Maybe Highway Patrol Isn't For Me?

[Ferus]

My problem is I am not very good at math. I do not enjoy math at all because I have always struggled with it. I just got done with my final high school math class, and got a B-. I constantly had to ask for help the whole year. I struggled with almost everything.

I know as an HP in my state I would be dealing with a lot of accident investigations and I'm not so confident about that right now. After looking at this post my brain almost exploded. Almost.

But maybe it just looks really confusing? Does it get any easier? Should I start looking at other agencies maybe?

[chewy]

Umm... get a calculator! if you got a B then you're good enough, trust me

[GoDirectly2Jail]

Maybe corrections is more for you? There it's all addition and subtraction. 1, 2, 3 inmates, etc. :D :D

In all seriousness, don't let your math struggles get you too discouraged. Athough accident reconstruction math can get quite advanced, most troopers will just need the basics. That's why there are special reconstruction teams that are called out for bad wrecks.

[mcsap]

Ferus;

I am a HS grad who had a GPA of 2.67. The highest math class I ever took was Basic Alg and General Math.

I never took any more college classes than a few courses here and there.

Math was never my best subject.

The math that is used in Advanced Accident Investigation can be complicated yet not every trooper is sent though this class. in fact , MOST aren't. And the ones that are do so because they either show aptitude or they want to learn.

I went though the class because I wanted to. I was truly afraid that I would bomb out badly but they teach you what you need to know and the test was given with ALL formulas on the test.

Do not think that you will not be able to be a trooper , officer , deputy etc, because of moderate math skills.

In my PD of 50 , there are about 5 of us who have the ADvanced Accident skills. We get involved in the serious and fatal crashes. You as a trooper will have the same deal. ALL serious or fatal crashes will be handled by the crash team , not the normal road units.

Crash investigations can result in serious charges and they dont want the investigation handled by general patrol officers who are not specially trained.

[Piggy]

If you can use a calculator you should be just fine.

Unless of course you are at a barricaded gunman call and he wants to know if X=5 then what is X(4) - (10+4X) X [15X25(X)] =

Or he's going to start shooting.

[chewy]

If you can use a calculator you should be just fine.

Unless of course you are at a barricaded gunman call and he wants to know if X=5 then what is X(4) - (10+4X) X [15X25(X)] =

Or he's going to start shooting.

I don't know... Charlie Epps on Numbers doesn't use a calculator!! :D

[Ferus]

Glad to hear all this. I was kind of worried about it but from what was posted it sounds like I should be ok, as long as I have a calculator. ;)

Thanks everyone!

[Ispbear]

Don't worry about it.

In my state all of the Troopers are trained at the advanced level. It's not really that hard. Then their are those of us that are trained to the Technical Investigator and Reconstructionist level. Those are voluntary and were in charge of handling fatality's and serious injury collisions.
Some states also use crash teams for fatality's. So on that team you might have one person that is really good at the scene work, another that is good with interviews, and another that is a math genius who does all the calculations.