Career Dilema..Opinions?

[NOLACOP]

I left local law enforcement last year for covered law enforcement gig with ICE and im miserable. I miss real police work and the "brotherhood", which doesnt exist here. The money with the feds is super compared to what i was making back at the p.d. I have been struggling with making a decision about going back to a local law enforcement agency. Has anyone known of a federal agent leaving to go back to local law enforcement? I just dont wanna make the wrong decision for my family, my career or myself. Thanks ya'll.

[Creeker]

So if I understand you right, its a $ or happiness toss up?

Thats a tough one to make a suggestion for, having never been there myself... as is apparent by the 16 other views of your post and no other responses as of yet...

Off of the cuff, I'd suggest giving the new job a little more time. Maybe its just a matter of adjusting or familiarity. In the least, I'd make damn sure I squirrelled away some savings with which I could adjust back to a lower salary, if it came to that.

If it came down to it, would you be looking for a local job with your same old Agency, within the same state, or would you be willing to relocate? Because I am sure there are some larger local agencies that pay competitively with first/early year Feds, but maybe not in Louisianna.

[NOLACOP]

[QUOTE=Creeker;908588]So if I understand you right, its a $ or happiness toss up?

Thats a tough one to make a suggestion for, having never been there myself... as is apparent by the 16 other views of your post and no other responses as of yet...

Off of the cuff, I'd suggest giving the new job a little more time. Maybe its just a matter of adjusting or familiarity. In the least, I'd make damn sure I squirrelled away some savings with which I could adjust back to a lower salary, if it came to that.

If it came down to it, would you be looking for a local job with your same old Agency, within the same state, or would you be willing to relocate? Because I am sure there are some larger local agencies that pay competitively with first/early year Feds, but maybe not in Louisianna.

Hell no bro, i wouldnt go back to louisiana for anything. I would stay in tx where im working now. Yeah, it boils down to $ vs. job satisfaction. Im a cop at heart and this fed thing isnt "real" police work.

[JonSch7]

Do you have any family with you in TX? (wife, children, parents)
A lot of times it is more difficult to leave if you have family, forcing them to pick up and leave after only being there for a year.

My brother in law worked four years at a local PD in Florida, and got hired by DEA and moved to Oakland, CA. He hated California, and really felt like he wasn't making much of a difference at the federal level. The pay was almost double his PD salary, but he was miserable at the DEA.

He did his three years, and had the opportunity to relocate basically anywhere in the US. Instead he resigned, and went back to the local PD. He is still there today as a sergeant. He says that he learned a wealth of information at the DEA, but just didn't get that excitement of haning out with the guys at check-on each night, and getting into foot chases with bad guys. I've had thoughts about going federal, and he warns me each time that I bring it up.

Just remember, life is all about hapiness, and not money. So what if you can only afford to drive a Ford F150 instead of a new Mercedes. It is better to be happy and enjoy life instead of miserable and hating having to go to work everyday.

[Nole795]

Nola,

I know many cops who left for the 1811 position and came back to their PD. The federal system is a completely different animal and for some leos' it is a bitter pill to swallow.

I went through the same dilemna that your facing now when I went federal. I will tell you this, give it about 2 years. Hopefully you will be moved to a different squad or the atmosphere will get better. If not, then reassess your situation. This is what I did and the job did get better. I also got a transfer to another office that made the job even more enjoyable.

FWIW, the officers I know did not regret leaving the federal system to back to the PD. The money issue sucked but at least they love doing what they were meant to do.

Good luck to you.

[SSA1811]

I've known quite a number of people who have transferred to other Departments or Agencies, or who have left government service outright because they realized that the Federal job wasn't suited to them.

Of those that I am aware of who left the Federal Service, some did so because they were not happy with the bureaucracy nor the volumes of paperwork, while others left because of mobility - either they did not like where they were posted or they did not want to move from where they were. There are many reasons for changing jobs ..... we had a young Agent who left after less than three years to go back to work in his family's fishing business (something he had previously said he would never do).

From my perpsective, those who are going to transfer from or leave an Agency usually will do so within their first 2 or 3 years, and as far as I'm aware, there is no connotation, negative or otherwise, about leaving Federal LE to return to State or Local LE.

I get a sense that in your first move to ICE and to Texas, your family may have agreed to do so for you and your "career". This time you may have to give more weight to what your family wants to do and accomodate them. It is never easy, but you seem to realize any decisions such as these must be family decisions. However, as others have already suggested, think about giving this job a little more time.

P.S. "Brotherhood" and camaraderie are not and cannot be what they were like 10 - 15 years ago at any level in Law Enforcement. There is that "higher standard", and there are many out there who are waiting for you to trip up, and who are quite willing to hold you to that higher standard.

.

[BP348]

Are you with ICE/OI or ICE/DRO? What part of Texas are you in?

If you really want to get back with a PD you could try Plano, Dallas or Austin. All pay extreamly well.

[Piggy]

Have you thought of transferring to another Federal Agency, such as Border Patrol, maybe a DOD installation, etc?

It took me about 2 years to get used to when I went to the VA. I left after 3.

[Vesson]

I'd offer the counter arguement- money does buy happiness.

If it did not buy happiness, why would people have such a hard time chosing between the two?

Living in a lower socioeconomic area, wondering whether you can pay the next set of bills, not being able to buy your wife nice things, not being able to enjoy dinner out as often, not being able to experience new places and holidays... all consequences of lower pay.

Having said that, if you love being a "real cop", and are miserable despite the extra benefits that you enjoy away from your job, then hop to it & leave!

Cheers.

[mcsap]

I'd offer the counter arguement- money does buy happiness.

If it did not buy happiness, why would people have such a hard time chosing between the two?

Living in a lower socioeconomic area, wondering whether you can pay the next set of bills, not being able to buy your wife nice things, not being able to enjoy dinner out as often, not being able to experience new places and holidays... all consequences of lower pay.

Having said that, if you love being a "real cop", and are miserable despite the extra benefits that you enjoy away from your job, then hop to it & leave!

Cheers.

Money doesn't buy happiness. Money buys things that may make your life easier but that material things aren't what truly make people happy.

I am happily married...which is not based on money. When we got married I was making $5.75 per hour , drove an 8 year old rusted out car , lived in a small apt. but we were happy.

[DeltaV]

There are local departments out there that pay just as good or better than what you're making in federal LE--all you have to do is find them. A senior detective's base pay at my agency is 84K per year before overtime. A senior sergeant's base pay is 93K per year. Considering the amount of bonus pay, extra duty, and overtime that's out there, our detectives and first line supervisors make nearly comparable pay to many journeymen 1811s.

I know you used to work fro NOPD, which has notoriously horrendous pay. I'm a firm believer in this job being nearly the same no matter where you work and that your best bet is to find the place that will pay you the most money to do the job that you love. If you truly want to get back into local LE, look for those agencies that will pay you what you need. They're out there. I know that there are some great departments in Texas that are always near the top of that list policepay.net puts out every now and then.

[ChesCopPodz]

I dont know how much research you've done, but many TX departments pay quite well. Not as well as a fed, but high enough where it doesn't make a huge difference. I looked quite hard at TX when my wife and I were decidin where to try to get hired and move to.

[Vesson]

Money doesn't buy happiness. Money buys things that may make your life easier but that material things aren't what truly make people happy.

I am happily married...which is not based on money. When we got married I was making $5.75 per hour , drove an 8 year old rusted out car , lived in a small apt. but we were happy.

I believe we're both saying the same thing. It's just semantics...

There's unhappy poor people and unhappy rich people. But I'd take the latter, any day.

[mpdcjock]

A rookie at my district left the FAMs to come to MPDC.

He said the money and benefits were awesome but he didn't feel like he was a LEO. He said he felt more like a jet-lagged tourist with LE perks than a LEO.

[davidh304]

A rookie at my district left the FAMs to come to MPDC.

He said the money and benefits were awesome but he didn't feel like he was a LEO. He said he felt more like a jet-lagged tourist with LE perks than a LEO.

I'll trade. He can have my "action packed" police district and I'll be the jet lagged tourist :D