DoE SPO

[SJM247]

I've been temped by a job ad for a Special Police officer for the Dept. of Energy. However, I've searched around as much as I could and am having a hard time finding information on if this is a job worth relocating for. I currently have a 0083 job with DoD in PA, and would be uprooting to New Mexico if i get the job.
Eager to hear from anyone who has held this job with the DoE. Is it a secure job (fear of losing contract?) Is the pay as good as ive heard ($60k to start)? Company culture? Anything, because Im at a loss with google searches

[battlewagon]

Just because I don't know anything about them, and to give you something to chew on before making a decision, the biggest question is 'why'? If they're not 6c covered (I don't know if they are or aren't), and you didnt have a burning desire to go live in the lovely state of New Mexico before seeing this, what do you gain by going from a non 6c job to another non 6c job that I imagine would be even more static post type work than a DoD 0083?

[DiverB72]

i’m going to take a stab at this. Wayback in 2006 I was a little upset with the Border Patrol and I applied for a position with DOE as a courier and went to Albuquerque for the three day assessment and I remember getting checked into the facility by 0083‘s.

I have no solid evidence but pure speculation I believe this position is pretty much a security guard position for the facility where the nuclear materials couriers come in and out my guess is you probably check them in and out and keep their equipment secure in between their runs, but I would agree with battlewagon if you’re a young man with a clean background and are in half ways decent shape why not apply for one of the three letter agencies with 6C retirement coverage?

[SJM247]

Valid points. My main reason for considering leaving DoD is that my agency (DoD Navy) seems hesitant to give me any form of extra training or upward mobility. I was hired with the understanding that I would go to a GS6 after FLETC, but theyre making every excuse to keep that from happening.
As for trading one static post for another, based on the few pictures ive seen and looking through the training course catalog for SPOs, it looks like its much more serious than standing in a gate house. (Lots of pictures of posts being guarded by Bearcat armored vehicles). Im mainly looking to see if this is an accurate depiction of the job.

[DiverB72]

My main reason for considering leaving DoD is that my agency (DoD Navy) seems hesitant to give me any form of extra training or upward mobility..

Well I'm not surprised, they are afraid you will take the additional training and go else where. To bad they don't realize your already looking at going else where.

Back in 2002 I got hired as a GS-5 0083 at a DFAS (defense finance accounting center) an hours drive from my parents home where I grew up and was happy to get my foot in the door. Like you I was disappointed from the lack of training and checking ID cards at the gate all day. I was 29 yrs old and bored. I applied for the Border Patrol, and after nearly 18 months of the hiring process I got in and made it thru the training pipeline.

Family and friends questioned me on why I would give up a Gov job basically in my home town for another Gov job two thousand miles away. I'm glad I didn't listen to family and took the job with the BP. I left the BP several years ago for another agency, but I'm now a GS-13 doing the kinda work I want to do.

I guess my point is if your not happy where your at, then make the move. Apply for different agencies and give it a shot. Best of luck to you

[SJM247]

DriverB72, Couldnt agree more. Just need to make sure im not getting the bait & switch with what little info ive seen.
http://www.specwarnet.net/taclink/Federal/doe_srt.htm
This is the most detailed info ive found...but it seems a little outdated.

[Exbpa340]

Here’s what I could find on this position. It looks like they are contractors..

https://ndiastorage.blob.core.usgovc...land/foley.ppt

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...1shrg65006.htm


https://lensa.com/security-police-of...44#description

[SJM247]

Much appreciated Exbpa340, That 2nd link was very useful. Deep in the fine print it specifies that theres Security officers (unarmed), SPO Level 1 (the position in the ad) which, as mentioned in an above post does the static security, and SPO Level 2 (which does more force protection and mobile patrol).
I could understand starting out as a level one, paying dues and working the gate to start off, i just hope theres opportunities to move up.

[battlewagon]

DriverB72, Couldnt agree more. Just need to make sure im not getting the bait & switch with what little info ive seen.
http://www.specwarnet.net/taclink/Federal/doe_srt.htm
This is the most detailed info ive found...but it seems a little outdated.

It sounds like you'll go from a static post sitting in a 2011 Impala by the base gate, to a static post sitting in a bearcat by the facility gate. I don't think you're going to find much of what you're looking for based on your post, including upwards mobility.

Diver above and I are both pretty big advocates for Border Patrol, and have both had pretty good careers that all started with a good time in Border Patrol which has led to some good jobs. I concur that you should apply to BP. Plus, they'll be happy to send you to the lovely state of New Mexico.

Training is top notch, and once you're in, you're guaranteed a GS-12 + 25%, totaling 100k in two years based on you starting as a GL-9 having LEO experience. Training and upwards mobility is unlimited in BP, or you can use it to go to another agency, plain clothes jobs, etc.

[Exbpa340]

battlewagon I too logged quite a few years in BP and agree that it is an excellent option. The biggest drawback for most is relocating to the SWB but this guy is willing to move to New Mexico so it seems like a no brainer.

**My son also started with BP and did just under 18 months and then moved on to another agency.

[battlewagon]

Oh I know, i was waiting for you to come in here ha. You, Diver and I probably account for 2% of BP applicants recruitment with our posts on here

[DiverB72]

I try hard to push BP related hiring questions and info over to the delphi forums since there is far more info and accurate info there

[B0J0B7]

I've been temped by a job ad for a Special Police officer for the Dept. of Energy. However, I've searched around as much as I could and am having a hard time finding information on if this is a job worth relocating for. I currently have a 0083 job with DoD in PA, and would be uprooting to New Mexico if i get the job.
Eager to hear from anyone who has held this job with the DoE. Is it a secure job (fear of losing contract?) Is the pay as good as ive heard ($60k to start)? Company culture? Anything, because Im at a loss with google searches

Unexpected way to send in my first post. Long time lurker here.

Hi there, SJM.

Judging by the tags on your message, and please correct me if I'm wrong, you're interested in the Security Police Officer I (SPO I) position at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This is the public job posting: https://www.constellis.com/job/secur...fficer-lanl-2/ SPO I pay starts at $17.84/hr. After a two year probationary period, pay is increased to $34.38/hr. Given that you have prior LE experience, I would expect that you could be offered a supervisory (non-union) position. If so, your pay could immediately start somewhere the ballpark of $35-40/hr. Union personnel are fairly secure in their positions even if the contract were to change hands.

To address a few of the other comments in the thread & provide for general education...
-DOE SPO positions are contracted positions and NOT 6c covered.
-SPOs have limited federal arrest authority.
-DOE SPOs are different from Nuclear Material Courier (0084) federal agents.
-SPO Is are not usually static. You may be assigned to a static post ("working the gate") while waiting for your clearance to process or under some other special circumstance, though.
-The focus for a SPO I, generally, is 98% security and maybe 2% LE.
-Promotion/lateral opportunities include SPO III (SRT), supervisor, instructor, or admin staff which are all internal to the Protective Force.
-Los Alamos (losalamosnm.us) is located NW of Santa Fe and is nothing like the SWB. The lifts at the local ski hill are about a ten minute drive from the Lab, if that.
-A DOE Q clearance is the equivalent to a TS (not SCI). An L clearance is the same as a Secret.

Best of luck with whatever you decide, SJM!

[SJM247]

Thanks for all the input. Decided to go ahead and apply. Worst they can do is not hire me, and then ill just keep working at my current job. Btw, BP was an option a couple years ago, then i found out they had a Poly.....i don't do well with those....im too honest

[wildstar82]

As a SPO, you will be an armed contractor guarding Nuke facilities. I'm not sure who the contractor is who has that contract, but I've seen that contract change hands and all SPOs were retained by the new contract holder (think like if a new Sheriff is elected and Deputies are retained). You may be checking IDs one day and then driving around in a hmmwv the next. The LE work there is non-existent. Your authority is very limited in scope. You will show up to work, check your guns out of the armory, and go to work.. The job is mind-numbingly boring....I mean extremely boring. A few years back I was a Courier and the SPOs went on strike. They needed someone to guard the bang, so DOE threw us to the wolves. I sat in a guard toward for 16hrs a day for several weeks. It was terrible.

The only reason guys do the job is the money. Nearly every SPO makes well over $100k/yr due to working so much OT. Most are covered under fantastic union contracts that leads to double time pay for OT and triple time to work holidays....things like that. Guys do it because once they belly up to the teet, they can't walk away.

There was always talk about federalizing the SPO work force to make them 0083 Feds, but they would take a MASSIVE pay cut. As a SPO you can get some sweet shooting schools and other tac/swat courses

[SJM247]

Wildstar82, glad to hear that job security is good. I've worked other contract jobs where the new company would only keep certain employees. As for the boredom aspect, I believe thats something i can deal with. Ive spent almost the last 2 years sitting in a guard shack in what is basiclly a federally owned industrial plant for 12-16hrs a night. We have barely any arrest authority as it is, and if something exciting does happen even 5in outside the jurisdiction line, the unwritten policy is to call Philly PD. So if im bored, but protecting something important, i can deal. The training for SPOs was a major draw for me. DoD gave me a 4 week crash course on being a sentry, and after that, FLETC. Others experience may differ, but i was underwhelmed by FLETC UPTP course. And theres no likelihood of receiving anything more than online trainings. I now feel more confident in my decision to apply. Even if it doesn't lead anywhere

[Exbpa340]

Something not mentioned is moving from a position with a pension to one without. The regular FERS retirement is probably worth around 1.5 million ish when you add the annuity, supplemental and FEHB. The FERS covered retirement is worth over 2.5 million. I would strongly weigh walking away from a position with a pension to one without.

****The above numbers do not include TSP.