[SNmustang95]

I've been seeing and hearing a lot about cops and thier stories, and i keep forgetting to ask them exactly how they become one. So I'm interested to hear exactly how to become a cop. just like a traffic officer or state patrol.

[Whiskey11]

Originally Posted by SNmustang95 I've been seeing and hearing a lot about cops and thier stories, and i keep forgetting to ask them exactly how they become one. So I'm interested to hear exactly how to become a cop. just like a traffic officer or state patrol.

A crap ton of praying and applying, especially in Nebraska. Basically there are two ways, you either apply to a PD/Sheriffs office/State Patrol and they send you to the academy in Grand Island (or Lincoln and Omaha if it's LPD or OPD) or you pay your own way to the academy in Grand Island and get picked up during your Academy (somewhat likely) or shortly after. Paying your own way to the academy in NE is not horribly expensive at $6000 + room and board in Grand Island while you are there. If you are a non-law (paying your own way) that can get pricey as you wont be paid to be there until you get picked up.

You need at a minimum:
No Felonies at all
US citizen
21 years of age (I believe you can be 20 but have to be 21 before graduation)
GED or high school diploma
decent physical shape

The Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center (NLETC) in Grand Island has further requirements for non-laws like taking the Test of Adult Basic Education, you have to be CPR and first aid certified and current on the certification, you have to take some other tests, etc.

The easiest way is to apply to individual Police Departments, Sheriff's offices, or the state patrol. Good luck, competition is stiff, and if you are a White Male between 21-25 it may be a while before you get in one. I recommend starting as soon as you turn 21 and while you are in school if you are serious. Build up contacts in several PD's to use as references (this helps!) and GO ON RIDE ALONGS. I can't stress it enough, this job is NOT for everyone and I can't even begin to tell you how frustrating it is, being as close as I was when I applied (basically next in line for an alternate spot when the class seating closed in Omaha) to hear that the 56 people selected, 6 had dropped out and all 3 alternates where in when the city was paying to have 56 officers hired but couldn't fill the remaining 3 because of bureaucratic BS preventing the class from opening again. DO NOT be one of those people!

Also, get very, very, very good at writing reports and using proper English and Grammar. It's a HUGE part of the testing process, and it is a HUGE part of the job. If you are uncomfortable with public speech, get better or don't apply because that is ALSO a HUGE part of the job. Be prepared to be bored, sad, pissed, happy, bored, and bored as part of the daily routine. Expect to be treated like a god by one person and shit by the next. Be polite but firm, etc.

Anyway, I'm still trying, admittedly unsuccessfully to get a job on a PD. Right now I may not make it in to the academy at Grand Island this summer but if I can't find a PD by the next class, I will be paying my own way whenever NLETC does the next one.

Ohh, and if you really want to do the job, keep applying and applying and applying. My buddy in the Omaha PD graduated with a guy who applied 12 times before making it on the PD and that is not as uncommon as you think, especially for large cities where you are competing against thousands of people (1900 when I first applied to Omaha) for 56 slots.

[mustanginky]

best advice, from a PAROLE OFFICER, not police officer (but i work with them daily and do a similar job) is keep yourself out of any sort of trouble, our local agencies put a lot of weight into traffic offenses and how recent they were. show's your maturity.

don't do dumb stuff like smoke pot, it'll hurt you badly come time to go through the background. get into an educational program in college. depending upon where you want to work, consider a foreign language (spanish if there are a lot of hispanics in your area), and maintain a good work history.

other than that, attempt to make yourself a good citizen. when you know you want to apply to a specific department, do ride a longs, get to know a few who do it, and it'll help out come hiring time. stay persistent. do not expect to get hired your first time around, it likely wont happen unless your lucky or have crap competition.

you have to figure a whole lot of people had boyhood dreams of being a police officer. and many of those people went into doing something else in life and ended up doing something different. because of the economy, many of them are now laid off with 10 years work experience in professional fields and are going for guaranteed government jobs such as law enforcement. never mind the thousands of former military members youre competing with which will undoubtedly (and deservedly) receiving favor for their service.

but above all else, stay out of any and all legal trouble, and DO NOT USE DRUGS. expect to have your background heavily scrutinized. i have been a parole officer for 3 years and had narcotic sgt's write me letters of recommendation in addition to former supervisors from the prison and i did not get hired.

just to sum up the dedication you must have to get hired:
4 years ago i was offered a job by Lexington Fayette Police Department, only to have the offer rescinded because they could not afford an academy at the time. my testing expired and i had to go through it all again.

a year after that i tested with a high paying local department, and was in the top 5, they hired 2 and i was not one of them. got called back a year later to test, was in the top 3. they hired 1, did not get hired.

i tested with a louisville metro police department, had all sorts of friends vouch for me, made it all the way through the process, did not get hired.

add in a few other agencies that i did not get hired at, and you get my drift. and i'm not the only one i know who's had problems getting hired. gotta be persistent.

testing will be very thorough, written, physical agility, numerous interviews/panels to go through, background, polygraph, etc...all in all it is a very lengthy process.


good luck!

it aint easy.

[SNmustang95]

Originally Posted by Whiskey11 A crap ton of praying and applying, especially in Nebraska. Basically there are two ways, you either apply to a PD/Sheriffs office/State Patrol and they send you to the academy in Grand Island (or Lincoln and Omaha if it's LPD or OPD) or you pay your own way to the academy in Grand Island and get picked up during your Academy (somewhat likely) or shortly after. Paying your own way to the academy in NE is not horribly expensive at $6000 + room and board in Grand Island while you are there. If you are a non-law (paying your own way) that can get pricey as you wont be paid to be there until you get picked up. You need at a minimum: No Felonies at all US citizen 21 years of age (I believe you can be 20 but have to be 21 before graduation) GED or high school diploma decent physical shape The Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center (NLETC) in Grand Island has further requirements for non-laws like taking the Test of Adult Basic Education, you have to be CPR and first aid certified and current on the certification, you have to take some other tests, etc. The easiest way is to apply to individual Police Departments, Sheriff's offices, or the state patrol. Good luck, competition is stiff, and if you are a White Male between 21-25 it may be a while before you get in one. I recommend starting as soon as you turn 21 and while you are in school if you are serious. Build up contacts in several PD's to use as references (this helps!) and GO ON RIDE ALONGS. I can't stress it enough, this job is NOT for everyone and I can't even begin to tell you how frustrating it is, being as close as I was when I applied (basically next in line for an alternate spot when the class seating closed in Omaha) to hear that the 56 people selected, 6 had dropped out and all 3 alternates where in when the city was paying to have 56 officers hired but couldn't fill the remaining 3 because of bureaucratic BS preventing the class from opening again. DO NOT be one of those people! Also, get very, very, very good at writing reports and using proper English and Grammar. It's a HUGE part of the testing process, and it is a HUGE part of the job. If you are uncomfortable with public speech, get better or don't apply because that is ALSO a HUGE part of the job. Be prepared to be bored, sad, pissed, happy, bored, and bored as part of the daily routine. Expect to be treated like a god by one person and shit by the next. Be polite but firm, etc. Anyway, I'm still trying, admittedly unsuccessfully to get a job on a PD. Right now I may not make it in to the academy at Grand Island this summer but if I can't find a PD by the next class, I will be paying my own way whenever NLETC does the next one. Ohh, and if you really want to do the job, keep applying and applying and applying. My buddy in the Omaha PD graduated with a guy who applied 12 times before making it on the PD and that is not as uncommon as you think, especially for large cities where you are competing against thousands of people (1900 when I first applied to Omaha) for 56 slots.

Shhhhhiiitt. it's either this or start my own mustang shop in omaha. Or where ever I'd like, haha. I just kinda got into the whole "I want to be a cop" deal. I wanted to join the military but it wont happen for 2 years because of my leg, and that will ruin my plans. So i thoughtd it's be nice to become a cop and do something valuable in my lifetime to help others and what not. But if it's this hard i might have to start thinking about it a little harder.

[whyxitx]

Just to let you know, starting mechanics/mustangs/anything shop would probably make you never want to work on your own car. Pat and Chad at the shop (which, i just found out it's just Chad's now) are getting tired of doing it, and Pat's got his TT GT that he never works on anymore most likely because of owning a shop.

[SNmustang95]

Owning a shop doesn't mean i have to work on it. I pay others to do that. Yeah, people say that all the time, and yeah i hear "you say you enjoy it now..." bs, but i enjoy working on mustangs. Other cars? Not so much at all.

[whyxitx]

i'm just telling you, not scaring you away from it

and i'm just telling you what happened to the guys at the shop.

[SNmustang95]

I know. Everyone tells me the same thing. Everything I bring it up. That's why you own a shop. If you own it you don't always HAVE to work on cars. You can do much more than that. But I'm not just having a repair/performance mustang shop, it will have a body shop, paint booth, and dyno. It's gonna be awhile till it gets that big but I'd work my ass off for it.


---------------------------
Not online. On the phone.

[whyxitx]

If that's your goal go for it man. Maybe you can hook me up sometime

Not saying it wouldn't be kick-ass to have though! Because it definitely would be.

[Whiskey11]

Originally Posted by SNmustang95 Shhhhhiiitt. it's either this or start my own mustang shop in omaha. Or where ever I'd like, haha. I just kinda got into the whole "I want to be a cop" deal. I wanted to join the military but it wont happen for 2 years because of my leg, and that will ruin my plans. So i thoughtd it's be nice to become a cop and do something valuable in my lifetime to help others and what not. But if it's this hard i might have to start thinking about it a little harder.

What's wrong with your leg? Chances are if it keeps you out of the military it probably isn't wise to join a Police force. The physical requirements are pretty similar.

Please, if you want to do it, try very hard to. Who knows, you may end up getting lucky and getting in the first time (unlikely, but possible). It isn't easy to get in but the job is very rewarding if that is what you want to do.

[whyxitx]

He tore his ACL in football.

[SNmustang95]

Originally Posted by Whiskey11 What's wrong with your leg? Chances are if it keeps you out of the military it probably isn't wise to join a Police force. The physical requirements are pretty similar. Please, if you want to do it, try very hard to. Who knows, you may end up getting lucky and getting in the first time (unlikely, but possible). It isn't easy to get in but the job is very rewarding if that is what you want to do.

I tore my ACL and fractured my tibia, and the swelling will be there till next year. and maybe even longer.

[vita]

I am not a police officer, nor am I trying for anyplace in Nebraska but;


I am applying for El Paso, TX. The city has 60 open positions to go through the academy they sponsor (and 1100 applicants). I've so far made it to the 150 top applicants, pending now only on the written test I took yesterday. They pay 16.75 an hour to go through the academy, but its extremely strict. So strict, it has a 50% washout rate. The number one drop out is the physical requirements. Its on the side of a mountain, and everyday for PT they run to the bottom, then back to the top. Your leg would guarantee you a problem with this.

[Whiskey11]

Originally Posted by SNmustang95 I tore my ACL and fractured my tibia, and the swelling will be there till next year. and maybe even longer.

Hmmm... you could give it a shot when you are feeling better but I wouldn't try until that heals. You will want to be in prime health before applying and going to the academy.

[3valveStallion]

Here in Roseville CA, the PD have to have some sort of college qualifications and then they do a year of driving around in a car that says Community Service with yellow lights and hand out tickets, along with their academy. I work at the California Highway Patrol Academy, it takes six months to be a CHP, the hardest part being the driving and academics, lots of driving and lots of shooting, physically demanding as well. Theres a stack of paperwork to fill out and shit to read almost as tall as me and an extensive backround check where they talk to your goddamn 1st grade teacher, its hell even getting your foot in the door

[SNmustang95]

I feel like it'd be worth it if i tried at it. Whiskey where can i go to get more information on all of this? I really would like to do something for the community.

[Whiskey11]

Originally Posted by SNmustang95 I feel like it'd be worth it if i tried at it. Whiskey where can i go to get more information on all of this? I really would like to do something for the community.

the NLETC's webpage has a ton of information but the best place to go is the department you wish to apply to as each has their own requirements.

Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center

The department you wish to apply to will have more info specific to their requirements as well as how to apply and all of that.

[SNmustang95]

So pretty much just go down town to the police station and snoop around there?

[Whiskey11]

Originally Posted by SNmustang95 So pretty much just go down town to the police station and snoop around there?

They do have a telephone and most have a webpage!

[SNmustang95]

I like to go in and talk to them in person. Better impression, and im more comfortable in person.