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Becoming a LEO 101

The FBI is still in my crosshairs. My application is still active, and I have one more chance to take the Phase 2 exam (in the Spring time). They are a prickly bunch. So perhaps the second time around I will figure them out.

In my interviewing processes the most obvious thing I have to contend with is my white collar professionalism. I’m not rough around the edges enough according to one of my interviewers (excuse me for being professional with strangers). Anyway, I’ve got to conform more to the cop culture.

I will say I’d most likely fall into the mold better with the FBI than I would anyone else at this moment.

Now the holidays are over my life consists of waking up whenever I want to. I then apply for at least one finance job a day, and then one cop job a week. I work out and alternate running or weights. I then focus time on keeping up with reading the Penal Code and keeping fresh 10 Codes, and LD’s.

I’ve got nothing else going on, so why not. Oh yea, and I’m arranging lots of ride-alongs.

I've got my Master's degree, an Academy Grad, and a pristine record (almost TOO pristine, I’m just good at not getting caught :). I stay in shape so I will qualify for the FBI physical standards (which CRUSH!!!!!!! any municipal police or POST physical standards), stay on top of my Academy Curriculum, and keep up with my shooting (which I enjoy doing A LOT, I reload my own ammo).

It’s just time, place and opportunity that matters. I’m not finding this job search any different than my Financial job search. The main difference being there is a greater frequency of financial jobs than there are LEO jobs.

See, and its things like that I need to tone down. I said “frequency” instead of simply saying “there are more”.
 
Wez said:
This is good that you include exercise as part of the complete package. What is your MS/MA degree in?

Not to pick on you, but wondering about what "in shape" means? I never thought of myself as in shape, just someone that lifts/runs, etc. I dug this out of a scrapbook - PT test results from the academy (some of the tests were unorthodox). Again, not to be an ass or braggard, just focusing on the concept of what in shape means out here...please illuminate.
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Staying in shape means being able to meet the below requirements:

The main difference with the FBI is the physical requirments are the same to be accepted as they are to graduate. There is none of this being accepted with the anticipation of getting recruits into shape.

http://www.fbijobs.gov/11131.asp

My Master's is a double major in Criminal Justice and Forensic Science/Analysis. haha, just kidding. It’s an MBA in Finance :teeth
 
Wez said:
I've read some of these posts and it seems there is a disparity between what agencies are looking for and what applicants bring to the table.

The standards seem to have risen in regards to educational requirements, but I'm seeing alot of people that get hired have never been "tested" in life or really accomplished much. (Not a disparaging remark, just an observation)

When I got hired, they were mainly looking for people that had been tested in life and were in shape, etc. Most of the "old timers" I worked with were Vietnam combat veterans that had to fight for their lives and actually knew what it was like to kill people and would be reticent to do so on the job.

Not that this generation has that opportunity, but to try to add some value, it would be helpful to applicants to accomplish something and document it. "Something" being up to you, but make sure it shows resolve, comittment, altruism, etc.
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When I first started trying to become a police officer two years ago when I came home from active duty, I was hoping my life experience, leadership and combat deployments would give me an edge over the guys that just had school. Yeah, I was pissing in the wind on that one. Needless to say, I'm back in school. :|
 
Wez said:
Yea, alot of the change in hiring may be attributed to the current brass (LT's and above) come from the civilian pool and have degrees themselves, so they look for the same in candidates.
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It's a shame that they focus primarily on that. It's been show that having a college degree does not necessarily mean you'll be a better or even successful police officer.
 
Don't lose focus. From my perception I need to be more gun-ho, rude and crude, and my education hinders me. I think it's a numbers game. There is no one template of how to act that will get me into a LEO job. Someone somewhere will see a use in me and snatch me up. I'm personally of the opinion interviewers seek out reasons to exclude you. For some it's education, for me it's my corporate image. When you find someone that isn't interested in excluding you then you're likely going to get hired.

Also, I've stopped trying to rationalize why a potential employer should like me. Those that don't find an interest in you are not the ones you want to be working for.

As for the FBI, the Feds are so oblivious to the white-collar broadside they are going to get when the dust settles economically. That's not my problem however. I'm going to be giving out traffic tickets.
 
Good news article of one local PD's hiring practices:
... Manzer said the department received 25 applications for the officer posts. “We got applications from sworn officers in other agencies, graduates from the Napa Valley Police Academy and those who are still in the academy but will be graduating soon” ...

Joining the force is not a one-step process. Applicants who make the first cut are called to take a written test, which involves watching videos of action scenarios and then writing how they would handle the situations. Those still in the running after passing the written test move on to the oral board.

On Wednesday, 21 of the 25 who applied passed the oral board. Three are women, Manzer said.

The next step is probably the most intense for the applicants.

“We do a very lengthy, extensive and thorough background check. We dig into the person’s work and financial history. We talk to former and current neighbors, their friends, their family. We look at every place they have lived,” Manzer said. “And the list goes on.”

Then, it’s onto the polygraph test.

Once an applicant passes that hurdle, it’s time for an interview with Napa Police Chief Rich Melton. The ones who survive that phase are given a conditional job offer. From there, they must pass a psychological screening.

That’s the end of the road for successful candidates. “They come to work,” Manzer said.

There is a 12-month probationary period with 16 weeks of training, during which the new officers are assigned to the patrol unit under the watchful eye of a veteran cop.

Manzer said by the time the candidate reaches the end of their probation stage, they have been scrutinized and usually make it to the force as full-time sworn police officer ....
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Source
 
Sound fairly common to a small agency to what I have heard as the hiring process.
 
<<Manzer said by the time the candidate reaches the end of their probation stage, they have been scrutinized and usually make it to the force as full-time sworn police officer ....>>

Then it's time to lateral :)
 
I want to thank all the LEO's that have dedicated so much of their time to help us outsiders get a feel for what the job is like. Really appreciate your time, and over the last couple hours and 16 pages of reading and rereading I've certainly learned a great deal.


So I have done quite a bit of looking into about what different agencies encompass, but haven't found any hard explanation as to what a LEO should expect from those differing agencies. Which leads me to my questions for you guys.


1) What is the difference between a Police Officer and a Sheriffs Deputy?

2) Is a Sheriffs Deputy a more desirable position because of their often more strict schooling requirements?

3) How does the job title differ in day to day life between the two?


And I'm also looking for some advice since I've read most of the LEO's here rather not respond to personal PM's, but give responses publicly instead.

I'm 21 and graduating from UCSB in 2011 with a major in Anthropology (emphasis cultural). I worked pretty hard to get into this school and mark it as a major accomplishment as it wasn't easy. Part of that drive came from the anticipation that having graduated from a well received school would assist me in Grad schools/ future jobs. How can I best use my degree towards earning a position in LE.

Any other advice for an up and coming like myself would be greatly appreciated!

Again thanks so much.:thumbup
 
Cosmo-M3 said:
1) What is the difference between a Police Officer and a Sheriffs Deputy?

2) Is a Sheriffs Deputy a more desirable position because of their often more strict schooling requirements?

3) How does the job title differ in day to day life between the two?

"How can I best use my degree towards earning a position in LE.(?)"
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============================
1. In California, a police officer generally works for a city or another government entity such as a public college/university system (& there are other police departments, too).

A Deputy Sheriff will typically work for a county's Sheriff's Office/Department.

2. Whether one job is more desirable or not is personal preference. The schooling requirements generally are similar if not exactly the same, although there may be differences once hired for specific education or training needs. Minimally, a police academy will be required which lasts for ~20 weeks.

3. In some cases, the job will be identical, especially if a Deputy is assigned to a city, if the county has any cities contracting with the county vs. having its own police department.

Some things a county will typically have which a city won't (though there are exceptions all the time): county jail; coroner's office; search & rescue; evictions; court ordered property seizures; Superior Court security and in-court Deputy/Bailiff assignments.

Internet has become such a great resource. I'd recommend researching any possible law enforcement agency in which you'd be interested in being employed via the internet to get a better understanding of what each specific agency requires/offers/enforces.

There's local, county, state, Federal, and even AMTRAK. It's what appeals to you, as well as just which employer makes you a job offer.

A 4 year degree is great to have. I'm working with a bunch of people who have masters and law degrees, even though the degrees are not required. There are agencies which want education or experience in specific areas, which you'll see on those specific websites (check out the FBI or Calif. Fish & Game). Other agencies are requiring specific college unit amounts to have been earned before accepting an application while others are OK with high school/GED completion.
 
Cosmo-M3 said:
I want to thank all the LEO's that have dedicated so much of their time to help us outsiders get a feel for what the job is like. Really appreciate your time, and over the last couple hours and 16 pages of reading and rereading I've certainly learned a great deal.


So I have done quite a bit of looking into about what different agencies encompass, but haven't found any hard explanation as to what a LEO should expect from those differing agencies. Which leads me to my questions for you guys.


1) What is the difference between a Police Officer and a Sheriffs Deputy?

2) Is a Sheriffs Deputy a more desirable position because of their often more strict schooling requirements?

3) How does the job title differ in day to day life between the two?


And I'm also looking for some advice since I've read most of the LEO's here rather not respond to personal PM's, but give responses publicly instead.

I'm 21 and graduating from UCSB in 2011 with a major in Anthropology (emphasis cultural). I worked pretty hard to get into this school and mark it as a major accomplishment as it wasn't easy. Part of that drive came from the anticipation that having graduated from a well received school would assist me in Grad schools/ future jobs. How can I best use my degree towards earning a position in LE.

Any other advice for an up and coming like myself would be greatly appreciated!

Again thanks so much.:thumbup
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Ok, I'll take a crack at this.

1) The main difference between a sheriff deputy and a police officer is jurisdiction. Both positions carry full time peace officer powers throughout the state. A police officer is going to work for a municipality, special district, or other public entity. A sheriff deputy works for a county. Most people think of police officers as those working in a uniformed patrol car for a city. There are many other agencys/areas/assignment they work too. Universities/school districts employ them, airports employ them, ports and transit authorities employ them, and there are also agencies like highway patrol, state mental hospital police, state insurance and DMV investigators, just to name a few. Often times couty sheriff deputies have other duties such as courtroom bailiff and even corrections in the jails depending on the agency.

2) I don't believe that sheriff offices, in general, have stricter education requirements than local police. It all depends upon the agency. Some only require a minimum high school diploma/GED while others require up to two years of college. Federal agencies, such as the FBI, generally require a 4-year or advanced degree in a certain specialized area. What makes a certain position more desireable to one person may make it less desirable to someone else. It all depends what you are interested in doing in the long run. For patrol, investigations, SWAT, K9, and other typical specialty assignments, the position of sheriff deupty and police officer are basically the same. The bigger differences come with the various sizes of agencies.

3) Most, but not all sheriff's offices in California have tan and green uniforms and most police have dark blues. So the main difference in job title is that if you are wearing tan and green while chasing a suspect, you need to remember to yell, "Stop! Sheriff's Office! Get down on the ground!!!" And if you are wearing blue you can't forget to yell, "Stop! Police! Get down on the ground!!!" :laughing

With a degree in cultural anthropology and aspirations toward grad school, you might want to look at the Federal level....FBI, Homeland Security, or even CIA? It all depends what kind of work you are interested in doing. If you are interested in doing the type of work you typically see on COPS and other related shows, then you are probably more interested in a local city police or county sheriff. Keep in mind that they never show the hours of report writing involved, time consuming follow up investigations, or courtroom prep and testimony on shows like COPS. A college degree of any kind certainly helps, even when applying to agencies that only require a high school diploma. Especially in todays competitive job market, agencies that are hiring tend to hire applicants that far exceed the minimum posted requirements. Those who want to advance their career and promote usually need a 4-year degree or higher. It is common for chief's of police with the largest police agencies to even have PHDs.

Law enforcement in today's society is much more demanding and complex that it was even 30-40 years ago. It had its roots in American society starting with night watchmen for local villages. Every man in a village was required to volunteer a certain amount of time to this duty. Then the rich men started paying poor, homeless, and often drunks to do their watch shift for them. From those beginnings, it has developed into the profession we have today, employing some of the most intelligent and highly skilled professionals in the world.
 
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