What am I doing wrong?

[FiVo3]

Bio:
I've been with a small department for over four years now. Since it is so small I have made rank of Captain. Majority of shift is traffic, foot patrol and general calls. We are contracted with the college in our jurisdiction to provide police services. Call volume is extremely low and mostly involves on campus baby-sitting-type calls. (such as unlocking a door because an 18 year old who just left mom and dads care cannot keep up with a single key) Unfortunately we have the keys to the kingdom. However, I am Bored. I wish to work with a larger agency with a heavier call volume, but not extremely large: i.e CMPD or equivalent.

I have applied to multiple agencies both near and far, but still within NC. I don't really want to go out of NC unless the move would be worth it. I have been in processes with a few agencies I have applied, but they seem to go for green, fresh-out-of-BLET-still-has-similac-in-their-mouths-rookies. Are there no agencies in NC anymore that wants someone with at least a little experience? I am taking Criminal Justice classes and additional offered classes on my own time off to supplement my career.

I drove 5 hours to interview for one agency, the interview was flawless in my opinion, and the "dear john" letter almost beat me back home!

This is not a pity party post. I am requesting additional information you seasoned officers/veterans may have to offer. My search-fu and google-fu is not too great on these forums. Any and all advice is appreciated.

[Kieth M.]

Fivo3 - Chances are, there are many cops from small agencies just like you applying for the larger agencies. Standing out is a necessity. You say you're taking classes, like what?

When today's agencies look for new people, the ones selected can't be like the all rest. They need mastery of any other discipline like speaking second languages, accident reconstruction, crisis negotiation, computerized facial composite, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT - dealing with mentally ill/challenged)...those sorts of things.

[just joe]

How small is small and, will you be taking a pay cut or a getting pay raise? As someone who does hiring, one of my first questions is going to be, "why does a captain want to be a probationary patrolman?" Are you making $12 an hour at a four officer dept? Okay, I get that. Depending on things I don't know about, don't be surprised if your rank is holding you back at some places.

[CCCSD]

Yep. Your rank, and lack of experience to justify a that level of responsibility is a HUGE issue.

[retired]

Four years and you are a Captain? it took me 8 years to make Lt. You are extraordinary.

[Iowa #1603]

How small is small and, will you be taking a pay cut or a getting pay raise? As someone who does hiring, one of my first questions is going to be, "why does a captain want to be a probationary patrolman?" Are you making $12 an hour at a four officer dept? Okay, I get that. Depending on things I don't know about, don't be surprised if your rank is holding you back at some places.

Yep. Your rank, and lack of experience to justify a that level of responsibility is a HUGE issue.

Four years and you are a Captain? it took me 8 years to make Lt. You are extraordinary.

I went to the ACADEMY with a Sgt.------------

First of all Iowa allows officers to be sworn and work for up to 12 months before going to the academy..............Small towns here often have a seniority based promotion system where the #2 person on the agency is the Captain, Lieutenant, Sgt (take your pick). Making a person a Sgt is a way of giving the person a bit of raise (in an attempt to keep them from going to a bigger agency0

The 3 man department I referenced above had lot of turn over (it still does 30 some years later) Mike was the 2nd in seniority when his academy class started and thus he was the Sgt and wore the stripes during the academy.