This doesnt have a lot to do with cars...

[smallblockfbird]

iam 16 and i want to become a cop and was wondering if i had military experience would that help me out at all would i get placed up higher on the waiting list? i live in N.Y.
thanks justin

[KamaroZ'91]

Military experience would help ALOT. The only thing i regret so far in my life is not going into the marines after high school like i almost did. Ill admit im a big mommas boy and let her talk me out of it. Instead i started college and got a full time job and BSed. I got nowhere in college, dropped out to work as a correctional officer. Soon as i became 21 got hired as a police officer, well i was 20 actually..
Im now looking into joining a reserve unit just for the experience, money, and record. it will probabily be the airforce, coast guard or nasty guard. My advice is, go full time int he military for 3-4 years mabey try to get some college while your in, then get out and become a cop.
The only positive thing that will come of me not joining the military, is that it dosent give anyone here a reason to refer to me as "Gomer Pile". :D

[Blue_Chameleon]

I would say it helps, but it isn't an absolute...meaning, just cause you're in the military doesn't mean that you'll definitely get into law enforcement. I have friends in the military or was in the military who can't get into police work for various reasons. Heck, I was a computer geek prior to being a police officer.

My suggestion is finish up school, get a degree. Do you need a degree to be a police officer? No. So why get one? Simple. Most ranking positions higher than officer/detectives require some type of degree...generally, a bachelor's degree. Someone with a degree will have the edge over the other of the same work experience. If later in your LE career, you're running head to head with another co-worker of the same work experience, same number of years as you, but they have a degree and you don't...just something to think about.

Remember that this idea of a degree might not apply in certain areas of the country. I'm not saying that a degree will definitely give you that "100%" edge. However, I would much rather have that advantage instead of no advantage. An education helps mature the mind and makes life goals easier to obtain.

[MrDude_1]

Originally posted by Blue_Chameleon
An education helps mature the mind and makes life goals
easier to obtain.

heh, intresting way to put that.... :thumbup:

[smallblockfbird]

thanks for the info

[gray88_5.7]

i vote degree too.

[Iceman]

Seems like some places put some invisible value on "college hours" from what I have seen. Some departments do want the applicant to have a degree too, but not necessarily law enforcement area. I would think that part of that would be having an applicant that stuck it out to get the degree, sort of like someone applying themselves in the military.

None of it is a sure thing. If you have an idea where you want to work, or what type of City/State/Federal agency, check out what their requirements are.

I've seen many guys come into local law enforcement, get bored with it (some of them), finish a degree while actively working law enforcement & then going on to much better paying Federal agencies.

Good Luck!

[88Phoenix]

I think that if you decide to join the military, I would go for the UASF. And become an SP. Then when you get done with basic, tech school and get your 5 level start going to college. If you go for 6 years all of that shouldn't be to hard. And even if you don't get your deg, when you get out you can keep going on it. Just my 0.02