Military transition to Law Enforcement

[TXGrunt]

I’ve got another question. I’m right at a year from getting out of the Corp’s and I want to have a job with an agency as soon as I get out, so I can start the academy immediately and what not. I have heard hear-say that right about 6 months from getting out I can start the application process and a lot of times police departments and what not will hold my spot for an academy and that 6 months is a good time-frame so I can get all the paperwork and any in person interviews and what not done seeing as I am stationed in CA. Any former military here who can give their experience or anyone who knows the process coming out of the military and into law enforcement? Also if anyone can recommend an agency or whether or not I should go State, County, or City. Thanks for the help gents. :dunno:

[Broke Hoss]

I can only speak from my experiences as a background investigator during the hiring process here. We advertise the projected start date for the academy & pretty well stick to it. I've had several applicants nearing ETS in the process, but all were from the local air base (Dyess). I've never had an applicant still overseas & the few I've had out of state weren't active duty. We no longer have a written test, we offer the PT test on several days with most able to schedule attendance on 1 of the days. Backgrounds are a pain over the phone but doable. You would still have to come in for the psych & poly, and another time for the oral board. We don't "hold" spots, but if you make it through the process we offer you 1. I've had guys use terminal leave to make the academy start date.

I was 6 yrs active Army prior to LE, and I've been involved in the hiring process as back ground investigator, oral board member & PTO. I've found that alot of times prior service offer the hiring agency several things: physical fitness, maturity, good decision making, an understanding & respect for rank structure and leadership skills. So yes, your service can be a benefit to you.

But also realize, LE is not Military. We do things different, especially some tactics. Be trainable & don't do the "that ain't the way we did it in the corps". That will work against you. You've appearantly been in long enough to change units, so you know the drill.

Local, State or Fed. I'd say that is a personal decision based on what kind of work you want to do. A big factor for me was I was tired of PCSing & wanted to live in 1 place. That is 1 big reason I went local rather than State. Feds never turned my crank, but to each his own.

Congrats on your decision & Good Luck in your pursuit. And many thanks for your service.

[TXGrunt]

Thanks HOSS, good info. What about a secret clearance? Does this speed up any of the hiring process or make me more competitive for jobs? Thanks

[CAL]

My brother is in the exact same spot. I'll see if I can get him on here to comment.

[Broke Hoss]

The clearance level really doesn't speed up anything or particularly help on the outside. Yes, mention it in the Personal History Report; remember you're applying for a job and basicly trying to convince a dept to hire you.

One other thing from my experiences; TELL THE TRUTH & ALL OF IT! This got more applicants eliminated than anything else. Hey we realize all of us have done things that aint pretty on a resume. But don't try to hide nothing. If it ain't an automatic disqualifyer by the department, you can likely fade the heat at the oral board. But tell the investigator cause if he does a good one he'll find out.

[Feet]

The clearance level really doesn't speed up anything or particularly help on the outside. Yes, mention it in the Personal History Report; remember you're applying for a job and basicly trying to convince a dept to hire you.

One other thing from my experiences; TELL THE TRUTH & ALL OF IT! This got more applicants eliminated than anything else. Hey we realize all of us have done things that aint pretty on a resume. But don't try to hide nothing. If it ain't an automatic disqualifyer by the department, you can likely fade the heat at the oral board. But tell the investigator cause if he does a good one he'll find out.


Hoss is spot on with his last few posts.
I too chose local because I could guarantee knowing which city I was working in year after year. Feds and State will require you to move around, especially if you promote. A female officer at work is married to a State Trooper. She has moved about 5 times within the last 8 years and she is about ready to cut his nuts off for it.

Feds have their benefits, state is ok but my personal preference is local. If you want to crack some heads, arrest some folks and do lots of hands on, local is the way to go. If you want paperwork and investigatory shit, feds seem better to me.
I like investigatory shit but only after I have learned on the streets and I know what the fuck I am talking about.

I did 7 years active duty and I had a Secret clearance. It made a shit bit of difference in my hiring process. I did some cool stuff and was in charge of some cool missions but they do not give a rats ass in the interview room for a local PD. What you say to them and what you demonstrate to them holds lots of weight.

And on your applications, interview and polygraph, TELL THE TRUTH. If you teabagged your high school teacher, tell them honestly.
If you got shitfaced and drove drunk a few dozen times, if they ask, tell the truth. If you snorted coke off a strippers crotch a few years back, answer it honestly.
If you do not, the possibility is very high that the truth will come out and you will get booted. Plus, if you get booted for dishonesty, the next department you apply for MAY inquire as to why you got booted before.:loser:

[TXGrunt]

Thats a lot of help. I have been hearing that working for TX Highway Patrol, that you do not move that often unless you desire to. I definitely do not want that. I do want to work for a department where I can get into investigations after a while, and narcotics and what not, but I want to do my time on the streets first. This really makes me think about going local. I didn't figure that my clearance would mean much but I had to ask. Thanks for the advice on the truth telling, I have read and heard of a lot of guys not getting hired because they lied about the small things. I don't have anything to hide anyways. Now I need to start looking at where I want to work. Part of me thinks a bigger department, San Antonio, Austin etc.. but then part of me is thinking small town. I wont name them on here because I dont know who is with what department, but I have already heard a few departments to steer clear of and I have heard of a few departments to really look into. With that said, anybody here have opinions or suggestions on what departments I should look into? Thanks for the advice.

[Broke Hoss]

FEET-Thanks for the compliment.

TXGrunt-I came home to work cause my wife & I had land here & I'd already learned it's hard to raise horses long distance. I applaud your researching possible departments beforehand. Consider things like what size dept & city you think you'll fit in. I like Abilene (116K people/180 officers) cause we're big enough that we're not just herding goats but small enough that I know the names of all the cops & most of the crooks.

I would suggest you at least go big enough to work under civil service rather than at will. Job security when doing your job right can be very valuable.

[DD78]

Sounds like you want to work in a major city or a large county. Plenty of opportunity there. I wish I had gone that route. Kinda stuck now for a myriad of reasons. House, family, blah blah blah.

About truth telling. Look at it this way.

If you did something dumb years ago, and have made corrections, that's a good thing. It's part of growing up and maturing. All of us have some skeleton in the closet. However, if you smoked weed in high school (not a big deal) and are lying about it now (a big deal) that goes to integrity NOW.

No one will want to hire a candidate with an integrity problem. It's the quickest way to turn a minor issue 10 years ago into a career killer today. The past is the past. What matters really is who you are now.

[DD78]

I would suggest you at least go big enough to work under civil service rather than at will. Job security when doing your job right can be very valuable.

Very good advice about civil service. No one likes the cops when they're on the doorstep. All we bring is bad news. The politicians will throw you under the bus in a heartbeat to save a couple votes. Even when you do it right.

The protections are worth their weight in gold.

[Feet]

If you don't mind stepping on a few hippies and the constant scent of weed and liberalism, a department you mentioned is right up your alley. It starts with A and ends in -ustin.
PM me with any specific questions as I have some info on that particular group of knuckleheads.:shiner: