BlueSheepdog
10 Years Experience
Around the Way, FL
Male, 40
Cheating death and fighting communism: that is how a fellow officer once described our job. It was meant to be funny, but as time went on it seemed all too true.
I spent more than ten years in law enforcement, all of it on the street in uniform patrol. I've been a patrol officer, instructor, sergeant and lieutenant.
Do not report crimes here. Nothing here should be considered legal advice. All opinions are my own.
Get good grades, stay physically fit and stay away from drugs/alcohol/trouble. I was in high school too, but all of those things will play a role in your hiring process.
If your local department has an explorer program, check on joining that. It will give you a good amount of experience around police officers and get you some training (plus a foot in the door when you apply for a job.)
Personally, I'd avoid any kind of criminal justice/criminology degree. Stick to some kind of degree that can make you money - business, computer science, etc. Don't waste time and money on an expensive degree or go into debt for it. College debt is a trap.
Can you take college classes while in high school? I know here in Florida, juniors and seniors can often take college classes and get dual credit: high school and college for the one class. I managed to get several of my college classes done for free before I ever left high school that way.
Joining the military (any branch) will help you get hired later and will help pay for advanced education.
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Sometimes.
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I don't know the circumstances of the case or the laws that might apply to your case. I do know what the right thing is, but it is up to you to do it.
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(see second part of this question)
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Pharmacist
Why is an advanced degree required to dole out pills at a pharmacy?
Social Network Security Manager
How has Facebook remained mostly immune to hacks?
Chef
Is it true that the "specials" are usually the stuff that's been sitting around awhile?
Possibly. If the child is in actual danger, then yes, you can take reasonable actions to protect the life of the child. However, the preumption is that you are damaging someone else's property. You need to be able to prove that your actions were reasonable and necessary to protect the life of the child. Calling 911 is probably the best bet in the specific scenario you described. As stated elsewhere on this page - this is not legal advice.
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There are written and oral tests that cover everything from law to criminal procedure to firearms to first aid.
There are performance tests where the recruit has to demonstrate their ability to perform specific tasks such as firearms proficiency, physical fitness, defensive tactics, and medical techniques.
Then there are larger performance tests that measures the students' ability to handle complex scenarios such as investigating a traffic accident, processing a crime scene, investigating a domestic violence incident or responding to a spree killer.
Additionally, the entire academy is a test of the students' mental, emotional and physical ability to complete a long and demanding course of instruction. Many students quit because of the pressure.
Many states have a comprehensive written test at the end of the academy the student must pass for state certification.
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First question - Absolutely. There are no prohibitions or requirements for any specific religion or absense thereof to be a police officer. Of course, any religious biases that prevent you from impartially and effectively enforcing the laws of your state should prevent you from pursuing a career in law enforcement. For example, if you believe sharia law trumps the laws of your state, you have no place in police work.
Second question - I sure hope rules are not changed to allow police officers to wear a hijab. Police officers are required to wear uniforms, and that means a standard way of dressing. Clothing visibly worn for religious purposes should not be part of a police officer's uniform. A law enforcement officer is expected to impartially enforce the law for all citizens, and when there is an obvious bias it undermines the public's trust in the officer and agency.
If you believe you should be able to wear a hijab at work, then law enforcement is not the job for you.
Keep in mind that the nature of law enforcement does not allow you to regularly take off holy days. This is the same for Christians have to work Easter, and Jews who work on Yom Kippur.
Faith is very important, and if your faith will cause you conflict in a law enforcement career, you might want to consider an alternative job path.
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