Career change

[Airlineguy]

After six years as an airline pilot, I am thinking of a switch to law enforcement. I became a Federal Flight Deck Officer and the training peaked my interest in law enforcement. The airline industry has been rough lately and I am tired of being away from home so much. Any suggestions on where to begin and thoughts on the change. Thanks in advance.

[Joeyd6]

After six years as an airline pilot, I am thinking of a switch to law enforcement. I became a Federal Flight Deck Officer and the training peaked my interest in law enforcement. The airline industry has been rough lately and I am tired of being away from home so much. Any suggestions on where to begin and thoughts on the change. Thanks in advance.

Based in what you said:
1) Stay away from the Federal Air Marshal Service. You think the road is bad now...at least your limited to 1000 hours a year! You will double that with us!

[Mike Romeo]

What facet of law enforcement is tugging at you? When I began thinking about it years ago I was actually considering Park Service law enforcement because I wanted to work in the wilderness due to my search and rescue background. As time progressed I started to gravitate more towards uniform service on the street because that's where the real action is. If that's you, then you can start by checking out police department web sites to see what their hiring process curtails.

I retired from the military and went straight into police work. The transition into this profession was easy for me because I was already serving in a job that few people wanted to do and was used to it. Anyone will view the change differently. I suppose it just depends on the person.

You get annual physicals as a pilot, so you understand the importance of good health. But are you in good aerobic shape?

[Aussie George]

Firstly, if you are tired of being away from home, think hard about it. Shift work can make it seem like you are away from home a lot too. One thing to consider.

Other than that, be prepared to work hard, put up with everyone else's BS, have someone you don't know want to punch you or worst, have constant people at parties ask you how they can get off their speeding tickets, have to risk your butt for someone who probably isn't worthy of your help. The list goes on...

On the good side, you can say you are a COP, and others might not understand what that means, but you will. And your family will. And your co-workers will, and that should be enough to make all the other stuff seem irrelevant. you will be a member of a family like no other. You will have friends that will lay down their lives for you, even though you have never met them. And you will do the same for them, without even realising what you are doing.

And once in a while you will help someone who truly deserves your help and all the BS will be forgotten. Or you will see a young child look at you and you will remember being 8 years old and looking at a Police Officer the same way - with the highest regard. And it will touch your heart, but you won't let your mates know because they will think you are soft.

If you want to be wealthy, do something else.
If you wnat to be rich, become a cop.

[Mike Romeo]

Firstly, if you are tired of being away from home, think hard about it. Shift work can make it seem like you are away from home a lot too. One thing to consider.

Other than that, be prepared to work hard, put up with everyone else's BS, have someone you don't know want to punch you or worst, have constant people at parties ask you how they can get off their speeding tickets, have to risk your butt for someone who probably isn't worthy of your help. The list goes on...

On the good side, you can say you are a COP, and others might not understand what that means, but you will. And your family will. And your co-workers will, and that should be enough to make all the other stuff seem irrelevant. you will be a member of a family like no other. You will have friends that will lay down their lives for you, even though you have never met them. And you will do the same for them, without even realising what you are doing.

And once in a while you will help someone who truly deserves your help and all the BS will be forgotten. Or you will see a young child look at you and you will remember being 8 years old and looking at a Police Officer the same way - with the highest regard. And it will touch your heart, but you won't let your mates know because they will think you are soft.

If you want to be wealthy, do something else.
If you wnat to be rich, become a cop.

George, that was worth a couple of reads. ;)

[Legoate]

I've given up the flying life for an LEO career. I was pursuing a job as a pilot when the industry went TU. Probably the best thing that happened for me and my family. I've never regretted becoming an officer and wouldn't go back to flying even if the airlines were offering me twice what I make as a cop (which they dont).

[Hop]

Kind of depends on you I had a trainee about four years ago that stopped flying planes and got into LE work. He was miserable and hated it. His wife couldn't adjust to the decrease in pay and they both had affairs. Needless to say, six months out of FTO he quit and moved back east after getting a full time private pilot gig.

So follow your heart and understand the risk

Good Luck!

[Valor55]

I can't imagine doing anything else in this job.

Do a ride along with the agency where you live. You can do that right away and get a feel for the job. This will give you the most realistic view into what the job is like.

If it is something you want to do, go ahead and decide where you want to live. If you want to stay where you are that's fine. Start checking out the local agencies. They probably have web sites up describing their pay and benefits as well as the hiring process. When you narrow your search to a handful of agencies ride with them and confirm your choices. Then apply. You may need to apply first and then ride, that's ok.

Get a police officer examination study book and prepare for the hiring process. It can take anywhere from 6-18 months for local agencies and it tends to be very competitive.

[Airlineguy]

Thanks for the info guys. Just to follow up, I am interested in being a local city cop, I have done ride alongs with a couple of my friends who are police officers. I know the pay cut will be one of the problems that I will face but I believe time home with family makes up for that. I sometimes spend one or two days a week going to and from work and not getting paid a dime for that. My wife is very supportive in either direction I go. Also I have just enrolled in online classes to obtain a criminal justice degree. I assume this can't hurt. Your continued responses and info is greatly appreciated.

[Joeyd6]

Thanks for the info guys. Just to follow up, I am interested in being a local city cop, I have done ride alongs with a couple of my friends who are police officers. I know the pay cut will be one of the problems that I will face but I believe time home with family makes up for that. I sometimes spend one or two days a week going to and from work and not getting paid a dime for that. My wife is very supportive in either direction I go. Also I have just enrolled in online classes to obtain a criminal justice degree. I assume this can't hurt. Your continued responses and info is greatly appreciated.

Sounds like you already know your goal and working towards it!

Just remember, while you don't see a lot of cops driving the latest BMW or living in a mansion, we aren't broke either! The money is enough to live comfortably! Not to mention the "pay" you get daily when you help somebody and they say "thank you" and mean it. That is pricekess! Add in you will somewhere along the lines you will have a direct, life long effect on a child...again....PRICELESS! And maybe you will get the chance to bring a life into this world on the side of the road or maybe, rip one back from the devils grip or God's grip....PRICELESS!

I say go for it! Besides, every cop has a side job, or at least most do! With your pilts licenses, you could probably teach PT on your days off at a local flight school or even maybe fly for the department one day!

[sgtbear111]

My dad was an airline pilot, yes he was gone a lot. I was going to follow in his footsteps, but law enforcement was my choice. After some years in the Navy P-3 community, flying lost it's 'zing'.

One thing about the airlines in today's market is change. You may find a new company logo will be on the plane tomorrow when you do the walkaround, and now who issues the paychecks? What benefits just went away? Your retirement account may follow the success of the company.....

Law enforcement is the "greatest show on earth" to quote a past Seattle Police Academy Commander. Flying is often called boredom punctuated by moments of terror. In LE there is less boredom, and the "terror" is events you are trained to anticipate, handle and de-fuse or resolve, with plenty of help.

You will work close to others who have met the standards, and you will develop that trust with your fellow officers: city, county, state, or federal. You will be closer to your fellow police officers than most of the airline people you work with. Sure, in aviation you face some risk, but the bond of trust goes deeper in LE. You share the bond of trusting your life to your partner, fellow officers, and feel safe that your back is covered. When you are accepted by your peers into that circle of trust, you have arrived and you have earned it. It cannot be bought.

One frustrating side of policing is the legal system. Police are the inlet for the system, you will soon lose control of the outcome, and be amazed at the stupidity of judges, the self-serving games of attorneys, and the Monday morning city-hall quarterbacks who tell you how you should have done it, from the comfort of armchairs, daylight, and warm offices. If you let the outcome of your work haunt you, dwell on the injustice in the system for victims, the resulting anger will eat you from the inside out. Just do the best job you can for that day, maintain a survivor mindset, be situationally aware, and leave the BS at work. As for the "system": F.I.D.O.

Many of the skills and discipline learned in operating a complex aircraft will cross over - emergencies, procedure, patience, attention to detail, setting priorities, etc. You will also experience the whining public, drunks, some employees who don't give a hoot, senior officials who never sat where you are and tell you how to do your job, and you have to be nice to all of them. But, you will not be stuck with them in an aircraft for hours, competing for your attention from the flight deck.

Pay. You will be paid a salary + OT + bennies. You will have a solvent retirement fund that isn't going to leave you at the next merger or takeover. The real paydays are those days you arrest a true scumbag, you have a CPR 'save', you remove a child from an abusive situation, you jump into a fight to backup a fellow officer and get a simple "thanks brother". That kind of pay is intangible, and those on the outside will never truly know it.

If you still want to fly, and work in a larger agency, get established as a patrol officer, know your beat, wait a few years, and apply for the aviation unit. State police operate multi-engine turbine for VIP and special missions, single engine traffic patrol, and helos. Counties with SAR or counter-drug missions may operate large helos and fixed wing. Cities use helos more than fixed wing to cover incidents, pursuits, etc. My agency paid LEO/pilots a substantial percentage of their base salary as proficiency pay.

Good luck.

[Airlineguy]

Thanks again for the helpfull responses. Does anybody know a good way to find cities hiring in the Chicago suburbs. Also if I were to get hired and eventually move to Minnesota, is the change of state a big deal to go through. I am sure there is additional training invovled due to state laws being different. I look forward to hearing more from all of you.
Thanks again

[Kimble]

Does anybody know a good way to find cities hiring in the Chicago suburbs.

Generally speaking, departments do their own hiring, so the best thing to do is call each department you're interested in and see if they're hiring/testing.

Also if I were to get hired and eventually move to Minnesota, is the change of state a big deal to go through.

Depends. Some states accept POST certification from another state, while others will make you go through an academy again as if you were never POST-certified. Still some departments will require you to go through their academy, regardless of whether you've already been through one in the same state or another state. Again, best to call the departments/POST-agency for the state you're interested in and ask.

I am sure there is additional training invovled due to state laws being different.

That's often the case here in AL. If a LEO with POST certification from another state moves to a department in AL, they go through a 2-week "transfer of POST" academy to orient them with AL law and other specifics.