Fort Worth, Texas

Story by nbc5i.com



The city of Fort Worth is looking for new recruits to keep the streets safe.

Hundreds of potential police officers showed up Saturday during the department's annual recruitment drive.

Many applicants like Julio Argueta said they want to fulfill a lifelong dream.

"I grew up in a bad neighborhood when I was younger, and if I can stop somebody from making some of the mistakes my friends did … it would be a good thing."

Fort Worth has a lot of positions to fill. This year the city budgeted for 95 new officers, and has already had about 35 openings.

Now the department is coming up with creative ways to find candidates, using not only Internet and newspaper ads, but also police cars placed along the roads.

"Not only does it work as an advertisement, but it also helps slow the traffic down," Lt. Glen Edney said.

The ads are bringing in people like Argueta who after years in the military said he would like nothing more than to patrol the streets.

"You want to help, you want to be there when people need you," Argueta said. "You want to provide a service to the people that have given you so much."

Applications will be accepted until Nov. 18. At that point, the police department hopes to have over 1,000 applications.

Wow 1,000 applications for just over 100 openings!!!! Is the failure rate that high??

Well, I guess they expect all the no-chance-in-hell people to apply, and they're part of the figure.

100 Openings is an insane amount in my opinion anyway. Around here, departments usually only hire about 15 guys max at a time...and that's for the bigger departments!

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Originally Posted by BigDawg3533

Wow 1,000 applications for just over 100 openings!!!! Is the failure rate that high??

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Large cities generally yes.... Most applicants now have Bad credit, major or recent drug use, or DQ drug use like PCP or LSD.

Not manny good applicats to go for now a days unfortunatly which is why some departments are lowering their standards. They need police officers.

Most major cities need police officer BADLY and will pick up "decent" applicants with a quickness.

That's why I recommend to most people who have problems getting hired to look at the major cities, then transfer out with their certification.

Its getting harder and harder to find good people. Now in Maryland Prince George's county (bordering DC and known for its HUGE crime rate and more officer involved shootings per its population then NYC...) is hiring almost everyone that meets the standards of the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commision. They are not being as selective as they were 10 years ago.

Now for people wanting to get into LE, look at the right places and if you are a decent applicant and you will get in.

I applied there. But it was over 2000 for just under 100 openings. We had to have the test at the Convention Center. I lived there at the time and anything was better than the Sherrif's Office. Job satisfaction is very high at Ft. Worth. Most openings come from retirements.

But isnt the cost of living pretty high in TX compared to the pay??

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Originally Posted by BigDawg3533

But isnt the cost of living pretty high in TX compared to the pay??

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Hell NO. It's a virtual paradise. Money enough for living and nary a liberal ass to offend the eye.

The extent of my knowledge about the Fort Worth Police Department comes from watching the crappy tv show "Cops," Fort Worth is on there all the time!

From what I've seen I like the things they handle. The atmosphere there seems nice - not too crowded, not too slow. Infact, with the amount of Texas Departments on all these shows now, it always makes me want to move down there and work instead!

You know what these departments need to do? They need to have job fairs about 3 or 4 times a year in several centralized locations so that people can come from several states and apply, as there are "Good People" out there, just too hard for them to travel all over the US on a whim.

Let me give you an example, I was looking for a job in Missouri, we are not hurting for applicants so some of the hiring processes at some departments is border line rude. They do not care about you as they have more than enough good applicants and a couple very large academies in each city.

I was in management of a multi-million dollar paint company and made more money than I probably ever will in LE, have some college and was in the Army active duty for 4 years with an honorable and awarded discharge. But this is what I want to do and will until I am physically not able.

I recently applied with an agency here that is about 20+ officers and growing and it pays about the best around here which is still in the bottom pay of the state. I am not hurting for money, so it is not that big of a deal but I would like to make as much as possible.

While waiting for this to come through (real long process) I ran across a GT member that was hiring for a small city in NV and so I sent in for it. They seemed VERY excited to have me apply, a decent applicant with a couple years experience and good track record since high school and was able to get my POST switched some what easy.

I was set to go to this city for a battery of testing, a 22 page back ground packet, and all the ins and outs. The first trip at my expense to include the hotel, rental car and eats consisted of written test, oral board (Brass Bash), and PFT. I told the LT that I had taken 6 days off and needed to get the ENTIRE process done while there so I could leave with a job offer.

After he explained the first part to me I told him again I needed to get it all done and he then, right at the last min (this close to a $650 plane ticket) tells me that I would have to come back after they sent me an initial offer and then take the Poly, medical physical and mental (psycho) test.

Now, what he does not understand is that is $1300+, plus hotel, car rental and eats for two separate trips and if and ONLY IF I got the go ahead I would have to come back to MO and put in my 2 weeks and then report back to NV for the job at my expense. The job pays great!! $20.97+ an hour starting out but my current job pays shit and we are short handed so my time off is limited until after Jan 2007 now.

I would not mind driving up to 300 miles to get a good or great job and walk away in a day or two with either a job or rejection that would be great!!!

It has nothing to do with not having great applicants. It has to do with very poor hiring practices. We need some job fairs to come in that have the power to give job offers, not conditional, but job offers and are able to hire and give starting dates.

I tell you what, you have departments that need employee's, have them give me a call. I can get between 6 or 10 right now, good officers that are loyal to the brotherhood, good on their feet, smart and honest. Officers that want to be cops and have good careers that will server a department well.

That is what I got to say about that! That and sorry about the rant!!

Will

Maybe I need to just start my own thread and company to place good LE applicants!! And just charge the department to do their testing for them!!

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Originally Posted by BigDawg3533

But isnt the cost of living pretty high in TX compared to the pay??

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From my experience of living in Fort Worth as well as being stationed in El Paso for a few years, Texas as a state just fucking rocks!!

You can't go wrong in my opinion. I am actually looking at Jacksonville, TX as a possibility right now.

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Originally Posted by spcwes

Maybe I need to just start my own thread and company to place good LE applicants!! And just charge the department to do their testing for them!!

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You seriously might be on to something there. That seems like a hell of a good idea.

Well Ive narrowed down my areas of interest to the Pheonix, AZ area. The Reno and Las Vegas, NV area. And the Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX area. After the holidays Ill start the application process for probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-20 depts total between those areas. I would like to have something concrete by next fall. We will see how it goes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by spcwes

Maybe I need to just start my own thread and company to place good LE applicants!! And just charge the department to do their testing for them!!

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Such a company already exists. But only in Washington state, Idaho, Kalifornia, and Alaska. No reason you couldn't do the same thing in your area.

http://www.publicsafetytesting.com

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Originally Posted by Jackalope

Such a company already exists. But only in Washington state, Idaho, Kalifornia, and Alaska. No reason you couldn't do the same thing in your area.

http://www.publicsafetytesting.com

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Actually that is through the State right? Well even so, I want to do one that is nation wide. We will see what I can come up with.

spcwes

It's a private company. An applicant decides which agencies to apply to, pays the fee, and takes a single physical test and written test. The test scores are sent to each department that the applicant picked, and the agency picks up the process from there.

The biggest problem is that different states have different standards, (not to mention different departments within a state) so they can only do business with departments that accept their tests. PST.com has expanded quite a bit since they were created. They could very well be nationwide eventually.

Wait until I post mine and you will get my full idea!! It is a bit different but is for the same outcome.

spcwes

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BigDawg3533

Well Ive narrowed down my areas of interest to the Pheonix, AZ area. The Reno and Las Vegas, NV area. And the Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX area. After the holidays Ill start the application process for probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-20 depts total between those areas. I would like to have something concrete by next fall. We will see how it goes.

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C'mon then. Plenty of need for good officers. If you suck then try Oklahoma. They're used to sucking.

lol, no I dont suck..........I hope...................wait do I??????