Transfering Out of a Department: How soon is too soon?

[Stylite]

Hi,

I'm Allen. I'm applying for my first law enforcement job and my dream was always to be in California Highway Patrol. Unfortunately they aren't hiring and have a long list of people already in the application process. The recruiter told me not to hold my breath and to just get on their email alert list and wait for an opening in the next couple years.

Okay, so I still need a job. I'm in the middle stages of the application process to become a Custody Deputy. It's a nice area, the pay is "fair", and I don't mind working the jails as much as some guys do, but I know this isn't what I want to do long-term.

So the question:

What happens if hypothetically I get hired by the Sheriff's Department, then CHP has an opening and gives me the green light, and I leave the Sheriff's department straight out of academy, or after one year of employment, or something like that?

Do they pretty much just say "Aw dang" and let it go since people probably transfer in the same way and they win some & lose some?

Or can I expect to be legally penalized, financially indebted to the department, etc.? It doesn't seem like something you could just walk out on. But on the other hand I've heard of officers doing just that.

Your first thought is probably "ask the department" but I mean... I do need this job until something else pops up and I don't think asking the recruiter if they'd be cool with me leaving within two years cause CHP is better would put me at the top of the candidate list .

Thanks in advance...

[Stylite]

Mind you, it's not just about the legal/financial penalties. I also don't want to be a jerk to a department that's giving me a nice opportunity. I'm wondering just how common this is or if its extremely frowned upon.

[retdetsgt]

You could get away with it once, but that's about it. You can't expect the people you're leaving to have a very high opinion of you if they pour money down the drain hiring and training you. And if the "temporary" department you're working for finds out you have an open application somewhere else, they will probably can you. When I was in the academy, my department learned that one of my classmates had applied for the fire department and hadn't pulled it when he was hired by us. He was immediately terminated.

[Switchback]

I know some departments around here, because of the budget crunch, have started making guys sign commitments. If they leave before their 3 years, they have to repay (prorated) the money that the department paid to put them through the academy.

On a different note, I know 1 guy who walked out of graduation from criminal investigators school in my academy and went to the ATF follow-on academy (though he is sorry these days). It was not a real crowd-pleaser with my agency, but there was nothing they could (or should) do.

[MikeG]

On a different note, I know 1 guy who walked out of graduation from criminal investigators school in my academy and went to the ATF follow-on academy (though he is sorry these days). It was not a real crowd-pleaser with my agency, but there was nothing they could (or should) do.

Isn't that the equivalent of moving from Robbery to Homicide in a city department? RDS must not have been much of a crowd-pleaser.

[marinepilot]

We had one guy in our academy that had a coveted "Cadet" position with the local police department. He had a good job, getting paid for 40 hours a week, and then they paid for his academy and uniforms and everything. The understanding was that after graduation he'd be promoted to Police Officer and then work for them. Well, right after graduation he quit the police department and moved to a different agency. Don't know what happened as far as him having to pay anything back, but that department now makes you sign a commitment if they are going to put you through the academy.

[retdetsgt]

Isn't that the equivalent of moving from Robbery to Homicide in a city department? RDS must not have been much of a crowd-pleaser.

Nope, they still got their daily pint of blood from me.

[Stylite]

That's valuable to know about the fireman applicant being kicked from academy. I have a couple of less serious applications pending with other departments just so I didn't have all of my eggs in one basket. I'll definitely cancel them come academy to avoid confusion.

If the norm for commitment deals is 2-3 years I can live with that, maybe finish up my BA since it's a nice 4 on/4 off schedule. Then go for my "dream department".

Anyway, thanks Officers. Gradually envisioning something resembling a career plan.