under 21 reserves/part time/specials

[sjr87]

can you still get on as a reserve/special/part time under 21 years of age. I keep reading no, but know officers working as reserves under 21, and was recently told by a local town that they hire reserves under 21.

[Bodie]

You have to be 21 to be a law enforcment officer here. You can't own or carry a hnadgun until then so thet probably is why. I often thought that if a kid can serve in Iraq why can't he serve as a police officer here. But I guess the old way of thinking is 18 isn't mature enough etc.

[K9 Police]

Yes, you can be a reserve, community service officer, park agent, or any other type of non-sworn position. Non-sworn positions are not allowed to carry a firearm, however they assist the department and it's sworn officers in carrying out daily duties and special events. Therefore, it is possible to be a reserve as long as the department does not utilize reserves in a capacity that is of a sworn officer position. Minnesota reserves and community service officers can be under 21 years of age, and many are, as they are not giving authority to carry a firearm.

K9

[keith758]

We've had a couple of 19 and 20- year-old reserves that were certified and authorized to carry a weapon. They were great for nailing bars serving minors. They've gone on to become full-time officers for the department, and one is now a Sgt. at the ripe old age of 27.

[sjr87]

heres the deal, the ones i know, sign the weapon in and out for everyshift, it doesnt leave with them. I applied yesterday for a local town for a reserve position and they said you dont have to be 21, yet for the most part i keep hearing you do. i want to get on as a reserve while in school, I think it'll help keep me motivated to stay there and do good.

[K9 Police]

Well, if the department tells you that you don't have to be 21, then you don't. Each department can vary though, therefore the reasoning of you might be hearing from others that you do have to be 21 based on their own experience.

K9

[sjr87]

ya i know for full time you must be 21. i did an internship last year with my towns PD and the one thing every officer said was to apply for everything and take any test i can. i really think its a long shot but one never knows

[mikemac64]

ya i know for full time you must be 21. i did an internship last year with my towns PD and the one thing every officer said was to apply for everything and take any test i can. i really think its a long shot but one never knows

I believe it is 21 years old if you are going through the civil service system. I don't know if this applies to towns which are not covered under the statewide civil service system

[sjr87]

well i got a call from the LT today saying i have an interview, so im pretty happy about that :D

[dcpolice]

I was hired as a special/reserve in MA at 19 y/o. I carried a weapon at 20 y/o.

[sjr87]

I was hired as a special/reserve in MA at 19 y/o. I carried a weapon at 20 y/o.
how long ago was this? I know it still happens just very unusual.

[CLB2112]

Im 20 and was 19 when I was accepted into the florida highway patrol aux.

[joeyc85]

I believe it is 21 years old if you are going through the civil service system. I don't know if this applies to towns which are not covered under the statewide civil service system

How does that work?

[Sgt Jack]

Towns in Mass that are not Civil Service can to the best of my knowlege establish there own hiring policys and guidelines....Civil Service communites have hiring guidelines established through Mass General Laws and are overseen by the states human resources division. As far as carrying a firearm...the law requires that you be at least 21 years of age to obtain a class A LTC...I did find an exemption to this though see MGL 140/129C you want paragraph O mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/140-129c.htm so you may be covered...I was always under the impression that you could no longer carry on the badge....

[Delta784]

I was always under the impression that you could no longer carry on the badge....

"Carrying on the badge" is actually a misnomer. City & town police officers don't need an LTC for their department-issued weapons, because MGL 41-98 states;

They may carry within the commonwealth such weapons as the chief of police or the board or officer having control of the police in a city or town shall determine...

As a matter of fact, anyone who joins the Boston PD has to surrender their LTC, and may only carry their issued weapon while on probation.

[sjr87]

when i did my internship last year one officer thought the "carry under your badge" was talking about off duty. He told me all the reserves under 21 in my town have to sign the weapon in and out for every shift they work, and they didnt leave with them till they were 21 and had a LTC. I'm not to worried about it, because if it was against the law I dont think I would have got a call for an interview.

[Sgt Jack]

"Carrying on the badge" is actually a misnomer. City & town police officers don't need an LTC for their department-issued weapons, because MGL 41-98 states;

They may carry within the commonwealth such weapons as the chief of police or the board or officer having control of the police in a city or town shall determine...

As a matter of fact, anyone who joins the Boston PD has to surrender their LTC, and may only carry their issued weapon while on probation.
Thanks for the clarification I was always wondering about that one

[Delta784]

Thanks for the clarification I was always wondering about that one

I should mention that my Chief, by matter of policy (not law), requires us to have a valid Class A LTC.

[sjr87]

well tuesday is the big day, getting my letters together(they didnt ask but i will bring them and give them to them if asked) also been reading up on possible questions they may ask. i know i will be nervous as hell tuesday, im really hoping this works out. the next R/I academy starts at the end of next month. :D Thanks for the help guys

[sjr87]

well its official you must be 21 years old to be LEO in Ma now. Just got a call from a Sgt from the dept i applied to, he said if it wasnt for the law they would have offered me the job as a reserve, but said they were impressed with my interview and wanted to offer me a job as a dispatcher, so im happy with the outcome.

[dcpolice]

I was 20 y/o I "had" to sign out a 38 revolver every night for work. This was if you must. Realistically, I was good to go. No one ever checked what I did with the gun. If you signed out fine, if you didnt fine. Either way I could caryy` as an LEO w?o a probem.

[sjr87]

I was 20 y/o I "had" to sign out a 38 revolver every night for work. This was if you must. Realistically, I was good to go. No one ever checked what I did with the gun. If you signed out fine, if you didnt fine. Either way I could caryy` as an LEO w?o a probem.
ya i guess that was how it was up till this law passed. the dept was still excepting applications for 18+ because they were unaware it had changed.