Do Police Departments not hire Military Police officers after their duty is up?

[AlanfromMI]

I've heard this urban legend about Police Departments not hiring MP's or Security Forces after their duty is up; because their mindset is on military law and it would be hard to break them down again. I am wondering if this is true or not. I am planning on going into the military to try and become an MP of some sort, most likely the Air Force which they call it Security Forces. Hopefully when I get out is when I want to try and become a civilian police officer, but I dont want to screw up my chances if this urban legend turns out to be true.

[GreenLine]

I've never seen this to hold true. Seen just as many former MP's, SP's etc, get hired as people who never served. An agency is going to train you the way they want, anyway, so any "bad habits" (if you could call 'em that) will be long gone by the time you hit the streets.

If that theory were true, agencies would likewise never hire combat vets because their experience in using force is vastly different from the rules required for law enforcement officers. Again, agency is going to train you to perform the duties the way you're supposed to.

[bain]

false- don't worry about that- as a matter of fact many cops/sheriffs are also reserve military mp's (or applicable branch) and get military leave to drill if work conflicts with military duties- also military experience might help you get a job if given veterans preference etc-

[Lake Cop]

I've always heard that law enforcement agencies like candidates with military experience. The agencies I've worked for hire a good % with military time. Just do not go into training on a new job and say "well, this is how we did it in the military". Civilian law enforcement and military law enforcement are two different games played two different ways. Forget everything you knew and do things the way your told for your new employer. Trainers hate new guys coming on trying to change procedure to how the new guy wants it done. Don't ever get the mindset you can't be replaced. You can be, very easily.

[FormerUSAF]

My Agency actually gave me hire and for my time in as a Security Forces member. I also was given an acceleration to the next level. Police departments love Military Experience especially Military Police experience; no matter what anyone says portions of the two (MIL/CIV LE) are interchangeable...................

[AlanfromMI]

My Agency actually gave me hire and for my time in as a Security Forces member. I also was given an acceleration to the next level. Police departments love Military Experience especially Military Police experience; no matter what anyone says portions of the two (MIL/CIV LE) are interchangeable...................



What was Security Forces like? Did you get a degree while you were in?

[FormerUSAF]

I actually did finish my degree while I was in. I have just found out the AFOSI approved my package for hire and just waiting on a location and a date to start. I enjoyed the travel and the job for the most part, I think I made the best of it.

[AlanfromMI]

Very nice. I'm just looking for some experience, and hoping this will allow me to buckle down and get a degree in something while doing good for the country. I would also love to travel and save the money I make. Were the hours long? What years were you in?

[tripledouble]

I've heard this urban legend about Police Departments not hiring MP's or Security Forces after their duty is up; because their mindset is on military law and it would be hard to break them down again. I am wondering if this is true or not.
False. Everyone who is hired to become a police officer will learn the local and state laws.
I am planning on going into the military to try and become an MP of some sort, most likely the Air Force which they call it Security Forces. Hopefully when I get out is when I want to try and become a civilian police officer, but I dont want to screw up my chances if this urban legend turns out to be true.
It doesn't matter which speciality you do in the Air Force, as long as you have a clean criminal record and meet the minimum requirements of a police department, you aren't screwing up your chances. My recommendation is try to get some college credits done while in the military.

[LA DEP]

Urban legend......There are way more than a few on LASD that were Military Police and/or USAF Security Police/Security Forces before they came to us (and were welcomed with open arms btw)

We will teach you 'our way' of doing police work doing the academy and the FTO process.

[Rush817]

Most departments like applicants with military experience becase we have discipline, are organized, understand rank structure, are self motivated and have that mindset that we will win at all cost.

[FormerUSAF]

Very nice. I'm just looking for some experience, and hoping this will allow me to buckle down and get a degree in something while doing good for the country. I would also love to travel and save the money I make. Were the hours long? What years were you in?

Hours can be long depending on what's going on. They range from 8hrs-12hrs shifts. If you work 8's you may work 6 days with 3 off. If you work 12's you should have every other weekend off and work only 15 days a month. Deployments is where it can get rough depending on the place you can be doing 12hrs 6 days on and 1 off. Some places you can have no days and others you can have too many days off.

1999-2007

Don't try to get a few college credits; finish the you degree. The military will use and abuse so return the favor with all the PERKS LIKE FREE SCHOOL. It will be tough but you can do it. I know I was one of the few in Iraq taking classes online while my boys were out there playing b-ball and flag football. I'm done now, but hated when I was doing it.

[AlanfromMI]

Funny I heard you cannot take classes while in Iraq.

[Ali G]

Allan,

Your ability to take classes depends very heavily on your duties and the type of school you go to. If you are taking online classes, there should be no problem. The problems arise when you aren't really assigned anywhere and you spend your time moving from city to city as a unit.

Basically, if you are permanently assigned to a base or a camp (with internet), you will be able to take classes online. Now, if you go out to the field for weeks or months on end, that would probably be a different story.

It also depends on the base or camp you are at. If you are at a Forward Operating Base (FOB) with two computers shared by 300 people, you will probably find it very difficult (not impossible).

[PhilipCal]

Not true at all. Apply, test well, jump through all the hoops. Just like anyone else.

[usaf1234]

Not true, I am prior USAF Security Forces, and got hired. You'll still get hired but the fact that you were LE in the Military won't give you any advantage really, just military pref. points. Also, a lot of bases from what I've heard are going to civilian LE on bases, you'll work security and get deployed. Can't beat the MGI bill benefits though; I'm a probation officer which counts as OJT, so the military sends me a check every month. Best of luck, PM me if you have any questions about the academy or basic.

[Bearcat357]

Funny I heard you cannot take classes while in Iraq.

Errr.....U of Maryland is opening up Education Centers all over Iraq.......article was in Stars and Stripes last week.....

Central Texas will be starting soon as well....

Further, if you are in a online program (such as Park University and others) all you need is a internet connection to do your stuff online..... Most teachers/instructors will work with you if they know you are in the military on active duty.....

[FPDRecruiter]

I am a police recruiter in NC. Like most agencies I heavily target separating military service members, and members of the guard and reserves.

The U.S. Census Bureau statistics are that 10.4% of the U.S. population over 18 has military service. Even NC which is southern state with a large number of major military installations, 11.4% of our population has military service. The actual percentile in the recruiting pool is below 5% due to the large draft population years during WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. Those veterans are not generally in the LE hiring pool any longer. Former service members compose a much higher percentile of almost all LE agencies across the nation.

As a recruiter I attend general population job fairs, university and junior college career fairs, and job fairs at military installations. If those job fairs had an equal number of people attending I would receive more quality applications from the military job fair.

My theory, and I could be wrong, it that it is personality driven. The personality of the person that causes them to have an interest in military service also leads to an interest in law enforcement. I have also noticed that the spouse of a LEO, including female LEO tend to also be in a public service type employment. The spouses of LEO are often in LE, education, or a medical field. I believe that this is also a result of their personality, how they view the world.

A high percentile of former military LE service members enters civilian LE. Therefore as a recruiter I make a special effect to make the military LE in my area know that we are extremely interested in the skills that they have mastered while in military service.

Former military LE along with lateral LEO (both in and out of state) brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to an agency.

[mjhoyt27]

Errr.....U of Maryland is opening up Education Centers all over Iraq.......article was in Stars and Stripes last week.....


Let's be clear, it would be the University of Maryland University College (Tier 3 school) that would open up classes in Iraq. The actual University of Maryland College Park (Top 50 school), will never open classes in Iraq because it is a traditional college.

[Bearcat357]

Let's be clear, it would be the University of Maryland University College (Tier 3 school) that would open up classes in Iraq. The actual University of Maryland College Park (Top 50 school), will never open classes in Iraq because it is a traditional college.

And that bothers you some how...??? :rolleyes:

Oh...I know several "traditional colleges" (Abilene Christian, NW MO State, Park University, Boise State, Clemson, Creighton U, George Washington U, Seton Hall) that are doing online stuff now....does that make them any better or any worse...?? :rolleyes:

Or what about the "traditional colleges" that have opened up branches in the Middle East...like Texas A*M, Virginia Commonwealth, Georgetown....that bother you as well.....??? :rolleyes:

[mjhoyt27]

And that bothers you some how...??? :rolleyes:

Oh...I know several "traditional colleges" (Abilene Christian, NW MO State, Park University, Boise State, Clemson, Creighton U, George Washington U, Seton Hall) that are doing online stuff now....does that make them any better or any worse...?? :rolleyes:

Or what about the "traditional colleges" that have opened up branches in the Middle East...like Texas A*M, Virginia Commonwealth, Georgetown....that bother you as well.....??? :rolleyes:

It doesn't bother me at all, it was just misleading to say that the University of Maryland is opening up offices in Iraq, when they aren't. I remember when I was in Alaska, and my supervisor told me about her going to the University of Maryland online and that I should go there. Well I was really happy because I thought it was the actual University of Maryland, when it was only UMUC. I just wanted to make sure he was 100% sure of the difference.

I can't say anything about those schools opening up in the middle East, but I will bet my savings account that those school will never open up, or have programs like UMUC and Central Texas, in Iraq.

I am still researching those other schools and online classes, because I find it hard to believe they are starting online stuff. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know.

[Ali G]

It doesn't bother me at all, it was just misleading to say that the University of Maryland is opening up offices in Iraq, when they aren't. I remember when I was in Alaska, and my supervisor told me about her going to the University of Maryland online and that I should go there. Well I was really happy because I thought it was the actual University of Maryland, when it was only UMUC. I just wanted to make sure he was 100% sure of the difference.

I can't say anything about those schools opening up in the middle East, but I will bet my savings account that those school will never open up, or have programs like UMUC and Central Texas, in Iraq.

I am still researching those other schools and online classes, because I find it hard to believe they are starting online stuff. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know.

First, I understand the difference between UMUC and Maryland students would be wise to understand as well. However, UMUC is not a bad school. Just because it is not Tier I and isn't recognized worldwide (except by military), doesn't mean it isn't legit.

Central Texas and UMUC both have/had contracts with the DoD to provide education to service members. Both schools send instructors overseas. I understand that Iraq is a War Zone, but many, many schools pay instructors to live on boats and teach classes to sailors. I know that many of the large bases in forward areas have education centers. It would not surprise me for a second if schools were trying to work out some way of getting instructors over there to teach classes.

Lets not forget that many, many, many schools are opening up online programs. Nebraska, Penn State, University of Florida (or maybe it was Florida State) and several other reputable schools have undergraduate and graduate degrees available COMPLETELY online. I read recently that Cornell and Harvard have online programs as well.

A lot of people who haven't been paying attention to the growth of online education among traditional schools (not a jab, why would you go out of your way to track the progression of online education?). Seriously, every school is working very hard to catch up and create online programs. They are losing money by the boatload by not givinng themselves access to online students.

Worst case scenario, students can go to Iraq and continue with classes by taking online classes during their time in Iraq or Afghanistan.

[ten08]

Having been on the Hiring side (Federal) I can say that I did find what you say to be true. MPs want to argue with you about how you want thew job done, but I don't think it has ever precluded me from hiring one. In at least one case i hired a dog handler because of that particular skill. I tried to hire Veterans when I could, whether they were MPs or not. There was usually pressure to hire minorities, women, and other "special" groups. Most of them didn't get through the initial screening HR though. Mostly I would hire laterals with a POST if I could, that way someone else paid for thre training and I could deploy them immediately

[Bearcat357]

it was just misleading to say that the University of Maryland is opening up offices in Iraq, when they aren't.

Errr....no....it's not! UMUC is a part of the U of Maryland system.... Are you that dense to think that someone just took a name and is using it as their own isn't involved with each other....?? :rolleyes:

I took a bunch of UMUC/UM classes when I was in....Guess what??? They all transfered over to where I finished.....Imagine freaking that.... :rolleyes:


I can't say anything about those schools opening up in the middle East, but I will bet my savings account that those school will never open up, or have programs like UMUC and Central Texas, in Iraq.

Lord....You want links???? Use your google skills and learn something son.... :rolleyes: They are already operating there......


I am still researching those other schools and online classes, because I find it hard to believe they are starting online stuff. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know.

Err....you are wrong..... Park U has been doing stuff for years and has a real campus about 100 miles from where my azz is parked right now. NWMSU has been doing stuff online for 3-4 years to the point that some of the girls that work at my buddies bar are doing online stuff only. NW is going to be one of the first Colleges/Universitys in the US to go completly bookless and use electronic text books......

As for the others ones, I don't know much about them.....but they are doing stuff online and you can earn your degree from them..... I'd much rather use them than Phoneix or some of the other shady ones....if I was opting to do that.....;)

[Bearcat357]

Worst case scenario, students can go to Iraq and continue with classes by taking online classes during their time in Iraq or Afghanistan.

According the Stars and Stripes (that's a newspaper mjhoyt27) UM is already starting classes in Iraq (front page story) and said that CTC was working to get somethign going.....on the ground....not online...

[Rod_Farva]

I've got two guys on my department who were Security Forces (MP's) and a few other guys who were Army MP's. I think it probably depends on the department. I think that the jobs have some similarities and some differences but I have never heard of this urban legend being spoken of.

[Lima826]

I remember during my lateral class as an MPD (Metropolitan Police Dept in DC) back in 2002 that there was a former Army MP in the class ahead of mine. Not only they considered his military experience but they also paid him for it, hence him being in a Lateral Class. This is certainly an advantage since you have a head start from all other regular recruits. Shorter academy and depending on your experience in years, a lot more money.

I don't know if they still accept military police as Lateral Transfer in DC, but it might be worth checking. But even if you don't make it as a Lateral Transfer, the worse that can happen is that you get recruited at an entry level. You will be considered though. If your BI and military record is good, then don't sweat it... And in DC if you know spanish, you certainly have an advantage. They went to Puerto Rico and recruited about 80 officers there just because of the language, yours truly being one of the group.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

Lima826

PS Lima is for lime in spanish, I am not from Peru. And 826 was my badge number in DC.

[JohnDoeCop]

All of the MP's that I served with that went into civilian LE had no problem getting hired. I don't know many departments that will accept you as lateral because of military LE but most will give you points for being a Vet.