Job with LEOs while still in High School?

[popsandfriends]

Hello,
Im not sure if this is in the right forum but i took a stab at it . I'm 17, a junior in high school, and looking for a federal or local part time job. A while ago, i had a friend who did this where he lived down south, so I assume it would be possible in Maine too. My surrounding towns have all declined and told me they dont offer such a program. The Us Marshals service doesnt have a high school program, and the Secret Service had one but the position was filled. I really would love to get the experience down now when im in high school, even if it's just doing simple tasks around a station. I set up an appt. with my guidance counsellor at school. hopefully she can set something up with an agency/department nearby. Anyone have suggestions?

Thanks,
Hunter

[kirch]

I'd start by learning as much as possible about the position your friend had -- how'd he get it, what kind of agency was it, what sort of work did he do, was it funded by a grant, what value did he bring to the agency, etc.

Then start contacting every LE agency within a reasonable distance from you, municipal, county, state and federal. Explain what you're looking for and see if the opportunity even exists. If your friend's position was funded by a grant, make them aware of that and offer to help apply for the grant (great experience, by the way).

Once you've identified that the oportunity does, in fact, exist, then it's time to make yourself the best candidate. Perhaps you volunteer with local organizations, maybe you are the leader of the local Explorer Post (or were instrumental in getting one started), and so on.

One key though, is that you have to show that you're 110% serious about this, and not just some wannabe that gets off on being near the cops.

My department hires local high school and/or college students to serve as Community Service Officers during the summer months. They write parking tickets, enforce bicycling laws and do ordinance enforcement as well.

Good luck.

[COASTIE01]

What part of maine are you from?

[popsandfriends]

I'll give it a shot, see how many different places I an contact next week.


I'm from Topsham, Maine

[popsandfriends]

Well, its been a few months now. Ive just about exhausted every resource. Just about every state, county, federal department i contacted has no such job, but I CANNOT give up on this. I know In one year I will be 18, but I'd like to get started now. Its frusterating but I hope by keeping up what im doing and contacting more and more people, I will get a good answer!

Thanks for the support so far.

[justice12]

Are you anywhere near the beach? In a lot of areas along the East Coast the shore towns hire summer officers. Training, level of authority and duties vary widely. If you are going to college, try to pick an area near the shore and work as a summer cop.

I was a summer officer in NJ during college. I attended the police academy, carried a firearm, made arrests, got great experience and had a lot of fun.

[My Gluttony]

I don't know if they have them in high schools, but when I was in grade school we had "safety patrols"

All the kids in my grade school (K-8) lived in wlaking distance from school. We had to march in two single-file lines (boys on one side girls on the other) toward our houses and we would peel off as we got to our blocks.

We had these guys called "safety patrols" who wore these white (later orange) belts with a shoulder strap and a badge that said "AAA" on it. The big-time butt kissers got gold badges that said "Captain", "Lieutenant" and "Sergeant". The rest of them had a badge that said "patrolman"....alot like a real police department..

Their job was supposed to be to make sure no kids got run over by cars. They would walk in front of, behind and between the lines.

Their REAL job was to be SNITCHES. They would squeel on you for swearing and spitting on the sidewalk and throwing rocks at trains when we crossed the overpass and fighting

Those stinking nuns never let me be a patrol because they said I was a bad kid...Well, I showed them....I am a cop now and I have all kind of authority. You don't see many nuns riding around 9 deep in a station wagon like you did in the 50' and 60's. There arent as many around and most of them work plain clothes like that chick in "dead man walking", so it is hard to spot them

Most of the nuns who were mean to me are all dead or too old to drive now, but I ever pull one over, I am gonna say "remember me, Toots?" You said I was a bad kid and I couldnt be a safety patrol...Well I am a cop now....What do you think of THAT?"....And then the nun will slap the hell out of me like she did in the old days and I will go back to my car with my tail between my legs

[1895bombdog]

Try an explorer program

Many departments and agencies have great police explorer programs that offer excellent training. They give you a good insight about the job, employees and their requirements. You make good contacts that you could possibly use as references. Often the kids are in ages from 14-21.

[Jim1648]

The PD that I formerly worked at has used high school students for clerical help in the past. How fast is your typing speed? I know that working in records doesn't sound too exciting, but it is an "in" at some agencies. Depending on whether you need the cash, and who doesn't, if you were to send a letter to some agencies that you are interested in volunteering your time, you might get some response.