Female Recruit

[Dee1]

I'm Dee Spears...i Have Just Started The Process Of Trying To Become A Police Officer. I Am Going Through The Process In Mesquite, Tx. I Have My Polygraph And Oral Board Tommorow. Any Advice From Other Females Would Be Appreciated..(or Anyone For That Matter) Thanks!!

[Valor55]

I'm not female but my advice is quit posting here in all caps, the board converts it to an annoying capitalized first letter of every word.

[Dee1]

sorry!

[Valor55]

There is a lot of advice in this area already, if you use the search function for various topics (oral boards, polygraph etc you will get a pretty detailed idea of what to expect.) Good luck!

[NOLACOP]

Welcome to RP, Mesquite has a great reputation in the DFW area. Good luck and relax for your poly. Stick with your answers.

[tomahawk134]

Welcome and Good Luck

[Texas PO-PO]

Dont lie, dont ever use being a female as an excuse, and be one of the guys.

If your the type to bat your eyes and shake your a**, dont be obvious about it, or you will not last long.

Good luck, work hard and love your job. Stay in shape dont let your self get out of shape b/c things will be harder for you but that goes for males and females. Make sure this is the job you want to do and do it well.

Lots of sit-ups to strengthen your back muscles b/c your belt will reek havoc on your lower back.

[Jynkxxie]

There is a lot of advice in this area already, if you use the search function for various topics (oral boards, polygraph etc you will get a pretty detailed idea of what to expect.) Good luck!

Agreed.

Welcome and Good Luck!

[RO56]

I Am Going Through The Process In Mesquite, Tx.

Used to live off of N Galloway near I-30

[mxwelch]

Welcome to RP. BTW, you're not a recruit yet, you're an applicant.

[Feisty]

Another female cadet here. Just keep your head held high and be confident. Use a confident and stern voice when answering questions. Don't sound timid. Don't lie on your polygraph.

Welcome to RP :D

[Old Trooper]

Welcome to RP....good luck!!

[SERENAs UNIT]

<<--In L.E. since 1991.

Actually, I could teach a class on what to do and what NOT to do as a female officer.

Not only stuff I've been thru & learned on a personal basis, but what I've seen...............I should write a manual.

"Be one of the guys" to an extent. My theory is I've been a lady longer than I've been a cop. My preference is not to get into the dirty jokes & do NOT dish it out if you can't take it.
I don't hang around while the guys are discussing the cleavage of the last traffic stop or whatever. That's not my thing & you dictate how you're treated. There's nothing wrong with just walking away - make up an excuse if you have to (have to make a phone call or check your inbox or something).

No thick makeup - that's just stupid & you're not looking for a date..well, I know some who are (same w/guys, too).
Light foundation or powder or tinted moisturizer.
Pale gloss at most & one layer of WATERPROOF mascara.

No fancy nails or hair.
There was one hoochie-momma officer who wore long acrylics with sparkly crap on them, FULL makeup, rolled her hair & put a stupid bow in it.

I went thru a BRIEF phase of colored acrylics. Nobody said anything, but it was hard to be taken seriously with blue fingernails.

Be respectful at all times: Yes sir, No sir, etc. Use the other officers' last names unless they tell you different. Calling them by first name in public or around other coworkers, etc can look a bit too casual if you know what I mean.

Do NOT fix your makeup / hair, whatever around ANYONE. Go to the bathroom & don't announce what you're doing. Lot of "old school" cops out there who still think we belong barefoot & pregnant at home - don't give them a reason to label you.

Females can be caddy, insecure. Be sure you speak to every female officer with whom you come in contact. Introduce yourself, bring up the weather, or something. Personally, I think female officers of all people should be supportive of one another and welcome one another, but that would be too much for some.

IF you meet your male partner's wife, BE NICE. Not sappy, teeny-bopper annoying nice, but shake her hand, look her in the eyes. Ask HER what she does for a living & BE INTERESTED. DON't sit there and talk and laugh about what kind of day you and HER HUSBAND have had....(no explanation necessary).

Casually mentioning YOUR husband if you have one & maybe a pic of kids is nice. But don't throw them out at her like you're trying to hide something either.

99.9% of the wives I've met were obviously insecure so I did the best I could to make them see I'm here to work. I always start out nicer to them, but if there's not much response on their part (watch body language too), then I just narrow down to general niceties. That's all you can do. If they think anything more than a co-worker of you to her hubby, she's got some serious issues & there's nothing you can do about it.

As I said, some things I've learned, some I've observed.

[VPol]

@ Serenas Unit:
"Be one of the guys" to an extent. My theory is I've been a lady longer than I've been a cop.

This is a great "motto" and so true. I worked as the only female LE officer around 30 male officers and you cannot behave like a "guy" i.e. feet on the table, burping, etc. It was interesting to see how a cute girl can turn into a "male-female" in a short time and nobody can tell the difference anymore. I knew one girl who even started chewing tobacco... I wonder if she went home after work and put on her wifebeater-shirt???
:eek:

[Dee1]

thank you so much for your reply Serena's unit. that was very helpful advice. sadly i was dq'd today for using mj while in high school. he told me to keep trying and i will. it was in 1997 so i thought it would be ok. i'm going to try elsewhere though. thanks