So, I really didn't want to have to ask this, but I honestly have no idea what I'm doing at this point. So, as it stands now, I'm about to turn 19 years old and I want to start a career in Law Enforcement. For the most part, you need to be 21 to become a police officer in Ohio (my state) which I completely understand, but now at this point I am getting worried. As it stands now, I am concerned that I won't be able to find a career in law enforcement once I graduate from academy due to the competitive market of Law Enforcement. I really don't care to get a degree of any kind as I am currently working a full time job and don't wish to deal with the debt after the fact. I see it like this: I want to become a cop, that's it, plain and simple. I've heard two sides, one saying you can get a job without a degree and the other saying it is next to impossible to get a job without a degree. I really don't want to go to college, I dropped out to pursue a career in law enforcement rather than IT, and going back isn't something I have any interest in. So, what do you guys think? I'd love to hear from people, especially LEOs within Ohio, if there are any on here.

3 hours ago, Officer Dave said:

So, I really didn't want to have to ask this, but I honestly have no idea what I'm doing at this point. So, as it stands now, I'm about to turn 19 years old and I want to start a career in Law Enforcement. For the most part, you need to be 21 to become a police officer in Ohio (my state) which I completely understand, but now at this point I am getting worried. As it stands now, I am concerned that I won't be able to find a career in law enforcement once I graduate from academy due to the competitive market of Law Enforcement. I really don't care to get a degree of any kind as I am currently working a full time job and don't wish to deal with the debt after the fact. I see it like this: I want to become a cop, that's it, plain and simple. I've heard two sides, one saying you can get a job without a degree and the other saying it is next to impossible to get a job without a degree. I really don't want to go to college, I dropped out to pursue a career in law enforcement rather than IT, and going back isn't something I have any interest in. So, what do you guys think? I'd love to hear from people, especially LEOs within Ohio, if there are any on here.

I'll try and describe this first by listing what you need vs. what you have.

What you'll need:

-An associates degree or better in something. Anything. Criminal justice would be preferred so it shows that you have interest in the job.
-Passion for the job beyond "I want to help people". They'll say "next" as soon as you drop that line during an oral interview.
-Previous military experience is preferred. Some departments accept this instead of a college degree. You generally will not be taken if you don't have either of these.
-21 or older, usually people in their late 20's are preferred, since they have more life experience.
-Live in the town you apply to.
-Good physical shape.
-Had at least one steady job for 2-3 years.
-Plenty of non-family references.
-Clean criminal record, generally no more than two traffic tickets, some departments want a 100% clean record.
-Good oral communication skills.
-Leadership qualities.
-Be the correct gender/ethnicity for the jobs available. Police departments are supposed to serve a community with integrity, and to do so sincerely, they want their employee base to represent the community above all else. They usually require a minimum number of female officers. What the number is depends on the department. If you're a female and 50 males apply who are ex-Marines with Harvard Law degrees, you'll probably get hired first. If you are white and you apply in a community of 80% Dominicans, a Hispanic officer will get hired over you, even if you took 6 years of Spanish in school and lived in Spain/Argentina/Colombia/whatever for a year.

What you have:

-Passion for the job.
-Good physical shape? Maybe?
-Clean record? Maybe?
-Steady job? Maybe? Maybe not since you're 19?
-Correct gender/ethnicity for the slot available? Maybe?
-Live in the town you apply to? Maybe?

Lets put this information in perspective. A college degree is really important. It's possible to get a job without one, but it will almost always be a job in retail or some other service industry job. My first police ride along was with a department that had a maximum of three patrol cars deployed at once, usually two, so you can imagine how small that department was. They had 100 applicants that year. You will not get hired if you have no qualifications and there are 99 people who do. It's mathematically not possible to appear to be more qualified than the others (when you aren't) unless you have a family member or very good friend who already works in the department who will constantly bug the chief of police to interview you. When I went to a citizens academy for another police department near me, almost all of their officers had 4 year degrees, two or three of them had associates degrees. All of them had military experience. Police view it as a free firearms training course, a way to instill discipline in you without having to do it themselves, and the loyalty to defend the United States of America and it's citizens. Police departments who look at your resume will view you for what your resume says. Not for who you are as a person. You have to land an interview to get to that point, and when they see what is effectively a blank piece of paper, you won't get called.

I'm sorry to be a bummer about this, but I'd rather you be told the truth instead of floundering for several years not getting called back. Go back to school and hit the books, or join the military, try not to get shot and you can try and apply then and maybe a department with lower standards that hire ex-military people above all else will hire you. If I were you I'd rather stay safe and earn a degree that helps with all resumes than spend time fighting for something I don't care about or believe in inside a country that doesn't want me there, or sitting on my ass in fatigues in the National Guard.

Edited April 19, 201610 yr by unr3al

To bounce off of what he said, military experience can really boost your chances of being hired by a police department. The qualities and discipline that you gain while in the military are pretty much the same that police officers have to conduct themselves with day to day. Don't blow off the military, talk to a recruiter from each branch and get more information on the benefits and what you'll be expected to do. Even if you feel it's not for you, you don't HAVE to join just by speaking to recruiters. If you get information and decide you don't want to join, just tell your recruiter straight up you don't want to join and they'll leave you alone. 

Something you can also do is join the military and go to college while you're in, and reap the benefits of the military paying for your college. A lot of people join the military because of the benefits, and military service looks good on any resume and your record because, again, just the very fact that you served allows employers to assume that you possess traits: Discipline, Courage, Bravery, Respect, Teamwork, and more. This is the path that I'm following. Join the military, go to college while reaping the benefits, leave when I get my degree and get a well paying job. You can also look at the Reserves for a branch. There's a LOT more information on how this all works and the best way to learn more about this route is to speak with a recruiter from each branch. Each is slightly different. 

Something else you could do is go straight to college, but then you'd need to figure out how to pay off all that debt if you plan on going to colleges and the like. Either way, the military or college are both good routes to follow and will definitely boost your chances of getting in. Some departments, such as Baltimore City Police Department, have a guaranteed interview program for former Military Police looking to join. 

21 hours ago, unr3al said:

I'll try and describe this first by listing what you need vs. what you have.

What you'll need:

-An associates degree or better in something. Anything. Criminal justice would be preferred so it shows that you have interest in the job.
-Passion for the job beyond "I want to help people". They'll say "next" as soon as you drop that line during an oral interview.
-Previous military experience is preferred. Some departments accept this instead of a college degree. You generally will not be taken if you don't have either of these.
-21 or older, usually people in their late 20's are preferred, since they have more life experience.
-Live in the town you apply to.
-Good physical shape.
-Had at least one steady job for 2-3 years.
-Plenty of non-family references.
-Clean criminal record, generally no more than two traffic tickets, some departments want a 100% clean record.
-Good oral communication skills.
-Leadership qualities.
-Be the correct gender/ethnicity for the jobs available. Police departments are supposed to serve a community with integrity, and to do so sincerely, they want their employee base to represent the community above all else. They usually require a minimum number of female officers. What the number is depends on the department. If you're a female and 50 males apply who are ex-Marines with Harvard Law degrees, you'll probably get hired first. If you are white and you apply in a community of 80% Dominicans, a Hispanic officer will get hired over you, even if you took 6 years of Spanish in school and lived in Spain/Argentina/Colombia/whatever for a year.

What you have:

-Passion for the job.
-Good physical shape? Maybe?
-Clean record? Maybe?
-Steady job? Maybe? Maybe not since you're 19?
-Correct gender/ethnicity for the slot available? Maybe?
-Live in the town you apply to? Maybe?

Lets put this information in perspective. A college degree is really important. It's possible to get a job without one, but it will almost always be a job in retail or some other service industry job. My first police ride along was with a department that had a maximum of three patrol cars deployed at once, usually two, so you can imagine how small that department was. They had 100 applicants that year. You will not get hired if you have no qualifications and there are 99 people who do. It's mathematically not possible to appear to be more qualified than the others (when you aren't) unless you have a family member or very good friend who already works in the department who will constantly bug the chief of police to interview you. When I went to a citizens academy for another police department near me, almost all of their officers had 4 year degrees, two or three of them had associates degrees. All of them had military experience. Police view it as a free firearms training course, a way to instill discipline in you without having to do it themselves, and the loyalty to defend the United States of America and it's citizens. Police departments who look at your resume will view you for what your resume says. Not for who you are as a person. You have to land an interview to get to that point, and when they see what is effectively a blank piece of paper, you won't get called.

I'm sorry to be a bummer about this, but I'd rather you be told the truth instead of floundering for several years not getting called back. Go back to school and hit the books, or join the military, try not to get shot and you can try and apply then and maybe a department with lower standards that hire ex-military people above all else will hire you. If I were you I'd rather stay safe and earn a degree that helps with all resumes than spend time fighting for something I don't care about or believe in inside a country that doesn't want me there, or sitting on my ass in fatigues in the National Guard.

Well, main problem is that I was going to join the Air Force for Security Forces, however, I was denied for ADD. In terms of shape I'm in, I was able to join the Air Force and while I was getting ready for BMT, I ran a 11 minute or so mile and a half, so that was nice. So, all in all, I should just get an associates and I'll be good?

To just add from my personal experience with trying to get into the law enforcement field...because unr3al knocked the response out of the park. I grew up in Massachusetts where you must take the civil service exam in order to be considered for Mass State Police and almost all local departments there are some towns who do not use the civil service exam. Not sure if there is a similar test in Ohio. A little background on myself I have my Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice, graduated with honors. I took that civil service exam and scored 98 percent. Ill repeat that I got a 98 on the test. All that got me was number 26 on the list for just my own hometown. For the Mass State Police I was number 6000 something. But that test does not factor in highest education. However you do receive a "bonus" for Veteran status and I was told but I am not 100 percent sure, that you also receive a bonus added to your score for being a woman and/or a minority. So being a white male with non-veteran status, I am basically screwed. I have family and friends that are in local and state police in Mass, their pull did not really help. So I applied to every law enforcement job I could find. Finally found my current job. Took me almost two years out of college to get a job in the law enforcement field. I am now a civilian security consultant (federal contractor) for DHS. It is not traditional law enforcement (no gun or badge) But it is a nice gig, pretty good pay, pretty easy but boring. But I am not getting shot at. I am currently hitting the gym super hard to take the physical fitness test for Vermont State Police. I also continually apply for positions at the FBI, DEA, ATF and Secret Service. Waiting to hear back a on criminal investigator agent position at the Secret Service (which would be an amazing opportunity)

My advice is to do school and stay in the best shape you can possibly be. Apply for every job you can find. USAJOBS has federal jobs you can search and apply to....but most will require a bachelor's. You will possibly have to relocate to a different state to find a job. (I moved to Vermont for my current job) The law enforcement field has grown super competitive and non-veteran status and no degree after high school might make it extremely difficult to land a job. But if it is your passion and what you want to do with your life then pursue it with all you got. If you do get hired most department where I have applied have higher starting salaries for degrees, also a good motivator to get cracking on at least your Associates. Good luck

Edited April 20, 201610 yr by tel8878

14 hours ago, Officer Dave said:

Well, main problem is that I was going to join the Air Force for Security Forces, however, I was denied for ADD. In terms of shape I'm in, I was able to join the Air Force and while I was getting ready for BMT, I ran a 11 minute or so mile and a half, so that was nice. So, all in all, I should just get an associates and I'll be good?

The Air Force is very picky on who they let in. They want you to have absolutely nothing wrong. No ADHD, ADD, no widom teeth removed, absolutely nothing. Of course, if that were the case then we wouldn't have an Air Force. Some things are better kept to yourself if it isn't a life threatening type of thing. If everyone had been 100% honest about their health when speaking with the military, we wouldn't have a military lol. Have you considered the Army or the Navy?

Edited April 20, 201610 yr by TheDivineHustle

Listen my man, you don't need a degree to become a LEO, some require  a 2 year degree, others require a 4 year.  I must say military get all the jobs first, you might want to look into double dipping as in going into a reserve component of the military. Ten plus points goes along away on the civil service list.  AND Absolutely do not go to school for criminal justice everything you need to  know about policing you learn in the academy.  As my academy instructors told me your going to want to do something after policing, also federal agencies will not even look at someone who has a cjs degree. As far as jobs there are thousand of agencies actively recruiting.  You should also consider relocating somewhere if you find Ohio to be to competitive.  You can always transfer back as a lateral.  

2 hours ago, sincerexl said:

Listen my man, you don't need a degree to become a LEO, some require  a 2 year degree, others require a 4 year.  I must say military get all the jobs first, you might want to look into double dipping as in going into a reserve component of the military. Ten plus points goes along away on the civil service list.  AND Absolutely do not go to school for criminal justice everything you need to  know about policing you learn in the academy.  As my academy instructors told me your going to want to do something after policing, also federal agencies will not even look at someone who has a cjs degree. As far as jobs there are thousand of agencies actively recruiting.  You should also consider relocating somewhere if you find Ohio to be to competitive.  You can always transfer back as a lateral.  

I honestly don't want to go down the path of military. I have a great full time job now and am making more money then I would in the military. I'm thinking this: I know a detective in a local city as well as a few cops within that department as well. I'd have no problem getting my degree once I was a cop, but until then I want to get stable. I'm thinking like most jobs, it's who you know not entirely what you know. I asked the detective this same thing and his response badically was no you don't need a degree if you're going city. 

39 minutes ago, Officer Dave said:

I honestly don't want to go down the path of military. I have a great full time job now and am making more money then I would in the military. I'm thinking this: I know a detective in a local city as well as a few cops within that department as well. I'd have no problem getting my degree once I was a cop, but until then I want to get stable. I'm thinking like most jobs, it's who you know not entirely what you know. I asked the detective this same thing and his response badically was no you don't need a degree if you're going city. 

Well the military was just an option only to put you above the original applicant.  But you should be fine, btw im right here in western PA. Im currently looking at Fairfax Va, and Anaheim California. 

1 hour ago, sincerexl said:

Well the military was just an option only to put you above the original applicant.  But you should be fine, btw im right here in western PA. Im currently looking at Fairfax Va, and Anaheim California. 

Wouldn't you need those state's Peace Officer cert though? I hear hiring is pretty shit in PA for police officers. A lot of part time and no FT. You close to Lawrence County?

well most states will accept my pa certification, i just need about 200 hours of that states criminal code, vehicle code etc.

1 hour ago, sincerexl said:

Well the military was just an option only to put you above the original applicant.  But you should be fine, btw im right here in western PA. Im currently looking at Fairfax Va, and Anaheim California. 

I lived in Fairfax a while and I'm getting ready to move back. The Police here get treated very well, but the standards are above average for the county police. 

On 4/18/2016 at 6:14 PM, Officer Dave said:

So, I really didn't want to have to ask this, but I honestly have no idea what I'm doing at this point. So, as it stands now, I'm about to turn 19 years old and I want to start a career in Law Enforcement. For the most part, you need to be 21 to become a police officer in Ohio (my state) which I completely understand, but now at this point I am getting worried. As it stands now, I am concerned that I won't be able to find a career in law enforcement once I graduate from academy due to the competitive market of Law Enforcement. I really don't care to get a degree of any kind as I am currently working a full time job and don't wish to deal with the debt after the fact. I see it like this: I want to become a cop, that's it, plain and simple. I've heard two sides, one saying you can get a job without a degree and the other saying it is next to impossible to get a job without a degree. I really don't want to go to college, I dropped out to pursue a career in law enforcement rather than IT, and going back isn't something I have any interest in. So, what do you guys think? I'd love to hear from people, especially LEOs within Ohio, if there are any on here.

Well this is coming from a 16 going on 17 year old... But I've already got my future planned. You've kinda* got two choices for law enforcement. It's the same for most departments, you've got to be 21 just to apply & get accepted. I'm not sure if it'd be the exact same for you guys but what my department does is we hire at 21 and then you ride along with officers ranging from SROs to Patrol to Traffic to Detectives and what-not till the academy starts then you get put into the academy... Though you're already "hired" as an officer. I'm a "Lab assist" or teacher helper for my SROs so I get to know alot of their stories and knowledge for my future and stuff and I talked to a police recruit (He was accepted into the department, hired as a "Officer" in training or recruit but he was waiting till the academy started which is kinda now/summer) and he said he went to A college and studied criminal justice or maybe it was reverse psychology. And then he said it'd probably be best to have a backup plan if you get injured you can't become an officer. You don't HAVE TO get a degree but departments LOVE guys who have them, especially more 'admin' kinda departments. If you're wanting to become an officer in a large city & don't want to get a degree kiss that dream goodbye (atleast for most cities). Smaller towns and communities hire less "educated" officers since they don't have the best recruiting pools. If you're 19 best I can say is to either become an intern or a 911 Operator till you're 21. That not only gives you an idea of how policing actually works but you get to work with some of the officers you may very well work with in the future as one but you also get an extra leg in the door since you'd be familiar with the department already. They much rather hire people who have degrees just for pure fact that they know you won't screw up as much (Atleast usually) Best I can say is go to your local community college, take some short classes (Atleast 62 hours? Most departments like highway patrols require 60+ hours to even apply plus it gives the idea that you actually WANT to become an officer)...

Hopefully this all made sense. It's late & I've had a stressful day. I'll check back tomorrow & post more which'll probably make much more sense. 

Sheriff J.

13 hours ago, sincerexl said:

As my academy instructors told me your going to want to do something after policing, also federal agencies will not even look at someone who has a cjs degree. As far as jobs there are thousand of agencies actively recruiting.  You should also consider relocating somewhere if you find Ohio to be to competitive.  You can always transfer back as a lateral.  

This is assuming he wants to do anything other than be in law enforcement until retirement age. That's the wrong attitude to go in this field with. You're also incorrect about the criminal justice degree somehow being a negative. These courses are often taught by police officers and detectives who can serve as a great recommendation as to why you should be hired if absolutely nothing else. That being said, I myself would advise getting a degree in another subject of interest in case you cannot get hired no matter what you try, which does happen unfortunately. There are only 800,000 full time police officers in the United States, and each position is highly contested.
 

On 4/20/2016 at 8:53 PM, Officer Dave said:

Well, main problem is that I was going to join the Air Force for Security Forces, however, I was denied for ADD. In terms of shape I'm in, I was able to join the Air Force and while I was getting ready for BMT, I ran a 11 minute or so mile and a half, so that was nice. So, all in all, I should just get an associates and I'll be good?

I'd make college priority, as it helps you make more money in all fields and gets you access to better jobs. Even if you work a retail job, it can mean a position as a manager earning a yearly salary, instead of a cashier earning an hourly rate, and that's no joke. You can always half-ass the military thing and join the Army Reserve, National Guard or Coast Guard, which means you're less likely to see overseas combat. I always found that requirement to be a bunch of bull****. It's completely true that it helps your resume. I've heard it straight from a police chiefs mouth that they get automatic bumps to the top of the resume pile. But the theory behind it is a bunch of crap. We don't need a bunch of people with PTSD walking around with pistols who deal with angry and unpredictable civilians who don't respect police. That's a recipe for more people getting shot and more cops getting fired. As one or two people mentioned earlier, the civil servant exam is a consideration, but people who pay attention in the academy, take a criminal justice course or completely read through a law enforcement educational book can get a score in the high 90's easily. There are indeed agencies that do not require it. Someone above mentioned they were from Massachusetts. I was born in that state, and I happen to know that the Sheriff's Department in the area I was born in does not require you to take the civil servant exam. That being said, that county is strange compared to the rest of the country with how the police agencies work. It was explained to me (by a local officer) that in most of the U.S., the Sheriff's are the "real police" (his words) and the local cops just handle small things, but in that county in particular, the Sheriff's Department handles the jail and prisoner transport only, despite having their own K9 unit and plenty of squad cars. This particular scenario would potentially allow somebody who doesn't have military experience and has not taken the civil servant exam to apply for the Sheriff's Department, get the same training that a local cop would get, then they can simply transfer to a local agency and get their firearm certification. It's an odd loophole but it would technically work. U.S. jails are packed, so it's a safer bet that you'd get hired there vs. a local department. Another odd distinction I was told about the state of Massachusetts is that for the State Police, you must live in the police academy. Local police have their own academy and can go home. One state to the north in New Hampshire, there is only one academy and all agencies (State, Sheriff, Local) go to the same places, and upon graduation, your resume gets submitted to every agency in the state automatically. The civil servant exam is mandatory in that state last I checked.

Long story short, check your local protocols.

If you're considering moving, check out Connecticut. Their state police agency has a lot of people who are retiring right about now, so they'll have some positions open in the near future.

I'd also like to debunk the "it's not what you know, it's who you know" rumor. I had a personal reference from a 27 year D.E.A. veteran who worked for the N.Y.P.D. first, who just happened to apply for a post-retirement job in the same company as me when he retired. I met him by complete chance and he liked me enough to give me a good recommendation and support my endeavors. It didn't help me at all. (I'm not saying don't get references from LEO's, I'm just saying don't rely on them. Be self sufficient.) *EDIT* I'm remembering now that he also suggested I become a courthouse police officer, work that job for two years, then put in for a transfer. So maybe that's another loop hole you can exploit.

Edited April 21, 201610 yr by unr3al

4 hours ago, unr3al said:

This is assuming he wants to do anything other than be in law enforcement until retirement age. That's the wrong attitude to go in this field with. You're also incorrect about the criminal justice degree somehow being a negative. These courses are often taught by police officers and detectives who can serve as a great recommendation as to why you should be hired if absolutely nothing else. That being said, I myself would advise getting a degree in another subject of interest in case you cannot get hired no matter what you try, which does happen unfortunately. There are only 800,000 full time police officers in the United States, and each position is highly contested.
 

I'd make college priority, as it helps you make more money in all fields and gets you access to better jobs. Even if you work a retail job, it can mean a position as a manager earning a yearly salary, instead of a cashier earning an hourly rate, and that's no joke. You can always half-ass the military thing and join the Army Reserve, National Guard or Coast Guard, which means you're less likely to see overseas combat. I always found that requirement to be a bunch of bull****. It's completely true that it helps your resume. I've heard it straight from a police chiefs mouth that they get automatic bumps to the top of the resume pile. But the theory behind it is a bunch of crap. We don't need a bunch of people with PTSD walking around with pistols who deal with angry and unpredictable civilians who don't respect police. That's a recipe for more people getting shot and more cops getting fired. As one or two people mentioned earlier, the civil servant exam is a consideration, but people who pay attention in the academy, take a criminal justice course or completely read through a law enforcement educational book can get a score in the high 90's easily. There are indeed agencies that do not require it. Someone above mentioned they were from Massachusetts. I was born in that state, and I happen to know that the Sheriff's Department in the area I was born in does not require you to take the civil servant exam. That being said, that county is strange compared to the rest of the country with how the police agencies work. It was explained to me (by a local officer) that in most of the U.S., the Sheriff's are the "real police" (his words) and the local cops just handle small things, but in that county in particular, the Sheriff's Department handles the jail and prisoner transport only, despite having their own K9 unit and plenty of squad cars. This particular scenario would potentially allow somebody who doesn't have military experience and has not taken the civil servant exam to apply for the Sheriff's Department, get the same training that a local cop would get, then they can simply transfer to a local agency and get their firearm certification. It's an odd loophole but it would technically work. U.S. jails are packed, so it's a safer bet that you'd get hired there vs. a local department. Another odd distinction I was told about the state of Massachusetts is that for the State Police, you must live in the police academy. Local police have their own academy and can go home. One state to the north in New Hampshire, there is only one academy and all agencies (State, Sheriff, Local) go to the same places, and upon graduation, your resume gets submitted to every agency in the state automatically. The civil servant exam is mandatory in that state last I checked.

Long story short, check your local protocols.

If you're considering moving, check out Connecticut. Their state police agency has a lot of people who are retiring right about now, so they'll have some positions open in the near future.

I'd also like to debunk the "it's not what you know, it's who you know" rumor. I had a personal reference from a 27 year D.E.A. veteran who worked for the N.Y.P.D. first, who just happened to apply for a post-retirement job in the same company as me when he retired. I met him by complete chance and he liked me enough to give me a good recommendation and support my endeavors. It didn't help me at all. (I'm not saying don't get references from LEO's, I'm just saying don't rely on them. Be self sufficient.) *EDIT* I'm remembering now that he also suggested I become a courthouse police officer, work that job for two years, then put in for a transfer. So maybe that's another loop hole you can exploit.

 Good point,  but I have to disagree with ya on a few points bro.... as far as the military thing.  Policing is para-military, the reason why agencies seek more  militart candidates over a civilian is simple because we been through the process of dealing with order, structure,  core values, being away from home, and those last 4 or the reason why many people drop out of the police academy.. you will be surprised how many civs drop out our state police academy cause they miss home...  the political aspect is out there still not as much as it use to be.. There is a Lt I knew who got me a direct interview with a chief in a small borough not to long ago.. For the national guard half as thing lol, we'll the national guard was the first branch of military ever established, plus guard soldiers have shown to be more disinclined than a AD soldier.   Plus my guard unit has deployed almost more times than plenty of active duty units.. we deployed  to Iraq 3 times 2003, 07 and 09. Now we are getting ready to go to the Syrian border for a year next month...     There are plenty of places who don't require the civil service exam like fairfax ,but to get back on track.. You keep a good head on your shoulders,  don't be cokcy,  soak in all that academy info like a sponge, you will not have any problem landing a career in law enforcment. I've met plenty of great cops who never joined the military, or have a degree.. 

I just wanna say thanks to everyone who replied. I've been worried sick about being on the right path and getting into a stable career in LE. Right now I'm 19 and I'm still transitioning from high school life to now focusing on a career which is never easy. Thank you all so much, you guys stay safe out there.

Oh not sure if it actually matters or not, but I do have college credits already from high school and an administrative assistant certificate (NOCTI).

Edited April 21, 201610 yr by Officer Dave

I think police officers pull the trigger based on situational circumstances rather than the fact that they are former military. But he's clearly not interested in a military career, information on that won't benefit him at all. 

By the way, the Guard and Reserve actually tend to deploy more often than active duty. So you'll have your hands full in the Guard. Plus, most soldiers today don't even get to see combat. My father has been in the Army for almost 30 years and has yet to see combat. He's been deployed to the Middle East several times, but has yet to fire his weapon at a live target.

Just a good fallback plan if all else fails. 

3 hours ago, Officer Dave said:

I just wanna say thanks to everyone who replied. I've been worried sick about being on the right path and getting into a stable career in LE. Right now I'm 19 and I'm still transitioning from high school life to now focusing on a career which is never easy. Thank you all so much, you guys stay safe out there.

Oh not sure if it actually matters or not, but I do have college credits already from high school and an administrative assistant certificate (NOCTI).

Have you considered actually speaking to current law enforcement officers in your desired location? I don't see why you couldn't go to the station and see if you could ask some questions and get info. 

Edited April 21, 201610 yr by TheDivineHustle

52 minutes ago, TheDivineHustle said:

I think police officers pull the trigger based on situational circumstances rather than the fact that they are former military. But he's clearly not interested in a military career, information on that won't benefit him at all. 

By the way, the Guard and Reserve actually tend to deploy more often than active duty. So you'll have your hands full in the Guard. Plus, most soldiers today don't even get to see combat. My father has been in the Army for almost 30 years and has yet to see combat. He's been deployed to the Middle East several times, but has yet to fire his weapon at a live target.

Just a good fallback plan if all else fails. 

Have you considered actually speaking to current law enforcement officers in your desired location? I don't see why you couldn't go to the station and see if you could ask some questions and get info. 

Yeah, I have. General census is no you don't need a degree, just do good on the tests.

20 hours ago, sincerexl said:

 Good point,  but I have to disagree with ya on a few points bro.... as far as the military thing.  Policing is para-military, the reason why agencies seek more  militart candidates over a civilian is simple because we been through the process of dealing with order, structure,  core values, being away from home, and those last 4 or the reason why many people drop out of the police academy.. you will be surprised how many civs drop out our state police academy cause they miss home...  the political aspect is out there still not as much as it use to be.. There is a Lt I knew who got me a direct interview with a chief in a small borough not to long ago.. For the national guard half as thing lol, we'll the national guard was the first branch of military ever established, plus guard soldiers have shown to be more disinclined than a AD soldier.   Plus my guard unit has deployed almost more times than plenty of active duty units.. we deployed  to Iraq 3 times 2003, 07 and 09. Now we are getting ready to go to the Syrian border for a year next month...     There are plenty of places who don't require the civil service exam like fairfax ,but to get back on track.. You keep a good head on your shoulders,  don't be cokcy,  soak in all that academy info like a sponge, you will not have any problem landing a career in law enforcment. I've met plenty of great cops who never joined the military, or have a degree.. 

I understand why the police agencies want military background, but considering today's America, that's an antiquated idea. People should be hired on who they are, not who they were trained to be. Many academies now allow you to go home. They merely make you study constantly in order to pass . I'm not knocking the National Guard, but I have a bunch of friends who are in different branches. My friends in the Coast Guard and National Guard have never been deployed, ever, despite being the ideal age for it at the time. 2003, 2007 and 2009 were very long ago. While we live with the threat of terrorism, I doubt a large mass of troops are going anywhere any time soon. Not until we pick a fight with another country. National Guard soldiers likely are more disciplined, as they're going to be watched much more closely while on U.S. soil. Movies like Jarhead or Platoon, while fictional, depict pretty accurate how soldiers lived while over seas waiting for action. That goofing around wouldn't be tolerated at a real military base with serious superiors around.

Anyway, it's an easy way to tick the check box, if he wants military experience on his resume. I personally don't believe I should have to go enlist just to further my resume. That's not the right reason to join the military.

20 hours ago, unr3al said:

Anyway, it's an easy way to tick the check box, if he wants military experience on his resume. I personally don't believe I should have to go enlist just to further my resume. That's not the right reason to join the military.

Most departments prefer it but it's not required. Some departments are mostly PC bs where they get what'll make the public happy. (More female officers, minorities) and so soldiers sometimes add into the mix well for being well-trained and shows that they can do what they're told, and follow orders good. I have a SRO who used to be a Marine and before he was an SRO he was on our SWAT, Counter-terrorism unit, and a few other things. (The man is a true god, that also just recently got into a pursuit with bank robbers... True role model of mine anyhow) It's not a requirement however it shows good things for yourself. It doesn't change much though except that you don't usually have to train much on shooting. However most State Troopers/Highway Patrols require that you have either 2 years past Law Enforcement, Military experience or 60+ college class hours. Military Law Enforcement is SOOO different than civilian. If you'd really like to become an officer and not do much with the military or anything else that would "further" your career... Become a dispatcher for awhile, get to know the codes. The officers. Your City. And then apply maybe get accepted and then go through the academy... Now for the academy, My department uses our community college as a place to house the academy training at. However since it's a community college we tend to allow recruits to go home every night. It's also about 4 months if I believe? It's pretty easy & quick... Now from what I've heard you do LOADs of law studying which is the majority of the hard work/tests. We had a Las Vegas Metro transfer and he said that the majority of his classmates dropped out or got kicked out from their past history (Any kind of arrests) and alot of the remaining people dropped out from all the tests. Cause they'd do a test every single week. And above all that that's not including some of the shooting and what-not.