trying to become a LEO

[09blackonblack]

I have been wanting to do law enforcement for several years now, and im finally 21 old enough to do it. i talked to the local pd about the reserve program and the ride along/cadet programs. However, they werent taking anyone or they were already full. the prisons are hiring but they are too far away (about 2-2 1/2 hours. is there any way else i can try to get my foot in the door? thanks, Travis.

[deputysykes]

Apply/test, apply/test, and apply/test when you are done applying/testing, do it again. The processes are long and you might not get chosen even if you pass all testing. Do what you can to get familiar with the profession, get all the experience you can get, and keep trying. If you are serious about it, prove it!

[Cidp24]

Apply/test, apply/test, and apply/test when you are done applying/testing, do it again. The processes are long and you might not get chosen even if you pass all testing. Do what you can to get familiar with the profession, get all the experience you can get, and keep trying. If you are serious about it, prove it!

+1 And take any job in law enforcement you can - dispatch, booking/jailer, or anything else that will get your foot in the door with an agency.

[Jks9199]

Ditto.

And get some real life work experience, too. Get a job; any job. You never know what past experience in work will have relevance down the road as a cop... And the track record of holding a job and doing well will reflect well on you in the application process.

Or join the military; you'll get lots of experience and training.

Final thought -- don't limit yourself to your local PD. Look at where you're willing to relocate to for a job... and apply there. Balance travel costs for the application process and move with the salary.

[Five-0]

If you are the guy I talked to on LS1tech welcome to the board. Keep checking back on this thread and keep it bumped up so our verifed LEOs will see it. Have you thought about working for an armored car company. You carry a gun, are gainfully employed, and have to follow an SOP just like you would at a department.

[bayern]

Go in the military and do your time. When you get out, you have something in the bank (GI bill, etc) to get your College Degree. If you go to school while in the serivce, you are ahead of the game. Do your time, get out and you have something to offer. Most Depts will take ex-mil quicker then those off the street. You have something to sell, life experience.

[09blackonblack]

If you are the guy I talked to on LS1tech welcome to the board. Keep checking back on this thread and keep it bumped up so our verifed LEOs will see it. Have you thought about working for an armored car company. You carry a gun, are gainfully employed, and have to follow an SOP just like you would at a department.

yeah its me, the same guy...
i can't join the military fiance said NO besides i have a baby on the way and i cant miss that.
i talked to a trooper the other day when he pulled me over and he told me to find out about the ride along program or cadet programs so i found out they were all full or not taking anyone.

I applied for a dispatcher job but didnt get it because at the time i was waiting to take my GED. i passed it now i can keep trying.
i applied in wichita still waiting a response from them but its only been 2 or 3 days lol.
i appreciate all the responses, i didn't expect that many so quick.

never even thought about the armored cars... thanks for the tip

[Five-0]

I will tell you this now, if your fiance has problems with you joining the military things may not be much better with you working as a LEO. Shift work is brutal, and you will most likely start working the shifts that others don't want for the first part of your career. This career will have an effect on your home life. For me I balance the emotional stuff pretty well, but the smells still come home with me. The wife sees things on the news and asks if it effected me. My wife is a nurse and used to work at the ER that most of our victims/suspect/fellow deputies were taken to when injured and that would come home too. Having to take a convicted murderer to the ER to get stiches after a fight in the jail, and then having her non thinking co-workers ask if I was her husband in front of that piece of garbage takes a toll. So does having everyone you know associate you with your job before everything else sucks. Every move you make on the job and most of the moves you make off the job will be examined under a microscope justified or not. Those looking through the microscope will include the media, lawyers, judges, your agency, and if you are in a small jurisdiction everyone in town. Your family will fight these battles with you like it or not.

[09blackonblack]

she told me i can be a cop, she said i could do whatever i wanted to as long as im in bed with her at night lol.
yeah i understand about the psychos that you guys have to deal with and always watching my back. and yeah shift work SUCKS... i was on first shift at a combine company then was going to be moved to second. then everybody got laid off. im 99% positive i want to be a leo, the only other thing that catches my eye or interest is a natural resource officer. but you have to have a BS in natural resources and a criminal justice degree to do that. i cant afford to go to college now that im laid off.

[MacLean]

she told me i can be a cop, she said i could do whatever i wanted to as long as im in bed with her at night lol.

Better tell her now - that ain't gonna happen.

[Xiphos]

Military and college is what you need. The LE job will come, not to worry.

[Five-0]

Have you thougt about applying to be a park ranger or a game warden?

[09blackonblack]

natural resource officer is a game warden they just dont call them game wardens anymore. i tried park ranger but no one is hiring them either

[MacLean]

Consider the service.

[09blackonblack]

hey five-o how would i go about applying for the armored truck jobs?

[Five-0]

hey five-o how would i go about applying for the armored truck jobs?

Not hard at all. I was in the process when I got my first LE job. I applied with Wells Fargo. They run your credit and driving history for obvious reasons. After that cleared, I was interviewed and went out with one of the interviewers to run me through manuvering one of their bigger trucks around. After that we hit the road. I had the job, but my first agency called me and sent me off to police academy. It was only going to pay about $11/hour, but that was over seven years ago.

[Wolven]

Better tell her now - that ain't gonna happen.

Haha I was thinking the same thing

[ANI4ANI]

We don't know anything about your background. Before you put yourself through the ropes of even beginning to test are your affairs in order? Any past criminal charges (convictions)? How's your credit rating, any outstanding debt? How about your driving record? Your employment history, few jobs with long time stays or jump from job to job? Do you own or rent? Any ghosts in your closet that a BI might find? Police jobs today are not opening up like in the past for many reasons. Many departments can be very selective of applicants, not unlike a few branches of the military. Plus, as stated before, their are many fields of LE included in the state, city, county and federal government. Lots of doors to knock on. Today you have access to the internet for searches. But first be honest with yourself. Only the qualified true blue can be members of the thin blue line. Good luck.

[sgtbear111]

ANI4ANI made a very good point about background and applicant suitability. Contact the depts you are interested in. If you have "issues" with your background, you may inquire of the administrative standards for hiring and know if you will be considered before you submit an application.

You and your fiance will get a reality check when your baby arrives. I pray you have a healthy child. The job market isn't laid out to suit individual likes and dislikes. Until you can settle that shift work and travel will be a part of your future, your future is limited. The job market is not good anywhere, you take what work is out there and keeps the bills paid.

With the job market bad, just a GED, no money for college, a family and medical expenses, the military is one of the best deals for a man your age. The armed forces are delaying enlistments or service entry due to a surplus of applicants. I suggest you talk with a recruiter of each branch; Army, Navy, Marines, USAF, and don't forget the Coast Guard.

Military service provides direction, structure, opportunity, leadership training, education, travel, medical, housing, and a very good career if you choose to stay in the service.

If your fiance limits your career search to convenient hours, or distance from her home; she is being selfish and immature.

You should work on your writing skills. For the rest of your life, you will be measured by how you appear in writing. That writing will be yours, and those who evaluate you.

Open an atlas. Look at those places to live and work in, those you "could", those you "might like", those you "don't like". Make a list and include the reasons for each place. Then look where the jobs are............

As the others said, you can say a lot about your interest, but you must demonstrate that interest. Law enforcement looks more at what is done, than what is said.

Good luck.

[Jks9199]

Better tell her now - that ain't gonna happen.

Beat me to it...

Based on your posts here, I see a couple of issues you need to be able to address. First -- that GED. It's better than nothing, and the bare minimum -- but it's not highly competitive against people with college degrees or at least HS diplomas. It does sound like you've got a solid work history going for you, though... I'd encourage you to take at least one college class. In fact -- in particular, I'd encourage you to take an introduction to criminal justice class. It'll give you a good overview of the entire criminal justice field, demonstrate your interest, and may even make some connections for you. At a community college, it won't be too expensive, either. (Get the textbook on Amazon, not the school bookstore, and buy used.)

You also really need to discuss this with your fiance. Law enforcement is a job that will effect both of you. Even more than the military in some ways, I think, because the effects are sneakier. (Have you considered the reserves or National Guard?) You'll working nights (almost a guarantee at some point in your career), and may well be on call. You can pretty much bet that you won't be able to take the holidays off you want, at least not for a few years. You can have vacations cancelled. And there's more. She really needs to understand this.

I'd encourage you to find someone that will let you do a ride-along. Some may only allow it for applicants, while others are wider. Try to schedule riding for an entire shift, not just a few hours. And I'd suggest doing this at more than one agency. The job of a local cop is different from that of a trooper.