A lil' bit of melancholy restlessness.

Howdy folks,

Been a while since I've posted here, or even visited here for that matter. So, first off, Hope you're all doing fine.

Here it is:

So, I was sitting at the dinner table after a long, ridiculously redundant night of work, and I began to ponder. I was sitting there, eating my tasteless meal, forming conjectures about various tasteless subjects, and then began reflecting on my Quickly-Becoming Tasteless routine. Tired, I am, of busting my arse for peanuts and not even recieving any self worth out of it. You know, when you have that job that you never really wanted, and you begin to feel stuck there, and you have this sneaking suspicion / dread that it is slowly becoming a career? Ya, there it is. I work overnight at a large grocery store chain now stocking shelves, and it's something I've done on and off for a lot of years of my life, but I've now begun to dig a groove into it, and fit myself "Comfortably" in that groove. In fact, I just got a promotion. I believe my arse-print is now firmly embedded in that groove. That scares the crap out of me, frankly. I have to do something. But I know not what. I have no direction, not even an inkling, but I do have this doubt that if I TAKE a direction, it'll be the wrong one, and i'll be no better off. But here i go, starting from the end. Woops.

I want to do something in law enforcement. I want to be a police officer, and hopefully work my way up through years of dedication and good work ethic to a higher "platform" of law enforcement (I.E. FBI, DEA, ...anything really, at this point). Do I have a military background? No. School? No. Just a GED under my belt. I'm 25 this december, and really have nothing to show for it. Granted, I'm a heck of a lot better off than I was a few years ago, but it just ain't enough. I feel like I need to be doing something.

Obvious first step in my mind, since there is no prior military record on my resume, would be school. Right? Just take a couple years of core classes, and fit in a criminal justice course? Work my way up to a university and end up spending six years in school? Would taking any specific courses expedite the process, or make my application more desirable to employers out there? What courses? And How many years, realistically, would it take as a police officer, before I can begin to set my sights on another law enforcement agency? Or is it a wasted hope without a military background?

Please, I've always felt that the advice given here on a serious topic to be solid advice. That's all i'm looking for. Somebody with knowledge on the subject, who can point me in a direction, or even to a sign in the road that has a direction.



PS. The comment "Higher platforms of law enforcement", or something to that effect in regards to FBI, DEA vs Police was not meant to be disparaging or disrespectful to any police officer out there. It's really just my own goal ..or rather, a goal I'd like to have. Take no offense, if possible.

Hi Ket. Nice to see you back on here. Most places do not require college to become a police officer, although some may. In fact, some places give you college credits for completing the police academy (they do in Baltimore). Go ahead and check with your local department of choice, and find out what the requirements are.

Understand that this job is all about authority and service. You will be even more a subject of surveillance than the public you are watching. Not only are your LEO superiors watching, so is the public.

Not a job for everyone. But rewarding for those that can stick it out.

Hey Matt, I appreciate the response.

I've looked into my local police department twice ...once, a few years back, and once recently. The first time I took a look at it, they required at least two years of college, credit-wise. Now, when I look at it, it does not mention college per se, but it goes on to explain when the next cadet training begins, in 2010, and, I mis-quote: "This gives many of you ample time to complete school or military service, or other obligations beforehand". Now, is that a vague way of saying school is still a pre-requisite? Or just something to consider? I don't know, and If i had any sort of computer savvy at all, i'd put the link here for the web-site im speaking of. (Austin Police Department, texas, for those who're wondering).

I'm sure I could go somewhere else, like Houston, or hell I know New Orleans is in need of cops ...and I will, i think, if I have to. But I'd like to stay in the Austin area. And so If I do go into school, I'm sure taking a language class such as Spanish for instance, would be a crowd pleaser. But other than that I've really no idea what would put up higher on the list of potential candidates once applying.

Perhaps I've just missed some integral snippet of information from the web-site. I'll take another look and see if there is any advice therein.

-Edit- ..I feel that I can finally, at thi point in my life, say that I'm prepared to devote as much discipline, dedication, and werewithal, to become a hell of a police officer. Seems to me that everyone comes to a point in their lives when they've looked at all the options, and finally picked one they're ready to pursue ardently. Such, I believe, is the case here.

Thanks again.

Ket,

I am a 15 year police officer. I am in central Florida. Many applicants in this area start at a smaller LEA and then after 2 years or so (some even less) apply at a larger agency.

In my area, larger LEAs tend to require college to get in the door from applicants with no direct LE experience (Tampa FL does last time I checked). With others LEAs, you need a degree only if you want to make rank. Sometime the LEAs change their requirments becuase they are short of manpower and need more applicants.

As long as you have a pretty good personal record, and you don't mind starting at a smaller size LEA you should not have too much of a problem eventually getting to a larger LEA.

Most agencies have recruiters that you can talk to before you apply to see what that LEA likes their applicants to have. LEAs tend to be like people, some want different things than others.

The sherrif's office in my location under the last Sheriff really liked prior military guys; the current one really likes guys with college-altho it is not a requrement to have a college degree or prior military.

Hope this helps,
Kel