Becoming a LEO

[srothstein]

There is one other tip I have for law classes. Read the law. When asked a question, do not read into the question or interpret the law, just answer it based on what the law says. Most people answer legal questions based on an interpretation of the law or what they think it should be instead of what it says. And do not try to get it to make sense, there is nothing that requires that law to make sense.

For example, if anyone asks you what age a person is an adult at, the answer changes based on what section of the law you read. The question has to give a circumstance or it cannot be answered correctly.

[jbirds1210]

This is a long thread so pardon me if I am repeating advice. I took a night academy so I would not have to quite my job. After graduation I did a year of Reserve work with a local S.O to make sure I loved the career as much as I thought I did. One night and I was hooked.

I was hired by a medium sized agency (town of 83K) and never looked back...best job choice I ever made. You get out what you put in.

Good luck!

Jason

[nightmare69]

Thanks jbirds. I go to meet with the sheriff Monday so any advise on what to say and what not to say would be great. Also what questions to ask cause its been a decade since I've been in a interview situation. Thanks for all the advise guys. I'm really excited.

[nightmare69]

Update, the sheriff is going to sponsor me but its a non employeed sponsorship. That means I won't have a job after I graduate and I could be bumped from the academy for students that do have a employed sponsorship. So I don't even have a guarenteed spot in the academy. I'm going to continue to look for a better sponsor or one with intent to hire.

I'm scared to death to quit my job cause I may not be able to find one after I get out of the academy. The hiring process for LEOs is long and one I cannot afford to wait on. I will have and I mean HAVE to have a job after I graduate. If I cannot find a PD that is willing to hire and train me then I may have to give up this dream all together.

Every department I have called only wants to hire officers with experience. Duh. What employer doesn't? Seems like no one is willing to train they just want to throw you a badge and get to work. Everyone was a rookie at one point and had to be trained. That is all I'm asking is for that same chance. I'm still looking but the departments say they either cannot guarentee a job by May or only want experienced officers.

This just sucks right now. So afriad that I won't get a job within the first month and ill lose everything I have. My old job will be gone and they won't hire me back knowing ill be quiting when a PD hires me. Darned if I do darned if I don't.

[texanjoker]

Update, the sheriff is going to sponsor me but its a non employeed sponsorship. That means I won't have a job after I graduate and I could be bumped from the academy for students that do have a employed sponsorship. So I don't even have a guarenteed spot in the academy.

I'm scared to death to quit my job cause I may not be able to find one after I get out of the academy. The hiring process for LEOs is long and one I cannot afford to wait on. I will have and I mean HAVE to have a job after I graduate. If I cannot find a PD that is willing to hire and train me then I may have to give up this dream all together.

Every department I have called only wants to hire officers with experience. Duh. What employer doesn't? Seems like no one is willing to train they just want to throw you a badge and get to work. Everyone was a rookie at one point and had to be trained. That is all I'm asking is for that same chance. I'm still looking but the departments say they either cannot guarentee a job by May or only want experienced officers.

This just sucks right now. So afriad that I won't get a job within the first month and ill lose everything I have. My old job will be gone and they won't hire me back knowing ill be quiting when a PD hires me. Darned if I do darned if I don't.

It is definately not an overnight process to become a LEO. There is testing to include medical and psych, backgrounds, testing both written/physical, interviews, ect. You have to be prepared to move to find a place that will hire you. Many of us had to do that and the process is lengthy. That means a larger city department or county department that pays you to attend the academy. The smaller agencies don't have the budget to pay for that. DPS also has hundreds of openings. I saw San Antonio is hiring right now as well. Travis Co Sheriff is testing this Saturday as well.

[carlson1]

texanjoker is right and as it has been said before in this thread you may need to start in the jail. Anything worth having takes effort, training, money, and doing everything you like to do. N

[Excaliber]

I well understand your concerns and they're valid ones. However, before you give up your dream, put your thinking cap back on. There's more than one way to go about this.

Here's an approach that might work for you:

Keep your current job, take multiple tests for the large agencies, go to the interviews and other tests while still employed, and leave your current job only when you have a guarantee of employment (and quite likely a paid spot in the academy).

That worked for me.

[Keith B]

The thread is long, so don't remember if it had been suggested, but you might think about keeping your regular job and going to the evening academy. While it will take you longer, you will at least have a paying job while you go through. After getting out, many departments have reserve units and some small towns hire reserve officers to fill in evenings or nights for their full time officers. This will give you experience needed to potentially get hired on full time with a larger department.

[texanjoker]

I well understand your concerns and they're valid ones. However, before you give up your dream, put your thinking cap back on. There's more than one way to go about this.

Here's an approach that might work for you:

Keep your current job, take multiple tests for the large agencies, go to the interviews and other tests while still employed, and leave your current job only when you have a guarantee of employment (and quite likely a paid spot in the academy).

That worked for me.

Same here. I worked as a police dispatcher at a large agency for several years until I was old enough to be hired. That paid off as I knew the codes, radio, ect and was one part that I didn't need to be retrained on. To do that you need to be able to pass a typing test and can do some serious mutli tasking. It is also a job that is always open.

[Excaliber]

I well understand your concerns and they're valid ones. However, before you give up your dream, put your thinking cap back on. There's more than one way to go about this.

Here's an approach that might work for you:

Keep your current job, take multiple tests for the large agencies, go to the interviews and other tests while still employed, and leave your current job only when you have a guarantee of employment (and quite likely a paid spot in the academy).

That worked for me.

Same here. I worked as a police dispatcher at a large agency for several years until I was old enough to be hired. That paid off as I knew the codes, radio, ect and was one part that I didn't need to be retrained on. To do that you need to be able to pass a typing test and can do some serious mutli tasking. It is also a job that is always open.

TJ's suggestion is another excellent idea. My son's best friend from childhood followed this path by working as a dispatcher for a sheriff's agency in New York and a city PD in Florida before getting hired as a deputy sheriff. He spent the required time as a jailer to earn a spot in patrol, where he's been very happy and highly successful in his work.

[nightmare69]

Thanks guy, I am applying with these departments that do a full employed sponsorship and will be taking a few civil service exams. I now need to find out what these exams are about and some practice tests. Maybe Ill get lucky and score high who knows.

[nightmare69]

What do yall think about paying for practice test and study guides for the civil service test?


http://www.policequiz.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[texanjoker]

What do yall think about paying for practice test and study guides for the civil service test?


http://www.policequiz.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I never took any practice tests for the entrance exam, but it can't hurt. I did take practice tests for TCLEOSE and it helped me study.

You should go do a ride along or two at different agencies. I used to take a lot out and it is a good intro to police work. Many agencies will ask in the interview what you have done to prepare and saying you did a couple ride alongs is a good thing. I had my neighbor with me on a ride along when I ended up having to shoot someody. He never wanted to ride again after that

[gigag04]

Most tests involve basic math, logic, reading comprehension, and ability to make a decision based on information given.

Any practice test that asks questions involving those items would be beneficial, but I wouldn't pay for any prep courses.

[nightmare69]

The thread is long, so don't remember if it had been suggested, but you might think about keeping your regular job and going to the evening academy. While it will take you longer, you will at least have a paying job while you go through. After getting out, many departments have reserve units and some small towns hire reserve officers to fill in evenings or nights for their full time officers. This will give you experience needed to potentially get hired on full time with a larger department.

Im just worried about failing cause not having time to study or do homework. Also only getting 5-6hrs of sleep at best at night is not enough for me, after a few days I will be so tired I will not be able to pay attention in class. Ive always had to have at least 7-8hrs of sleep to perform my best otherwise Im very lethargic, Im just one of those that has to have a full good night sleep.

Im going after the full sponsorship at the moment and so is 100 other people. I will be taking the exams in October and if this don't pan out I may have to take a non-employed sponsorship and get with the county to become a jailer. The county said that they would keep my certification valid and I would work as a jailer till a position opened up, might take years though. Couple of problems with that is jailers dont make any money here and I would have to take a good pay cut that I cannot afford to do it. 2. I dont want to be a jailer, I want to be a cop. Another thing is Im a small guy,5'9 150lbs. All the jailers I know are big guys that can handle these inmates, Im worried about getting into a situation and being overpowered with no weapons to help me. Being a cop Ill have a gun, tazer, OC spray, baton, to be my force equalizer but as a jailer you have nothing. Am I a little scared to be in a pod by myself with 50+ inmates? Yep. All the deputy's that I talked too hated being a jailer, some did it for a few years until a position opened up.

If I can find a department to give me a intent to hire sponsorship I will go forward and enroll this fall, if not then Ill idk what Ill do.