Veterans Affairs Police

[urbancommando]

Anyone in the process with LA? I did a direct hire resume phone call with the captain and he did a resume check and told them my background looks good and should be accepted to start the process. Anyone know the timeline for the direct hire?

[jchac]

Has anyone here recently applied or past year for the VAs in CT or NY?

[crap shoot]

Anyone going to Letc in a few months ? and what do you guys do for now if your VA is not taking weapons home now ? arms room like DOD type deal.

Thanks.

[Ben1980]

Just applied for the VA Police position in Northport NY, question... I have no LE or Military background ... Do you think I would even be considered for the VA???

[Grape soda]

depends if you have a degree, you should get a interview if you do.

[Ben1980]

I don't have a degree, but I do have college credits

[Grape soda]

Just applied for the VA Police position in Northport NY, question... I have no LE or Military background ... Do you think I would even be considered for the VA???

You need some type of experience . Even corrections would count. I know the va in nyc hired security guards before. But that was after 9/11 and they needed officers quickly.

[Supermanstan911]

Hey guys,
Just joined and this is my first time posting. I was selected for a VA Police Officer position in the DMV area and I have an EOD date for 13 April. From what I was told by my HR rep, I will be attending the academy in late April but I was wondering if maybe she's mistaken since it would only be one or two weeks of me being on the job. Any insight on the timeframe of being on the job to leaving for the academy? Does anyone know the next scheduled dates for the academy after the April class?

Thanks in advance if anyone can help in any way.

[cbpApp]

Hey, guys, I just got hired, too. I don’t report until late April. So, Luis Ruiz, with the academy closure, what will we do, work at the agency in a different capacity?

[Supermanstan911]

Okay... Thanks. Still waiting to hear back from my HR Rep and a SGT I contacted over the weekend. I'm definitely sure I won't be starting on time (Monday to be exact) due to the strict regulations in place in the area I'm going to be assigned to.

cbpApp,
CONGRATS but are you still on track to report the end of this month? What date exactly is your EOD?

[cbpApp]

@Supermanstan911, I’m still on track to start. EOD on 04/27.

[Supermanstan911]

@cbpApp,
Great... My paperwork is moving a bit slower because of the pandemic. Instead of starting the New Hires on an every two week basis, we'll be coming in at different intervals and not waiting a pay period to start or new hire orientation. My original EOD was 13 April and was told I would leave for LETC the end of April.

[urbancommando]

Got the email from my BI today that he is going to start my background for LA.

[fedco95]

Anyone that is currently working with the VA police. Do they allow you to perform outside employment? In regards to other part time law enforcement agencies??

[scotty_appleton814]

Yes........

[my93rx7tt]

Anyone that is currently working with the VA police. Do they allow you to perform outside employment? In regards to other part time law enforcement agencies??

Yes

[fedco95]

This is great. Thank you for the information.

[tigers2007]

Anyone that is currently working with the VA police. Do they allow you to perform outside employment? In regards to other part time law enforcement agencies??

The VA and the VA Police service really doesn't give a rat where you pack the bananas after work so long that it isn't an ethics issue (working for a contractor who works at the VA, etc.) It is not like other agencies where you have to beg.

[fedco95]

I was just looking to keep my state cert active with reserve or part time work. Unfortunately the DOJ doe NOT allow any type of law enforcement work outside.

[tigers2007]

You need some type of experience . Even corrections would count. I know the va in nyc hired security guards before. But that was after 9/11 and they needed officers quickly.

It is entirely up to the hiring official. There are PLENTY of people that have been to LETC recently that have absolutely ZERO sort of "law enforcement" background. This probably explains why LETC makes everyone start at the beginning even though 75% of the class are retired or former academy-trained LEO's already. This isn't anything new either; there are not many Fed armed jobs out there that recognize prior service. BIA Police has some sort of 3-week catch-up academy for prior service and I think the new National Art Gallery Police wants old farts.

I'm sorry but I need to vent right now. The VA Police has relied almost solely on hiring experienced prior-service LEO's to survive as an agency for the last 40 years. I mean, can you blame them? Actually YES. This sort of reliance on hiring retired city cops is only proper when an agency is starting up and going thru the growing pains (akin to the National Art Gallery Police...). Once they are up and running, don't you think it would behoove them to start hiring fresh career-minded officers that are mold-able and will fall into the VA groove? There is so much old school blood at the top that from a National level, the VA Police service is struggling to survive. Bring up "FERS Special Retirement" to an old grey-haired VA Police Chief and they will get all wild and panicky as if they're going to lose their job. All that the FERS Special Retirement brings to 0083 series VA Police Officers is a 70% higher retirement at very little cost to the agency, it brings along a SERIOUS reason to keep the job, and it also attracts THOUSANDS of existing experienced Federal LEO's (who are age exempt if they are already in a Special retirement covered LEO position). I've already noticed that even the old dog retired city flatfoots and county brown clowns whine and complain about how the Federal system works; they are buying the rank and file Kool-aid i've been drinking as a Federal employee for many years before. Yet another reason to hire fresh young blood and allow existing Fed LEO's to come to the VA Police.

Portability: It still blows my mind how LETC doesn't just merge with FLETC. There is an 11-week program at FLETC called the Uniformed Police Training Program (UPTP). It is utilized by most Federal agencies for uniformed police. Here is the best part (and it goes both ways): if a VA Police officer had UPTP and got sick of working at a Hospital, then said officer could apply at any other agency (that uses UPTP) and then smoothly transition over. SAME with an officer that lets say gets sick of working at the Secret Service Police or the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, they could smoothly come to VA Police without dealing with re-training them from zero to hero even though they've been essentially doing the same dang thing for years already. Its quite ridiculous that the VA doesn't use UPTP. Training related to how to treat Vet's with soft gloves can all be taught at the stations.

[tigers2007]

Anyone going to Letc in a few months ? and what do you guys do for now if your VA is not taking weapons home now ? arms room like DOD type deal.

Thanks.

Take-home guns isn't even on the horizon anymore. The way it appeared to be implemented was to force officers to take the weapons off-property to secure storage at their residences. The union raised questions about this as it is a can of worms. For starters, the VA Police hires many Veterans. Twenty Vets a day commit suicide. Many VA Police officers presumably have PTSD; why would the agency force them to take a loaded firearm home? Making it optional is another thing. This agency is very nit picky as a whole. I wouldn't recommended taking a Federally owned firearm anywhere when off the clock. LEOSA lets you carry your own firearm (to the constraints of LEOSA and local regulation).

[crap shoot]

I worked for a agency before as an 0083 and we took them home, just easier to go to assignments without having to go to once place to turn around and go back where you already were. Also, no waiting to hand in cards or whatever you do. But it is what it is, I still don't know even with all the info, do you bring your gun in and swap it out ? you can PM me as I do have some other questions, thank you !

[Exbpa340]

Every Federal Leo (under title 5) has the option of taking home their duty weapon and the far far majority do. Nothing wrong with it. Can’t speak tomVA specifically but carrying your duty or duty authorized POW is better than carrying under LEOSA. The LEOSA limitations (school zone, flying armed etc) don’t apply.

[tigers2007]

Exbpa340 That may be true but the employee must follow agency policy. VA policy says otherwise. The mere fact that the agency informally implied that VA Police Officer's would be forced to take their duty weapons home speaks for itself. There is so much confusion in this agency its rather embarassing. They need to "clean sweep" from the top down. This includes the Directors. I've never seen an agency that treats Veterans like turds (from the patients to the Veteran employees).

[orlandofed5-0]

It is entirely up to the hiring official. There are PLENTY of people that have been to LETC recently that have absolutely ZERO sort of "law enforcement" background. This probably explains why LETC makes everyone start at the beginning even though 75% of the class are retired or former academy-trained LEO's already. This isn't anything new either; there are not many Fed armed jobs out there that recognize prior service. BIA Police has some sort of 3-week catch-up academy for prior service and I think the new National Art Gallery Police wants old farts.

Actually YES. This sort of reliance on hiring retired city cops is only proper when an agency is starting up and going thru the growing pains (akin to the National Art Gallery Police...).

There is no such agency as the National Gallery of Art Police. There is an agency that is known as the National Gallery of Art Protective Services which has GS 0083 police officers and GS 0085 Security Guards with limited arrest authority.

[fedco95]

Does anyone work here for the Bedford Ma hospital?

[urbancommando]

Did my psych test today and will have a psych interview on the phone or video later this week