Any Orlando or Orange County cops there!

[Futureblue]

Looking to see if anyone out there was hired by Orlando or Orange County recently?

Going to Academy in Orlando next month, want to know what to expect, and about the job fair they offer, as well as oral boards information please.

Thank you.
FB

[mait129]

Futureblue, I would look into the smaller departments, I went through the academy at Valencia in April of 2000. I got hired in one week of graduating by Maitland. I would look at them. They are always hiring and it's a pretty good place to work. They reimbused me for the academy. Plus alot of my friends at the academy worked for Orlando and Orange county and within a year they wanted to switch to a smaller department.

As far as oral boards. I took them for Orlando but not O.C., and it wasn't a board. The recruiter walks you into a room with a studio camera and has you sit down. He then asks you five questions which they give you before hand at the polygraph. You simply reply. The chief then reviews the tape if your in the final group that has been selected. They were basic question, if I remember they were 1. why do you want to be a police officer 2. what can you offer OPD 3. what have you done to prepare yourself to become a police officer. I can't remember what the last two were. The board for Maitland was about a half hour long with six interviewers.

As far as the academy. It's pretty easy especially if you have military experience. You are in the april academy which means you won't start PT/DT for about five weeks in, because the January academy is using the gym. The classes are really boring and all the instructors do is read out of the standards book. Once in awhile you'll have a cop teach instead of a lawyer, then it gets fun. When P.T. starts, you start in the gym. Run three laps to get warmed up then stretch for 20 minutes (no joke it really is 20 minutes). After that you line up outside and run 3 to 5 miles. They have slow and fast runs. After the run you go into the gym for about 20 minutes of pushups and jumping jacks. Then you do D.T. for an hour, Shower, change and to class it is.

The job fair was ok. There were alot recruiters there, and they really just handed out brochures.

The best advice I can give you is to be and stay highly motived. The instructors and the academy coordinator notice it. My coordiantor noticed me and called the chief at my department before I was hired. I was almost a shoe-in because I wanted it so bad and I did everything I could to so my instructors noticed me. All the D.T. instructors are cops and most are their department's recruiters so if you stay motivated and put out, they notice.

Good Luck to you and if you have anymore questions let me know

[ONE TIME]

I have to agree.... Smaller departments are a great place to start. I applied to 14 agencies in central Florida and made the eligability list for a few. I know several people who were overwhelmed buy going to county first. IMHO I think it is easier to get hired on to a smaller department and you are exposed to a lot more...County doesnt do traffice accidents. I do. I am more likely to raid a crack house in my district rather than a special unit in county. I write my own reports and do most of my own minor investigations. If I choose to go county or to a bigger agency I become a much better candidate because I have been exposed to much more. Thats just my 2 cents.
Best of luck to you..

[mait129]

I would agree with you...At a small department, you as the patrol officer do everything. I process my own scenes, although county does too they can't usually go to into depth. I do my my traffic accident investigations, and sometimes they can be fun.

You have the ability to be very proactive at a small deptartment. At my dept. I only had 2 to 4 calls a day, usually home alarms too, so I had to find alot of stuff but you can easily. If you like working DUI's you can specialize in that or if you like doing traffic, Traffic is where it's at. That's where most of your fun and dangerous stuff happens. I would on an average day pullover about 30 to 40 cars a shift.

Now even though a department is small does not mean it's quiet either. Take Sanford for instance small but very busy going from call to call. But in the central Florida area, I would look at Maitland, Ocoee, Seminole S.O. (not usually very busy), Altamonte, Winter Springs although you might get really bored there and Apopka. Stay away from Eatonville and Oviedo.

[ONE TIME]

You could also check out Winter Garden..... You maybe surprised :o

[Futureblue]

So, what's in Winter Garden?

*Wonders*

So, smaller departments, then go for the bigger ones?
No military, but 63 college credits as well as past security "Police" experience. Did PLENTY of police calls, especially traffic.

Why are people wanting to leave Orlando/O.C.?
what is D.T.?
what are the tests like?
most importantly, what were your fellow recuits like?

Thank you BOTH for your time, I hope to continue this dialogue!

[Futureblue]

Did you guys have workout partners and/or study groups for the tests?

[ONE TIME]

Sorry I cannot help you with the VCC questions. I was former a USMC MP so I only had to take a 2 week class and I got to sit for the state test. "DT" is Defensive Tatics. A lot of people who have started at smaller departments really did well when they got to larger ones because the were exposed to a lot more law enforcement. I cannot speak for the larger depts because I have not served there and I dont like talking about something I know very little about. I do know that the larger depts get 100's if not 1000's of apps a month for only so many spots. What really inpressed me is that from the time I got sworn in the rest of the department called me officer...Not Rookie,or newbie or anything else. I think that some people in LE think Winter Garden is a small po dunk department.. But we all carry TASERS... if you dont know what one is you will :) Not everyone in county has one... My point is we all practice law enforcement some make a little more money than others right now. Keep your options open and dont set your sights on one department.... You will not get hired over night so start making contacts now. Get the applications from every place you might want to work. I think you will be surprised how big the apps are. Of all the places I applied to not one of them acknowledged my app until atleast six weeks after I sent it in.... Its a long process. Feel free to ask anyother questions, if I can I will answer what I can. FYI I applied to he following Departments: Winter Garden,Ocoee,Maitland,Longwood,Orlando,Orange County, Lake County,Clearmont,Eustis,Cassleberry,and Leesburg.
Best of luck to you.

[ONE TIME]

Just for the record :) I never said that people wanted to leave OCSO or Orlando.... Just that a few people were "over whelmed" <sp? Dont get me wrong I am NOT putting any other departments down.... After all we all play the same game we are just on different teams...

Peace

[Futureblue]

Originally posted by ONE TIME
Just for the record :) I never said that people wanted to leave OCSO or Orlando.... Just that a few people were "over whelmed" <sp? Dont get me wrong I am NOT putting any other departments down.... After all we all play the same game we are just on different teams...

Peace

OOPS!!!

Sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

overwhelmed eh?

Hmm..maybe starting small will help in the long run..

[mait129]

Futureblue that was me that said I knew people that wanted to leave county and OPD. A few did too. My county buddies got burnt out, the same with OPD, althought my OPD friends cited internal politics as more of a reason. But then again your going to get that anywhere you go.

One Time I agree with everything you say bro. Futerblue it is alot easier to get on with a smaller department. When I tested for Maitland they were hiring 3 and only five tested. Pretty good odds. I had my orals on a monday a 9am and by 3 that afternoon they called me and told me I had the job. Two weeks later I was sworn in. I was even put on the road before my background was done. Small departments have alot more latitude in their hiring practices as far as if they like an individual they will make exceptions to get them on the road. And as One Time and myself said you will learn alot at a small department. Because I'm not running call to call I can do alot of traffic if I want or DUI's or work I-4 for drug interdiction if I want. I have the ability to be very proactive in my policing style.

In regards to the academy. The tests are very easy. Everyone stressed out so much and there is no need to. The questions are multiple choice and they are almost word for word out of the standards book unless they changed, it has been four years for me. All I did was read each chapter 3 or 4 times and I never got below a 90 on the exams. As far as your classmates, its a mix, we had about 50/50 girls to guys ages 19 up to 52 in my class about half were military myself included and you can tell the difference. The other half had college some had nothing. Some will be very overweight. If your out of shape get into shape now. Althought you can't be dropped for falling out of runs in makes you look bad. But above all stay highly motivated and show it. Make it known you want a job. My buddy in a few classes after did that, and the county recruiter who also PT's in the morning with you took a liking to him and pushed him through the hiring process.

Anymore questions about the academy let me know I'm more than happy to answer them.

[mait129]

Sorry I forgot to answer your question about workout partners. Yes for DT in the morning you pair up with a partner and you pretty much keep them for the whole academy. A few of us PT'd in a group after school until academy PT started. Some people had study groups after school but believe me the stuff is easy. Classes are Mon to Thur 5:30 to about 4:45. At about week 4 they break the class up into 2 teams, one goes to the driving range for a week, the other to the shooting range. Then you switch.

On day 2 or 3, I can't remember, the class votes on class officers. One president, four squad leaders and a class treasurer. Try to get one of these positions, it shows motivation and you need to do everything you can to get noticed by recruiters.

At the graduation, there will be recruiters there, and if you have distinguished yourself in some way or you class coordinator likes you the recruiters will approach you.

[Futureblue]

Originally posted by ONE TIME
You could also check out Winter Garden..... You maybe surprised :o

Interesting!

OK..surprise me!!

LOL

[Futureblue]

Try to get one of these positions, it shows motivation and you need to do everything you can to get noticed by recruiters.

Sounds like a good idea!

What did you do?

Also, what should I NOT DO?

Serious question..believe me!

Again, thank you both!

[mait129]

I didn't get a position but I was so motivated that I was given the unoffical position of sergent at arms. Your basically going to have two groups in your class, OPD recruits and county recruits. Everyone else is pre-service meaning they don't have jobs yet. These two groups tend to stay together for some reason. OPD likes to hire college grads and county likes military, at least thats how it was in my class.

In the first two or three days you have what is called human diversity trainging. The idea of it is noble but your not going to get someone to change their belief system in 3 days. During this time you get to know your fellow classmates, and at the end is when you vote on class officers.

When I went through I just busted my but. Try as hard as you can to stay in the runs. Try to get behind the instructor leading the run. It helps you stay motivated and you'll know why when you see him they call him robocop. He's a machine and I know he is still there. Call cadence during the runs. They have the students call it so go buy some cadence tapes and learn them if your not military and don't know any. There were only three of us students that called if myself included, and the last run is six miles long. That's alot of cadence to call for three guys. When you go into the gym for calistenics go to the front of the formation and PT your heart out. Believe me when I say that the instructors notice it. Be a team player.

What not to do? Easy don't be a crybaby or whiner. Don't be a suck up. Don't make excuses if you fall out of a run. If your fat, say you fell out because your fat and out of shape not because you had a bad night or some BS. You wouldn't believe how many people started the academy out of shape. About ten of them never stayed in a run the whole academy.

If you screw up something or do something stupid take responsilbilty for it, say you screwed up and don't make excuses. If you say your going to do something or be somewhere, then do it or be there. Don't cheat on the exams. Common sense I know but you'd be surprised what kind of knuckleheads want to be LEO. They know if you cheat to but I won't tell you how they know. Besides if someone needs to cheat on an academy exam they should re-evalute their career choice. Don't get caught picking up prostitutes on OBT. You laught but it happened two academies after me. If the academy coordinator calls you into his office and asks you a question, believe me its likes an IAB investigation, he already knows the answer but he wants to see if your going to answer him truthfully.

If the coordinator likes you, BTW the coordinator is the officer that runs the academy, Either a county deputy or OPD officer, they switch each academy class and they are their recruits liasons with their respective agencies. Don't get them mad or they will black ball you when it comes job time, but if they like you when the recruiters call the academy and ask about you and they will, they will give you a good reference which helps alot. All of the area department's officers and recruitiers take in service training at the academy so they know the two coordinators very well, and behind closed doors they are very frank with eachother.

Get a folder together with all of your personal information, and use that as your reference each and everytime you fill out an application. Make a list of departments your going to apply to and get the apps. ready to turn in. Some departments you can't apply to without your state scores others like Broward county will let you apply as long as your in an academy.

Start doing ride alongs on a Friday during the day at the small departments. That way you can get to know the departments recruiter and the brass. Make it known that your in the academy and want to work for their department.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something but feel free to ask more.

Later

[ONE TIME]

Mait129 makes a lot of good points. TAKE responsibility for your actions, even after you get hired nothing will get you fired faster than dishonesty. I think that making a list and contacting the recuiters even before you graduate is a good idea. Ride alongs are another great idea...
Sorry I cont give you any more surprises. You are going to have to take it on your own do do your homework. Not to mention I like to leave the recruiting up to the gus that get paid for it. I think I made my point about small departments. Keep posting those questions.

[Vanatru]

Unless you have to, don't rule out Seminole County or the cities within. All agencies here are hiring 24/7/365 - road and corrections.
Pay's not as decent as Orange Co, but there are lots of career opportunities available once your in. Winter Springs is one of the better cities you could shoot for as well.

[Futureblue]

I may try Seminole County. Trust me, I will be applying to as many as I can. I also am interested in departments that have take home cars, less wear and tear on my car! lol!

Ok, mait129! What was the D.T. like?
Senaraio practice?
What did the class officers do?
What are the instructors like? Outside of "Robocop"?

Do people actually get dropped? Outside of doing dumb things like picking up hookers and cheating?

Finally, was it an enjoyable experience? I.e. friends made, espert de corps?

And what was graduation day like?

Thanks again!!!

[mait129]

DT is pretty easy. It's state mandated training so you won't learn anything other than what the state has approved. You learn about three new DT's each morning. The instructors show you the steps for each move in slow motion and you do them by the numbers. Once everyone is ready then you pratice at full speed. About every week and a half your tested on the moves that you have learned, and you must pass or you can't move on.

The instructors are all great. The first week or so they act like DI's to try to scare everyone. For the guys with military experience its kind of funny because it was nothing for us but for the college kids it was funny to watch them fumble around.

You have the same 5 or 6 instructors all the time, they are all LEO or corrections. This is a case where you don't want to be a whiner (i'm not saying you would be one), because they are all ex-military. The one thing military people hate is babies. After awhile they start to joke around with you the way instructors did in the military. It's a military thing and you'll see what I mean when you go through.

As far as senarios, unfortunately because its state mandated there are none. Unless the state has changed the curriculum. If I could change one thing about the academy it would be to add senario training. Even in the classroom, you don't have any senarios you only go over the standards book. Sometimes your LEO instructors will fly through the text because its so easy and then teach you something you'll acuatlly use. The lawyer instructors never do that, unless you get one that was LEO before becoming a lawyer.

You do have two simunitions senarios at the range but only two.

The class officers run the class or more so the class president does. Your squad leader runs your squad, he inspects you and is accountable for your whereabouts. If you mess up or miss class you must write a memo on a certain topic or when you request something it must be in memo format. I guess it's to get you use to writing memo's. Your squad leader reviews it then gives it to the pres. who then gives it the coordinator. You also have to have a fund raiser of some kind or a raffle,carwash or whatever to raise money for the graduation party after graduation.

Graduation is nice, its about two hours long. You'll have the chance to go the January academies gradution. The class president and the coordinator have lenghty speeches to give. There is a guest speaker, usually Sheriff Beary or the OPD chief. You get your certificates then go to the party in the cafeteria.

Getting dropped is pretty hard. Really the only two ways are failing an exam, and for insubordination. If you fail an exam I think your given one or two makeup chances to pass. If you can't pass then you get dropped from class. We had two guys quit because it was to much for then. Go figure, because I still can't... it's pretty easy.

Was it enjoyable? Overall yes. I thought the academy was alittle too easy, but I came from the Marine Corps so I was expecting boot camp again. It really isn't bad at all. I made some great friends at the academy. On friday nights alot of us went downtown together to have fun, usually about 10 of us. Espirit de corps, it wasn't really there like it should have been. Some on the people always had problems with each other. It happens when you get a bunch of type A'a together though.

BTW I think Seminole county is a great place to work for. Everyone I know there loves it, they have takehomes and most importantly they are always hiring. Anything else let me let me know.

[ONE TIME]

Now I think you are getting the picture BLUE...Take home cars would be nice but I think there are some pluses and minuses. Are you going to turn down a job offer because they dont have take home vehicles? I think you should take one step ata time. You have a very long road ahead. Stay focused and keep your eye on the prize.

Simper Fi Mait129

[mait129]

Semper Fi ONE TIME