Career After High School?
By admin on Jan 22, 2009 in Law Enforcement & Police
Hello asked:
I’ve had around a 3.3 GPA through high school. I play football, wrestle, and have weight lifted since freshman year. I’ve always planned on enlisting in the Marines but I want to stay here with my girlfriend. We’re getting married after high school, I’m graduating early so I’m planning on getting a job and a place around her college and she’ll move in when she goes there, she’ll be going to Purdue which is only about 20 minutes from where we live now.
I’ve had around a 3.3 GPA through high school. I play football, wrestle, and have weight lifted since freshman year. I’ve always planned on enlisting in the Marines but I want to stay here with my girlfriend. We’re getting married after high school, I’m graduating early so I’m planning on getting a job and a place around her college and she’ll move in when she goes there, she’ll be going to Purdue which is only about 20 minutes from where we live now.
I’m a certified EMT, but have wanted to be a Cop. My dad’s a Sargeant with IPMD (Indianapolis Police Department). I’m either going to get a job as an EMT while I go to paramedic school, then when I turn 21 get a job as a firefighter OR get a job as a Cop.
Which would you do?
(I have like 15 credits towards a degree in Criminal Justice but I don’t really want to go to college, how hard would it be to get a job as a Cop without a degree?)
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On Jan 24, 2009, Michael L said:
Heres my 2 cents to you. Don’t be so quick to tie the knot. Love is fleeting. If you don’t wanna go to college then go to the Marines. That’s what I did and Ive worked for 2 separate police departments. I was hired by both with no college but I had military experience to fall back on. If you don’t want to go active duty and be away from home you can always do the reserves. Being an EMT is a great thing to put on a resume. However if you don’t go to college or have any military you are gonna be put at the bottom of the list for both fire and Police. If I were you and you are totally hooked on your high school sweet heart I would join the USMC reserves come home after my training then take some classes in criminal justice at your local community college. in the mean time find a job as a security guard or corrections officer. Then after I hit the big 21 I got some things to throw down on the resume to make me a little more appealing then some other guy who only has a high school diploma. Also don’t limit yourself to your home state. Look into new up and coming cities. Las Vegas is the fastest growing city in the US and they are always hiring cops. What ever you decide I wish you the best of luck.
On Jan 25, 2009, VanJohn ? said:
Police departments in general are having a difficult time recruiting qualified officers. Many departments have had to lower the requirements. Your first mission is to check the job application announcement for the department you’re interested in working for. You may find that you current education is sufficient to qualify you for the position. But there’s more to consider. Many departments offer pay increase incentives that are tied to an applicant’s education. Although you may qualify for the job, you may qualify for more rapid advancement and pay increases if you could regain some interest in getting a degree – even a 2 year degree. Police departments and other law enforcement agencies like to recruit candidates that exhibit maturity, common sense, a true interest in the job. They tend to dislike the applicant who wants to use the uniform as a dating tool, or to rely too heavily on a macho look, things like that. Believe me, many who apply do so with the idea that a TV muscle man image will get them there, only to find out that’s not what the department wants. They want officers who are mentally skilled, physically in good shape, officers who can multi-task and handle complex situations without over-reacting and getting themselves, and their employer, in trouble. Maturity is tops. But education and advancing academic skills plays a role in your future, pay rates, etc, so not to be ignored.