Law Enforecement

[250ex_dan]

Who here is in the field of law enforcement.?
(Forensics,Patrol,ect...)

[hondarider110]

I am in the process of going to school.

[250ex_dan]

what LE field?

[trailrider894]

Military Police, currently doing base patrol, so just pullin people over...

[hondarider110]

patrol for now.

[TRX_450]

Originally posted by hondarider110
patrol for now.

What state are you in?

[hondarider110]

minnesota

[250ex_dan]

I think i want to specialize in Forensics.
dont u have to go to school for that.?

[hondarider110]

yeah i think thats a 4 year on top of the 2 year law degree.

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by hondarider110
yeah i think thats a 4 year on top of the 2 year law degree.

No??? What kind of forensics??? There is probably a hundred different forensic area's... I would say its min. an Associates Degree, but in order to be competitive you will want a B.A. or Masters... No law degree is required...

[flint250trx]

NY State Corrections Officer.

[ThumPIN_450R]

county corrections officer.

[KingpinsEx]

I would be wary of going to school for any law enforcement field. I can speak from experience that the job market is def. over saturated. I blame all the police shows on t.v. everyone thinks its a great job. The reality is, decent pay, ****ty hours, and alot of stress. I have seen small town police depts hiring one officer getting 30+ qualified applicants and the majority start the hiring process soley on test scores. Also keep in mind all the veterans returning will have a significant advantage in job placement. I have not seen a BS do any better than a AS unless the job requires it. Other than that, hopefully you are good at taking tests, I am talking 95% or above to even have a shot most places. Something to think about, I wish I had gone a different path..

[liex21]

I would say look into forensic pathology, but like kingpin said it is a saturated field, we just had the test in my county (suffolk) and over 20,000 people took it. It is not impossible though my sisters boyfriend just took the test for the hell of it about 5 years ago and got in and he is sitting pretty the starting pay here is upper 60s then after first two or three goes to 100. They published a article in the local paper and patrol officers who worked a good amount of overtime were making 200k+

[tants]

I will be graduating the NYPD police academy in three weeks... Its been a very long dream of mine, I'm still young so it worked out perfect (24years old)

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by KingpinsEx
I would be wary of going to school for any law enforcement field. I can speak from experience that the job market is def. over saturated. I blame all the police shows on t.v. everyone thinks its a great job. The reality is, decent pay, ****ty hours, and alot of stress. I have seen small town police depts hiring one officer getting 30+ qualified applicants and the majority start the hiring process soley on test scores. Also keep in mind all the veterans returning will have a significant advantage in job placement. I have not seen a BS do any better than a AS unless the job requires it. Other than that, hopefully you are good at taking tests, I am talking 95% or above to even have a shot most places. Something to think about, I wish I had gone a different path..

Honestly yo, it's a calling... You just aren't called to do it. People wait all there lives for it!! I'm doing it and love it!! Screw the crappy hours.... I sure don't mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CJM]

When your interested in the LEO field you accept the fact you will work crappy hours, holidays, birthdays, whatever. In the rain, snow, hot and cold. You also accept the fact that you might work a nice 4 day work week or maybe 60 hours one week but only 24 the next due to rotating schedules. ALOT of people in the LEO field love it b/c they have tons of other freetime to do what they want.

I can honestly say that working 10-12 hours a day is cake after working 24 hours straight or doing 15-18 a day operating a tow truck on busy roadways in every weather imaginable. In all honesty, I dont know wtf to do with myself when I have tons of freetime-yea work can suck but at least I get paid to do it vs sitting and doing nothing. Sure there are things you can occupy yourself with but eventually you run out of stuff or get bored.

being a cop isnt for those who want a 9-5 monday thru friday job.

[trailrider894]

Thank you CJM, its a-lot like being a soldier... ha ha I've work 36 hour shifts on LE duties!! Try that punks!! ha ha It def take's a special breed, and i have loads of freetime... ha ha

[CJM]

yep yep :)

[KingpinsEx]

Originally posted by trailrider894
Honestly yo, it's a calling... You just aren't called to do it. People wait all there lives for it!! I'm doing it and love it!! Screw the crappy hours.... I sure don't mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow what a wonderful representation of people in this field. You are a person who knows nothing about me, yet you know I'm "not called to do it". If you would have actually read my post, I said "the reality is..." are you saying that isn't true? I was not by any means complaining about the job itself. If I was doing it I am sure I would love it too, but that's the problem, I'm not doing it. Spent 5+ years of schooling/training to be a police officer and can't find a job. And just so you know, I aint no punk. Sorry for trying to point someone in a better direction. What I meant by my statement of the hours and pay is that many people do not realize what they are getting into, going to school and over-saturating the job market because of the hype on t.v. Trust me I know many, many people in law enforcement and know what I am getting into. You are probably a vet or got hired a long time ago. Times of changed, it is extremely hard to get a job anywhere. Based on your comments I highly doubt you would have scored at the top of any written exams...

[CJM]

^ You sure dont sound very nice man.

LEO jobs are out there-dont EVER count on them being right at your fingertips. I could easily get a job if I wanted to move from NJ, forget getting a job here-friend of mine been there done that and wound up in MD as a state trooper after being active military for 3 years and having his AA in crim justice.

Yes the markets saturated that is true, but no worse than any other field. Main problem is EVERYONE and thier brothers outta work and saturating the market along with the economy taking a nosedive into near depression status the towns and counties cant afford to pay people.

Also you need an "in" in most cases. Not sure about others, but I made sure to network myself with officers-even making friends and going on ride alongs, interning, etc. Im also working on my BA in crim justice with a minor in psych and strong concentration on sociology really shows I have the people skills needed and understand how people act and think and why. That degree means the world to them b/c it shows your dedicated and your more educated and they LOVE that when they are looking to hire. Im also working on becoming a special I and later special II (part time cop). Just going to the academy doesnt guarantee you jack these days.

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by KingpinsEx
Wow what a wonderful representation of people in this field. You are a person who knows nothing about me, yet you know I'm "not called to do it". If you would have actually read my post, I said "the reality is..." are you saying that isn't true? I was not by any means complaining about the job itself. If I was doing it I am sure I would love it too, but that's the problem, I'm not doing it. Spent 5+ years of schooling/training to be a police officer and can't find a job. And just so you know, I aint no punk. Sorry for trying to point someone in a better direction. What I meant by my statement of the hours and pay is that many people do not realize what they are getting into, going to school and over-saturating the job market because of the hype on t.v. Trust me I know many, many people in law enforcement and know what I am getting into. You are probably a vet or got hired a long time ago. Times of changed, it is extremely hard to get a job anywhere. Based on your comments I highly doubt you would have scored at the top of any written exams...

Whoa there buddy.... I didn't wanna bring out the author in you. I was just saying that if you really wanted to be a police officer, you should be able to find a job somewhere. You have to be willing to move anywhere in the U.S. to chase your dream.. Most PD's around here are hiring and chomping at the bit to get guys trained and through there probie periods and patroling on their own. Please, don't say I wouldn't score at the top of any written exams... you don't know me, this is just a forum, where i can relax and speak my mind. If it were a test, or a job interview of course I would act different. Your right, I am an Active MP in the U.S. Army, currently performing LE duties on a base in the U.S.. This was the job that opened up for me, and i took it!!

[trailrider894]

I guess my point is KingpinsEX, is that your bad experience shouldn't be cause for somebody to be ridded of their dream with a single point of view.

[tbrackman84]

yeah i agree with trailrider, about a few things,but mainly that people shouldn't be douches on here especially when you don't even know the person. Of course it's an online forum and people can make anything up, but seriously, you should just act decent. I got pretty pissed on here a month or so ago on an "AAAWWW SH@T" thread where i said i was going to take a polygraph for psp the next day, and I was nervous, and people acted like dicks. It gets old. I only get on here to see what some of the people who are regulars say because they are mostly cool, and know alot about quads too :blah: