joining the police force

[eclipse908]

Question re: joining the police force. These days it appears that some college is necessary for a candidate to be considered, is this the norm? Besides millitary experience, is there any way around it? Similarly, if a candidate is flexible, within a given state (NJ), what is the best way to see if a particular department is hiring?

Thanks for your help.

[Seand442]

If you want to know if they are hiring, my advice is to either check their website or give them a call. As far as the college req, when you call them to see if they are hiring, ask them about that as well. It sounds as though you have prior military exp which will help. Best bet, call and find out.

[Joeyd6]

NJ has 2 kinds of cops: civil serviec and non. Thus you can be hired under either. For the civil service...you have to take the test offered by the state every year. All departments in NJ then hire off that list. Non-civil service ones are offered through the Newspapaers on SUnday usually. They have a "chiefs test" where you go through the test/process through the department. The smaller towns usually have chiefs tests and sometimes pay more. Get your college.....almost all departments are now requiring it.