Question for Career Changers

[DryWater]

I'm just curious to know if anyone has left a higher paying career to go into LE. If so any regrets? Pro's or Cons?

[Hutch]

No regrets here... You will find that your beat partners vs. your office coworkers are much different. You become brothers and sisters with them!
Depending on what you do now... You will actually hang out with your beat partners outside of work.

The way I have looked at it is this: If you will do this job for free, then it is the job for you. I believe, I am safe in saying if all of our bills were paid and money was not needed, guys on this site would still keep doing this job for no pay.

If you like everyday being different, there is pretty much no one day that repeats itself. Then this job is for you!

CONS: Shift work, Missing birthdays, Holidays, school events.... But if you work your schedule right and plan ahead, you avoid some of these.

In police work, you deal with 10% of the comunity 90% of the time! Just remember that!

Good Luck~!

[firemanjb]

I'm just curious to know if anyone has left a higher paying career to go into LE. If so any regrets? Pro's or Cons?

I left a well-paid middle/upper management job to become an officer. It was the best move of my life. Every day I look forward to work...I have NEVER woken up and thought, "Man, I don't want to go to work today."

As Hutch said, the only negative is the shift work, since the rest of the world is set up on a M-F, 8-5 schedule.

[SlowDownThere]

I didn't leave a better-paying job, because I've been a cop my whole adult life, since right out of universtity. But I know a lot of people who did. Most of them, very happy with the change.

If it's the job for you, then it's the job for you regardless of the lower pay.
Conversely, if it's not the job for you, no amount of pay makes it worth it.

[whatnext]

I am in the process of making the change. The job I had it would take $60,000 to match the pay and benefits I have now but I am going to be making $33,000 instead to do a job that I will LOVE instead of one I dread. I have wanted to become a LEO for a LONG time and I am giving up on 9 years in the military for it. I could do another 11 and retire at 38 but instead I am following my dreams. I couldn't be happier with the decision I have made. I will be home with my family for the rest of my life. I might not see them that much throughout the day and I will miss birthdays and holidays and such but at least I will be in the U.S. this time and if I am not there when my daughter opens her christmas presents so be it, I will be out on the street protecting the lives of the citezens that live in the county that I serve and giving them the oportunity to watch their kids even thought they don't think of the men and women giving them that oportunity whether that is the police or the miltary. I like making differences in others lives. I like protecting people and now I get to do it here in the United States and that makes me more than happy.

[Frank Booth]

.............double post..............

[DryWater]

After reading the replies I am definitely going to apply to a few agencies in NC, I am currently trying to drop some weight and get back in shape before I apply. I'm currently 33 and working at decent paying job, over 65k but I hate my job, I have always wanted to get into LE, but when I was honarably discharged from the AF, I stayed with the IT industry just due to the pay. I have to agree, no amount of money can make it worth going to a job you just hate. I don't have the corparate mentallity such as only looking out for myself. I prefer to have a job with purpose, knowing I can make a difference and give back to the community.