Am I too old to become a cop?

[dizzy777]

I've been a driving instructor for the past 5 years and recently decided to become an LEO. I'm 35 years old and I workout 5 days a week. Is it too late for me?

Thank you in advance.

[Aussie George]

I've been a driving instructor for the past 5 years and recently decided to become an LEO. I'm 35 years old and I workout 5 days a week. Is it too late for me?

Thank you in advance.

Hell, I hope not. I am only 35. :D:D

I am not sure about minimum ages in your area of course, but if it is anything like here, life experience is always valuable.

Physical fitness is of course a standard to be met too.

If you are fit and healthy, and meet the criteria, 35 shouldn't be an issue, dependant on local age limits of course.

I knew of a guy that was in his 50's when he went through my previous department's Academy. He always wanted to be a cop, was ready to retire (financially), was as fit as a teenager, but figured he had a few good years left in him yet. He did it soley because he wanted to be a cop. Not for the money (luckily), just because it was always one of his dreams. He went through the Academy and made sure he did as well as any of the younger guys and made it.

Good luck.

[dizzy777]

Hell, I hope not. I am only 35. :D:D

I am not sure about minimum ages in your area of course, but if it is anything like here, life experience is always valuable.

Physical fitness is of course a standard to be met too.

If you are fit and healthy, and meet the criteria, 35 shouldn't be an issue, dependant on local age limits of course.

I knew of a guy that was in his 50's when he went through my previous department's Academy. He always wanted to be a cop, was ready to retire (financially), was as fit as a teenager, but figured he had a few good years left in him yet. He did it soley because he wanted to be a cop. Not for the money (luckily), just because it was always one of his dreams. He went through the Academy and made sure he did as well as any of the younger guys and made it.

Good luck.

Thanks. Physically, and mentally I feel like I'm in my twenties :D

I'm at a point in my life where I've decided to pursue something that I really love.

[Cat_Doc]

Absolutely not. I started with my first department when I was 22, retired after 20 and am now almost half way to a second retirement with a different agency in a different retirement system.

As long as you are in decent shape and healthy, the maturity level and life experiences will be a benefit to you in this line of work.

Hell, I stopped chasing on foot years ago and used the radio to set up a perimeter and let the young guys chase down the fool after we flushed him out. That is not getting old in my book, it is getting smarter. ;)

[marinepilot]

Age shouldn't be too much of a factor at all, depending, of course, on the agency you're looking to get hired on with. Lucky for me, all the agencies down here have no upper limit on age, so now that I've retired from the military, I can start my new career at 40 years old!

Of course, doing 30 and retiring probably ain't gonna happen for me, but I can definitely think about 25. Heck, 65 and two awesome retirements?

Age is only a number...

[patchcop]

In Germany you're too old, the maximum age for hiring is 32 here. But, this is Germany not the USA.

Good Luck!!!

[paternoster2012]

My agency max age is 37, mandatory retirement at 57
I think its the same with all Fed agencies

[mcsap]

A friend of mine just got hired at 47.

35 is NOT too old.

If 35 is too old , than I should have quit 11 years ago

[Switchback]

Yeah, you will be hard-pressed to find any age requirements that are more restrictive than the 6C covered federal positions. As already mentioned, we have a mandatory retirement age of 57... wanting 20 years out of you, you can do the math. I don't know of any local agencies that are more restrictive than that.

[Badgerboy]

Not by a longshot here.

I went through the academy with a 53 year old guy. He made it through and has been working ever since.

[Toeknee112]

35??? You young pups! :D If 50 is the new 30 then 35 is the new...uh, 17?

[dizzy777]

Mailed in my application today. From the research I've done on these forums, it's a long shot. Correct me if I'm wrong, I need to pass and do well in:

(Fairfax County Va. PD)
Written Examination --- 2 hours
Initial Interview --- 1 hour
Polygraph --- 3 hours
Psychological Exam --- 8 hours
Physical Ability Test --- 2 hours
Background Interview --- 2 hours
Medical Exam --- 2 hours
Entire Background Investigation --- 8-12 weeks

...and at the end I may not get hired and have to restart the process with another department?

[mcsap]

If it was easy to get hired into LE , then a lot of people would get hired. I went nearly 2 years taking tests, doing interviews etc. until I got hired.

Keep at it but don't expect the 1st agency you apply with to snap you up.

[Kimble]

...and at the end I may not get hired and have to restart the process with another department?

Yep. I made it to the end of the process twice with one department, and once with another agency. All three of these attempts I was told, "Thanks for your interest, and keep applying, but we've selected better qualified applicants at this time." It most certainly can happen - and DOES - so give it your best but expect that you may have to apply to a number of agencies before getting a solid offer. Just take the advice I was given and don't apply to agencies you don't see yourself wanting to work for (ex: those that have bad reputations, or where you would do work that doesn't interest you).

[sgtbear111]

Dept I retired from has hired people in their mid 50's. They complete the Academy with the 21 year olds, do just fine. Atitiude is everything. I was the oldest graduate in my class (2nd academy) at age 38. Sworn offcier con now work until age 65. They are hiring.

http://www.wsp.wa.gov/hrd/hrdhome.htm