BlueSheepdog
10 Years Experience
Around the Way, FL
Male, 40
Cheating death and fighting communism: that is how a fellow officer once described our job. It was meant to be funny, but as time went on it seemed all too true.
I spent more than ten years in law enforcement, all of it on the street in uniform patrol. I've been a patrol officer, instructor, sergeant and lieutenant.
Do not report crimes here. Nothing here should be considered legal advice. All opinions are my own.
Nope.
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Education and college degrees are not the same thing. Education is highly valued and has little to do with college. A college degree is an expensive piece of paper that shows you stuck around long enough to get one. I guess that could be called determination, but I'd much rather hire the guy who showed determination by humped a pack up and down mountains in Afghanistan, rescued idiot boaters as a Coastie or worked the catapult on a carrier for 12+ hours/day. Those folks have learned hard lessons and know how to make sensible decisions under pressure.
If Uncle Sam paid your way via ROTC, that is a reasonable approach. Assuming you are active duty upon graduation, you have a paid-for degree and a real education. If you instead dropped $100k+ at Yale to get a $40-50k/year job as a cop - well, I'd question your reasoning and problem solving skills. Even more if you went into debt to do it.
All other things being equal, a college degree is better on the application than not having one. But, all things are not equal. Few colleges teach anything about real life. Take a look at the professors in economics and business schools, for example. How many of them have run a successful business? How many of the law school professors have spent any time in a courtroom?
The sad reality is that college is a black hole in which money disappears, but little is returned for it.
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The best bet is to call your local police recruiter and talk to him or her about the specific requirements in your area. Generally, you apply for the position, undergo a thorough background investigation, go through a series of mental, physical and medical tests and then complete academy training.
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It depends on a number of factors including jurisdictional authority and the statute of limitations.
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Bouncer
How often would you find yourself in real danger?
Professional Blogger
How long did it take you before you could quit your day-job?
Professor
Are professors really subject to the "Publish or Perish" policy?
I can only answer questions when they are asked.
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Getting shot. Getting stabbed. Getting broken bones. Getting killed in an accident. Being strangled. Acquiring incurable diseases. Dealing with rotting bodies. Telling people that their loved one has been killed. Horrible hours. Working weekends. Working holidays. Dealing with defense attorneys and other scum. Low wages. Poor opportunity for advancement. Getting sued. Being rained on. Being snowed on. Working in a hurricane while all sane people have long since fled. Wrestling drunks in the mud. Dealing with unrealistic expecations of the public. Dealing with the unrealistic expectations of pencil pushers in city hall. Stress and related health problems. Chronic back problems from wearing a duty belt. Not being able to have normal relationships with non-cops. Hyper vigilance. Not being around for your family. Did I mention rotting bodies? Polyester uniforms. People throwing feces and urine on you. Being spit on. Fighting for your life as a regular job function. Dealing with other people's children. Going to the funerals of your friends.
<sarcasm>Oh, but the paycheck makes it all worthwhile.</sarcasm>
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I'm not sure why you would think that. Getting good grades is very important if you want to be a police officer.
I went to a well known university to be an aerospace engineer (you know, a rocket scientist.) I determined engineering wasn't much of a challenge and discovered law enforcement was a far more challenging career.
Fortunately, I am not the only guy to make good grades to go into law enforcement. In the states I have worked (Georgia and Florida), most of the officers I have met/worked with are much brighter than the general public. You have to be intelligent and quick thinking to do the job. Idiots should not apply.
Do morons get into law enforcement? Sometimes. But, most of them are weeded out during training. The few that are left tend to get promoted rapidly.
I'm a bit perplexed by anyone who thinks that no one smart goes into public safety (or the military.) I guess it is watching too many movies.
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