uijeongbu Police Station.

The Singok Police Precinct, where Officer Park works, is considered the busiest precinct in Uijeongbu. The precinct's jurisdiction includes the Haengbok-ro area, which features a permanent stage, and is densely populated with entertainment venues, restaurants, and lodging facilities. As a result, there is a constant stream of reports related to drunken violence, dating violence between couples, and domestic violence. Recently, there have also been a series of suspicious reports related to attempted child abductions. Due to this, the Singok Police Precinct responds to an average of 30 to 40 calls during the day and 60 to 70 calls at night. On weekends and holidays, the number easily exceeds 100.

Early in her career, Officer Park once responded to a report that an elevator was filled with blood. On her way to the scene, she said her tension peaked, thinking, "Could this be a murder case?" At the scene, her senior officers calmly took control. She said, "While my seniors remained unfazed, my heart was racing. That experience made me realize why gaining experience is so important." At that time, Officer Park understood that police officers must remain composed to ensure the safety of those around them.

Now, Officer Park remains calm in any situation. Even at crime and accident scenes, she acts with composure, letting judgment take precedence over emotion. Officer Park said, "Looking back, policing really suits my personality. Whenever I see myself staying calm in urgent situations, I feel like I've found my true calling." However, she has come to realize the importance of legal knowledge. She needs to know exactly who has violated which law at the scene. She said, "Since I joined the force without a written exam, I sometimes regret not being able to make perfect legal judgments. That's why I still study criminal law at cafes during my days off."

Officer Park said that a simple greeting at a scene, where rough language is often exchanged, can be a great source of strength. She said, "When responding to calls, I hear a lot of swearing, but even in those moments, there are people who say, 'Thank you for your hard work.' Those moments are the most rewarding for me." She added that she hopes to expand her expertise in the fields of criminal investigation or women & youth affairs. Officer Park said, "At first, I dreamed of working in the violent crime or criminal investigation divisions, but after joining the police, I realized there are many departments. I'm also becoming increasingly interested in the women & youth affairs department, which protects female and youth victims."