calling all cops...

i've come to the point in my life where i need to decide what's going to come next.

i've been thinking about it for a while, and have finally come to the point where i'm fairly sure of what i'd like to do. some sort of law enforcement.
detective, cia, swat... something like that.

to be honest, i'm not really sure what's involved in any of those, or how to go about becomming one.

i'd imagine starting out as a normal officer, and moving up from there to either detective or cia or something else.

the main reasons i want to do something in law enforcement are: positive contribution to society, good way to utilize my special skills, i think i'd perform well in such a job, i have a passion to lock up bad guys, and it just plain sounds exciting.

so my questions:
*could somone please detail a little bit the various options? detective, normal cop, cia, sherrif, etc. and detail a little bit about them?
*describe what i should do to get started
*suggested classes or courses to take
*job prospects: pay, hours, benifits, job future
*issues: requirements, possible negative aspects (other than getting killed and/or injured...)

some of my concerns:
*age: am i too young to look into something like this? every cop i've ever seen looks a good deal older than i
*politics: i'm very conservative. is there a growing liberal trend in this field? are conservative views held in disfavor?
*physical shape: i'm in great shape for somone who's never worked out. i'm fairly well built and am agile and strong for my size, but i can't run fast at all. compared to someone who does work out, i'm a little lacking.

i know there are quite a few law enforcement people here, and any comments and help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

If you really want to be an officer it is a good idea to start out by doing a few ride alongs with your local department.You will quickly learn that there is much more involved than you see on television.
I do like the job but there is much politics and other things that I do not enjoy.Pay is going to be determined by size of dept. and area.I work with close to 800 sworn officers in a large city.I did not make much as a young rookie but it grew quickly after I was over my one year probation period.
I have been an officer for almost 7 years and made 40k this year.I do not work overtime nor any off duty jobs but many do.I know officers that get about 25 dollars an hour to stand in some night clubs as security.It is possible to make much more this way.
You can be a detective also however you must usually put some time in on the street.Most places require at least a few years of beat work to apply for detective.
I,like you, wanted to start out in patrol and advance to the DEA or FBI however I have no college education.Most of these organizations require a lot of classes to qualify and I had none.Some depts. will pay for some of your education but I was a little too old to begin this so I will likely stay in patrol.
I do not know how old you are but I actually feel that mid twenties is a good starting place.I was 28 when I began my academy class.We have a 20 year retirement program so at 48 I am looking at retirement.Most officers I work with are starting out very young.Many of the new recruits I see are 21 years old.This is good as it brings energy and youth to a department but also brings some inexperience.It was hard for me to handle the authority at first and I thought I could take on the world.Most officers start this way but quickly learn that this is not the way things are.
Mind set is a lot and you appear to be thinking this out so be safe and good luck.Any questions just pm me if you need to.

I joined when I was 22, been in 4 years and I love it, can't see myself doing anything else.
I'm afraid I can't be much help for the specifics Roth, being in the UK, but if there's anything I can help you with, please ask.

Ross

Do you like donuts?
BTW, the CIA is not known for *enforcing* laws.

thanks guys /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

my main concerns are how to get started on the right foot.
college, training, etc. i really have no idea on the best way to get sarted...

i don't think i'd mind the normal grunt work too much, but i'm sure i'd eventually like to move up, and want to make sure i'm in a position where i can do so when the time comes.

i'm currently 18 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

yes, i doooo like donuts /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

re: 'i'm currently 18'

Most (if not all) jurisdictions don't hire < 21 [mine will put you in the academy @ 20.5, but if you graduate before turning 21 you won't be commissioned until your birthday].

Most larger departments require some college for promotion (here requires some for Sgt., Associates Degree for Lt., BS for Capt. and Masters for >).

Head for college, perhaps a CJ major if you're sure -- otherwise, a 'good grounding in everything' (i.e. liberal arts) will suffice!

Policing is hours of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror!

Never voluntarily bypass a meal, bathroom, or nap -- you don't know how long it will be before the opportunity shows up again.

kf

thanks sold...

i thought that might be a problem /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

i'll probably look into criminal justice. seems like there might be other jobs pertaining to that also if i decide not to join the ranks of bluesuited donutmonsters.

[ QUOTE ]
kfasold said:

Head for college, perhaps a CJ major if you're sure -- otherwise, a 'good grounding in everything' (i.e. liberal arts) will suffice!
kf

[/ QUOTE ]

kf's right.

Regardless of where you are, the post-secondary education is a valuable asset.

If you have the opportunity to go to college, take it.

Disclaimer: i am only 19 and i am not an LEO. ha

you don't need to be in great shape to be an officer, altho i'd think it's highly reccomended..
it'll all come down to how well you can do the job i'd imagine..

i've seen many overweight (like, seriously overweight) cops in my days who are not gonna run anyone down anytime soon..

thanks lite, i was thinking the same thing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

i'd like to start working out, but you know how that goes...

i'm hoping that if i do get into school or police acadamy or whatever, i'll have acess to a gym.

Rpth, there is also Forensics Science work (Crime Lab). This is a vitally important part of Law Enforcement. Why don't you go to you local Police Department and talk to them about the various careers and the requirements for getting hired????? (hint)

How about enlisting for one of the armed forces? Im pretty sure they take 18 year olds, and it'll whip you into shape, plus teach you discipline. And having that on your CV will help when you do go to apply for a job in Law Enforcement.

i'm pretty well disiplined as it is...

the armed forces just really doesn't appeal to me. someting 24/7 like that would drive me crazy... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

My best friend just got hired. Here is what I know from his expereinces. You don't have to be in the best shape. You will need to be able to run a mile or walk several miles in a certain time. He has been going to the gym for about 1.5 years before going to the Acadamey. He was one of the biggest guys there! There are some little guys there, but they make it just fine. But it will help you with the job if you are strong and can take down some crazy person. I've started working out and it hasn't even been a year, and I'm huge compared to what I used to be. I used to be skinny/scrawny, now I'm very shapely and good looking. The key is to stick with it, don't expect results at all, but just make it a habit, something you do every other day and think nothing about. You will feel better too, go for it!

You are more likely to get hired if you've already gone to the Acadamey, as they know your serious and don't have to pay your way and then you quit. You're looking at 5 days a week, 7:30am-5:00pm for 3 months. Other academys might be different. After your hired somewhere they will train you some more specific to their dept. I recommend buying a hand gun and practicing with that. You'll need to do qualifying with it as well as shotgun.

You'll have to be 21 years old. Some places don't require any college, some do require a few credit hours like 20 or something.

Pay isn't all that great overall. My friend decided to get onto Capital police instead of City. They make more, don't have to deal with crap, just gaurd state buildings, AND get state benefits! Plus, he doesn't have to deal with politics, see below:

Negatives, besides low pay, etc. Pollitics come to mind. Our City Police are very whack. There are WAY too many of them, they are sooo cocky and all try to out do eachother and impress people. There have been a number of ex-cops I talked to that quit because of the politics. If they stayed out of it and just wanted to work honestly, then it was hard for them as they would get crap. So they ended up quitting as they couldn't deal with it. It was all about who you know and what you'll do. I won't go into details about somethings that go on, as not all depts will be like this. But there is the possiblity of "pollitics" coming into play at certain depts.
The Capital Police and Highway Patrol here both HATE City Police. City Police is just way too powerfull here and does what they want, regardless of morals, or codes. I live in a fairly large city, and you can't drive more than 2 blocks without seeing one or TWO city cops. 1/4 of the time they are driving terrible! Running stop signs almost causing accidents, or flipping on the lights to run a red light, and then pull into McDonalds. Those are some of the lesser annoyoncaes, but I'll get off the soapbox.
I don't know how your local police dept is, so if you are worried about stuff like this or having to deal with things that you may not agree with but have to ignore in order to keep your job, then you might want to talk to some officers, or ex-officers, people that are going to the academy, etc. That's the best bet.

Uhm, the hours can be varied. City here its 3 shifts, and you rotate through them so you never have a fixed shift for more than a week I think. So you can end up sleeping all day and then going to work at night. Capital police here have 3 shifts, but you are stuck on one and stay on that one. Like 7am-3pm, 3pm-11pm, or 11pm-7am.

You'll need to not be afraid to get in and take charge and feel confident you are in control and will handle things. But you'll also need to be fair and know how to talk to people to calm them/control them. And also just to be nice and not "cocky" or "abusive"! City cops here try to be intimidating all too much. It's a big game for them to see how tough they can act. They get a really bad rep around here for that. Another big city about 25mins away their cops are thought of as really nice. The city is larger, has more problems, and fewer cops. But the cops are fair and honest, and won't harass you because they are bored. And they will take care of a problem when they drive past unlike cops in my town who avoid trouble and pick on easy targets hoping to find someone with something bad in their car/drunk /etc when they aren't at all. If only I had a nickel for every time I had a cop pull a u-turn, tailgate me so close I couldn't see their headlights on the highway, pull me over saying I ran a red light and then disputing it pointing out something that proves their lying and then they get quite and hand me back my licesne and say have a good night! UGH! If I didn't stand up for my self I'd have gotten ticketed!
Sorry again... but it's bad here and you might want to pick where you go if you don't agree with a particular depts way of acting...

I think that's it... sorry for any rants! I don't want to sound negative, but just want to let you know of things. On the other hand Highway Patrol here and Capital police are really cool. Well, Highway Patrol is harsh if you are pulled over but they only do that with a good reason. They have to be harsh as they have the most dangerous job. They get killed more often because they are on the major highways, interstates, etc and they are all alone and never know what they are walking up to. Oh and they have a weird way of things here, they take the driver back to the car when they run their plates, etc and have them sit IN THE PASSENGER SEAT! Not in the back!!! Very crazy indeed but that's their policy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Good luck, It's not that hard once you know what you gotta do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

wow, that doesn't sound good /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

i guess it's the same with all things though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif
morons are morons...

my city seems to have good police. i've never encountered one in person, so that's a good thing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

actually, i'm turning 19 next month, so 2 years to go...

i suppose enrolling in criminal justice and getting a partime job could hold me over for 2 years or so... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

i really appreciate everyones advice! keep it coming! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

You're gonna have to have a mighty big duty belt to carry all the lights you'll want handy.

2 years = you'll be buff by then /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Get to the gym man! Actually start off with push ups. Every day. Change the position of your hands when they start getting easy so you work differnt parts. Sit ups if you need them. Maybe start joggging. You need to get cardio up too. I always have to run a bit before lifting or I get too out of breathe. I'm out of shape that way..
You can then buy a bench and some free weights. Just get detirmened. Eventually you'll want to go to a gym to work things you can't with free weights or whatever.

Like I said don't let what I said above discourge you. Just something you should be aware of. It could take place at any job. Perhaps your area isn't like that. Other depts and citys around us aren't. So even if your local police suck, you could get on with some other dept or place close by /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif You'll find out by talking to people you run across how places are.

I have found that being fit is not exactly a requirement but more of like a preferred tool.It does help to look the part as image is a part of the job.
I am fairly good size and my partner is also a big guy.It does help when you have a situation going bad and two in shape guys show up.Most people size you up upon first impressions and will be less likely to try trouble with an officer that looks professional and healthy.
On the other side of this I work with several veteran officers that are older and not in the best shape.This is however not important as these are the ones with experience from years on the street.These guys are the actual backbone of the department and are usually very good trainers.They know all the tricks and may not actually chase many guys on foot they do teach you how to stay alive.Never underestimate the oldest most out of shape cop as he or she may just teach you a thing or two.I learned much my first 3 years and had to settle down a little.It will often take a little time to understand that there is much more to police work than actual physical activity.
I work with one officer who is a veteran of about 17 years.He is not very in shape and is much overweight.He will never do well in a foot chase but in a bad situation you do not want him to get his hands on you.I chased a man once for about 7 blocks and finally cornered him.I thought I was alone and would have to fight this man armed with a large knife and high on drugs.I was amazed to see this veteran officer driving through the woods in his patrol car.He did not have to run and was right there when I needed him.Needless to say when this older,overweight officer showed up I was very glad to see him and after I saw what he did to this criminal with his bare hands I had a much more sense of respect for any so called out of shape officer.
You will make many friends in this field and even more enemies.The friends are however for life and there is a tight bond throughout the world for all officers.
I do love the work but it does come at a cost.If you have a family it will be hardest on them.Long hours of shift work can take a toll on you and the ones you love.
I started out on night shift with crappy off days and had to kind of pay my dues to advance.It was worth the effort but I still wonder sometimes at what cost this career will have on my long term goals.
If available you can always try the explorer program or volunteer police work first.This is a good way to sample some of the work practices and get a feel for the job.
It is also a valuable hiring point if you have some experience.Many of the newer recruits I see are from the military of some sorts.The militery background helps a lot and I have yet to see my dept.turn any military applicant down.These guys are usually very well balanced and are good candidates for police work.
Whatever path you choose just remember you will never know it all and there is no such thing as a routine stop or event.
Any situation can go from good to bad faster than you could imagine.Good luck to you.

Probably better to concentrate on "normal" law enforcement. You have already gotten good advice on that sort of stuff. Maybe consider Border Patrol (unless they decide to just forget about it and "erase" the borders) it will be a hugely growing field, and it isn't too hard to get into. (Learn to speak Spanish).

If you are serious about possibly working for the CIA, (Or other similar agencies) there are two main ways in:

Either way, Languages are the most valuable asset. Absolute perfection in at least one besides English, two or more are better. You will need college in addition to language. They will want you to have at least a Bachelors with excellent grades prior to hiring and a Masters within about 6 years. History, Political science, communications or a hard science are usually best.

Most career intel people are Ivy League graduates; they joined the right "clubs" and fraternities in college. Interned at the State Department or Justice. If they were really special they got to intern at CIA itself. These guys are the ones that eventually run the show.

It is POSSIBLE to come in through the military. Language experts and intel analysts, computers and commo are most often recruited, and then only the very best.

A VERY few come in from spec. ops. These guys are pretty much despised by the Ivy Leaguers, and are rarely career people. They get to have the most "fun" though.

Most (maybe all) large departments in California require two years of college as a minimum.

Report writing is a critical skill!!!!

Starting pay of a couple depts in my area are in the high $50,000 to low $60,000/year.

GregR