[MZ Police Officer] "I Want to Help Young People" ... Peer Counselor Who Became a Police Officer

"Hours of conversation to persuade victims"...
A counselor before a police officer
Challenges as the youngest officer
"A police officer who can take responsibility from start to finish"

Editor's NoteThe Generation Z era is here. New recruits in their 20s and 30s are now shaping the future of organizational culture. The police are no exception. The police organization includes a wide range of departments such as criminal investigation, investigation, security, intelligence, traffic, administration, public relations, inspection, and women and youth. Work environments vary across provincial headquarters, police stations, riot squads, precincts, and patrol substations, and the duties differ greatly by region. Through the eyes of the youngest police officers, we introduce their departments and listen to their vivid stories about work and life as they see it.

"I want to be a police officer who can help young people."

Kim Yoonyoung, a 26-year-old police officer at Geumcheon Police Station Doksan Substation in Seoul, has dreamed of becoming a police officer since middle school. A court visit during a school field trip made his career path even clearer. Kim recalls encountering a girl in court who was both a victim and a participant in underage prostitution. "From that moment, I started looking into issues related to underage prostitution and realized there are far more young people exposed to such dangers than I thought," he said.

Kim Yoonyoung, a police officer at Geumcheon Police Station Doksan Patrol Unit, is patrolling the Doksan-dong area in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul on the 5th. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

"Hours of conversation to persuade victims"... A counselor before a police officer

One of Kim's most memorable moments at the substation was meeting a youth suspected of being a victim of prostitution. "A teenage girl told me she was dating a man who looked 10 to 20 years older, but I found out that man was demanding money from her and threatening that he would go to jail if she didn't pay him back," Kim recalled. "I approached her not as a police officer, but like an older sister, and kept persuading her that the man was approaching her in an unhealthy way." After several hours of persuasion, Kim managed to stop the girl from sending more money to the man. "That experience made me want to work in the Women and Youth Division, where I could take full responsibility for youth crime cases from start to finish and provide more concrete help," Kim said.

During high school, Kim was a counselor in a peer counseling club called 'Solian.' He received counseling training, listened to classmates' stories, comforted them, and shared their struggles. "There were many friends who confided secrets they couldn't tell anyone else," he said. "I realized that empathizing with and comforting others suited me well."

Challenges as the youngest officer

Having served as a police officer for 2 years and 2 months, Kim has been working for 6 months in the administrative support team at Doksan Substation. The support team assists field teams so they can focus on frontline duties, handling administrative tasks such as paperwork, equipment management, and facility maintenance. While Kim is adapting well to the police profession, he still faces challenges as the lowest-ranking and youngest officer.

When city events such as elections or large-scale rallies and protests occur, substations and precincts must send a designated number of personnel to provide support. For the youngest officer, coordinating this staffing can be difficult. This is because it involves attending personnel allocation meetings, reporting on manpower shortages at the scene, and persuading others?a heavy responsibility. "There are many senior and higher-ranking officers in each department, so it isn't easy for a newcomer to speak up," Kim said. "But if I don't speak up, my team members will have a hard time, so I try to be proactive."

Police Officer Yoonyoung Kim of Geumcheon Police Station Doksan Substation is being interviewed at Doksan Substation in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul on the 5th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

"A police officer who can take responsibility from start to finish"

As a police officer, Kim's ultimate goal is to become someone who can help women and youth. For now, he can only handle initial response and must transfer cases to the main station, but if he takes on investigations directly, he can be responsible for the entire process. Starting his police career in Geumcheon-gu, a densely populated residential area, has had a significant impact on this goal. "I felt a sense of fulfillment listening directly to victims, separating them from offenders, and handling punishment procedures," Kim said.

To achieve this goal, Kim is preparing for certifications that are preferred qualifications for the Women and Youth Division at Geumcheon Police Station. "If I join that division, I will be able to experience various roles such as School Police Officer (SPO) and Abuse Prevention Officer (APO)," Kim said. "By learning through direct experience, I believe I can offer better solutions to victims."