What are my chances of being hired by a big department such as LAPD or LASD?

[JoshF]

I am 21 years old, and I live in New Jersey. A lot of departments in my state aren't hiring for a while and if they do, they mostly hire officers from other towns or people that just come back from the military. I have no police record at all, my driving record has been clean for four years, I still have no points, I have a firearms ID card for purchasing shotguns and rifles, and I have a permit to buy handguns as well. I am SORA certified which in the state of New Jersey you need that to work Security. I also took classes on handcuffing, use of force, and firearms training, which were all done with NJ Firearms Academy. I have a high school diploma and some college credits. To be honest, I cannot stand school at all, ever since about 7th grade I couldn't stand it. I dont like it because of all the pointless crap they teach you. When it's things that I care about and I will actually need to know for my career, such as the things they teach you in the SORA class...like terrorists, gangs, theft, etc. I do well. I got 100% on my SORA test. Another thing is, I had an adopted sister who actually died from drugs, and she was always on drugs and alcohol, the police were always at my house, and I was just sitting there watch this happen. I have never been drunk, or high, or even tried smoking or any other type of drugs. When I have alcohol, it's a sip. I never even consume a full drink. I would like to get into a narcotics unit or something like it if they have it. As for work history, my longest job was only for a year at a chinese place delivering food, but I worked at CVS Pharmacy for a few months, painted houses for a month in the summer, worked a summer season at an amusement park, and delivered pizza as well. So I do have good communications with people and I am pretty good with interviews.

LASD has "NOW HIRING" pretty big on their home page and LAPD is hiring as well

So to the main question. What do you think my chances of getting into a department like LAPD or LASD, or a massive sized department like those?

Thanks for your time in advance.

[Citicop]

The only way to find out for sure is to try.

To be honest, a HS graduate with a spotty work history may meet the minimum requirements, but may have trouble being competitive and actually getting hired.

If you have trouble getting on, you can taken steps to improve your chances. Military experience (reserves or active) will help, and so would biting the bullet and getting a degree.

There are a lot of cases in law enforcement where you will have to do stuff you don't like. You'll be in uniform on patrol when you get hired, working the least popular shift, holidays, weekends, etc. before you're eligible to get transferred to a specialized unit. When you are eligible, you'll be competing for the spot against all the other interested officers in the department. You'll be answering calls for barking dogs, kids throwing rocks at cars, transporting prisoners, and traffic accidents for a long time before you get to try out for SWAT, narcotics, detective bureau, etc.

If you can't handle doing BS that really doesn't interest you, then Law Enforcement may not be for you.

-Citicop.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

You may meet the minimum standards, but there's nothing there that stands out in the least. What are you planning on doing to make yourself competitive as a candidate?

[JoshF]

citicop- All those things don't bother me at all, the only ONE thing that I have a hard time with is school. I just can't find the interest anywhere in me to learn about all the crap they teach you in school, like all the formats and garbage they teach you in english, and all these useless formulas and pointless crap in math. US history I don't mind, but western civilization, I can't stand that crap. When being a police officer do you need to know any of the things they teach you in those three classes? Ever? It was just a general question to see whether I should take my chances or just get a job in security for the next year or two while doing school part time which I would do.

GoDirectly2Jail- You are right, I don't really have anything about me that stands out except being pretty persuasive in an interview. Maybe a lot of the applicants around my area that are my age don't really know what to say in an interview, but I am pretty sure I'd pass that part.

Thanks a lot for your responses, they are very helpful and thanks for your time.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

I don't really have anything about me that stands out except being pretty persuasive in an interview. Maybe a lot of the applicants around my area that are my age don't really know what to say in an interview, but I am pretty sure I'd pass that part.

The assumption being that only people your age will be interviewing alongside you? Or that the interview carries the most weight of a months-long, multi-stage hiring process?

This is about more than having a good interview. Also, keep in mind that in any process, you may be going against recently discharged military, and downsized officers from other agencies. People who for lack of a better expression, have been there and done that.

[greg72982]

citicop- All those things don't bother me at all, the only ONE thing that I have a hard time with is school. I just can't find the interest anywhere in me to learn about all the crap they teach you in school, like all the formats and garbage they teach you in english, and all these useless formulas and pointless crap in math. US history I don't mind, but western civilization, I can't stand that crap. When being a police officer do you need to know any of the things they teach you in those three classes? Ever? It was just a general question to see whether I should take my chances or just get a job in security for the next year or two while doing school part time which I would do.

GoDirectly2Jail- You are right, I don't really have anything about me that stands out except being pretty persuasive in an interview. Maybe a lot of the applicants around my area that are my age don't really know what to say in an interview, but I am pretty sure I'd pass that part.

Thanks a lot for your responses, they are very helpful and thanks for your time.

It's not a matter of NEEDING to know this later in life, the point is to educate you on various topics to make you more well rounded. You may end up being a cop, you may not. That's why we often say here your college degree doesn't need to be CJ. Police departments want to know that you have the self-discipline required to obtain a degree. I was a criminology major and I must say everything I learned in the academy was really the only base I needed for the job. The rest comes with on the job experience.

And regarding the interview, understand that it is often more than just an interview for police work. There is often an oral exam where you are given scenarios and must explain what you would do in them.

[mcsap]

I never thought I really needed advanced math until I started doing accident reconstruction.

I never thouight I relaly needed to get too concerned about english and grammar until I started writing reports that were being read by others in court.

I never really thought I needed public speaking class until I became an officer and have to spaek to people all of the time.

I never really thought I needed that history stuff until I realized that he who does not study the past is doomed to re-live it.

I never really thought I needed to do all of that marching and running in basic training in the military until I realized it was part of the team building.

So , in retrospect. It doesn't matter what you think. In the long run , a well rounded education will NEVER , EVER harm you. Your geat resistance to learn ANYTHING you feel is boring doesn't serve you well as a police officer candidate.

While in the police academy are you going to tell the instructors that this stuff is boring ( case law for example) and that you want to skip to the good stuff ?

While in Field Training are you going to tell your FTO that this patrol stuff is basic and you want to get out and FIGHT CRIME ?? !!

When you can STOP long enough to realize that someone in your position has LITTLE to offer and a piss poor way of offering it ...then , you will become a better candidate.


I back up everything I just said with over 28 years of experience both in the military police and as a civilian police officer.

[JR180]

I understand how you feel. I am pretty new myself and I wanted to just jump right into the fun stuff. What I can tell you is that it is the millions of little things that make you able to do your job. Sure they could just teach us how to shoot while diving through the air or driving 100mph through rush hour traffic but how are you going to handle the domestic fights, barking dogs, lost children, or an elderly person that is having trouble breathing?

What i am saying is that you need to be willing to learn because if all you can do is shoot and run fast you may as well join Al-Quaida. You need to be willing to prove that you deserve the job because everybody else going to bring their "A" game.

[JoshF]

The assumption being that only people your age will be interviewing alongside you? Or that the interview carries the most weight of a months-long, multi-stage hiring process?

This is about more than having a good interview. Also, keep in mind that in any process, you may be going against recently discharged military, and downsized officers from other agencies. People who for lack of a better expression, have been there and done that.

What I meant is mostly police departments in my area are hiring class one, which is primarily my age group...in the region that I live. I know there are many applicants of various ages and have many different experiences and other law enforcement jobs that they are coming from.


To the others that responded: I think now I will have a better attitude towards school because of the way you just put all that. I didn't say that I would want to jump to the fun stuff, because there's very few if not any careers that are like that.
Now that you've explained all the aspects of those classes in school, It makes a lot more sense to just get through it now.
And also, many people do the CJ major, I'm majoring in human sciences/Psychology.

I am glad I decided to post on here, I do believe your responses will help me. Thank you.