joining an American police force

[Andy]

can people form another place (eg Australia, where I live.) join an an American police force such as the LAPD,NYPD,State Troopers or a Sheriff department.Will this agency help me to become an American citizen? will my HSC (high school cert.) be use full in helping me to joing,I'm also a volunteer fire man with the N.S.W. Rural fire Servicewill this help me in any way? is their any thing else that I can do to help join?? is their a e-mail adress that I can contact? I dont know why I just rather join an American police force (I'v got nothing against Austraila's that do a kick a** job to!!)

[txinvestigator1]

I know of no department in the US that does not require you to be an American Citizen prior to being hired.

[Andy]

well thats one obsticle down now just to find out what I need to do!! but will the other qualifications that I have obtained help me??

[john1]

We have had some officers who were not yet citizens, but working toward it. We had a Costa Rican woman and now there is a Japanese guy in the Patrol Division. A neighboring town recently hired a guy from Scotland. All three that I'm familiar with were married to citizens and in the process of becoming naturalized.

[Scruit]

Interesting, John1... I want to join as a reserve/auxilliary officer but the info that Ohio HP gave me said I had to be a Citizen. I was gonna wait a couple years and reapply. I can apply fro citizenship April 04. Dunno how long it'll take to process, though.

[john1]

Scruit: we're in Colorado. I just checked our Policy & Procedure and it says that applicants will be screened out of the process for " H) Not a United States Citizen". Possibly this has changed recently. However, there is no doubt that officer from Costa Rica was not yet a citizen when she worked for us (she was on my shift) and the Patrol officer was a Japanese citizen when we were in the academy together. He married an American citizen during that time, so maybe the situation changed for him, but it hasn't been that long. My wife was in the academy with the Scot and she just told me that she doesn't believe he has citizenship yet. I'll do more checking on this. It was a situation that I took for granted, and just accepted. The only problem I've run into is needing a translator for the guy from Scotland...subtitles would help.

[P01IC3M4N]

you just need a work visa or a green card. one PD near mine has an australian citizen working for them right now. a friend of mine retired from the australian federal police, moved here, and is now working for the SO.

[hwpd]

I think San Diego Police Department hire people with green card, that are planning to become an United States of America citizens... Check into that...

"Citizenship: U.S. citizenship or permanent resident alien who is eligible and has applied for U.S. citizenship prior to application for employment. "

http://www.sannet.gov/police/

[zander_zye]

All hiring standards in CA are the same - you must either be a US citizen or have applied for citizenship more than a year before applying. But, you actually have to be a citizen before you can be sworn in.

[911]

To answer your questions Andy, yes, people from other countries can join US police depts, and yes, some depts will help them. While your qualifications will help you become a cop in the US, your issues are a little bigger than that, as you don't have US permanent residency or citizenship, and you must have one of these to even apply.

If I were you I would go to college and earn a degree at minimum. I'd also apply to the NSWP and become an instructor in desired areas such as weapons/firearms etc. I'd also consider going to a HWP section. In your spare time, join the military as a reserve. In other words, you want to make yourself the BEST possible candidate so that a US dept will consider sponsoring you.

ZZ is correct on this, you need citizenship to become a cop in CA, they will not consider you until you have it.

P01IC3M4N, you will find your Australian buddies would have married a US citizen to enable him to work in the USA. As of March 1st 2003, all TX peace officer applicants required citizenship.