Question about VA and FRB

[MrMisterSU]

Hey ladies and gents!

Long time no post.


Although I'm not sure if this is a route I intend on pursuing eventually or not, but I had a question concerning the Veterans Affairs Police and Federal Reserve Bank Police. These two organizations have various 'branches' or locations near me that higher from time to time, but as I'm sure you all know, they do not attend FLETC and either have training in house or at their own academy (VA). My question though is, if used as a 'stepping stone' to get my foot in the door to LE in general, how does the training transfer to other organizations? I know that, if you transfer to another fed LE agency, you will have to attend FLETC. But what about a transfer to a municipal agency? I'm having trouble finding information about how a lateral would work from these agencies to state or county level LE departments. Just for the sake of it, I tried looking into Maryland's lateral requirements or acceptance of 'out of state' police training and did not come up with much.

[Super Six 5]

I know that Tampa PD in Florida will accept the VA training and send you through block training on Florida law.

No other department myself or any other officer I know has spoken to will accept the Ft. Roots academy.

[StrikeEagle]

As I understand it for MD, you would have to be certified by a MD academy for the training to carry over from department to department within MD. Even then, you are required to attend a shorter academy (like 12 weeks instead of 27).

Federal wouldn't count, and although you may receive a higher starting pay for the fed experience, you would still have to go through the full academy.

Which departments in MD are you looking at? MSP?

[1depd]

I know that Tampa PD in Florida will accept the VA training and send you through block training on Florida law.

No other department myself or any other officer I know has spoken to will accept the Ft. Roots academy.

If Tampa accepts it for the shortened academy, then it should be accepted throughout Florida. It's all governed by the state not the individual agencies.

[intheaircop2]

Check with FDLE if looking if Florida. They take Military Police in the state of florida also.

[MrMisterSU]

Thanks for the info. I'm at a point where I want all the options to be on the table - whether its a future as fed or local, and as such I want to make sure I know the potential of each option. I was just interested in seeing how those agency's training crossed over, since its fairly clear with places like FPS USPP etc. A 'dream' would be to end up at a department on MD's eastern shore. But many of those departments that I'm interested in only generally higher MD Cert or Lateral officers, so I'm checking in to how other agencies transfer to them. Have not made any real decisions yet though. But its good that FL seems to be open to taking training from most places. FWC is on my short list. :cool:

[jvale00]

The VA's training may or might not be accepted, but what is accepted is the experience you'll gain as police officer empowered to make arrests and its an armed position - which, I dont know if your university is or not. Plus, if your an 0083 and apply for another federal 0083 that may help too!

We have a good course of fire and shoot from the 25 yard line. All in all, I think its a great way start a career in law enforcement.

[wilkabilly4]

I think the VA Police will be a good agency, I have to go for my medical and PT on this coming Thursday for the VA, and , providing I pass the PT test (I have hit a pateau and actually digressed on my push ups) and medical I should start in December. Hopefully the adrenaline of being under pressure will allow me to push out those push ups and sit ups.

Anyway, I think an agency is what you make of it, there is good and bad. The fact that the VA Police are armed police officers is OK in my book!!! Good luck to you!!!

[USNusp9]

Stay away from the FRB. Our certs mean little to nothing outside of the FRB. The big hit is that we have NO investigative powers. Alot of agencies are looking for LE experience with investigative experience as well.

The Federal Reserve System as a whole is still on the fence about the whole LE vs. Security thing. My patch says Police, but I have never been called a police officer. Here, we are called "Protection Officers". We cannot take our weapons home, or our credentials for that matter.

I have gained little experience as far as LE is concerned.

[DeltaV]

In order for out of state or federal training to be accepted for Florida's equivilancy of training, there has to be a determination made by FDLE that the out of state or federal academy has comparable training to Florida's academy. It's not up to any individual agency to accept or not accept service, it's up to the state. Depending on how short the VA's academy is and what type of high liability topics are covered, the FDLE may not deem it as comparable to Florida's basic recruit curriculum.