FPS Information

[FPS207]

Greetings to all,

Wanted to find out if there were any Federal Protective Service Police Officers that could give me some insight into the job after their separation from GSA and being established under DHS/ICE.

I have been offered a contigent offer of employment and have to complete my background interview to be offered my final offer of employment. The new FPS sounds interesting and appears to be a great oppourtunity. I have completed all the preliminary applicant things, however I am still unsure of my final decision when given an EOD date.

I have been a police officer for ten years. I am currently a county police officer with a multi-jurisdictional task force which concentrates of traffic enforcement (DUI). I enjoy being a police officer though I have slowed a little and don't see chasing cars my whole career.

I turn 37 years old June of 2004 and was offered the job initially in November 2003. The investigator I spoke with stated I will be ready to start the next FLETC school around the end of February if I hurry and get the last of my paperwork to her.

Simple question is if the New FPS worth giving up the comforts of local law enforcement?

FPS207

[superc]

Kind of depends on the salary. If you will be earning more than you are now, then sure, go for it. One can never spend too much of their life stuck in school at FLETC. Having been there, I can say FPS is quasi law enforcement, not all police work per se. A lot of non police duties are buried in the position description. Alarm monitoring, closed circuit television monitoring, contract guard compliance inspections, building maintenance issues, etc. Lots and lots of larceny reports, watching demonstrators, past burglaries, and past events, etc. will be the shape of most of the poice work. Interrupting a hold up in a credit union will be a rare event. Most major violent crime investigations, such as a murdered janitor, bullets through the window, etc. will be done by a larger investigative agency with more resources like FBI, ATF or SS. FPS in my time was allowed to investigate the stolen bicycles, broken vending machines, forged parking permits and similar stuff no one wanted to spend time on. With FPS, what Region you worked out of meant everything. Some Regional Managers were police oriented and their people got the latest gear and did police patrol work in 20 buildings at a time, while other Regional managers wanted security guards, not police and their people stood on fixed posts 40+ hours a week. Little of it was good police work though as the real crime in Federal Buildings involves fraud (i.e., procurement and credit card purchase issues) and that falls to a group called the IG and they tend to be jealous of their turf.

[brianlar13]

Is the FPS currently accepting resumes/applications? I've been looking, but they're not easy to find.

[FPS207]

Is the FPS currently accepting resumes/applications? I've been looking, but they're not easy to find.

FPS has hired throughout the year in 2003. People that I know seem to think they will continue to hire through 2004. GSA is still the HR for FPS so you have to keep checking the GSAJobs site or register and the site will automatically notify you when any positions in FPS are available.

[tcfarley]

FPS 207,

Due to your current age, (no offense), I would definitely go ahead and jump on the job. Once there, you can always transfer to another agency if you don't like it. There is the opportunity to make alot more money on the federal side than local law enforcement.

I am a police officer in a medium sized locality in central VA. As a senior patrol officer the most I can expect to make is around 55-60 thousand a year. Hopefully I'll get a federal job soon, myself. Most investigative positions top out at a GS 12 or 13. That can be as much as over 100,000 per year. Not to mention the retirement and medical benefits.

I'd say "go for it" man.

[FPS207]

FPS 207,

Due to your current age, (no offense), I would definitely go ahead and jump on the job. Once there, you can always transfer to another agency if you don't like it. There is the opportunity to make alot more money on the federal side than local law enforcement.

I am a police officer in a medium sized locality in central VA. As a senior patrol officer the most I can expect to make is around 55-60 thousand a year. Hopefully I'll get a federal job soon, myself. Most investigative positions top out at a GS 12 or 13. That can be as much as over 100,000 per year. Not to mention the retirement and medical benefits.

I'd say "go for it" man.

tc,

I appreciate your response, and you are right. I am as close to the cutoff as you can possibly get, and not at least trying the position would be a mistake. I have been fighting myself but even if the "police" job isn't as I expect, I will receive a $5,000 a year initial pay increase, I will maintain my take home car privilege, and I will be credited my 9 years previous federal service and I will be a federal officer which should give me the chance to try several other options if it don't work out. Lastly, I can always go back to policing, however turning down this position, due to my age, will negate me from ever having another possibility.

[JudgeDredd]

The FPS is going through a major transformation right now. When I first started working for the security contractor, the FPS officers wern't even allowed to take home their weapons in my region. Now, they have off duty carry privs. They are preparing to hire an additional 800 this year throughout the nation as Police Officers, Inspectors, and Special Agents. They are upgrading training and equip with a focus on response to whatever their intell service deems necessary. You could be hired in GA and be sent to SF/CA for a week if they think there is a good chance of a major riot there. As far as "police work" goes, it will still depend on the area you are in. Here, we have complexes that go on for a few sq miles and they do everything from traffic stops to hazmat response. They are basically trying to create a para-military force for catch all response.

[FPS207]

The FPS is going through a major transformation right now. When I first started working for the security contractor, the FPS officers wern't even allowed to take home their weapons in my region. Now, they have off duty carry privs. They are preparing to hire an additional 800 this year throughout the nation as Police Officers, Inspectors, and Special Agents. They are upgrading training and equip with a focus on response to whatever their intell service deems necessary. You could be hired in GA and be sent to SF/CA for a week if they think there is a good chance of a major riot there. As far as "police work" goes, it will still depend on the area you are in. Here, we have complexes that go on for a few sq miles and they do everything from traffic stops to hazmat response. They are basically trying to create a para-military force for catch all response.

Dredd,

Two of the factors that really got me interested when I was offered the conditional offer of employment is number one, Region 4 has take home cars, number two, they will pay me more money. The extensive change in the FPS is something else that drew me in that I think I want to be in on the ground floor of the new FPS.

[JudgeDredd]

Good luck. Maybe I'll see 'ya at FLETC