Advice requested - Pertaining to academy & self sponsoring

[Chris-]

This week i spent some time getting a hold of the two academys near me (City of Flint & Oakland Police Academy).

1) Flint confirmed that i can not use a Pell Grant for the Fee. They also confirmed they do not offer a night course (which i would need unless i could get a dept to pick me up and pay my way...which is highly unlikely). Lt Matta was very helpful and told me to call him if i have any questions about anything related to this. A big THANK YOU to him.

2) Oakland confirmed with me that they also do not have a night program.

This leaves me with a few questions, one of which is can i use a student loan for the fee? And if i keep waiting, get my BA in business, learn spanish, volunteer with the local PD (IE improving my self) is there a chance (does anyone know if this has happened...) that i could get picked up by a LEO agency hiring and have them put me through in say...5 years time?

Lt. Matta made it clear that no one in the three county area (Lapeer, Genesse, Shiawasse) was paying for people to go though. He said it was very rare now, he had 2 people in the past 4-5 classes get sponsored. The only reason that getting sponsored is such a big deal is because i have bills like everyone else and cant afford to leave my day job and go to an academy without some form of income.

Im not really sure of what my next step should be, im very serious about this career.

[Chris-]

Ive been able to get a few more answers through persistance and badgering haha.

First: Oakland is run though Oakland community college, therefore i should be able to use (not confirmed) student loans for the fee, and at some point i should be able to use a portion of my grant to pay for the fee.

Second: I was concerned (like some people are) about my past. I emailed him a thorough, complete list of all my illegal activities with dates, and asked him if its possible that i can be a cop with this background. He had me call him to talk about it, and he said it will not be an issue (coming from him, its a big relief) as long as im HONEST.

While lt. Mata did say no one is getting paid to go through the academy the fellow from Oakland explained his students are looking at a 60-70% hire rate post graduation even right now with the lay offs. He said once things turn around in 3-6 years things should really pick up.