About to graduate the Police Academy and need direction.

I'm super excited for graduation coming up in a few weeks. I have a couple tests left and I'm finally going to graduate after 6 months of standing at attention.

My question is what do I do now? I have an AA in General Studies, I'm about to be POST certified, and I want to go get a Bachelors in Public Administration. Jobs are scarce and the sensible route would be to be a Reserve. I don't really like the idea of working for free but I know it's a good way to get a foot in that door.

My question is for all you who weren't hired straight out of the Academy. What did you find yourself doing afterward? How long did it take you to get picked up?

I was hired by agencies that trained me and put me to work. There are agencies and states where there are jobs. You need to be willing to move where the jobs are.

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Originally Posted by Xiphos

I was hired by agencies that trained me and put me to work. There are agencies and states where there are jobs. You need to be willing to move where the jobs are.

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Also, realize and accept that your current academy may not be accepted by anyone who hires you. You may well have to go through another academy -- and probably not as a lateral. Generally, you need experience not just academy certification to be a lateral.

Washington State has a category called "Exceptional" that is in between lateral and entry.

It is precisely for people with an academy and without experience.

Some agencies do it, some don't.

If you want to stay in CA you need to consider a reserve position. CA is not goin to get better anytime soon and your POST clock is ticking. Get on somewhere and work until you can get picked up full time.

Wow..In KY you can not go to the acad. without already being hired on by an agency. They allowed it years ago, but people came in and paid for it and after failing or getting admin. dismissed created such a stink it was decided to allow only those that were already employed by an agency go through the 18 week course.

Here we have open enrollment where you do not have to be affiliated with an agency to go through the academy. When an open enrollment cadet completes they receive a certificate of completion, but do not receive a certification until they are commissioned with an agency.

You used to have to be affiliated with an agency in some way to go through the academy.

Now, with open enrollment, anyone with 3 grand or more can go through a class. This pollutes the hiring pools of agencies, and results in high numbers of people shopping for a commission and holding any spot they can get until they can get a job. I personally don't like it.

The way California is right now, You need to look at any LEO job you can find. To put the job market into perspective we just had testing for a Probation Officer position. It was interesting who showed up.

Not one person without a 4 year degree.
10 Correctional Officers
4 academy graduates, with no experience
2 sheriffs officers whose job is in danger of being eliminated
1 4 year DETECTIVE whose job is going to be cut and he just needs to stay in PERS for another couple more years.

Plus another 40 people that I did not hear the back ground on. Those are just the ones the Chief mentioned to me.

If I did not have a Wife and kids and I was in your position; I would be looking out of California for being hired on. You have already completed an academy, Yea it will suck to attend another one but think of the confidence a hiring agency would have in you not flunking out.

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Originally Posted by dot4x4

The way California is right now, You need to look at any LEO job you can find. To put the job market into perspective we just had testing for a Probation Officer position. It was interesting who showed up.

Not one person without a 4 year degree.
10 Correctional Officers
4 academy graduates, with no experience
2 sheriffs officers whose job is in danger of being eliminated
1 4 year DETECTIVE whose job is going to be cut and he just needs to stay in PERS for another couple more years.

Plus another 40 people that I did not hear the back ground on. Those are just the ones the Chief mentioned to me.

If I did not have a Wife and kids and I was in your position; I would be looking out of California for being hired on. You have already completed an academy, Yea it will suck to attend another one but think of the confidence a hiring agency would have in you not flunking out.

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This +1million!

There are places hiring, you need to be willing to go there.