Finding A Job As A Police Officer
Required Police Officer Skills And Characteristics
Much of what you need to know to be a successful police officer is taught during police academy training, but valuable skills can be learned anywhere. For example, having military experience or being bilingual can be an advantage when it comes to hiring. The following skills and tools are essential to help keep police officers and the public as safe as possible.
Leadership: Leadership qualities are important, not just for leading fellow officers, but for helping the civilian population in times of need. Police officers must be able to assess situations quickly and tell others what to do to keep safe.
Good judgment: Many problems faced by police officers have no easy solution. The right thing to do may require a complex solution and blur the lines between right and wrong. Good judgment helps police officers make the best decisions possible.
The ability to read people: Police officers interact with ordinary citizens every day. They must be able to figure out when something isnt right, not because of what is said, but because of what isnt said. There will also be disputes that boil down to one persons word against another. Being able to read peoples motives and tell when someone is being truthful is essential.
Physical strength and stamina: Law enforcement is demanding work, whether it is working long hours or having impromptu foot chases. Not all work will be dramatic, but physical ability is a much-needed skill for police officers.
What Is The Workplace Of A Police Officer Like
Police officers rarely work a regular, 40-hour week. Officers work late at night, on the weekends, and even on holidays. Most police officers work outdoors while on patrol, and are subjected to all types of weather conditions. Police work is also mentally gruelling. Officers often witness terrible crimes or become the focus of a criminal’s rage and abuse. Police officers must handle the stress brought on by these situations while remaining calm and collected.
Working as a police officer can bring on a range of emotions. It can leave you feeling satisfied, sad, rewarded, disgruntled, lonely and fulfilled, all within the same shift. A police officer needs to be a warrior, an information booth, a social worker, a guardian angel, a marriage counselor, and an arbitrator . The mental challenges are far more rigorous than all of the physical challenges put together.
Police officers carry the power of life and death on their hips, and are empowered to do things that, were they done by civilians, would get those civilians arrested. They can control traffic, take and imprison people against their will, and seize property. However, they are constantly reminded of the constraints that they must work under in order to exercise that power lawfully and fairly.
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How To Enroll In The Police Academy
- Basic supplies. Police officers are expected to be exemplary citizens with impeccable criminal records. Applicants must be:
- Application package. Get your application pack from your local academy.
- Get ready for the academy. After enrolling in the police academy, you must complete a rigorous physical training program.
Associate Degree In Law Enforcement
An associate degree in law enforcement prepares graduates for police careers by providing the information necessary to pass police academy entrance exams. The associate degree usually takes two years to complete, is a well-rounded degree with general education courses mixed in, and serves as a stepping stone to the bachelors degree. Because each associate degree program will be tailored to the requirements of the local and regional law enforcement departments, curriculums will vary. However, some of the classes incoming students can expect include:
Crime Types
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Step : Minimum Qualifications
First, you must determine if you are eligible to become a Peace Officer in Georgia. According to Georgia Law you must meet or be willing to meet all of the criteria below to become employed or certified as a peace officer:
Places To Earn A Law Enforcement Education
Formal education can expand your job options in the law enforcement field. Here are a few of the institutions where you can earn a certificate, degree, or experience in criminal justice:
- Trade School: Some vocational or trade schools have certificate programs that count toward college credit, such as for a future associate or bachelors degree. Others offer associate degrees.
- Military School: Military experience is well regarded by law enforcement agencies and police departments. Familiarity with firearms, mental toughness, physical conditioning, discipline, and an understanding of command structure are all benefits of hiring a recruit with military experience.
- Community College: Students can complete their associate degree in criminal justice in two years or earn a certificate in a few months. Whats more, most recruits come out of police academies based at two-year colleges, meaning some curriculums will be well integrated with local training.
- 4-year institution: Federal agencies often require a bachelors degree. Even if a four-year degree isnt required, getting a bachelors degree can be a prudent decision because it can increase your chances of being hired and promoted.
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Completing The Police Academy
When you have successfully completed the hiring process, you are a few steps closer to becoming a police officer but you still have two more phases to go through. The first one is the Police Academy. There you will undergo a lot of physical and theoretical training and learn how to use guns and apprehend criminals. You will receive knowledge about different laws and law enforcement procedures as well as acquire practical skills in driving, first aid, etc.
Not all candidates who enter the Academy finish their studies. You may be rejected due to bad performance, while some candidates give up themselves as they find it too difficult to complete.
The duration of the training in the Police Academy varies for the different agencies. It usually takes about 13 to 19 weeks on average but can last up to six months.
Note that it is possible to complete the Police Academy prior to applying for a police officer. Getting POST certified is one of the secrets to getting quickly hired as a police officer so, you can investigate this option as well.
Phds In Criminal Justice
Getting a Ph.D. in criminal justice would put you in rare company, especially if you want to work at an agency. Although 29% of chiefs and sheriffs have a bachelors and 32% have a masters, only 3% have a doctoral degree.
Yet a Ph.D. in criminal justice opens several possibilities. If you want to teach at a university or conduct research, its essential. Even if academia isnt your thing, you could work to create or change policy.
Ph.D. programs are, by nature, individualized. Your main output is a dissertation, which is written after conducting original research. By the end of the program, you will be an expert in a small sliver of the criminal justice field. But what sliver? Depending on the program, you could, for example, bone up on budgetary procedures and strategic planning, both of which are necessary to run a department, or you could explore the social determinants of a specific type of crime in a specific area.
A Ph.D. in criminal justice will likely include the following courses:
Weve written about doctoral degrees in criminal justice at length, including about the different types of criminal justice doctorates. Specifically, check out our interview with a criminal justice program director to see if a Ph.D. is worth it for you.
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Job Outlook For Ontario Police Officers
The labour market conditions for police officer jobs are currently Average. This indicates that these jobs are not difficult to find nor are they necessarily in abundance. Salaries have increased at a slower rate compared to jobs rated as Above average, but faster than those rated as Below average.
According to the Job Bank, employment growth and retirement will lead to a moderate number of new positions. In other words, the balanced labour market from 2016 – 2018 means there have been as many jobs available as there have been job seekers.
Continuing Education And Career Advancement
Once you have completed all of these steps to becoming a police officer, you will still have plenty to learn. Nothing beats on-the-job experience to show you all of the specialized areas police officers might want or need to learn more about. The best officers are never done learning.
Similar to other industries, officers must meet continuing education requirements in order to renew their license. For example, Minnesota police officer requirements mandate a minimum of 48 hours of continuing education within the three-year licensing period in order to maintain their license.
In addition, active officers are required to train annually in use of force and once every five years in emergency vehicle operations/pursuit driving. Specialized training may also be directed by your police department based on federal and local needs. Departments might also incentivize other education opportunities to encourage their officers forward. Additional training or credentials may be required for those looking to climb the police ranks.
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Become A Police Officer: Step
In Georgia, the peace officer certification process is regulated by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council . Therefore, some of the processes and paperwork you must complete will be through POST, while others will be completed directly through the GPSTC regional academy where you will receive your training.
Students attending basic training who are not employed by a law enforcement agency are referred to aspre-service candidates. Below are the steps that pre-service candidates must take before being accepted into a police academy to become certified as a Peace Officer in the state of Georgia.
Requirements For Becoming A Police Officer
Becoming a police officer requires completing the necessary formal training and education as well as demonstrating mental aptitude and physical fitness. Again, some of the specific requirements may vary according to location or organization. Generally speaking, however, aspiring officers should be prepared to prove themselves in the following ways.
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Typical Steps For Becoming A Police Officer And Advancing Your Career
Although individual paths to police work may vary, there are some important steps that anyone interested in this career must follow, including attending police academy. While becoming a police officer doesnt necessarily require it, a criminal justice degree may have significant value when it comes to ascending in the ranks.
The Chance To Be Active
While working as a police officer does come with administrative requirements, including the need to fill out paperwork promptly, the job provides many opportunities to be up and about and physically active. Examples include patrolling a neighborhood, pursuing a suspected criminal, or simply making the rounds while offering security at a public event.
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Ontario Police College Physical Component
As of September 2019, all applicants that have been offered a pre-employment letter by a police service will be required to successfully pass the PREP during their Basic Constable Training course at the Ontario Police College. The Ontario Police College is located in Aylmer, Ontario, which is the official training facility for all police constables across the Province.
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As a high school student, you probably hear a great deal about the importance of getting into a good college. However, you likely spend significantly less time talking about your future goals from a career perspective. As a result, when you get to college, you might not know what major to pursue or even which courses of study to explore. This can lead to students taking a much longer path to get where they ultimately end up!
At CollegeVine, were passionate about helping high schoolers determine what careers will bring them happiness for the long haul. Thats why we started this career series, so you can learn more about potential professions that might suit you.
If youre wondering how to become a police officer, well go over the steps you should take, starting from high school.
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How Long Does It Take To Become A Police Officer
The process of becoming a police officer requires a significant investment of your time. The duration varies and depends on how quickly and accurately an individual completes the forms and assessments. This also depends on the police agency you apply at.
The CPS states that their process takes between 3-6 months to complete. The RCMP doesnt provide a set duration for the entire process their cadet training takes 26 weeks. At the VPD, the recruit training alone takes up to 44 weeks in total.
Generally, you can expect to set aside 6 months for your application process. We recommend that you contact the police agency that youre interested in to find out how long their process takes from start to finish.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Police Officer In Texas
The total amount of time it will take to become a police officer in Texas from application to probation completion is about two years. This does not include any university or college education prior to application.
The application itself takes about 3-4 months and the hiring process takes 3-4 months. After that, you can expect to set aside 6 months for police academy, and another 6-12 months for a probationary period before becoming a full-fledged peace officer.
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What About Basic Training
Completing a basic police academy prior to your hiring is dependent on the agency you apply to. Some will only hire upon completion of the academy others hire you and then send you through the academy afterward. Check with the agency youre applying to for further information.
If youre from another state, keep in mind that California POST does not have reciprocity with other states. POST does offer a Basic Course Waiver process for out-of-state cops that you can learn more about here.
Police Officer Hiring Process
The police officer hiring process is much different than that of any other job. It is not simply attending an interview and then being approved for the position. In order to become a police officer, you need to undergo a series of tests and each of them can disqualify you. The entire process is quite competitive and each police department can put more importance on a single element of the process rather than on the other. Nevertheless, the hiring process consists of several elements that are common for each agency no matter if we talk about local, state or federal law enforcement.
Once your application is accepted, you need to be tested in order to prove that you have what it takes to do the job. This includes checking both your general knowledge, writing skills, physical abilities, and your background. Here are the steps that you need to successfully pass through, in order to become a police officer:
- Physical ability test
The physical ability test checks the fitness of the candidate and their readiness to face the physical challenges of the police officer job. Basically, there are two approaches adopted by the agencies into performing the PAT: the job simulation method and the fitness-based method. In both cases, it is a pass/fail test and the applicant must meet certain criteria in order to pass. Check with the department which of the two approaches they use and train for the test.
- Medical exam
- Background check
- Polygraph test
- Psychological screening
- Oral board interview
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