Should I go into law enforcement?

Definitely an option if I end up in Boise. They have some stuff there from what I hear.

 

Just start looking into it now. You may need a certain amount of college credits and check the age limits.

 

For sure....this is the kind of stuff I was looking at which probably wouldn't suck.....FBI Special Agent - Cybersecurity/Technology Background ....but hopefully something that is located in / around Boise. We'll see. Being a FBI Special Agent would be cool...but I am at the mercy of the organization if I do that. Would have to go anywhere/do anything anytime. Might not be the best for family life. Have to apply by my 36th birthday at the latest and I'm only 27, so I have some time to decide. Also, mandatory retirement at 57.

The FBI is looking for Special Agents experienced in network, information and cybersecurity, computer science, digital forensics and incident response among other technical specialties. Counterterrorism, criminal investigations, cyberattacks and investigating computer-based crimes (website hacks, intrusions, data theft, ransomware, etc.) are some of our top priorities. You will work on highly collaborative teams to thwart counterintelligence plots, fraud, bank robberies and more.BA/BS degree (preferably in computer science, engineering, data science, information technology or similar disciplines).You can expect continued specialized training once onboard and opportunities to work on some of the Bureau's most complex cases. The scope and scale of our investigations provide unique challenges unlike anything you could work on in the private sector. Your ultimate mission: to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States.

Being a Special Agent can be a lifelong career of uncommon days and amazing experiences.

What you'll need to succeed:

• BA/BS degree (preferably in computer science, engineering, data science, information technology or similar disciplines).
• A deep understanding of the deployment, administration and support of information and computing infrastructure.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with both technical and nontechnical colleagues and stakeholders, both internally and externally.
• Demonstrated technical expertise.

In addition:

• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Be detail-oriented, yet keep a strategic focus.
• Ability to objectively evaluate information and make sound judgements.
• Honesty and integrity must be the foundation of who you are.
• The drive and commitment to make a difference in the communities you serve.

You must:

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be at least 23 years old and not have reached your 37th birthday on appointment.
• Have a Bachelor's degree or Master's degree from a U.S.-accredited college or university.
• Be able to obtain a Top Secret Clearance.
• Have two years of full-time professional work experience (see work experience waiver for exceptions).
• Meet the FBI's Employment Eligibility requirements.
• Possess a valid driver's license with at least six months driving experience.

The Special Agent Selection System (SASS) is a mentally and physically challenging process designed to find only the most capable applicants. The selection process typically takes one year or more to complete. For more information about the SASS, physical fitness requirements and work experience waivers, please visit: https://fbijobs.gov/career-paths/special-agents.

 

As a former employee of said agency, it's pretty brutal to work there. The first words of advice from my manager back in 2011 were, "Be careful. The FBI eats their own." Those words set a tone that everyone at that agency work around. Employees are trained over time to rat each other out.
Read document #1 and document #58 to see what it's like to work there. The front office of the field office went after an Electronics Technician, whose collateral duty was EEO Coordinator, when he didn't play ball with the front office on an EEO complaint that was filed by a Special Agent. When the Electronics Technician went out on med leave/disability, the front office went after his wife who worked there. Special Agent in Charge Ferrick was fired in early 2019. One of the two Assistant Special Agents in Charge (Kline) was fired at the same time. The other Assistant Special Agent in Charge, that had Omar Montoya classified as an insider threat, retired before he could be questioned by an OPR investigation.
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6151982/montoya-v-federal-bureau-of-investigation/

 

I would not do it again in these days! Way to political and an officer can not do their job the right way!! Good luck if you pursue this and be safe out there!!!!!

 

19 years as a deputy, started in the jail and worked to get on patrol. Had the privilege of getting every assignment I’ve put in for ( everything except boats and k9). While my career gave me everything I have, it asks for a lot. Training, overtime, seniority based shifts, working all holidays, getting most day off requests denied, etc.

but I’ve seen some of the craziest shit a person could imagine!

as far a the bad stuff you see, for me it just became part of the job and I didn’t take it home. If you have kids they will grow up while you miss a lot of it.

I wouldn’t want any other career but I wouldn’t do it again.

 

I really appreciate OP drive. Law enforcement organizations will take that sort of inspiration, chew it up and spit it out. They are among the most corrupt organizations on the planet. Just my take (these guys also tend to not like it very much when you explain that). I think it's best not to benefit these organizations in any capacity. Certainly not with my time or energy. The many privileges and benefits don't interest me so much. There are too many other, creative things to do with my life. I can say beyond doubt that in my experience an honest, ethical, or principled man will not work in law enforcement for very long.

 

Just changed my vote to no

 

Meaning no disrespect, but that was a retarded statement.

 

Sooooooo I take it you don't want to work in Law Enforcement? I may be off, could be my short bus public school education

 

Sorry I would not recommend that for you. I am not a cop lover nor hater. One of those if you don't bother me I won't bother you kind of thing. I am a supervisor for a big shipyard I have 200 welders that report to me. From church goers to ex cons. One thing I have learned is that you cannot keep them happy and you cannot predict what they are thinking,and with that you will be in a world of crazy.

 

X2

 

X3

 

My uncle is a retired Maine State Trooper, my Chief was a Sheriff in Charleston SC for 7 years, I was USCG military police/boarding officer for 4 years but had prior BJJ experience that helped immensely. I had no clue how many physical altercations I was going to get into. It takes a special kind of person to deal with people typically at their worst, every day, for years.

From my personal experiences, which probably will differ being that it was military and i'm a female: it's a thankless job punctuated by tidbits of good moments when you get to actually help people. I was typically dealing with drunken boaters/migrants/drug runners/tanker boardings. My highlight moments were helping a few here and there (came on a boat sinking and rescued 12 people out of the ocean, rescued a 4 year old boy that had broken his neck bow-riding on his fathers boat and he recovered, finding a duck hunter that had been swept out to sea 25+ miles offshore two days after he was reported) but the flip side: getting shot at by a drug runner off Roatan at 2am and hearing the bullets whizz past our heads, and having to take down a drunken civilian that was twice my size in front of his macho buddies on a party boat when he tried to take my baton out of my belt, after asking him multiple times to just chill out (boating shitfaced at night time with no lights on and almost got nailed by the Ferry, we didn't just randomly board them for no reason..)

Do a ride along, talk to some cops about it, and decide for yourself. I trained at the MLEA in Charleston SC so my training and real world applications will be vastly different from the next person's. Don't depend on peoples statements on the internet to determine your career/life path, every experience will differ.

Edit: I hadn't read any prior statements. But I love the dude on here with zero LE experience speaking for the entire law enforcement community in saying we were/are all out to just kill everyone. Brilliant.

 

Pulled my duty weapon many times over 19 years...put my finger on the trigger and started to squeeze once.

luckily the dude’s level of intoxication (.36) slowed and clouded his thought process giving me the opportunity to grab the shotgun, sweep him, introducing him to hit concrete face first.

I was so freakin pissed, because this guy was so f’n drunk he almost made me kill him. We discussed that on the way to the jail (original contact was for duii complaint) and after court 4 weeks later (c.o.p. /sentencing) he thanked me for not ending his life.

there is no 100% safe way to do the job and each day I’m come home safe I am thankful.

 

This might get some flack, but I think you should go into LE if I was writing this last week. We need the best people we can get in these positions of power. Now before I get slammed, I am not saying the people we have in there now are bad people. But, like any profession there are people that are not good. And usually they weed themselves out. Unfortunately, some of these areas have become a "we protect our own" mentality. That is the part I don't like about LE. For example, my local police force...stinks. They are all a bunch of high school bullies that think they are untouchable and half of them have misconducts they should be fired for. Our county sheriffs and state troopers, are unbelievable people. I have never had a good interaction with the local police force and I have never had a bad interaction with the sheriffs or troopers. If you think you can make a difference and help your local community, county or state then I say go for it.

This week and after the charges brought against that LEO in Atlanta. I would say no way. LE are in a lose-lose situation right now. You do your job you get punished. You don't do your job you get punished. I wouldn't risk my life in prison because I followed procedure and someone else decided that it doesn't matter I will still be charged. Its a sad world right now. We all just need to be better to each other. Whether you agree with that person or not.

Good luck with everything!

 

You'd have to be barking mad to become a cop. Dealing with nothing but the dregs, risking death for citizens who don't appreciate you and if you screw up, CNN will be there gleefully trying to start riots for fun, pleasure and clicks.

Yes there are some genuinely bad apples (same as every profession, just with guns...) but most people mean well. The media douche-bags don't care though. They have dishonest agendas to peddle and riots to organize.

 

Not worth it at all. Gov doesn’t support you, people hate you, and there’s corruption and politics rampant in departments. It’s not worth risking your life and sanity over. Follow your wife’s line of work and go into medicine if you ask me. You can go into it at any level (from CNA or EMT all the way to physician) and progress to high levels of education and autonomy as you please.

 

i got my degree in Criminal justice and changed my mind during the hiring process. i was basically denied because i was too honest in the background portion. felt like crap back then, but now i realized i probably dodged a bullet and a blessing in disguise. Im now an 8-5 accountant thru various promotions with the company ive been with since 2010. the town i live in is small so being a cop everyone knows who u are and where you live. not something i would be comfortable doing as a family man. plus i get to go to all the family birthdays and be home on weekends. Theres just so much risk and pressure that comes with being a cop and the pay just isnt there.

 

as of RIGHT NOW, with the current situation. A BIG FAT HELL NO. those who barked the loudest right now and they do not represent the 90% of the folks who respect the law and law enforcement personnel, are ruining it for everyone.

 

Two of the most honest, ethical and principled men I know/ knew worked in law enforcement their entire careers.

 

This is the most generalized bullshit statement I’ve seen on this forum in quite some time.
Sure there are corrupt cops, maybe even entire departments. They need to be fixed/reformed and the people involved held accountable now.
There also needs to be a much higher level of training so officers are better able to handle life threatening situations, extensive grappling training to control people who resist and deescalation training just to name a few.
That said being a cop is an admirable career in my opinion and I’m grateful for the countless good people in this country who choose to make it their job knowing going in how some of the public view their chosen career path.
I go to work everyday with an almost zero chance of dying while carrying out my job duties. Thank you to those who choose to serve and put their lives at risk for my families and every community they serve safety.

 

For whatever it's worth, I now know 2 RCMP members and 1 city officer who are resigning in the coming weeks as they no longer feel the government or public support them or their profession. They also feel as though their commanding officers don't have their backs and are more interested in public perception than supporting their officers.

It's a damn shame as these 2 men and 1 woman are some of the finest, most upstanding citizens one could ask for and the exact type of people we need in law enforcement. This is in Canada too, where we don't have nearly the situation our cousins to the south are dealing with. I can't imagine how isolated front line officers in the US must feel now.

 

I once thought about a career in Law Enforcement. My cousin is Chief in a small hill country town and I've been friends with and lived with various law enforcement ppl over the years. I've done various things from contractor jobs in refineries, oilfield work on land rigs, deck hand on crew boats (after Navy), various sales positions and logistics brokerage. I've made good money and would be a lot better off financially in several of those jobs but I became an elementary school teacher. I enjoy the feeling of contributing to society in this way, love working with children, and the autonomy is a plus.

Given the current state of how law enforcement is viewed in the general public and the treatment they encounter while simply waiting for their order in a McDonald's drive thru, I definitely dodged a bullet. I don't see how cops these days get up every morning and put the uniform on...it's sad and disheartening. The judgment upon them is one gigantic negative generalization fueled by erroneous narratives. Not going to go into politics lol

To the OP, I would stay in your current line of work. Better pay, versatility, more time with family, and room for growth...without the stress of everyone hating your guts on the daily.

 

Somebody has to uphold the law and order. Yes each career has it's few bad apples that make everyone look bad. I had to retire after 24 years in law enforcement due to line of duty injuries. I could have retired after 20 years but I enjoyed my career and if I could go back today I would. Guess I'm a different breed.

 

100

 

Problem is when law and order isn't on the side of cops

 

It is unfortunate but in today’s world becoming a LEO presents new challenges that are unprecedented. With that said change needs to happen somewhere. The last thing society needs is for good people to stop becoming good LEOs. Change needs to happen from the top down but to improve the future status it will require an influx of good people.

It is our job as citizens to show a support for those good people choosing to serve and encourage them through that support not to become discouraged and quit or stop the good fight. We cannot function correctly as society without LE support and they in turn cannot without the citizen’s support. Ying and Yang

just .02 from a dude in Kentucky