i want to become a cop

[maleman876]

basically, im a sophomore IT major in college, with a ton of side classes ive taken while in highschool. ive also got about 3 years of part time/summer IT work. id have a great IT career. but, i am afraid i am getting bored with computers and thinking about swinging completely around to law enforcement.

what do i need to do to basically go from the average citizen to a police officer? i have no idea how any of it works. do i need to have a degree in criminal justice, or any degree? do i need to go to an academy, or do i get sent to one? i honestly am completely lost, but surely this is the place to ask :D

thanks!

[Charlie]

maleman876--

To briefly answer your questons:

"what do i need to do to basically go from the average citizen to a police officer?"

-- First, you need to determine WHAT LE department(s) you want to apply to for a position. Many LE agencies have web sites on the net for anyone to explore. And typically, they often post recruitment information which should lay out all the basic information any "average citizen" needs to know in order to apply for a given position. And, if you STILL have questions, I'd recommend contacting the LE agency in question and speak to a recruiter directly.;)

-- Keep in mind that LE agency position requirements often differ depending upon the agency. Requirements and standards are typically NOT universal and can sometimes differ widely!


"do i need to have a degree in criminal justice, or any degree?"

-- Again, (broadly speaking) standards vary depending on the department...many people in the LE field study CJ-related courses and/or obtain degrees in the LE field BUT,...a lot of people have degrees in other fields of study as well.


"do i need to go to an academy, or do i get sent to one?"

-- Once again, it depends on the department...typically, larger agencies often have their own police academies and send their personnel through these academies at no cost to the new recruit. Commonly, smaller or more rural agencies cannot afford the academy expense and will therefore look for people who are pre-certified. Again, this issue differs depending upon where you are at AND, if (depending upon where you live), you have the ability to put yourself through an academy at your expense.

Hope this helps...
--
Charlie

[Dan]

Originally posted by maleman876
i have no idea how any of it works. do i need to have a degree in criminal justice, or any degree? do i need to go to an academy, or do i get sent to one? i honestly am completely lost, but surely this is the place to ask :D

thanks!

Dont nesecarely(sp!) need a degree in CJ, its good to have something to fall back on(like your IT experience for example) since outside of LE, a CJ degree is pretty much useless.

As far as to the academy question, depends on department, some have their own acadmey they'll send you threw, and some require you to go to a academy beforehand.

check this site to find a department's wep page that you are intereded in and check there requirments.