View Full Version : I would like to become a police officer. Any advice?
osok-308
07-30-2013, 15:45
Hey all,
I have been thinking about becoming a police officer for quite some time now, and I would like to know how to go about doing that. Obviously I have no arrests or anything that could disqualify me from being able to become a police officer. I guess I'm curious with where to begin. I mean do I go to the precinct I want to apply for and apply? or how do I begin this process? Any information is greatly welcomed and thank you for taking the time to read and hopefully respond!
Going through this exact process... I signed up for the fall RRCC Law Enforcement Academy, which I've heard doing a Community College sponsored POST academy is the way to go. I'm pretty sure Arapaho Community College has one, but it might be a little too late (last Friday was the Red Rocks deadline), you'd have to contact them and check. But the competition for most departments that host their own academy (Jeffco- Combined with Golden, Lakewood, Arvada; Denver; CSP- to name a few) is usually pretty high, this year's Jeffco academy had over 800 applicants apply, and I think they only selected about 20-something or so. Your best bet is to check out a community college academy and apply for that, complete it, then you shouldn't have too much trouble getting hired on, unless you want to get on a specific department, then it depends on if they have their own in-house academy or hire POST certified. The Director of the RRCC Academy and I had a chat after I got accepted and he told me that 26 out of the 27 in the most recent academy had a job lined up, at the latest, a few days prior to graduation. Good luck! [Beer]
Bailey Guns
07-30-2013, 16:36
Yeah. Become a firefighter instead.
SuperiorDG
07-30-2013, 16:51
After going though the process some 25 years ago and not getting hired this is how I would do it today. Pay your own way at a community college to get your POST cert. and then volunteer for your local Sheriff's department and get on the wait list for a paid position. Once you get hired and have some time under your belt, shop yourself to a department of your choosing.
After going though the process some 25 years ago and not getting hired this is how I would do it today. Pay your own way at a community college to get your POST cert. and then volunteer for your local Sheriff's department and get on the wait list for a paid position. Once you get hired and have some time under your belt, shop yourself to a department of your choosing.
Aims has an inexpensive academy
After going though the process some 25 years ago and not getting hired this is how I would do it today. Pay your own way at a community college to get your POST cert. and then volunteer for your local Sheriff's department and get on the wait list for a paid position. Once you get hired and have some time under your belt, shop yourself to a department of your choosing.
From all I've heard recently it's actually not too hard to get hired straight out of a CC academy. I've spoken with graduates of one two years ago, and one year ago, and most, if not all, find work right after the academy pretty easily. I've even heard they recruit at academies sometimes- especially smaller departments. And if a recent POST certified graduate is willing, UT, NE, NM, and WY readily will hire CO POST certified individuals pretty quickly too. So maybe the volunteering at a local SD was a good idea 25 years ago, but I half expect to have a job by mid Jan when I graduate in mid-December. [Beer]
Just don't be a dbag and shoot our dogs or give us tickets, we won't talk bad about you then!
I have nothing to add! Good luck
SuperiorDG
07-30-2013, 17:16
From all I've heard recently it's actually not too hard to get hired straight out of a CC academy. I've spoken with graduates of one two years ago, and one year ago, and most, if not all, find work right after the academy pretty easily. I've even heard they recruit at academies sometimes- especially smaller departments. And if a recent POST certified graduate is willing, UT, NE, NM, and WY readily will hire CO POST certified individuals pretty quickly too. So maybe the volunteering at a local SD was a good idea 25 years ago, but I half expect to have a job by mid Jan when I graduate in mid-December. [Beer]
I hope your right.
Do an accredited academy, get an associate's degree in a related field, and grow a thick skin.
spittoon
07-30-2013, 17:18
If-n you have the calling go for it.Volunteer for your local Sheriff's department Start working at the jail and go from there. Then you will see what you are playing with.
flan7211
07-30-2013, 17:22
Apply to a Sheriff's Office that runs its own academy. I believe Dougco and El Paso do it. You are given a job and paid during academy.
Punkface
07-30-2013, 17:24
Yo ronin, let me know how it goes. I might be going that path or switching to another field entirely. Just gotta decide what I want to do with my GI bill.
Yo ronin, let me know how it goes. I might be going that path or switching to another field entirely. Just gotta decide what I want to do with my GI bill.
Will do. My academy starts Aug 15, and ends 2nd week of Dec... so hope you have a lot of patience [Coffee]
Apply in Houston and then transfer out in a couple of years. (if you live through it)
Just check the city websites aroudn the metro for job announcements. Get picked up by one of them and they will pay you a salary while you attend the academy. Pretty solid gig right there. I know Arvada, Westy, Wheat Ridge, Jeffco are hiring pretty constantly. I even know a Lakeside PD guy that just got hired by Denver PD after working in Lakeside for 4 years. He was in the first Denver academy since they started them back up.
http://mpdc.dc.gov/page/join-metropolitan-police-department
They seem to be hiring, and if your record is clean, you will find the work challenging.
So many people who ask me about getting into LE aren't willing to move to work. It always makes me wonder about their motivation to enter the profession.
Good luck and Be safe.
muddywings
07-30-2013, 19:11
Apply to a Sheriff's Office that runs its own academy. I believe Dougco and El Paso do it. You are given a job and paid during academy.
That's how I did it. Also, you can look at University of Colorado. My wife was a parking enforcement officer as a part time gig while in school. They then hired her on as a LEO and sent her to the EPSO academy. She was a fully certified POST officer for the State of CO, with a 5 mile range of coverage around the campus. Some from there then transfer to larger agencies ie: CSPD, EPSO, State Patrol etc
BPTactical
07-30-2013, 19:12
There's always beauty school.....[Coffee]
OneGuy67
07-30-2013, 19:19
That's how I did it. Also, you can look at University of Colorado. My wife was a parking enforcement officer as a part time gig while in school. They then hired her on as a LEO and sent her to the EPSO academy. She was a fully certified POST officer for the State of CO, with a 5 mile range of coverage around the campus. Some from there then transfer to larger agencies ie: CSPD, EPSO, State Patrol etc
If your wife works for UCCS, then her chief is a good buddy of mine. We worked together for a number of years.
muddywings
07-30-2013, 19:22
She left a while back, wasn't her cup of tea nor mine.
Oddly, if you are talking about Spice, I tailgated with him at a USAFA football game a while back. Didn't even know who he was initially. At least he said nice things about her...lol
OneGuy67
07-30-2013, 19:26
She left a while back, wasn't her cup of tea nor mine.
Oddly, if you are talking about Spice, I tailgated with him at a USAFA football game a while back. Didn't even know who he was initially. At least he said nice things about her...lol
Nope, Brian is who I'm referring to.
muddywings
07-30-2013, 19:37
Nope, Brian is who I'm referring to.
copy...past our time then.
There's always beauty school.....[Coffee]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TOxhzAm7fY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
OneGuy67
07-30-2013, 20:09
copy...past our time then.
I guess so...he is the current chief.
kidicarus13
07-30-2013, 21:59
Yeah. Become a firefighter instead.Don't overlook Bailey's advice, it's not to be read as sarcasm.
brokenscout
07-30-2013, 22:44
This
Yeah. Become a firefighter instead.
Fentonite
07-31-2013, 00:21
Bailey has a point.
QEro1DoG2LQ
Apply to a Sheriff's Office that runs its own academy. I believe Dougco and El Paso do it. You are given a job and paid during academy.
Douglas does not have its own academy, rumor has it we are going to go in with Jefferson and Lakewood, our in house employees go to the Jefferson/Lakewood academy.
If you go the way I did, I got hired on in a civilian role called a Detentions Specialist after a year on the job you are eligible to test for the Academy, I want to be at this Department so getting in the door was the most important thing for me, I test in October meanwhile I get valuable experience and seniority with the Department I want to be at.
Anyway there is a huge difference between being a Deputy and a Police Officer but as far as experience they count the same, so most people once they get through Academy will apply to many places in order to get experience which counts a lot when you are not one of the top recruits out of the Academy and are not recruited, then they continue to apply to Departments to get where they want to be.
The first thing I would do is do a ride along with the Departments you are interested in, you want to see Friday and Saturday nights, Full Moons the busy times, if you want COPS your looking at Aurora and Denver, Lakewood, Commerce City and Jefferson County is Busy, The Douglas County area is relatively quiet in Comparison.
You need to get after it though otherwise your looking at starting Academy in January and most Departments like to hire in January and June but certainly can hire year round depending on manpower, but some test and then work of the list from that single hiring for the year, that test is in the beginning of the year.
Don't be so concerned about what you have done in life that would disqualify you, be prepared to come completely clean, you will be embarrassed with what you tell them you have done, maybe even humiliated but keep in mind that most departments are simply wanting to see that you are honest and are not a habitual Drug or Alcohol user, don't begin to think that the Polygraph will be a piece of cake, it will mess with you like nothing you have ever done before.
If you want everyone to like you be a firefighter, everyone is always happy to see firefighters, and people are rarely happy to see LEO's.
Finally be prepared to be a part of the biggest family you have ever been a part of, this is important since you may lose friends and even family going down this path, you will have people throw hypothetical situations at you not realizing that they have just placed you in a very bad position, its your JOB to find out more and then report any crimes you now know about, how many times have you seen someone punch another person and thought what a dumbass? Now you have to do something about it...
bigun1962
07-31-2013, 04:43
Like everyone says you can get post cert through an accredited school. You can also apply to some of the larger jurisdictions and get post cert through their academy. Denver is one. I think Arapahoe and Jeffco Sheriff office run post academy. This is not a quick process. From the time you apply to getting hired could be 1-2 years. Who ever said grow a thick skin. That is a good one. Start growing skin now. Good luck.
Bailey Guns
07-31-2013, 08:55
Bailey has a point.
That wasn't even funny. Didn't even crack a smile. Unfortunately, it was true!
[Coffee]
hghclsswhitetrsh
07-31-2013, 09:44
Change your last name to something more EEOC friendly.
I am not an LEO, so only advice I can give you is to buy duty equipment/gear online/ebay cheaper before you start your job.
It will save you tons of $$$$
encorehunter
07-31-2013, 17:39
Bailey has a point.
QEro1DoG2LQ
That wasn't even funny. Didn't even crack a smile. Unfortunately, it was true!
[Coffee]
I couldn't stop laughing on that. I don't think the whole thing is true. The ordering a pizza at the station doesn't happen that often. Normally we make chicken with a sherry mushroom cream sauce, chicken marsala or another healthy dish. [Flower]
Bailey Guns
07-31-2013, 17:52
Normally we make chicken with a sherry mushroom cream sauce, chicken marsala or another healthy dish. [Flower]
Typical cop meal is a 6-hour old McDonald's cheeseburger that's been rolling around the floor or your patrol car for half the shift (but that's OK cuz it stays warm down there) and a cold cup of coffee.
cmailliard
07-31-2013, 18:02
Fentonite has a point about Bailey having a point.
The good old joke is - You know what Firefighters and Police Officers have in common? They all wanna be Firefighters.
But really any public service is good, you gotta love and please stay safe in whatever you do. Just one small request please, whatever you do, when you are going to a structure fire to help (which is fine, no issues with that), and you park you police car in the middle of the street to block traffic and then leave it to go the fire, please, please, please make sure the fire trucks are on scene first.
Bailey has a point.
QEro1DoG2LQ
Bailey Guns
07-31-2013, 18:07
Even firefighters need heroes.
http://cdn2.bigcommerce.com/server300/da66a/products/1004/images/9525/m23_Police-god-made-police-so__12768.1328062668.1280.1280.png
DingleBerns
08-01-2013, 06:49
Typical cop meal is a 6-hour old McDonald's cheeseburger that's been rolling around the floor or your patrol car for half the shift (but that's OK cuz it stays warm down there) and a cold cup of coffee.
I threw up in my mouth a little. I usually eat 3 home cooked meals and snacks throughout the night.
As for the OP, try to get into a paid academy and if not self sponsor yourself to go through an academy then apply to agencies.
centrarchidae
08-01-2013, 23:03
What everybody else said. Especially Bailey. Full-time firefighting is the best part-time job you'll ever find.
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