Alright, its my senior year and college will be here before I know it. I am starting to really consider my career choices. As of right now I want to be a Cop. I want to work for the Illinois State Police and maybe one day for the FBI. I have always wanted to be a cop and just want some input on the job from some Cops that are on here. Any regrets? Reasons why I should/shouldn't be a cop? Just some of your general feelings on the job. I appreciate all of the future info. Also, I am pursuing this career because I want to help clean up the world of scum and make the world a better place. I'm not a power hungry kid who feels big and bad in a police car. I really want to better society.

 

I offer you advise that you cannot clean up the entire world, just a small piece of it! (LOL) Seriously, check you local Police Dept., & see if they will offer you a ride-along-program & see what it's like up close & personal & go from there!..........Good Luck!.......

 

My Uncle is a cop in Indiana, and I have rode around with him. Sat in car and watched him handle Domestic Disputes. It was a blast.

 

I'm currently going to school to be one. I haven't really decided specifically what yet, but DEA really has my interest.

If you're thinking of a state job or especially something federal, go to school for 4 years and get a bachelors. Having that 4 years under your belt really opens up the opportunities for job placement. I have 2 more left...

That's one thing that a lot of officers I've talk to have said over and over again. It's a lot easier (and better) to get all the schooling in while you can.

 

Are you going to be one of those young cops that put their job before their life and dont give anyone any breaks once they're pulled over? .

 

I am actually thinking of getting a masters. They consider the most educated candidates first. Getting a 4 year degree or not isnt a question. I am going to college and getting a education. One because its the smart thing to do, and two, my parents leave me no choice. DEA seems really interesting to me as well, but the only thing about the Federal jobs(FBI, DEA, and United States Marshall) all require that you sign a paper that says your willing to be assigned ANYwhere in the United States. I do not wanna leave my home area. The Illinois State Police have a District Headquarters about 15 minutes from my house. If i get sent somewhere I don't wanna go, worse case I'm still in Illinois. Then after 2 years, I can file for transfer and once I am transfered where I wanna go, I am there for life.

 

I've heard the Lifestyle Poly to get in one of the three letter agency's is a blast!

 

I will bust the people who need busting and will be nice about it. Family is more important than my job, but I wont slack at my job. I take stuff seriously.

 

I haven't done anything to incriminate myself......yet.

 

I've been a police officer for 8 years now and have worked in a variety of environments from rural areas to large cities.....basically one extreme to the other.

Each type of environment has different stresses depending on what type of service your department provides. My first 4 years of being a police officer I had a good mix of complaint investigation and traffic enforcement, while the past 4 years I've worked strictly traffic and patrol on a motorcycle.

Complaint investigation provides a great deal of satisfaction when a case is solved though interviews of suspects, gathering evidence, speaking with witnesses, etc. However, there are MANY cases that go unsolved and it's difficult having to tell a victim that a case is going to be closed because you are not able to solve it. With complaint investigation you are there to help the complainant/victim so usually your interaction with the public is positive. Stresses of this type of work stems from keeping your SEVERAL open investigations in order and trying to complete the necessary steps in a timely manner while keeping up on the rest of your case load in the same timely manner, etc.

Traffic work is completely different because 95% of the time you're making contacts with the public because they've done something wrong and/or got in an accident and will most likely result in punishment of some sort, therefore you're the "bad guy" even though you've stopped them for something they have done wrong. For me, the stresses associated with traffic work are totally different than complaint work. The stress for me comes from trying not to get run over on a traffic stop or being hit while on my motorcycle, getting shot, etc. There isn't much investigation that goes along with traffic work unless you make a drug arrest, etc, but it's relatively easy compared to a large investigative complaint.

If I were you I'd try to determine which type of work environment would suit you best by doing ride-a-longs with each type then decide which police department to pursue based on which type of service they provide. You said you may want to work for the Illinois State Police. Are they full service or strictly highway patrol? Fortunately I work for a full service department that has many different divisions ranging anywhere from undercover drug teams to executive protection units. I enjoy working traffic so I'm most likely going to stay where I'm at for quite a while. I'd suggest trying to find a similar department.

Good luck

 

My former instructor (who was a DEA agent for several years in FL) said that unless you want to work in lab, analysis team ect. forget the 6 years. To be a plain old field agent/task force officer, 4 years is good.

Yeah, already know about the contracts. (Every new agent also has to work at the New York office their first 5 years.) We had a FBI agent born and raised in Iowa come and speak for a class. He says if you and your family are willing to move every 5 years, do it. They even helped find his wife a job, place them in a great community in a nice big house, ect.

As fas as the poly... Shouldn't be a problem as long as your haven't been in too much trouble. I've already taken the MMPI for fun... Some WEIRD questions on that thing.

Off Topic
Our instructor worked with this d-bag in FL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj4yUpR1PB0

 

its not only you they are concerned with... its everyone you know/associate with, and who they know/associate with

 

From what little you have said it sounds like you will have a good time doing it. I've been on the streets since 2006 and the job can defiantly give you some headaches but I work heavily in DWI enforcement and really enjoy it.

State agencies are good but another area to take a look at are any small towns in your area that have a lot of growth potential or 'ground floor opportunities.' I always wanted to work for a larger agency but ended up at a smaller one (20 officers) and really enjoy the family type atmosphere.

 

#1 If you really want to be a good police officer, acquire the ability to LISTEN. Really listen, not just HEAR. I can think of a (relatively recent) famous case involving multiple murder that got FUBAR'd from the get-go because just about everyone, from the responding officers up the food chain FAILED TO LISTEN. The story of one of the major players WAS unbelievable, even incredible. On its face, it looked impossible. But this person's story contained some details that it appears NO ONE truly "heard," because they had failed to LISTEN. Had they checked even this ONE detail out, it could have saved the officers and the Department a LOT of grief and embarrassment. Long story short, the investigation went off in the wrong direction, and even though the course was corrected, massive damage had been done.

#2 You're going to see - and hear - a lot of things in your job as a police officer. Some of it will be funny, even surreal. Some of it will be horrifying. Some might shake you to your core. Welcome to the Brotherhood - it is one of the most noble of "callings," but at the same time, it demands a lot of you - professionally, personally, mentally, emotionally, even spiritually. You will routinely deal with the underside of human nature. For every "feel good" moment, of returning a lost child to a hysterical and grateful parent, you are likely to inform 10 more parents their children are never coming home again. The same kids who waved to you once upon a time might try to take your life, just because of your blue uniform, 10 years later. The nature of the job you have chosen means you will deal with people at the most extreme moments of their lives - maybe they've just killed someone, and they don't feel a thing about it. They'll look at you with dead eyes and shrug, even as you are seething that their careless discharge of a firearm took the lives of little kids playing in Grandma's front yard. Or maybe they've just been a victim - they're scared witless, shaking, or incoherent. And there are victims who are angry - furious, irate, screaming for Justice, or actually, revenge. Your face is the first one they'll see.
And some of them - both the perps and the victims - can be a real handful. As tempting as it is, don't allow yourself to become jaded and lump entire groups of people into a stereotype - remember, you're usually dealing with the WORST of what society, any community, has to offer. The "good citizens" usually aren't in the station, unless they're victims. Also, bear in mind, that, while dealing with even the most awful things may become routine for YOU over the years, for some of the people with whom you will deal, it will be a NEW experience, often something life-altering. Have some empathy. You WILL need an outlet. This job can suck everything you have from you, and still demand more. Sharing with a spouse is one thing, DUMPING on or taking it OUT on that spouse is another. If you have a spouse and/or family, remember they are your bulwark, your doorway to sanity and normalcy.

#3 Listen to the counsel of the veterans, but sift it through your own conscience and intelligence. The "old Heads" can provide excellent advice, but tenure alone does not a good copper make. Some of them have their own little "issues." If you are truly in this because it's "all you've ever wanted to be," I would hope you mean by that substance over style. There are POs who have 30 years on who have more to say and teach about being a GOOD copper than some of the guys who rose very high, but whose sense of morality is... ah... rather flexible.

 

#4 You can only earn the respect of the REAL cops, the GOOD cops, by working HARD. They've put in their time, now it's YOUR turn. You might be mentored by some guy whose days of being first through the door (right after he busted it down) are over, but still has plenty to teach. He might not be first through the door, but he'll be right behind you, and he won't let you get hurt. He'll be like Papa Bear, pissed to his claws if someone messes with his cub. Find an officer who you admire - someone who personifies the ideals - smart, capable, intelligent, dedicated. He will be human. Maybe he smokes too many cigarettes, maybe he enjoys garlic more than is comfortable for bystanders. Maybe he's more than a bit on the gruff side. But if he's a solid guy, has the "good stuff" to the core - attach yourself like a barnacle. Learn everything you can. You don't have anything to learn from the guys who cut corners or hide out aside from bad habits that will only get you in trouble. Remember that it's easy to talk the talk, and harder to walk the walk. If you observe carefully, the blabbermouths who talk all kinds of **** but are not exactly on top of anything, the tough guys who are actually cowards, the guys who brag about being "in charge," but couldn't lead out of a paper bag, will reveal themselves soon enough. Develop the habits of the good coppers you admire, but don't pick up their vices. The job is full of them. You will not need the additional burdens of things like alcoholism, infidelity, etc.

#5 Expect to work with some people whose morals and attitude will completely conflict with yours. These guys will be all about being in the "right" clubs, doing the "right" things, just "building their résumés," and/or knowing every place to "hide out their eight [hour tour.]" You don't have to do battle with them, but you don't have to join them, either. And regardless, even if you KNOW that this Officer or that is a wet fart of a human turd, when the **** hits the fan and it's time to get busy, BACK HIM. No matter how you feel about him, NEVER hesitate to answer that heart-knocking call of "Officer in Need of Assistance." You don't have to date him, but in those cases, he IS your BROTHER. Back him up, allow no harm to come to him. Once he's safe, then you can part ways. Regards of who he is, or what he's done, YOU DO THE RIGHT THING.

#6 You just signed on to a job that is all about being VISIBLE and being ACCESSIBLE. There WILL be a lot of people - even if they are not tossing flowers at your patrol car - who WILL be happy just to see you cruise by, reassured by your very presence, even if you look like you just whipped through puberty ten minutes ago. There are PLENTY of neighborhoods that lament that they RARELY see a patrol car. They feel disregarded, cheated - where are "their" police officers? And the rare ones they see whip by at 10 miles over the speed limit, as if they are just "checking boxes" - Yep, went down X street. Then went down Y. Crossed Z. Whew. Time for a break. Whether that is what is in those officers' minds or not, that is how many of the civilians view them. (This includes not being seen perpetually on your damned cell phone.)