I need advice!!!

[STurner]

I'm 20 years old and I really want to be a police officer. I'm in college right now and I'm not sure what classes to take. Right now i'm in a paralegal program, should i change majors to criminial justice? How much schooling do i need. after college what do i do? do i have to go to an academy or training? thank you for your time.

[tpd_six]

Don't change your major. Criminal Justice will not really help you much in getting a LE job. Finish what you're doing, meanwhile contact your local departments you are interested in working at and find out what specific requirements they have. Some departments will hire you, then put you through the academy, others you have to put yourself through first. What state are you in? Most departments are more concerned about your background, criminal involvements, and honesty than they are about your major.

[scott715us]

Don't change your major. Criminal Justice will not really help you much in getting a LE job. Finish what you're doing, meanwhile contact your local departments you are interested in working at and find out what specific requirements they have. Some departments will hire you, then put you through the academy, others you have to put yourself through first. What state are you in? Most departments are more concerned about your background, criminal involvements, and honesty than they are about your major.

I agree with TPD. Most depts don't require that your degree be specifically criminal justice related. Even if you decide you don't enjoy LE work, paralegals make pretty decent money and are on high demand right now. ;)

[Citicop]

STurner-

Short answer...it doesn't matter. What degree you get is much less important than getting the degree in the first place. My advice: get the one that interests you. As far as the amount of schooling...Get a 4 year degree, many departments will want to see one when promotion time comes, and a lot of entry-level guys have them now, so it will help you stay competitive. After you get your degree, you will need to attned an academy, and whether that is something you do on our own, or something the agency that hires you will do for you depends entirely on the agency.

Stick with it...you're on the right track.

-Citicop

[STurner]

i live in New Jersey and I'm not interested in being a paralegal the people at school talked me into it before they had a criminal justice major.

[STurner]

thank you for all your help guys

[mcsap]

A degree in computers would be helpful, computer nerds can be very desireable when we seize and inventory/search a criminal's computer.