Is becoming a police officer really alot of work? Do you need college?
349157
You will probably need to do the following:\n\n1. Take a written exam\n2.  Take an oral exam\n3.  Take a physical agility test\n4.  Take a polygraph\n5.  Take a psychological test\n6.  Take a medical exam\n7.  Have a background investigation conducted\n\nAssuming you pass these tests/screenings, you'll need to go to the academy (unless you've already done so).  After successfully completing a basic academy, you'll most likely enter what's known as Field Training (FTO), where you're paired up with a senior officer and respond to calls.  This FTO will evaluate you on set criteria on a daily basis.  After passing FTO, you typically become a probationary officer.  In short, yes, it is a lot of work and something you need to be sure you want to put yourself through.  Academy can be boot campish and FTO can be difficult as well.\n\nAs for college, the majority of departments do not require it, but some do.  In any case, college and/or college credits are looked upon favorably.  In many cases, your pay increases may come at a faster clip if you have a degree.
596692
it is not a short path, but this is how I did it. Get on to a local law enforcement dept, then once you are on and certified, push to become a firearms instructer for the dept, and start applying to the FBI or CIA right away. No matter what federal agency you are applying for, they will want at least a bachelors deg. and usually 5"ish" yrs of law enforcement OR military experience. Don't get dissapointed you will get turned down probably the first 2 times you apply, but that is pretty much how they do it, myself, my buddies in other agencies all went through the same. good luck
839827
Stick with you major. Law enforcement agencies don't really care what your major is most of the time. If you ever look at a job announcement for a law enforcement job, no matter if its local, county, state, or federal, they will say that they want someone with a degree, thats all. They never say a major. All they care about is what  being able to get a degree says about you. It says that you are responsible and have a work ethic. If you are chosen they will teach you what you need to know for the job, so your major is not important. Also, having a biology major with open doors in a law enforcement agency because you could work doing forensics and stuff like that, where as someone with a criminal justice or criminology degree wouldnt be able to do. I majored in Criminal Justice and I like it, but now that I know about what agencies require I would have majored in something else knowing I would have the same chance to get a job in law enforcement.
1054637
Your immediate goal should be continue with school and achieve an AA degree at the very least, and a 4-year degree would be better and give you a wider range of career choices.  You don't need to concentrate on any particular subject matter in college, and in fact it may serve your interests better in the long run to not concentrate too heavily on law enforcement courses, but rather business or other courses to improve your well rounded education.  The police academy will teach you everything you need to know to do the job.  If you can't resist taking LE courses in college, please do, but make it as an occassional elective while developing yourself more intensely in other worldly subjects.
673242
The FBI are routinely moved between cities, so if you join the FBI you probably won't settle down.\n\nOtherwise, it depends what you want out of being a police officer to decide what type of city you would like.  I'd suggest looking into being a State Trooper--larger jurisdiction, usually more money, better training, and they usually get all the really big, high profile cases.
1051013
There aren't a lot of options other than becoming a police officer.  If you want to go to the federal level just get a job and get your experience out of the way.  Make sure you get a foreign language, being fluent in a foreign language will help.  I am in investigations and never had to work the road, but these jobs are few and far between.  I don't do homicide and very little narcotics.  Your best bet is to "pay your dues" and work the road for a bit.
993224
not necessarily, but a college degree (especially in criminology) will increase your chances of getting hired. however, you CAN apply for it, if you are at least a high school graduate. my uncle is a police officer, he didn't graduate college but he WAS in college -- he studied, then quit. \ntry taking some criminology classes in a community college -- so that you will gain information about the career. and good luck
698727
OK, first in many states you have to take a police officers exam after you fill out a app.  You will have to take a physcial, mental health screening and a test of your physcial ability in running and other things.\n\nAnd yes many ( but not all)  training is live in and that is just the way it is.  And the hours will be long during training, so you will have to have someone else to take care of the kids, even if you went home, since there is study every night.\n\nAnd remember when you become a officer you don't pick your shift, most likely it will be 2nd or night shift when you get hired.\nAlso police officers have to stay on duty in emergany situations, or have to go in at a moments notice in an emergany also.   Right after 911 I worked over 30 hours staight with no break
1114886
Getting a police position pretty much involves a uniform process.\nFirst, find a dept and their requirements/qualifications. Most require an age, an educational background and a NO FELONY criminal background. If you meet these requirements, then go ahead and contact various departments, if they are accepting applications for open positions or ongoing recruitment, then request an application. \nYou are most likely to then take a written exam if you qualify. Then a physical/phychological screening, drug test and a final offer of employment. The whole process takes about 4-6 months so get on the horn. \nIm in the process myself for several dept's. Good luck!
360404
Yes - to become an officer, you need a college degree.
619542
my hats off tou you for making law enforcement your career path. I really respect you folks. to answer you question, I think it depends on the guy. Some of us guys are very shallow and some just plain ignorant etc.you could be a cop a ceo or a vip... doesnt really matter. what matters is who you are not what you do.
1157050
Normally I would say 95 percent of the people that go to the academy are already hired and sponsered into the department, also many police departments have thier own academy which you can't even go into unless you are hired by that department.\n\nSo most as long as you make a passing score and on of the required elements you continue to work for the department and leave the academy and move on to field training.\n\nNext almost all of those not already hired when they start an academy ( pay thier own way)  have written job offers before they graduate pending thier graduation.\n\nOnce you are a graduate you become POST certified, that is normally the only requirement, not a specific grade.\nNext there will be several grades,  academics, self defence, physical training, restraints,  high speed pursuit, and firearms.\n\nNormally the top graduate and the second top recieved honors,  ( normally most departments offer the student thier pick of shift if they are Number one.  ( but I found out in real life that  althouigh they promice this, they don't really give it to you.  ( unless you pick 2nd shift)\n\nOnce you are POST certified you will find some department somewhere that will hire you,
585603
Depends were but I think it's a national deal\n\nYou can go as early as 18 or 19, you don't need a 4 year diploma in criminal justice, in fact DON'T get a diploma in criminal justice get it in something else because a degree in that will get you nothing. Get a backup like a Business degree because in case you get hurt on the job and you can't continue being an officer, you always have your degree to fall back on.\n\nYou do NEED a high school diploma, and be inexcellent physical shape\nNow if you go into the academy at say 19, the departments still won't hire you till you're 20 1/2 or 21, and they prefer educated people or people with life experience, or military
268780
Most Police Departments only require 20 to 50 credit hours (Sophomore level) to become an officer. Some colleges offer Criminal Justice degrees - the closest that I know of off the top of my head is Texas State University in San Marcos.\n\nAlso, since most Police departments are scrambling to hire officers, most should be very willing to get you any additional info that you'd need. Good Luck!!!
30045
Theres really two different ways to join. First off, in order to be a police officer, a person must be over 21yrs old, and have 0 felonies. The first route is to attend a school that is state recognized. Some universities and colleges offer the 480hr program or the 620hr program. The differences between the two are the latter has more physical training and such. The other option is to attend a city sponsored academy. Most large cities require that officers attend their particular academy. The general rule is it is easier to transition between the college academy and the city because usually the time will be shorted due to your past knowledge. However, most smaller cities are more cautious towards recruits whom have attended city schools due to their specific nature in regards to city laws.
232398
It has no bearing on geting a Police Job at all...You take a written test and a physical,back ground,and psy and polygraph.Police Academy teaches you what you need to know to survive..Good Luck.. And you don't have to have any college..If you do want college major in something other then Police Science because if you are injured on the job you want something else to fall back on..In larger agencies college can help to get you promoted to an administration position, which is more money..
419742
Usually a 2 or 4 year criminal justice degree and then a successful completion of a police academy!