PA state police

[smith558]

I am currently 18 and I really want to become a state cop, i'm attending college right now for criminology. If i smoked marijuana twice when i was 16 will i still be able to pursue this career if i never do it again? i really regret making that dumb decision

[ChesCopPodz]

With the PA State police? Good luck. Military vets get bonus points and they have thousands of applicants at every test, which is hard enough to overcome without having military experience or drug use.

Let me put it this way, it won't automatically DQ you, but unless you do rediculously well on the test, it may be the difference in getting the job or not.

[mcsap]

Don't rule out a local PD.

They may not wear gray and work for the state but some pay well , have good benefits and you will NEVER have to worry abount getting moved around.

PSP tends to move people all over the state , when they need them. And your first assignment will be anywhere BUT where you now live. You could end up in Philly or Potter County.

[retdetsgt]

PSP tends to move people all over the state , when they need them. And your first assignment will be anywhere BUT where you now live. You could end up in Philly or Potter County.

That's why I never considered the state police here. Although transfers aren't as arbitrary as they used to be, people still get moved around the state. A friend of mine, a Sgt with OSP made three moves his last 8 years, each time having to sell his house and relocate his family at the drop of a hat. The furtherest they could move me was across the city.

[smith558]

so i probably wont be able to get into the state police?

[mcsap]

Because a lot of people think that is THE place to work, they have a LOT of applicants. A LOT of people have college and or the military. If you have neither , it will be TOUGH to get in.

[ChesCopPodz]

so i probably wont be able to get into the state police?

Lets put it this way, myself, who scored in the high 80's, was already a cop for 5 years, and had college under my belt, WITHOUT using weed, didn't get hired. It's not impossible, but your chances are very low.

[greg72982]

Never put all of your eggs in one basket. Do you want to be a police officer in general, or just a state trooper or nothing?