TexasCHLforum.com

You can apply with us, we test in April. PM me for details.

I *highly* recommend getting hired with an agency that will hire, and pay to train you. Generally these are more competitive slots as it is a more desirable situation. In my experience this has led to some very professional, capable, and hard working coworkers. Some of those that went through my academy self-sponsored struggled on exams, were out of shape, and had trouble finding jobs. These are not absolute sweeping statements or generalizations just relaying my personal experience.

The departments that pay to train will have a larger pool of applicants and can be pickier because of that. They usually have better pay. My process was not unique (I applied with 4 agencies, was blessed to be finally offered my first choice).

Pick an agency, or agencies.

Sign up for their written exam. Many will have a physical fitness test that same day. Exceed at both. Often times these scores will rank the hundreds of applicants that are applying for a handful of slots.

Complete a Personal History Statement. Not sure who decided this was a statement, it is more like a fill in the blank autobiography. My longest was 30 pages, going back 10 years. Neighbors, teachers, grades, roommates, residences, life changes, credit, finances, church involvement, arrests, tickets, dropped charges, special situations. It even covers involvement in illegal activity for which you were not caught. Don't lie - because....

Take and pass a polygraph. If you get an answer wrong, there is a small electric jolt. Not really, but I wouldn't be surprised if each poly took 6 months of your life from stress alone.

Background investigation - a background investigator will comb through your PHS (see above) and actually verify every piece of information you listed.

As if this wasn't bad enough, then you get to go before an oral board interview. Depending on the agency, the oral board will be a formal QA session, a relaxed get to know, or a rake you over the coals, insult you, get you flustered and see what you can take ordeal. I have sat through at least one of each of the above types. The boards will often consist of a seasoned officer, an FTO, a SGT, a LT, and sometimes a non-sworn person. I also had a chaplain sit in on mine which I thought was neat. I prefer the formal QA. The questions are designed to get you to think, and stick to your guns when challenged. They will offer ethical dilemmas with no clear cut answers.

Even if you pass all of these steps, that just qualifies you as "hireable." You might be 17th on a list of 400, and not get a job because the agency only had 5 vacancies.

Cast a wide net. I would say apply for a job or two near you are not even super interested in just to get some experience. Look on realpolice.net for some good info for prospective recruits. It helped me a great deal when I was prepping for oral boards and the poly.

GL and feel free to PM me with any questions. I agree with the above comments that this is not a fall back career. One of my hiring class buddies took this job because there were no others. He left to pursue coaching - it wasn't for him. Few are on the fence with working in LE. Do some rides and read so you know what you are getting into.