Dropped out of high school, and want to be a LEO.

[Suminex]

Hey guys, I have a couple questions I have been wanting to know the answer to for a good while now. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Anyway, I dropped out of high school near the end of the 9th grade when i was 16. I am now 21 and regret it every day. Would this effect the chances of me being hired as a police officer? I have my G.E.D. but i feel this isn't good enough. I was thinking about going to college for criminal justice in hopes that it will shadow my high school situation. I have a clean record, and nothing that I think would disqualify me being hired, besides what I have mentioned. So I have 2 questions.

1. Would any police department hire me knowing I dropped out of school, regardless of me having G.E.D.? I'd imagine it would be a lot more difficult to be given a chance.

and

2. I know taking 2 years of criminal justice wouldn't hurt, I am just worried that if I do choose to do this, I would still have trouble getting hired because of me dropping out of high school and i would just be wasting time and money. I guess my question here is: Would taking 2 years criminal justice lessen any negative views on the situation enough to get my hired?

Again I will greatly appreciate any feedback, opinions, or advice. I am just curious what the officers here thought. Thank you.

[Fuzz1028]

The best thing for you to do is call a recruiter and ask them. I have seen depts. that say "high school or g.e.d." You will have to explain why you dropped out and that might factor into a decision. If you dropped out to work and support your family or something like that they may understand.

Good luck

[TexasAggieOfc]

Hey guys, I have a couple questions I have been wanting to know the answer to for a good while now. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Anyway, I dropped out of high school near the end of the 9th grade when i was 16. I am now 21 and regret it every day. Would this effect the chances of me being hired as a police officer? I have my G.E.D. but i feel this isn't good enough. I was thinking about going to college for criminal justice in hopes that it will shadow my high school situation. I have a clean record, and nothing that I think would disqualify me being hired, besides what I have mentioned. So I have 2 questions.

1. Would any police department hire me knowing I dropped out of school, regardless of me having G.E.D.? I'd imagine it would be a lot more difficult to be given a chance.

and

2. I know taking 2 years of criminal justice wouldn't hurt, I am just worried that if I do choose to do this, I would still have trouble getting hired because of me dropping out of high school and i would just be wasting time and money. I guess my question here is: Would taking 2 years criminal justice lessen any negative views on the situation enough to get my hired?

Again I will greatly appreciate any feedback, opinions, or advice. I am just curious what the officers here thought. Thank you.

My Dad has his G.E.D., has been in L.E. for over 20 years, and has been a Police Chief in two different towns. That being said, 20 years ago, he got into LE after being an electrician for ten years, and had to drop out in the 10th grade because he "didn't need no learnin' to tend the ranch," as my grandfather so eloquently puts it.

In Texas, if you have a G.E.D., you start off at a disadvantage. Under our POST guidelines, you only need a HS Diploma to attend the academy, but if you have a GED you have to have 12 college hours. I know of one agency (Mesquite PD, a Dallas suburb, that a GED is a disqualifier.

Take Fuzz's advice, if there's an agency you're interested in, call them!

[sparkydavid]

Since you are very young, I would highly recommend you doing a 4 year stint in the military. Doing that should make you a much more viable candidate to be selected. Just do good in the military though. Also some college classes would not hurt. Dont worry about Criminal Justice classes. Just take some of the "meat and potatoes" classes before you major.

[occ]

I don't see any problems.. But a associates degree in criminal justice won't hurt you at all..