Qualifications...What do you think?

[Eagles4life]

Hey thanks for taking the time to read my post. With how competitive it is out there right now, along with how scarce the openings are, I just wanted to get some realistic advice from a current LEO on what I should expect in the coming months. Basically im somewhat nervous about the bad outweighing the good when i sit down with a BI or at an oral board interview. I spent the past 5 years in the Marine Corps, (2.5 years security forces, 2.5 years infantry, where i was a corporal and a team leader). After getting out in January, I went through the whole hiring process at the county correctional facility, they did a background check, not sure how extensive it was in comparison to what a LE check will be, but nonetheless i was finally offered the job in april. I turned it down because I got accepted into a very well respected police academy in my area, which i start in june. I have full confidence that I will be an asset in the academy, as well as hold a billet throughout until graduation. Now the bad, in summary. I have a GED, which almost eery department "says" is acceptable. I have bad credit, (very typical when you are married with 2 kids at 23 years of age, living off of a military salary) I plan on fixing as much of it as i can in the short amount of time i have left. And finally, I had 3 speeding tickets, most recent being summer 2008. Would love to hear any and all suggestions, good or bad. Thanks!

[vincelli]

Really gonna depend on exactly how bad your credit is. Impossible to give you any advice with only "I have bad credit". Credit is viewed as a responsibility indicator as well as susceptability to being bribed.

The tickets could be a problem depending on how close together they were. If there's a lot of time between them some Departments may overlook them, some may not. Last being in 2008 you are now entering the period which PD's want to see (i.e. 3 to 5 years since an offense). Just like everything else, the tickets will hurt you with some PD's and mean nothing to others. Depends on the PD.

Your largest problem is what you already know; bad economy, tons of applicants (who don't bring your issues to the table) for very few slots.

GED is sufficient, but keep in mind you'll be going up against those with college degrees, and quite possibly actual experienced Police Officers who've been laid-off.

Your Military service is your largest selling point, and that can mean a lot to the right PD. Enough to overcome the other stuff? Gonna depend solely on the PD.

-V

[Iowa #1603]

So you turned down a job offer in the system just so you could shell out more money (while already having credit problems) at a self sponsor academy.

And you did the above without researching your GED/CREDIT/Traffic History problems first.


Read vincelli's post above-----

[Eagles4life]

Yes Iowa, I did turn down the job offer. Going to the Police Academy is what I wanted to do in the first place, but there was originally some uncertainty as to whether or not the class would even start as early as june, so I planned on working at the prison for the time being. After finding out that the academy would in fact start in June, and not getting the job offer at the prison until mid-april, why would I accept that job offer, allow them to invest the money to train me for 4 weeks, only to actually work for 2 weeks before quitting for the academy. That's not right and im sure any and every PD I apply to would agree with that explanation. Also, what makes you say that that was a bad investment to enter the academy self sponsored? It cost me nothing, the GI Bill pays for it, as well as pay me $1700/month for basic allowance for housing.

[ItzRegardie]

Also, what makes you say that that was a bad investment to enter the academy self sponsored? It cost me nothing, the GI Bill pays for it, as well as pay me $1700/month for basic allowance for housing.

Unless you found some super secret loophole, or theres changes I'm unaware of that is incorrect. The Post 9/11 GI Bill doesn't cover Vocational/Trade Schools; only schools that offer a degree, until October 1st of this year. The Montgomery GI BIll is the one that will pay your tuition, but does not give you BAH. Also, if you've already attended classes at a college/university using your Post 9/11 you CANNOT switch back to the Montgomery and will have to pay for Police Academy yourself unless you wait until after October 1st.

[Eagles4life]

Yes the Post 9/11 GI Bill does cover a Police Academy, they pay the school directly, and direct deposit BAH into your personal bank account each month. All of that paperwork is submitted and taken care of.

[ItzRegardie]

Yes the Post 9/11 GI Bill does cover a Police Academy, they pay the school directly, and direct deposit BAH into your personal bank account each month. All of that paperwork is submitted and taken care of.

Well I'd like to get in on that. Every VA rep I've dealt with, and all the research I've done, has left me with "Post 9/11 only covers an Institution of Higher Learning", ie a 2 year or 4 year degree offering school. Does this institution you're going to for Academy offer degrees? Maybe that's the loop hole.

From the VA Website: All training programs must be offered by an institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for GI Bill benefits.

[irishlad2nv]

http://www.gibill.va.gov/benefits/post_911_gibill/Post911_changes.html

Police Academies are covered and always have been. Nothing new there.

ITZ...this is ask a cop..FYI...

[vincelli]

Well I'd like to get in on that. Every VA rep I've dealt with, and all the research I've done, has left me with "Post 9/11 only covers an Institution of Higher Learning", ie a 2 year or 4 year degree offering school. Does this institution you're going to for Academy offer degrees? Maybe that's the loop hole.

From the VA Website: All training programs must be offered by an institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for GI Bill benefits.

There are indeed Academies which are operated through an Institution of Higher Learning (aka, College or University). Not sure if that's what the OP has, but they do in fact exist. Some even offer an AA/Academy curriculum in which you receive both your Academy Cert, and AA upon completion. Not a bad gig if the State you're looking to get certed in offers it.

-V

[Ignite]

I assume it's ok to post my question in here, instead of creating a new thread...

Is military typically looked at as the equivalency of a college education by departments? Does it hold the same weight in the application process?

[just joe]

My suggestion is to see if you can still get that full time CO job with benies that you turned down. When you graduate from the academy, if your above mentioned issues don't DQ you from some places, you will be marginally qualified for a LE position, just like the tens of thousands of other people who are getting churned out by open enrollment academies. To be perfectly honest with you, I would question the thought process of someone who turns down a full time job when they have money issues and a wife and kid to support in order to chase a dream that may not happen.

[just joe]

I assume it's ok to post my question in here, instead of creating a new thread...

Is military typically looked at as the equivalency of a college education by departments? Does it hold the same weight in the application process?

100% not. If a dept. has a minimum college ed requirement, it is not going to be waived because someone is a vet. In addition, there are plenty of vets out there with college degrees.

[vincelli]

Yes Iowa, I did turn down the job offer. Going to the Police Academy is what I wanted to do in the first place, but there was originally some uncertainty as to whether or not the class would even start as early as june, so I planned on working at the prison for the time being. After finding out that the academy would in fact start in June, and not getting the job offer at the prison until mid-april, why would I accept that job offer, allow them to invest the money to train me for 4 weeks, only to actually work for 2 weeks before quitting for the academy. That's not right and im sure any and every PD I apply to would agree with that explanation. Also, what makes you say that that was a bad investment to enter the academy self sponsored? It cost me nothing, the GI Bill pays for it, as well as pay me $1700/month for basic allowance for housing.

I think the confusion here is due to the OP's lack of experience with the LE hiring system.

OP, trust me, you may think you know quite a bit about the system, but there are TONS you still don't know (hell, there's tons I still don't know).

What Iowa was trying to get at is that even before this ****ty economy it is NORMAL for it to take YEARS for an applicant interested in LE, with all the proper credentials, college, clean history/credit, etc. add nauseam just to get chosen for a slot.

Since reality cop shows began there has been just a CRAZY increase in the interest of cop jobs, to the point that you're lucky if you're only one of 100 applicants vying for a single position.

Since the economy collapsed it's gotten so much worse that it's just plain crazy. Now you have people who want to be cops, people who never considered it before the economy took a giant ****, and even TONS of certified and qualified Officers who've been laid-off all vying for slots that have pretty much dried-up (it's very very odd to even hear of a PD that's hiring right now instead of laying-off).

No offense, but Iowa might very well be right. You may indeed have shot yourself in the foot by passing up a Corrections slot which could have gotten you through the years it will probably take to get a PD slot. I should also mention that with your worries about the GED and not-so-great credit, you also passed up a major oppurtunity to put a very positive LE mark on your resume with even a year of service as a CO.

Don't think for a second that CO jobs are a dime-a-dozen and you'll just be able to grab one at will once you finish the Academy. Fact is that Corrections has been just as crushed as PD's have, and it might be years before you can even get a CO slot.

This is all fine as long as you're prepared to do whatever is necessary to pursue LE (no offense intended, but I DO mean taking anything to keep your head above water while working on your credit even if it means flipping burgers for years - that is exactly what it may take for the foreseable future). You had to want it bad to get in before this economic mess; now, you may just have to sacrifice things you wouldn't have dreamed just to have a shot (and trust me, I'm prior AD Military - 9 years; don't think for a second that "I've done worse, I'll slide in" - cause then you're just fooling yourself and hurting your own chances).

I wish you the best of luck, just beware of the rough road you're in for.

-V

[vincelli]

100% not. If a dept. has a minimum college ed requirement, it is not going to be waived because someone is a vet. In addition, there are plenty of vets out there with college degrees.

While true, there are also tons of PD's out there that officially recognize each year of Military Service as 30 credit hours towards a college requirement.

Not at all saying that EVERY posting is like this, but many are and that number has drastically increased since 9/11 and the wars we've since fought due to patriotism and recognizing the sacrifices of our troops. And that's as it should be.

-V

[just joe]

While true, there are also tons of PD's out there that officially recognize each year of Military Service as 30 credit hours towards a college requirement.

Not at all saying that EVERY posting is like this, but many are and that number has drastically increased since 9/11 and the wars we've since fought due to patriotism and recognizing the sacrifices of our troops. And that's as it should be.

-V

No kidding? Never heard of such a thing. I wonder if that is an East Coast specific?