my qualifications

[frankyrod]

if anybody here works in the recruiting process, what are my real chances considering

i'm 21 yrs old, 5'7 125, fitness level has dropped ( altho i run once weekly)

i've previously gone up to the background successfully...


any advice, question, etc are welcome

[Sleuth]

Education?
Languages?
Fittness level dropped from what to what?

[frankyrod]

Education?
Languages?
Fittness level dropped from what to what?

AA degree, fluent spanish, from running 4 miles a week plus going to gym for cross fit, now down to 1 mile no gym

[PigsdoFly]

The degree and language will help but what about going for your BS. Just keep working out, have you taken any tests yet?

[frankyrod]

i'm not worried about the written, physical, or background

what concerns me is my size, when i went to 3 pd's physical since most only waive the written, almost 85% of the people there are bigger size than me

i'm very sure of myself and can out wor/lift ( i picked up the 165 lb dummy easier than i expected compared to the bigger guys

i'm mostly worried of the academy, and odds vs bigger guys

[just joe]

Stop worrying.

[1two9]

Stop worrying.

+1

The best advice I received was from an old Sergeant who recruited me at my previous agency. I was letting all kinds of things rent space in my head, and one day he took me aside and gave me a talkin' to: "Why are you worrying about whether or not you're qualified? It's not for you to worry about - The department will decide if you're qualified."

I felt pretty good after that. Until he added:

"Besides, I definitely wouldn't worry about it if I was YOU. They told me you're a f**k-up."

Edited to add: I wouldn't worry that much about your size anyway. You'll get plenty of nifty tools to get the job done. Not all conflicts are resolved by going hands-on.

[Sleuth]

Some of the finest officers I worked with were on the lower end of the size scale. Some of the worst were the big guys. It's what is inside that matters.

[PhilipCal]

Franky, I have a question for you. Why haven't you applied?

[M-11]

i'm not worried about the written, physical, or background

You should be.

The Written and background will reflect the time you have put into Education. The Physical will show your dedication and ability to sustain an effort.

In short, these are the things you can control/improve.

The only worry you seem to have, is the one you cannot do anything about. Your size.

Change what you can, and the rest will work itself out.

M-11

[frankyrod]

good advice guys! appreciate it

[gadphto89]

Hey not an officer yet, but I'm not going to give advice or anything - I only want to say I'm in the same situation as the OP and am short at 5'6" and I also notice all officers are at least 5'9". To date I have only seen one officer that was 5'7" or shorter and he was directing traffic at the NY State Fair, oooh such a fun job. LOL.


Unless you're short you would never understand how bad it is to be short. You cannot do a lot of things that tall people can do... women will not talk to you because they consider you a kid and not a man and they think you can't protect them... cannot do physical jobs that require lifting as easy, try picking up something that is twice as long as you, the list goes on. I even tried getting a job as a security job once and they flat out told me I wasn't big enough and if a tall 6'7" guy was evading me and I had to tackle him, I wouldn't be able to do it and I would fail my job. So they didn't hire me.

I too am worried about getting a job as an officer. I know I can pass all the physical portions of the exams, but that's not what concerns me, it's the interviews and stuff where they judge my character. I know that shorter people get a lot less respect and people really look down on you for being short. Getting no respect from the people interviewing me, I have a feeling they won't give me the job. If I was 6'7" and intimidated them a bit during the interviews, getting the job would be much easier.

[dan25]

Do any of you guys know if a department will judge based on how many times you have been rejected by other departments? I have nothing on my background that would be a problem and Im usually one of the top guys in the physical. I think im starting to get the hang of this testing process. I am ranked 23 with the last department I tested with but I have failed 4 written tests(not much of a math guy) and 1 oral. Do you think depts. judge you on that or are they really "equal opportunity" employers? Im getting better but I heard the worst is to come with the pysc test. any advice is helpful thanks

[dan25]

i mean psyc test, guess i need to work on the spelling a little bit too

[Chief Wiggum]

i'm not worried about the written, physical, or background

what concerns me is my size, when i went to 3 pd's physical since most only waive the written, almost 85% of the people there are bigger size than me

i'm very sure of myself and can out wor/lift ( i picked up the 165 lb dummy easier than i expected compared to the bigger guys

i'm mostly worried of the academy, and odds vs bigger guys

Chill. It ain't Thunderdome, it's the police academy. Most of it is academic (nothing too hard). If your in good shape for your size (sounds like you are) then you won't have a problem.