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I wanted to get everyone's opinion on getting hired right now. About me, I am a white male, I am in San Diego, CA and Becoming a cop is my life long dream. My advantages are: I am now 27, married, 2 kids, own my house, excellent credit, never done drugs or been arrested, have a steady career and make 6 figures. So hopefully they will see i have life experience and am self established. My disadvantages are I have no college or military background, No one in my family is a cop and I don't know any cops so getting tips or insight is non existent. I applied when i was 21 but didn't make it very far because I think I was too young and didn't have a lot to offer. My heart is still set on becoming an officer, I recently applied for all the local agencies: SDPD, SD SHERIFFS, CA HIGHWAY PATROL, and some other small local ones. All the departments say they are hiring right now, but I guess my question is: Is it still extremely hard to get hired? how good are my chances (as long as I pass the tests obviously)?
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Last edited by Nckrider; 10-05-2021, 12:17 PM. -
Keep your 6 figure job and walk away.
If doing LE is such a passion, be a reserve officer, invest in some really good liability insurance and do it on the weekend. -
Yes, but being an officer is not what it used to be. You are truly on your own out there and no one will rescue you in the court of public opinion. Of course your brothers/sisters will be there to back you up on a call in the heat of the moment. But if you do something, even if it is lawful, but if it even remotely, looks bad optically, you are done!
Take the most recent Border Patrol incident. I feel bad for those BP Agents. They were just using wielding reins to control their horses. But someone thought it appeared the agent was whipping a migrant. That agent has been placed on leave and all the horses from that unit he was attached to have been taken out of service. POTUS just came out and said, the agent is "gonna pay." He did nothing wrong!!!!! Article of the incident linked below:
PHOTOS: Did Border Patrol Agents on Horses Use Whips? | Heavy.com
There are so many other incidents I don't have the time or the energy to mention. There was a time in this job that if you did your duty and did it lawfully you were protected and there was nothing that could be done to you. That time has sadly, passed.
A fundamental change in LE is coming and has come to the profession, and you surely don't want to be caught in the middle of it. Keep your current career.Last edited by SOCAleo; 10-05-2021, 12:40 PM.Comment
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can anyone add some insight to my original question though about how they are hiring?Comment
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Each agency has its own process. Can take up to a year, average.Originally posted by Nckrider View PostComment
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You would have to be absolutely insane to want to be a cop in California in today's climate.
Have you talked to your wife about this? Have you considered your children? You could do everything right, and still end up going to prison for the rest of your life and losing every penny you'll ever have in a civil lawsuit. Who would take care of your wife and children? Where would they live?Comment
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IF something goes wrong? Just about every offender, witness, and bystander is going to be actively searching for an opportunity to put you in prison, every single day, for your entire career. The people above you will be willing to burn you in the blink of an eye for political reasons, attempting to prevent liability from climbing the chain of command. Prosecutors will be more than willing to participate in this.
You'll be wearing a camera to record video to use against you later. You'll be making decisions in real time under stress, but the video will later be picked apart frame by frame under a microscope, by everyone.
Even if you don't do anything wrong, people will choose to perceive everything that you say and do, in the worst possible way.
Being a cop in 2021 is beyond challenging. Being a cop under a Democrat president makes it worse. Being a cop in a liberal state run by Democrats, makes it even worse. Being a cop in a county or city run by Democrats, even worse than that.
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You could try being a cop in the south, but I hear they're not union, a lot of them don't have pensions, a lot of them don't have unions, and a lot of them pay very little.
The good news, is that your money will go a lot further in the south- you might be able to sell your home in Sandy Eggo, and use the equity to simply pay cash for a pretty nice place. With no mortgage, $50K a year might go a lot further.
But if you chose to do it in a Democrat-run city like Austin, Houston, or San Antonio, then you're right back to those same risks we've already talked about.
Even if you choose a Republican-run area in the south, there are still risks- this is, after all still 2021, and Joe Bidet is still in the White House.
There just is no right answer...but there are a LOT of wrong ones...Last edited by Aidokea; 10-05-2021, 09:07 PM.Comment
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Nckrider, I tend to be blunt- I have no problem with taking someone to the wood shed. We have had some real goofballs on here, like the Desi pizza delivery guy that was like the character in Napoleon Dynamite that was training to be a cage fighter, or the 23 year old black female "Instagram model" that wanted to know if her Only Fans porn web site was going to be a challenge to getting a job in law enforcement.
That said, my heart breaks for you. You seem like a decent guy. I wish there was a better answer for you, because Lord knows this country needs good cops- my career spanned 30 years, and we were short-staffed the entire time. -
Several Florida agencies are union, including the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, which starts around $50k and tops out around $70k for patrolmen. You gotta have a degree, LE, or military experience though to get hired unless you wanna start in the jail (which is still union and paid well).
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Nckrider, are you a motorcycle rider? I have motorcycle riding buddies in Sandy Eggo that ride Palomar and stuff...Comment
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The new Reform Bill in Illinois has me concerned! It's tough to be the police today, and very dangerous with the cop shortage going on. Back-up could be 4-7 minutes out where I am.Comment
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With the background you described, I don't see it being an issue with you getting through the background process. The hiring process varies by agency. It can be anywhere from 12 months to 24 months from the time you take the written test to the time you are offered a job.Comment
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It's been answered in the other threads you startedOriginally posted by Nckrider View PostMy new word for the day is FOCUS, when someone irritates you tell them to FOCUSComment
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I liked these parts of your post so much, I just wanted to quote them for emphasis...Originally posted by SOCAleo View Post
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With your background, age, life experience and good record- you should have no problems getting hired somewhere. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of agencies in the US looking for good applicants. If you are interested in coming to Iowa, our department is hiring. The cost of living is way lower than what you are probably used to and the pay is great for this area. $70, 574 starting, $86,776 after 2 years top out at $99,000 after 7 years. With off duty work and some OT, you can be well into six figures if you choose.
dsm.city/joindmpd
Oct 2021 Police Officer Recruitment Packet.docxComment
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Great pay. Excellent working environment. Public respect. Family oriented.Originally posted by Cavalry92 View PostComment
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