I need some advice from you verified L.E.O's

[FutrFmleCop06]

Hi, I am almost 20 1/2 and I am getting ready to start applying for different sheriff's offices and city police departments in California. Is there anything that I should know before I start going through the process? I have talked to one of my mentors who is a cheif of police, but I feel like I still need some insight. I would appreciate your tips and help! Thanks,

Jessica

[Kimble]

Is there anything that I should know before I start going through the process?

Jessica,

Read this thread: http://forums.realpolice.net/showthread.php?t=29514

[FutrFmleCop06]

Thanks, I am going to print that out and keep it with me to refer back to it. I am so excited that I will soon be old enough to start! Thanks again.
Jessica

[greg72982]

this thread is worthless without pics...j/k

[TX-LEO]

this thread is worthless without pics...j/k

:rolleyes:

[cruzmisl]

If anyone in the process asks your age don't tell them 20 1/2

[DeltaV]

Know that the vast majority of agencies out there are going to think that someone who is 20 1/2 or 21 years old is too young to have the life experience to be a police officer. If you are going into the application process without any military experience or a degree, understand that you're going to have an extremely difficult time getting hired.

[Mike Romeo]

I have talked to one of my mentors who is a cheif of police, but I feel like I still need some insight.

I think I'm missing something here... :confused:

Does the cheif of police (corrected: Chief of Police) know about your problem with spelling?

[deeznutz]

I think I'm missing something here... :confused:

Does the cheif of police (corrected: Chief of Police) know about your problem with spelling?

Of course he knows, he's her Dad!:D

[Mike Romeo]

Of course he knows, he's her Dad!:D

but I feel like I still need some insight.

Well, I guess that's where this ^^^ comes from.

When in doubt, ask the worker bees, eh?

[Creeker]

Well, I guess that's where this ^^^ comes from.

When in doubt, ask the worker bees, eh?

Dittoes, I would hesitate to take anything a Chief told me as Gospel. They seldome know what is actually going on at the bottom, particularly in more than 50 man Agencies. They are simply too insulated from the grit, and if they worked their way to the top, forgot what rolling in the dirt was like about 4 Supevisory levels ago... hence we have the IACP.

I had a buddy that jumped ship from our Agency for another after putting in 12 years with ours, being promised a $10K pay raise initially, an additional $10K within the next 4 years, a brand new Specialty Vehicle (Crime Scene) and the Sgt's position of the Unit within 2 years. He jumped, despite some of our best efforts, lasted 4 years over there without getting any of his promised details, then came back, wishing he had never done it. He lost all of his Seniority that counted toward Senior Deputy, his A/L, his S/L, and was just recently promoted to where he might have been had he stayed 10 years ago. All of those promises were made by a Chief. I told him he should have gotten those promises in writing and on tape, but do these guys with Masters Degrees listen to us peons with AA degrees and experience?

[Creeker]

Why can't we edit our posts here? I hate seeing misspellings when I know better...:rolleyes:

[greg72982]

Know that the vast majority of agencies out there are going to think that someone who is 20 1/2 or 21 years old is too young to have the life experience to be a police officer. If you are going into the application process without any military experience or a degree, understand that you're going to have an extremely difficult time getting hired.

Regarding this, I am 23 now and was 22 when I was hired. I have a 4 year bachelor's and I still had a hard time. It isn't an apply and obtain type of job. You just have to be consistent and not give up. I was turned down by a couple departments before I got on my first job. Even now I'm still tryin my hardest to get Full-time because take my word two part-time jobs is no picnic, but at least in PA it's the main way to get experience.

[Kimble]

...but do these guys with Masters Degrees listen to us peons with AA degrees and experience?

Some of us are smart enough to realize those with more experience than us ARE smarter about the job than us. ;)