Massachusetts Law Enforcement

[wdr2]

Hey everyone,

I live in Ohio, and will be finishing my college education with an associates in crim. justice and a BA in emergency management this May. I'm considering moving to Mass. (more than likely around the Boston metro area), and I hate to sound ignorant but I've heard...
1 Getting a L.E. job in Mass. is very hard
2 You often need the academy training before you will be considered to start the testing process.
3 That agencies in Mass. have a different style of testing than Ohio.
4 Many Mass. agencies require you to live within the city/county for 1 year before you can apply to their agency.

Can somebody please give me some detailed info as to how to go about applying for Mass. agencies since I am an out-of-state applicant.

Also, I saw the following job ad...

http://www.officer.com/jobs/detail....=null&pageNum=1

and was wondering why so many agencies are listed in just this one ad.

Thank you very much for your help.

[Deuce]

Hey everyone,

I live in Ohio, and will be finishing my college education with an associates in crim. justice and a BA in emergency management this May. I'm considering moving to Mass. (more than likely around the Boston metro area), and I hate to sound ignorant but I've heard...
1 Getting a L.E. job in Mass. is very hard
2 You often need the academy training before you will be considered to start the testing process.
3 That agencies in Mass. have a different style of testing than Ohio.
4 Many Mass. agencies require you to live within the city/county for 1 year before you can apply to their agency.

Can somebody please give me some detailed info as to how to go about applying for Mass. agencies since I am an out-of-state applicant.

Also, I saw the following job ad...

http://www.officer.com/jobs/detail....=null&pageNum=1

and was wondering why so many agencies are listed in just this one ad.

Thank you very much for your help.

1.Yes it's extremely competitive.
2.Depends on the dept and if they're civil service or not. If they're not many depts want the academy trained app so they don't spend the money.
3.Couldn't answer that because I don't know how Ohio does it.
4.Depends on the dept. Boston has a residency req but the dept I work for doesn't.Not sure about residency length prior to employment,I would check w/ the dept you're interested in.

Link didn't work.

Getting on the job in MA is a bitch, there's currently tons of people waiting to get on. Some guys wait years. If you're hell bent on a MA dept I'd check w/ them, otherwise look at other states.

[vttroop]

You could try applying VT or NH departments. The pay is less, but in many areas the cost of living is much less also. Due to the lower populations the jobs aren't as competitive and do not generally take as long to get.

Here are some job postings so you can get an idea about pay.

http://www.vcjtc.state.vt.us/job.htm

[acedoy]

I use to work as a cop(part-time) in Mass. for 4 years. It can be very hard to find a full time gig in Mass. Most agencies are civil service which mean you take a statewide test every 2 years. You are then put on a list based on your score(sort of). For each town/city list you are on, the rankings go as follows: veteran's, resident, non-resident. Anyone with veterans preference go directly to the top of the list regardless of score(as long as it is a passing score). In order to be listed as a resident you need to live in that city/town for 1 year prior to taking the civil service test.
Now with that being said there are a few departments that are not civil service however they usually have a very long waiting list. I hope that helps. Also if you notice I said I use to work in Mass. I have since moved down to florida and I am now working FT for a department and I could not be happier.

[dogma vs karma]

I use to work as a cop(part-time) in Mass. for 4 years. It can be very hard to find a full time gig in Mass. Most agencies are civil service which mean you take a statewide test every 2 years. You are then put on a list based on your score(sort of). For each town/city list you are on, the rankings go as follows: veteran's, resident, non-resident. Anyone with veterans preference go directly to the top of the list regardless of score(as long as it is a passing score). In order to be listed as a resident you need to live in that city/town for 1 year prior to taking the civil service test.
Now with that being said there are a few departments that are not civil service however they usually have a very long waiting list. I hope that helps. Also if you notice I said I use to work in Mass. I have since moved down to florida and I am now working FT for a department and I could not be happier.
haha.
i wanted to be a mass officer, i grew up in mass.
everyone said go to florida.
and i did. :)

[Sanford&Son]

I waited nearly 12 years to get on as a full time police officer in Mass.....I finally had enough of the waiting, moved to Florida, and was hired within 6 months as a full time police officer.

When I was in Mass, I was a full time police dispatcher and a reserve police officer.

[hiremeplease!]

I am at my witts end the the state of mass! Im starting to look down south as well! Any ideas on good depts?

[Sully49]

I waited nearly 12 years to get on as a full time police officer in Mass.....I finally had enough of the waiting, moved to Florida, and was hired within 6 months as a full time police officer.

When I was in Mass, I was a full time police dispatcher and a reserve police officer.


Did you put yourself through the academy down in FL? It seems to me that's the rule rather than the exception. Other than Ft. Lauderdale, what other cities in FL actually put you through the academy? Just wondering, thanks.

[shaund44]

I wouldnt go running to florida, I just went there and this place is a armpit. I did not like it, it was very different than any part of newengland that i have ever seen. I went to take a fbat and physical fitness test. I passed all and was accepted into the academy. I call the directer 2 days later and said no thanks. I think the area is that bad, 2 cops were killed when i was there and one was assaulted just in the area I was in. I know im going to get some heat for this but seems like the people there really just dont care if they get in trouble, almost like the police are part time security guards, everyone there has a gun also, they sell them everywhere. I hope this helps I had the same dreams of becoming a cop in MA looked to florida and said I will do something else in MA its that much nicer, also the schools are 10xs worse than here. Although you could choose private. I wish I did my homework on this place, but if you go, i would go anyfurther than tamp, I was also in ocala florida, another place I never want to see again. and any points north of ocala was very old and dirty, any questions pm me. Hope this helps.. or saves you money.

[normal1]

I wouldnt go running to florida, I just went there and this place is a armpit. I did not like it, it was very different than any part of newengland that i have ever seen. I went to take a fbat and physical fitness test. I passed all and was accepted into the academy. I call the directer 2 days later and said no thanks. I think the area is that bad, 2 cops were killed when i was there and one was assaulted just in the area I was in. I know im going to get some heat for this but seems like the people there really just dont care if they get in trouble, almost like the police are part time security guards, everyone there has a gun also, they sell them everywhere. I hope this helps I had the same dreams of becoming a cop in MA looked to florida and said I will do something else in MA its that much nicer, also the schools are 10xs worse than here. Although you could choose private. I wish I did my homework on this place, but if you go, i would go anyfurther than tamp, I was also in ocala florida, another place I never want to see again. and any points north of ocala was very old and dirty, any questions pm me. Hope this helps.. or saves you money.

Wow, I mean, not to diminish how the visit to Florida affected you, but I gotta say thats really what most major cities around the U.S. are like. In Massachusetts people respect police quite a bit so the environment is very different and when you go to a different state and see how it works there and how little respect there is for law enforcement (for example California where I'm going) it can be a shocking experience.

I just took the civil service exam here in Mass and to be honest with you, after going on several ride-alongs with different agencies (most notably the State Police) I am glad I'm going to Cali. Just my $.02 cents worth.

Good luck with everything.

[LA Copper]

Wow, I mean, not to diminish how the visit to Florida affected you, but I gotta say thats really what most major cities around the U.S. are like. In Massachusetts people respect police quite a bit so the environment is very different and when you go to a different state and see how it works there and how little respect there is for law enforcement (for example California where I'm going) it can be a shocking experience.

I just took the civil service exam here in Mass and to be honest with you, after going on several ride-alongs with different agencies (most notably the State Police) I am glad I'm going to Cali. Just my $.02 cents worth.

Good luck with everything.

I agree with you, most major inner cities are "armpits," but that's why we want to work there. That's where all the "action" is.

I'm from Massachusetts and currently work in Los Angeles. Where in California are you going?

[angela1434]

Deleted


I never took the civil service test, like I said before I have no interest in being part of the Police force in MA.

[shaund44]

Im not bashing anyone, just my personal opinion, I have also been to LA and SD not for police but Vacation. LA is definalty a tough place, SD is to but seemed a little safer. Your right about almost all major cities are pretty bad. I just thought florida was worse. I go there to vacation too, i just really seen it more this time than last. Hope cali goes well, a quick spanish vocabulary review wouldnt be a waste of money there either.

[Freedomnow40]

Why don't you check out Cape Cod, many of the town are not Civil Service and have a Dept test for the public. The pay is around $45,000 with incentives for education. Its worth looking into and is quiet in winter and busy in summer.

[Freedomnow40]

Wdr2 try Cape Cod pay is good, quiet winter, busy summer, not civil service

[CoolAZCop]

I grew up in MA and spent almost five years trying to get on there. I saw an ad for Arizona LE hiring and applied. I was on the job within 6 months of testing. I should say that I was sent to the academy within six months of testing. I got in the road about four months after starting the academy.

Although, I cant speak for anyone else, I know that we are in desparate need of officers here in the southwest. The cost of living is fair, unlike Taxachusetts and the wages are pretty decent for my area. Phoenix pays great and they give all kinds of incentives for training and education but the downside of them is that all the officers are required to wear bullseyes as part of the uniform. I have too many friends that have been shot at, assaulted, ramrodded, or seriously injured but if that is something that gets the adenaline flowing...then tryout for PHX.

Now dont get me wrong, I dont work for PHX so what I hear might be biased but I know that they pay really good and there are alot of opportunites and action

[Sanford&Son]

Did you put yourself through the academy down in FL? It seems to me that's the rule rather than the exception. Other than Ft. Lauderdale, what other cities in FL actually put you through the academy? Just wondering, thanks.


I actually got a sponsorship offer from Orange County Sheriff's Office, but the class was to start in January, 2007. I couldn't wait that long, self-sponsored myself through the academy (DBCC) (August 2006) and I got hired two months before the end of the academy.

I was getting too old to keep waiting around. I am finally happy.

As to which agencies actually sponsor, my agency had one going through the BLE at the time, VCSO had four, Beach Patrol had four, and Daytona Beach had about six.