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12-13-11, 01:34 AM
For the past two years or so I've seriously been considering becoming a Police Officer. I've always wanted a career where I have the potential to help people, one where I'm not sitting in a cubicle for eight hours a day, and one in a large city, and a career as an LEO seems increasingly attractive to me as time passes. The more I look into the NYPD as opposed to the PPD (I'm a native Philadelphian), the NYPD seems more appealing to me for various reasons. Anyway, I don't graduate university for another semester or two, but during this remaining time in school I'd like to really make sure a career as an LEO is what I want. I have a few extended family members who have been cops in large cities, and I plan on eventually contacting them with questions, but I'd also like to hear from NYPD officers if that is where I am ultimately looking to pursue a career. So if you don't mind taking a moment to answer my (possibly already-asked and naive) questions, it would be very much appreciated!
1.) What do you find to be the most rewarding part of your job? The most difficult?
2.) What was the thing that surprised you most once you spent a couple of months on the job? Was it anything like you expected?
3.) What's the average time-frame for getting accepted into the academy (if you pass the entrance exam)and getting hired? I realize this probably varies quite a bit, but I've heard horror stories of people in Philly having to wait 2 years just to hear back from the Academy. It sounds like the NYPD is a little more together when it comes to that, but I'm having trouble finding information. I'm not going to ask for a one-size-fits-all answer because, again, I'm assuming it varies, but does the average Academy graduate have a pretty good chance of getting hired within a year of their graduating?
4.) For female officers-- Do you find that being a female in a male-dominated profession poses any challenges for you? If so, do you have any advice for dealing with these challenges?
5.) Finally, if there's anything you wish someone had told you before you entered into the NYPD, please share it!
Sorry if the length of this post is excessive, but I figured that if I'm looking into dedicating my life to a profession I should probably learn as much about it as I could, haha.
Cheers!
1.) What do you find to be the most rewarding part of your job? The most difficult?
2.) What was the thing that surprised you most once you spent a couple of months on the job? Was it anything like you expected?
3.) What's the average time-frame for getting accepted into the academy (if you pass the entrance exam)and getting hired? I realize this probably varies quite a bit, but I've heard horror stories of people in Philly having to wait 2 years just to hear back from the Academy. It sounds like the NYPD is a little more together when it comes to that, but I'm having trouble finding information. I'm not going to ask for a one-size-fits-all answer because, again, I'm assuming it varies, but does the average Academy graduate have a pretty good chance of getting hired within a year of their graduating?
4.) For female officers-- Do you find that being a female in a male-dominated profession poses any challenges for you? If so, do you have any advice for dealing with these challenges?
5.) Finally, if there's anything you wish someone had told you before you entered into the NYPD, please share it!
Sorry if the length of this post is excessive, but I figured that if I'm looking into dedicating my life to a profession I should probably learn as much about it as I could, haha.
Cheers!