Applying down the road

[CGPD4566]

First, I hope this is the appropriate forum. Second, I am only 19years old but this is kinda my plan of action, would this be a good route to follow?

I am going to be attending a university to get a 4 year degree in LE. Half way through my 4yr, I am going to attend Skills, and then POST. I am going to apply for jobs and see if any departments take me up(to maybe pay for the rest of my schooling). If I do not hear anything within a few months after POST, I will simply go back and finish off my schooling and then start applying once again with a 4 year.

My qualifications are that I was an Explorer for 6-7months, although I had to leave because the county I served with was too large for me to make all their meetings. I am currently a Reserve, and have been for 6 months. I also plan on staying one at least 3 years(part of our body armor payback policy is, they pay for it you are with the department for 3 years) and I'm seeking a CSO job to hold me over until schooling is done.

I have held the same job for 3 years, working in a home improvement store, dealing with people and management responsibility. I have never used or even experimented with drugs. I have drank underage...but that is nothing I would sweat. The only tickets I have received was one for speed 64/35 which was thrown out with continuance(a kid blew passed me in a similar car and she tagged me. She also was a royal bitch and told me i had no right to see the radar, which at the time you did have the right). And the other tag was for "Vehicle off pavement in park"...we were fishing at a levy and the parklights cut out, so I drove my pickup onto the curb, just the front two tires and turned on my highbeams so we could change lures. That was also thrown out, mainly because the prosecutor felt that not only was it a waste of his time, but also that his city shouldn't be ticketing employees of the neighboring city for minor things like that.

All in all, I'm a pretty boring kid. I don't go out and break laws, I don't get myself into trouble....I'm just wondering if everything would lead me to have a decent chance at a LEO job.

[irishlad2nv]

I am going to give you my opinion and it may be harsh and it may not.

First off, whatever you do now affects everything in attempting to get into LE. It also depends on the department that you are going to apply too. You still have at least a yr or so before you can apply, since in your state you need to be 21 at the time of hire.

As far as going to collge to get a degree in LE...unless you want to be a chief, or a sheriff some day, i see it as a pointless degree. Sociology, pysch, or a bus. degree would be a better route. But at the same time, almost every dept. unless you want to work FLE, only require at minimum 60 college credits or military experience.

You job history seems stable enough and shows you can hold a job. As far as being an explorer, or reserve, that stuff really doesn't play a part unless the dept. you are working for looks for that sort of background?

Your comment on your speeding ticket...not cool. You do not know if that officer was having a bad day or you could have been rude to her??? But at the same time, I am sure you have read a lot of posts in here and i would assume you would think you might have a shot in LE...

But until you apply, and they take you through the proccess, then you will not if you are acceptable or not. You still have to doing the grueling backgound, poly, pysch, etc...

Also why not keep the job u have not since you have been there unless the CSO job pays more? Just my thoughts...but you still have some time to apply...

[CGPD4566]

About the speeding ticket. I was completely nice to the officer. As soon as she flipped her lights on I knew exactly what happened. Funny thing is, I now do her transports and her tows. She know's who I am and we have made our peace. I was just saying, she was treating me like complete crap. Alot of departments take CSo, Explorer, and Reserve as a legup from the competition. ESPECIALLY if you are one of those for the dept. you are applying. I thank you for the honesty, and I don't take any of it as harsh. I take that as a learning experience. The reason I am going 4yr LE is because I want to go career.(cheif, captain, whatnot) so I figure I mind as well do this. I have had my mind set on this since I entered kindergarden and nothing will make me think this job isn't right for me. I passed the department background and oral board, which is the exact same they use for officers.(I think this is because we are allowed to do a whole hell of a lot)

Thanks again Irish.