LE Training/ Schools

[Hanks44]

Hey guys first post!!!!

I will be graduating from high school this year and am involved with my local LE departments. I was wondering where some of you went to school (college) and how you liked it.I have heard MSU kato and St. Cloud state r good four years and alex is a good two year....ne others? Also what is the better way to go a 2 or 4 year program if i want to be hired in minnesota once ive finishd?

[K9 Police]

I strongly and highly recommend going for a 4 year degree something other than Criminal Justice. With that being said, I know MN is unique in that you need to go through the classes and skills in order to apply to departments. However, if you can manage it. Grab a 4 year in something else and then become certifiable.

I went to U of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Picked up my 4 year there in Sociology / Pre-Law. Was planning to go to Alex for a few classes and skills. Instead got hired by a department in WI that put me through an academy and paid for everything. Now looking into a Masters program.

Alexandria would be my suggestion to anyone wanting to get into law enforcement.

K9

[Hanks44]

Ive heard a lot of different stories from officers on two and four year programs is it all just talk behind not being able to get accepted at a PDwithout a 4 yr degree or is there actually some truth behind it...ive been told both sides of it?

K9 thanks for the info....im positive that LE is what i want to do..that being the case why should i pursue a degree in something other than criminal justice/law enforcement? just wondering

[squad51]

Four year degree will definatly set you apart...some depts like Burnsville REquire a 4 year to get hired..others like St.Paul require it to be promoted...

[Medici]

Read ALL the threads in the Minnesota section and you will learn a lot without asking... (Wait, am I turning into Bodie?).. Never mind.
Go to school for a four year degree in something. If you want Criminal Justice stay away from Metro State. St. Cloud, Mankato and U of M, have good programs and then attend the SKILLS training at Alexandria.
Remember to have a back-up plan in the event that you DO NOT get hired as a cop. Get a four year degree in something that interests you or something you would like to do other than policing. Get the degree and then go to Metro State for the Law Enforcement Certificate Program and then go to SKILLS at Alex.
In my opinion police departments are now looking for the global, mature, established officers. Get the degree, set yourself free...

[squad51]

Read ALL the threads in the Minnesota section and you will learn a lot without asking... (Wait, am I turning into Bodie?).. Never mind.
Go to school for a four year degree in something. If you want Criminal Justice stay away from Metro State. St. Cloud, Mankato and U of M, have good programs and then attend the SKILLS training at Alexandria.
Remember to have a back-up plan in the event that you DO NOT get hired as a cop. Get a four year degree in something that interests you or something you would like to do other than policing. Get the degree and then go to Metro State for the Law Enforcement Certificate Program and then go to SKILLS at Alex.
In my opinion police departments are now looking for the global, mature, established officers. Get the degree, set yourself free...

Oh yeah thanks for that...now I got that frigging song running through my head...short trip I know but still :P

[Maxx102]

I may show my bias here but I am an Alexandria Tech grad and I can tell you that getting hired is tough but I have seen those who have 4 years having the same tough time getting hired......mainly because they are not able to pass the test.

My wife is currently getting ready to attend her skills class at CCJLE and they are sending her to St. Cloud for driving and then she has to go down to Burnsville for firearms class.

At Alex - they have EVERYTHING you need to train. A firearms range and it's own driving track, a gas house for tear gas training, and a training house for practicals of domestics and how to enter a house to execute a search warrant.

I will give you one warning about Alex though - get ready to run. Durring PT I ran 3/4, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 mile runs. No running track - you get to run out on the local county roads and city streets.

With all of that said - you also meet some great people who are also in the program and you will have a good time as well.

[squad51]

I would go to alex as well..CCJLE is ahhh...kinda lame.

[K9 Police]

I will give you one warning about Alex though - get ready to run. Durring PT I ran 3/4, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 mile runs. No running track - you get to run out on the local county roads and city streets.

Get ready to run? 6 miles is like a warm-up! In all honesty though, more academies/skills training should be like Alex. The more running the better.

What test can't the 4 year graduates pass? The POST test?

K9

[NDubs55]

Ok, what you want to do to make this sweet and simple.... here you go: go to a 2 year school first, get your generals done. Transfer to a 4 year and get your degree (that's what i did and I was done in 4 years. Graduated from SCSU). then whatever you do after your 4 year, you have to go to Alexandria. I just got done with the POST training up there and it teaches you somethings about yourself. I had friends going to the "skills" programs through Mankato State, Metro State and all that and they did not compare to Alexandria. Alex has a great staff that push you and push you to get better. Alex POST= one of the best in the midwest ..... other other "skills" programs= Fat Kid Camp. Trust me, you want Alexandria. Alex's 2 year program is tough as they come. If you want a challenge, you would go there. I have been through it all and heard it all about the degrees too. Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement degrees get you the same about of respect and virutally there is no difference. I am doing fine with my Criminal Justice degree. So pick a 4 year college you like and go from there. good luck.... and i'm here if you want to talk about anything else.

[40cal]

well, good luck. And don't let anyone knock Metro State. No, I didn't go there but I have had plenty of friends that did. They run a good program and a lot of their professors have a strong reputation. Study hard and the 4 years will blow by. I know my college career was way to short and I was in for 5 years at SCSU. But good luck none the less.

So Metro State is fat kids camp now?

Ok, what you want to do to make this sweet and simple.... here you go: go to a 2 year school first, get your generals done. Transfer to a 4 year and get your degree (that's what i did and I was done in 4 years. Graduated from SCSU).

So did you go to SCSU for 4 or 5 yrs?

[NDubs55]

my bad... i was a little drunk when i was writing. I did go for 5 years. I must of thought that I hit the 5 but instead it was a 4 sorry! it's that damn SCSU still in my blood. Some days it seemed so long there and then other days it was so short. my apologies for the mix up. thanks for catching that 40Cal.... But SCSU is still a damn fine college. I had fun and learned a lot.

my thought on going into a big 4 year college right away is this for anyone that is reading and cares. there are roughly 18-20,000 students at SCSU now and getting your generals done will take 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 years then you get to go into your major. that's why i would suggest to anyone that has thought about going straight to a big 4 year college to give the Community College system a serious look. You get your generals and get to save some big money in the long run.

[Medici]

In my opinion do the following...
Sit down and think about a plan for your life. You really want to be a cop but you also thought that being an accountant would be fun. Always have a backup plan. What I mean is that the majority of students pushed out of SKILLS each year (1,000+) NEVER find jobs. The market is saturated with POST eligible people and there are not enough jobs to go around.
Go to a Community College and get the 2-year generals degree (Associate of Arts) and then transfer to a State University. Take classes both in LE and the other thing that interests you. Then get the degree in the other thing that interests you (NOT Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice). Now you have a degree in something that you actually can use in the likely event that you will not get a job.
Then go to Metro State University for their Law Enforcement Certificate Program. You will take a couple of course and then can attend SKILLS at CCJLE or Alex Tech during the summer (go to Alex).
I do not want to sound harsh but have the back-up plan. I know plenty of guys and gals who put all their chips in the Law Enforcement pot and they lost out on a lot of time and money. They are now in their late 20's, married, kids, house payment and such, and can not find a police job. They are still working medial jobs and wishing they could go back to school for something else.
Also, in the event that you do work on that backup plan and do get the police job you will have a great career once you retire for policing. You put in your 25-30 years, collect the big, fat pension paycheck and be working doing something else. I know a couple of retired cops and now they want nothing to do with law enforcement. They are collecting big bucks on the pension and their second career.
My. 02 cents.

[K9 Police]

Great advice...

K9

[computergeek]

I could not agree more on having a backup education plan.

In the technology biz, everyone that I know who had a second education was able to survive the dot-com blowout of 2001-2002.

One person I used to work with was a UNIX systems administrator with an accounting background. When the economy when bad, she got her CPA and was able to stay employed, and actually did quite well.

Others were not as fortunate. In 2000-2001 I attended a Cisco networking class funded by my work. The lady I sat next to refinanced her house to pay for these expensive classes ($12k+). I kept in touch with her for 1-1/2 years after the class was over. Last time I talked with her she found a very low level tech-support job that barely paid her bills with no benefits. Recently I heard that the company she worked for closed up. She had no other major skills to fall back on...