interruptions in your law enforcement career

[Safety Steve]

Yup, I'm one of those idiots. Got burned out after sixteen years and decided to get into drafting. Took a few college courses and soon landed a job connected to that field. Was out of the game over two years, and by the time I realized I missed law enforcement, my peace officer license had been placed on inactive status. This meant I had to challenge the peace officer exam again. After studying hard I challenged and passed the exam this past February. This June I finally landed a job with an agency.
Regret the move, yup.
Appreciate law enforcement even more now, sure do.
Best advice I can give is to not let your license expire. Do the mandatory training online and keep your license up to date.
What seems like a sure bet today may become anything but that in a year or two.

Must be something in the water down here! lol. I got out to sale cars for one year! The only positive thing about selling cars is that it can make you a better interviewer. That's the only positive thing I can say.

I also lost my certification and had to take the TCLEOSE test at the end of the academy.

Be Safe.

[greg72982]

A guy I work with now left after 20+ years to pursue something else and came back after about a year. Lost all of his seniority and all.

Ouch.

[BP348]

Must be something in the water down here! lol. I got out to sale cars for one year! The only positive thing about selling cars is that it can make you a better interviewer. That's the only positive thing I can say.

I also lost my certification and had to take the TCLEOSE test at the end of the academy.

Be Safe.

Does that mean you can teach me how to buy a car? Maybe it's just me but even if I get a good deal I always feel like I got raped when I leave the dealership.

[tcop733]

Must be something in the water down here! lol. I got out to sale cars for one year! The only positive thing about selling cars is that it can make you a better interviewer. That's the only positive thing I can say.

I also lost my certification and had to take the TCLEOSE test at the end of the academy.

Be Safe.

I can see how that would help, seriously.
Hey, I can cost estimate real good on an isometric pipe insulation drawing, which really has no practical use in law enforcement, so nothing positive came out of my mid-life lunacy, except a new found appreciation for a career I should have never left in the first place.
Guess you had to go through the whole academy, which is impressive considering the stories I've heard.
Good job Steve.

[greg72982]

Does that mean you can teach me how to buy a car? Maybe it's just me but even if I get a good deal I always feel like I got raped when I leave the dealership.

That's because you most likely did.

[retdetsgt]

Does that mean you can teach me how to buy a car? Maybe it's just me but even if I get a good deal I always feel like I got raped when I leave the dealership.

I sold cars before I became a cop. I agree with Steve, I learned more being a cop selling cars than I did in the academy about dealing with difficult people. If you can get someone to do what they are reluctant to do and make them feel like it's a good idea, you can either sell them a car or do good police work.

One tip, go to the dealership just before closing. Then take your good sweet time making up your mind. You're not only keeping the salesman from going home, but the sales manager and probably the finance person. After a while they will collectively decide to give you a decent deal just so they can get the hell out...... And never look at your watch when they can see you. Let them think you have all night.

If you go during the middle of the day, don't be afraid to get up and walk out now and then. I've actually gotten in my car and started driving off only to have the salesman jump in front of my car with a "better deal". That can also work when you do the closing hours approach, but it they are too tired, they might just let you go.

Always try to sell your car rather than trade it in. You will always get several hundred bucks (at least) more than the dealer can give you for it. Plus, that way you are only haggling over the price of the new car, not it and the trade in both. Dealers are excellent at giving you a "great deal" on one and screwing you on the other. They can also make you think that the "good deal" you're getting on one offsets the other, and it never does.

Hope that helps.

[greg72982]

Always try to sell your car rather than trade it in. You will always get several hundred bucks (at least) more than the dealer can give you for it. Plus, that way you are only haggling over the price of the new car, not it and the trade in both. Dealers are excellent at giving you a "great deal" on one and screwing you on the other. They can also make you think that the "good deal" you're getting on one offsets the other, and it never does.

When I went to buy the goat they tried to screw me on the trade. They told me they would give me $5000 for the trade. I had a 2001 Grand Prix GTP in immaculate condition. They said they wouldnt budge any further because they have trouble selling those cars. I went home and looked on Kelly Blue Book and they listed $7200 as the trade in value. I went back and told them and they didn't believe me so they looked it up. When they saw I was right they then said they would give me that and I ended up buying the goat. My dad knew a detailer that worked there and he said my trade in was sold that same week. Thieves.

[retdetsgt]

I forgot that part. Always get your car detailed by a professional before you sell it on your own. It makes a world of difference when people come to look at it even though you kept great care of it.

Like you, I take excellent care of my vehicles and I've never had a problem selling them. Edmonds.com will not only give you the going price in your area, but you can create a for sale poster on their website to put in the window giving the mileage, options, etc.

[BP348]

Hope that helps.

it does and thanks for the info!! The wife and I are to the point where we are thinking straight and not having a car payment is more important then having the latest and greatest. My wife's Yukon XL is getting older (2001) but it's paid for and only has 95K and my car won't be paid off for two years. So I'm hoping we won't have to replace her car for 3 years or so. That will give us at least a year to build up a decent down payment. My car is a diesel VW and I plan to drive the wheels off it. It only has 70K on it and I figure I can put 300K on it easy. When the time comes to buy another car I'll get with you again.

[dadyswat]

Ohio only gives you a year to obtain another commission.