Prior Corporate-World/Career Changers...

[flyer2007]

For those of you who have transitioned into law enforcement as a career change, how has it worked out for you? Do you like it much better than the corporate world or whatever you did prior to law enforcement? Any regrets/takebacks? Did you second-guess yourself much after making the change?

I am hopefully going to be making the change eventually. I have been going through the PHX PD application process for awhile, hopefully coming to the end soon. It just feels like a calling for me and what I am meant to do. Some of my friends and family think I am an idiot, but I think that is a typical reaction. I try just to zone those people out, at least the "friends".

Thank you for any feedback.

[JI603]

I think the transition is an easy one for the most part. The draw to the job for me was to get out from behind the corporate phone,email,meeting rat race, and going in to the office on the odd saturday to get work done. IT's a change going from a salaried position to a 'blue collar' job where you get paid hourly, have a union, and wear your name on your shirt....

The benefits I see are:

You plan your day (around radio calls obviously)
You get to work outside and with a great bunch of people who view life in the same way (something I didn't find in an office)
When your day is over, no work comes home with you - and if you have to stay late, you get paid more.
The job itself might be repetitive, in that you're always going to family fights, incorrigible juveniles, bums drinking in public, shootings, etc. etc. but no two calls are the same.

It helps that phoenix pays well - for me there was a salary drop initially, but now I'm making far more than I would have if had stayed in the corporate world. I work 4 days a week, can save my vacation time or pay it, other than the odd complaint or lawsuit, I'm responsible for my own work.

[flyer2007]

I think the transition is an easy one for the most part. The draw to the job for me was to get out from behind the corporate phone,email,meeting rat race, and going in to the office on the odd saturday to get work done. IT's a change going from a salaried position to a 'blue collar' job where you get paid hourly, have a union, and wear your name on your shirt....

The benefits I see are:

You plan your day (around radio calls obviously)
You get to work outside and with a great bunch of people who view life in the same way (something I didn't find in an office)
When your day is over, no work comes home with you - and if you have to stay late, you get paid more.
The job itself might be repetitive, in that you're always going to family fights, incorrigible juveniles, bums drinking in public, shootings, etc. etc. but no two calls are the same.

It helps that phoenix pays well - for me there was a salary drop initially, but now I'm making far more than I would have if had stayed in the corporate world. I work 4 days a week, can save my vacation time or pay it, other than the odd complaint or lawsuit, I'm responsible for my own work.

Completely agree with all of the above. Very interesting. I too will take a paycut, but I don't really care about it. I am making around $80K now, but I can't wait to take the pay cut and then get more job satisfaction in return. I know the job isn't always "rosy", no job is, but I'll be with folks who have common goals and initiatives other than the profit behind the business.

Thanks for the response.