Previous work and college degrees - what're they worth?

[Back to NYC]

I'm looking at working for a PD in the NYC metro area, and I'm kind of curious what, if anything, my previous experiences and education are worth during the hiring process. Here's a basic list of what I've done, without the stuff that doesn't seem relevant to police work:

- BA in English
- Interned with Summit County Juvenile/Family Court in Ohio
- Volunteered as a tutor at a juvenile detention facility
- MS in Adolescent Education
- Two years teaching middle school in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
- One year teaching "at risk" middle schoolers in Virginia
- 15+ years practice of Shorin Ryu karate (rank - shodan) and 3+ years practice of Shotokan karate (rank - brown belt/ikkyu)

There's some other stuff on my CV/resume, but a lot of it doesn't seem as related to law enforcement. So does any of this stuff give me a better shot at making it through the whole hiring process and getting a job with one of the departments I'm looking at (Suffolk County, Nassau County, and...maybe, NYPD)?

[Meant2BBlu]

In my opinion, the hiring process for any PD is unlike any other job. Your resume really doesnt mean a whole lot depending on what agency you try to get on with. Typically the bigger the agency, the less a resume means. However, a degree and previous law enforcement work will usually result in a higher pay for most agencies, at least in my area. You can have the best resume in the world, but if you've got a bad background or you fail one of the tests during hiring...that'll be it.

[PhilipCal]

At the end of the day, whether or not an agency "officially" recognizes your prior experience, you, your partner, and the public you serve, will profit by it. In my mind that would certainly include the rather "difficult" teaching and counseling duties you mentioned. Police Officers come from rather diverse backgrounds, and can bring many skills and talents to the table. Yours sound like no exception.

[ais4122]

I spent some time as an applicant investigator in a long island ny dept. The bottom line is this. Its a civil service job. Resumes mean nothing. Maybe once your on and your looking for a detail, then your resume may be useful. From what I can see, your resume may be good for DARE instructor or perhaps academy staff.

[ais4122]

One more thing, all you need to do or be concerned with is this. Getting a high enough score so that you will even be looked at, passing agility, passing pysch, passing medical, passing background, and on long island, passing the poly. If you pass all that, then you could of bounced at a topless bar for all civil service cares, so long as you didnt commit any serious crimes.

[nypdmisery]

let me sum up the nypd for you.... you have a pulse! YOUR HIRED! your over qualified for the nypd, look elswhere...state police suffolk port authority...