Important career decision

[LawFowl]

I've been an officer for three years now this month. I worked for my first agency for two years and June will be 1 year with this agency. This is a nice town to work for. We're civil service, have a good retirement, stay busy, get take home cars, make good money, get to go to training when we want (pretty much), work 12 hour shifts, have cool Sgts/Lts, etc.

However, it has come to my attention that Texas DPS is offering guaranteed duty stations right now. I don't know how long they're going to be offering that option (maybe there's some troopers here that can chime in). I'm just not sure what I should do. I've been thinking about trying to see if I could actually get anywhere in their hiring process and see how far I make it (I'd hate to waste anyone's money). I feel like my superiors here really enjoy having me work for them. I'd hate to regret not applying while I'm young (25) and not being able to get a shot at being a Trooper. In my three years I've found my calling and it's dealing with DWIs. I'd rather make a DWI arrest than anything else. Here in June I will be making $24 and some change/hour and I'd have to take a slight pay cut. I get a lot of overtime working for a municipality as where I don't think Troopers get as much overtime as I do. Those are the only drawbacks I can think of.

Like I said, June will be a year here. I know the employers look at someone's dates from their work history. I wonder if they might think something of me since I'm on my second police job in three years and possibly applying at another one. It is noted that I left my first agency on good graces. It just wasn't for me but I'm eligible for re-hire there. I never had any problems. The micromanagement was unmanageable and it was a rich white town of 30,000 full of attorneys and prikks.

Also, I'd hate for my superiors here to get wind of my actions and make me feel like a red headed step child. In addition, since I'm still on probation they could let me go for any reason until I reach the end of my probation period.

I'm at a dilemma and I'm not getting any younger.

[Jim1648]

Take the first step and apply. Then, just take it one step at a time. You don't need to tip your current employer yet that you have applied.

[LawFowl]

Take the first step and apply. Then, just take it one step at a time. You don't need to tip your current employer yet that you have applied.

But at some point a BI would call!

[Iowa #1603]

MOST agency leaders will not hold it against someone who is out to better themselves, their family, or their situation.

I wouldn't hide anything from your present employers..................if they let you go for that type of situation -------------------you would probably not really want to stay there anyway.

If you think the DPS would be a good fit for you----go for it. Sometimes timing is everything. If this new program at DPS is recent and limited, you could use that as an "excuse" for job hopping so fast.


The big question is -------------------------will the grass really be greener there. It seems you like where you are at, the pay is obviously pretty good, have good benefits, etc. Would the DPS be all that better? Only you know that.

[LawFowl]

MOST agency leaders will not hold it against someone who is out to better themselves, their family, or their situation.

I wouldn't hide anything from your present employers..................if they let you go for that type of situation -------------------you would probably not really want to stay there anyway.

If you think the DPS would be a good fit for you----go for it. Sometimes timing is everything. If this new program at DPS is recent and limited, you could use that as an "excuse" for job hopping so fast.


The big question is -------------------------will the grass really be greener there. It seems you like where you are at, the pay is obviously pretty good, have good benefits, etc. Would the DPS be all that better? Only you know that.

Thanks for the reply.

There's several officers I work with that have left only to come back. DPS is the most elite police force in Texas, maybe even the United States. I think it's be an awesome thing to get on board with them.
You never hear of anyone that "used to be a Trooper" unless they're retired. I've never heard anyone bad mouth DPS either.

[SgtCHP]

Ultimately, the decision is yours, and yours alone, to make. I don't foresee your current agency getting upset that you are trying to get to your ultimate goal in LE. Be upfront and honest with both agencies. If something should come up, you certainly don't want a negative in your package that would cause bad feelings. When I left my first agency for the CHP, I was upfront and let all of my supervisors and administrators know my intenetions. They were more than supportive and did not treat me with disdain for wanting to broaden my experience. Good luck to you.

[beachcop05]

Thanks for the reply.

There's several officers I work with that have left only to come back. DPS is the most elite police force in Texas, maybe even the United States. I think it's be an awesome thing to get on board with them.
You never hear of anyone that "used to be a Trooper" unless they're retired. I've never heard anyone bad mouth DPS either.

I would disagree with you that it is the 'most elite' police in the country. I don't how you would rate a police force as being most elite. We all do the same job.

My advice is; don't go work somewhere just because it is the most prestigious department in your area. Go work at an agency where you will enjoy it the most and be happy, because in the long run, it's what you enjoy doing, and NOT if your dept is 'prestigious'. You could be in an 'elite' dept but not enjoy it, and be miserable. As a trooper you'll probably be responding to calls in rural areas and/or doing a lot of traffic. As a city cop, you'll be responding to a lot more calls in the city. So it's all what YOU like doing.

[FJDave]

Ya know bro, it sounds like you are putting Texas DPS on a pedestal in your mind. You may not admit it to yourself, but that is what I see in your post. With that the case, ANY little thing that you don't see as ideal when you finally lateral is gonna stick to your ribs. The best thing you can do is to conduct an honest, UNBIASED review of your current department and the DPS. Ask some troopers in your area what is REALLY going on behind the scenes. Go for a couple of ride alongs at a couple of different stations. Make a written pro-con list. Then, go with your gut feeling. But saying things like Texas DPS is the most elite agency in Texas and possibly EVAR is not being unbiased and will hurt you in the long run. Just my honest, humble opinion.

[reils49]

This is a nice town to work for. We're civil service, have a good retirement, stay busy, get take home cars, make good money, get to go to training when we want (pretty much), work 12 hour shifts, have cool Sgts/Lts, etc.

Bro, you got good pay/retirement, good benefits and a good work environment. I would be sticking around. If DWI's are your gig, do your time in patrol and see if you can get assigned to your traffic unit. As said, you need to ask yourself if the grass is really greener on the other side.

PM sent.

[NJLAWMAN214]

I have a good friend who is with DPS and has 16 years on the job who doesn't mind his gig at all. He had told me however that they are stretched thin, and backup is a luxury most of the time for what its worth.

[Hoosier_Boy]

24 and some change? Plus a take home car? Son of a buck... that is DOUBLE my hourly rate and I cover 1000+ miles alone on over nights... I'm at the wrong place!

[Iowa #1603]

You never hear of anyone that "used to be a Trooper" unless they're retired.

Yep

Worked with several of them over the years One went on to become a Sgt at a large department in Iowa.........One became a Sgt at the SO I worked for. The lone highway isn't for everyone.

Several decided that LE wasn't for them and found other activities.

[LawFowl]

Ya know bro, it sounds like you are putting Texas DPS on a pedestal in your mind. You may not admit it to yourself, but that is what I see in your post. With that the case, ANY little thing that you don't see as ideal when you finally lateral is gonna stick to your ribs. The best thing you can do is to conduct an honest, UNBIASED review of your current department and the DPS. Ask some troopers in your area what is REALLY going on behind the scenes. Go for a couple of ride alongs at a couple of different stations. Make a written pro-con list. Then, go with your gut feeling. But saying things like Texas DPS is the most elite agency in Texas and possibly EVAR is not being unbiased and will hurt you in the long run. Just my honest, humble opinion.

Well, I didn't mean to make it sound like the main reason I'd like to work for them because they're highly thought of. That's just one of the reasons I figured it couldn't be "that bad!"

But I appreciate the replies. It's making me rethink all this stuff going through my head!

They haven't ****ed me off (yet) like I was at my first PD, so I guess that's worth a lot.

[913]

$24+ goes a lot farther in Texas than in most states. That's decent money there. And if you get to work extra jobs and/or get plenty of OT, and are happy at your job, I would stay.

Your supervision is cool too? Holy cow dude. I would practically sell my soul to work for a dept. with good politics. That's the only thing I hate about my job. Turds don't bother me at all. It's the back stabbing nut suckers in the food chain that make my job miserable.

Yes DPS is sexy, but it sounds like what you want to do is leave a good wife for a hot wife and hope she works out. I wouldn't roll those dice brah.

Good luck whatever you do.

[NJLAWMAN214]

913 you speak the truth! A hot wife will eventually lose her good lucks and then you will be stuck with a no longer hot wife who is NO BUENO! I make double an hour what Lawfowl makes, yet most of us are disgruntled due to the politics of our department.