Working as municipal Police Officers or County Sheriffs are probably the most popular Law Enforcement career choices. Working in this field means that you will be employed by a city or county government and your duties will include enforcing local and state laws. Pay and benefits vary greatly between different Police Departments so you will have to do some research before deciding where to apply. Larger Police Departments usually give you more opportunities for advancement or transfers to specialty units. Larger departments also have more specialty units such as swat, k9, marine, traffic, etc. Every Police Department also has their own hiring standards and policies so you will want to ensure that you have the qualifications before applying. Most Police Departments have a 20-25 year retirement so make the right choice when applying for employment because you may be there for a very long time.
Some factors to consider when looking at different Police Departments are as follows:
Pay
Vacation/Sick Leave
Medical/Dental Insurance
Retirement Benefits
Shifts (8/10/12 hrs)
Education Pay Incentives
Off-Duty Work
Master Officer Program?
Exercise Facility?
Take Home Vehicle Program?
Relocation or Home Purchase Programs?
Once hired you will be sent off to the Police Academy to become a certified Law Enforcement Officer in the state where you will be working. Most Police Academy programs are lengthy and are require effort. Some Police Academy programs allow you to put yourself through the academy without being hired by a Police Department. This is called being self sponsored and it has become more popular because the city governments do not have to pay for you to attend the academy because you are paying all the expenses.
After completing the Police Academy you will enter the field training program where you will be trained for a number of months before going solo. Once solo, you will begin working as a probationary street cop who responds to calls and looks for self initiated activity in his/her area of responsibility. Most Police Departments require that new Officers spend a certain amount of time in the patrol division before putting in for transfers to specialized units such as swat, k9, detective, etc.
This is a great place to get some experience before applying for Federal Law Enforcement jobs if that is your goal. You will be very marketable if you have several years of street experience with a municipal Police Department. This is a great career field with excellent pay and benefits if you do your research and find the right Police Department.
There are many good degrees for police officers and people that want to become police officers. Having a degree can also help you get promoted during your career. all else being equal, candidates that are veterans and that have a degree have a great chance of getting hired.
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