Career with the Birmingham Police Dept.

[fudog13]

Im new to the site and currently attempting to become a leo. Im discovering that the hardest part of the process is getting my foot in the door and being sponsored for the academy. At the moment Im shooting for Birmingham simply because thats where Im told hiring is pretty consistent and training is top notch. However with so much going on right now with the recent mayor conviction and cards being shuffled I wonder if this is a smart move. If any current Birmingham leos could comment I would be most appreciative.

[Kimble]

Im new to the site and currently attempting to become a leo. Im discovering that the hardest part of the process is getting my foot in the door and being sponsored for the academy. At the moment Im shooting for Birmingham simply because thats where Im told hiring is pretty consistent and training is top notch. However with so much going on right now with the recent mayor conviction and cards being shuffled I wonder if this is a smart move. If any current Birmingham leos could comment I would be most appreciative.

Never worked for BPD, but have several friends and former coworkers who have. If you have no LE experience, may not be a bad place to start out, but I'll be surprised if you stay more than a few years. Their pay is pathetic compared to other departments in the area (Hoover, Pelham, Shelby Co SO, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, and several others), their equipment was state-of-the-art in the mid-80's, and as of a few years ago they had no computerized dispatch (so when I tried to get follow-up info on a call I answered with BPD officers, their dispatch said it would take a few days to get back to me, which they never did). I've met some good officers with BPD, but most were looking to get out. Their administration is a joke, has been for years, and likely will be for many more.

Again, if you have no LE experience, it may be a decent place to get your APOST certification and some experience.

[fudog13]

Never worked for BPD, but have several friends and former coworkers who have. If you have no LE experience, may not be a bad place to start out, but I'll be surprised if you stay more than a few years. Their pay is pathetic compared to other departments in the area (Hoover, Pelham, Shelby Co SO, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, and several others), their equipment was state-of-the-art in the mid-80's, and as of a few years ago they had no computerized dispatch (so when I tried to get follow-up info on a call I answered with BPD officers, their dispatch said it would take a few days to get back to me, which they never did). I've met some good officers with BPD, but most were looking to get out. Their administration is a joke, has been for years, and likely will be for many more.

Again, if you have no LE experience, it may be a decent place to get your APOST certification and some experience.

Thats actually what I have heard but Im finding out that without apost certification or a four year college degree most of the other departments won't even give you the time. I am also going to attempt Shelby County even though I know the odds are against me there.

[Tyler4Bama]

Welcome fudog13,

Glad to see some more Alabama people on here. Where does your area send its recruits to the academy at? My area sends its people to Jacksonville, Alabama. I know the feeling about trying to get your foot in the door, i am going through the same deal, lots of applications and finger crossing haha.

[Kimble]

Welcome fudog13,

Glad to see some more Alabama people on here. Where does your area send its recruits to the academy at? My area sends its people to Jacksonville, Alabama. I know the feeling about trying to get your foot in the door, i am going through the same deal, lots of applications and finger crossing haha.

If he's in the Birmingham metro area, most departments send their officers to the APOST academy in Montgomery, though sometimes they will send them to the ones in Tuscaloosa, Selma or Jacksonville if needed. Birmingham PD and Jefferson Co SO have their own academies.

[Tyler4Bama]

I been here a few months and thought i was the only one in Alabama, now i know better.

[fudog13]

Yeah and your definitely not the only one trying to enter law enforcement...lol.

[fudog13]

As a matter of fact maybe I should apply to some of the departments you have.

[pac201]

ya'll ain't the onliest ones from Bama...

take ROS's advice, a lot of agencies in the area- I will tell you Shelby Co. is very selective...

[Tyler4Bama]

As a matter of fact maybe I should apply to some of the departments you have.

The job i really wanted was with the city of Huntsville, they have decent pay, they have there own academy, and they are close to were i am going to live. But they are really hard to get in.

[Monkey9435]

Anyone know how hard it is to get on with Montgomery PD? I currently live in Baton Rouge, LA and plan on moving soon...I put in an application with Baton Rouge Police Department and didnt get in the last academy...missed it by two slots...now I am trying to get on with Montgomery...I have an interview on 21 Apr 10...

[retdetsgt]

In the early 90's I contacted BPD to see if they would interview and possibly polygraph a homicide suspect I had that fled down there. It bothered me to some degree to learn that all their polygraph operators are assigned to Internal Affairs. Kinda gave me an idea of their priorities. Sounds like they use the box on their own people more than they do criminals.

[Kimble]

In the early 90's I contacted BPD to see if they would interview and possibly polygraph a homicide suspect I had that fled down there. It bothered me to some degree to learn that all their polygraph operators are assigned to Internal Affairs. Kinda gave me an idea of their priorities. Sounds like they use the box on their own people more than they do criminals.

Polygraphs being done by internal affairs is actually pretty common place in AL. Seems strange, especially since I've been out of AL a few years and seen it done by IA only on IA cases (many departments across AL have IA serve as both internal investigations for employee misconduct as well as the recruitment division of a department). Both department I worked for in AL had IA doing polygraphs for IA and pre-employment exams, and occasionally assisting CID if one of their polygraphers wasn't available.

Birmingham PD as an organization has its problems, for sure, but the practice of using IA polygraphers on non-IA cases isn't exclusive to their department.

[retdetsgt]

Birmingham PD as an organization has its problems, for sure, but the practice of using IA polygraphers on non-IA cases isn't exclusive to their department.

Any department that uses polygraphs in internal investigations would exclude me from working for them. I thought the feds were the only ones that abused the use of polygraphs on their own people.

[terminal.logic]

The job i really wanted was with the city of Huntsville, they have decent pay, they have there own academy, and they are close to were i am going to live. But they are really hard to get in.

HPD is a good dept. Except for the fact that a chrome Beretta is the mandatory firearm. Just kidding, although I do hate that gun.