Any suggestions for an overly patient wannabe cop?

[Apexer]

Hey everyone,

I've been dancing around LEs and the hiring process for the better part fo two years now. It all started when I applied for CHP (California Highway Patrol) in late 2008 and got all the way to the QAP (Oral Board). They murdered me in the oral board. I walked away with my head hung low and my spirit defeated.

I got on my feet again in early 2009 and applied to the SF Sheriff. I passed everything but the written test . I was throughly annoyed. I was also so defeated from both failures that I almost hung the hat on the whole idea of being a cop.

I'm not perfect by any means and I'm definately not the most desired candidate. Well, at least I think I'm not. Family and friends say otherwise but...I don't know. As for who I am, I've never been arrested, I've only had minor traffic viloations (the last one was more than three years ago), a few accidents but nothing major and no one ever died, I have (unfortunately) smoked weed before (5 puffs off of a joint on 5 separate occaissions in 2003 and I haven't puffed anything since), no misdemeanors or felonies, my job history is extensive (around 12 jobs in the past 10 years) and I've been at my current job for almost 3 years, I have an associates degree, I've been on about 6 ride-a-longs, I'm 25 going on 26 in June average body style and I'm working on my girilsh figure at the gym to lose some fatty and gain some meaty.

*whew*

Well that's me in a nutshell. I know I've posted my abbreviated background before but here it is 2011 and I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. The funny thing is I can't get away from the idea of being a cop. I've even tried to do other things and I can't get the idea out of my head and can't scratch the itch.

Believe me I'm not blind to the fact of what police work really is out there. But, for some reason even though I'm not a cop the only reason I have enough in me to get up and go to the dead-end job that I'm working at right now is because in the back of my mind I think to myself, "It will happen someday....somehow. It has to."

I am moving to Sacramento (temporarily) with my wife so she can attend a program to supplement her career. Luckily, I won't be wasting my time either. There is a training center in Sacramento that provides a POST approved academy that I plan on self-sponsoring myself through and getting the "Academy Grad" title since that's all I see LEs hiring for right now.

So, does anyone have any suggestions or encouragement for a guy like me?

[Citicop]

Absolutely.

Don't quit. Apply at every department in the area that has an opening. It's a numbers game. More applications are just more chances to get hired. If they are looking for academy grads, then self sponsoring is the way to go (that's about the only way to get hired in my area as well).

-Citicop.

[Apexer]

Absolutely.

Don't quit. Apply at every department in the area that has an opening. It's a numbers game. More applications are just more chances to get hired. If they are looking for academy grads, then self sponsoring is the way to go (that's about the only way to get hired in my area as well).

-Citicop.

Thanks for the quick reply Citicop.

And I do plan on applying to every agency looking from Sacramento to where I live now in the Bay Area once I get that little piece of paper saying I'm a "Grad". Losing sight of the light at the end of the track with this is becoming more and more easy to do but luckily, I can still see it.

[Outshined]

In New York you would be less desirable with a self sponsor certificate, but I understand that is not he case in other areas of the country.

Your background looks ok, nothing to immediately disqualify you. Keep in mind it usually takes a while to get an LE job, but if your face becomes known over a couple of years of applying it helps.

I started taking tests at 20 years old and got hired at 24 years old, it was about the same with my fellow officers.

[Apexer]

In New York you would be less desirable with a self sponsor certificate, but I understand that is not he case in other areas of the country.

Your background looks ok, nothing to immediately disqualify you. Keep in mind it usually takes a while to get an LE job, but if your face becomes known over a couple of years of applying it helps.

I started taking tests at 20 years old and got hired at 24 years old, it was about the same with my fellow officers.

yea the "less desireable" part is the negative comments I got about self sponsoring from other officers. But in my state I don't really have any other choice. The LEs that are hiring, are only hiring the grads or attendees.

I've had my ugly mug around one LE in the area I live in currently and they all know me pretty well because of all the ride-a-longs. I'm actually personal friends with one of the sergents at that particular LE.