Going into law enforcement

[Hank15]

Hi All,

I am going into law enforcement right now and I would like to seek advice and constructive criticism from current or retired law enforcement professionals in the field right now.

Please leave a message in this thread if you're okay with me PM-ing you.

Thanks in advance sirs/mams!

[trendar5]

(This is for the 23 year-old new guy. Sometimes guys and gals start at 35 and don't need all this)

1. Don't buy a $50,000 truck.

2. Keep your mouth shut and listen.

3. When in FTO, get out of the car and take charge of a situation.

4. Save up for a house or condo, don't buy fancy bling on credit.

5. Don't waste too much money on extra gear. It adds up. The longer you work in the job, the less silly gizmos you buy at the police supply store.

6. Don't try to pick up people that are on the ground who can't or won't get up, just by dead lifting them. You can destroy your back, no matter how strong you are.

[Ron-Solo]

Don't go out with "donut dollies" and keep your sex life differs t from your work life.

If it seems wrong, it usually is, and will probably be illegal too.

You are not superman/woman.

Don't do stupid stuff. Especially with alcohol.

[BoJackUSMC]

Wait for back up
Enroll in 401k, ROTH IRA, or Deferred Comp
Dont buy brand new $50K vehicle
Dont waste money on high speed low drag gears (use whatever gear you have right now)
Be humble to your FTO and your Sergeants and work HARD!!!
Dont ever show up LATE to work!!!!

You are late when you show up to work exactly on time... show up early

[4FTTY]

Eyes and ears open, mouth shut.

[9mmepiphany]

Originally Posted by trendar5

(This is for the 23 year-old new guy. Sometimes guys and gals start at 35 and don't need all this)

1. Don't buy a $50,000 truck.

2. Keep your mouth shut and listen.

3. When in FTO, get out of the car and take charge of a situation.

4. Save up for a house or condo, don't buy fancy bling on credit.

5. Don't waste too much money on extra gear. It adds up. The longer you work in the job, the less silly gizmos you buy at the police supply store.

6. Don't try to pick up people that are on the ground who can't or won't get up, just by dead lifting them. You can destroy your back, no matter how strong you are.

These are what I would have posted and would add maxing out your Deferred Comp before any large purchases.

It will seem silly when you are young, but you'll really be thankful you did when you get about 10 years in.

Just to add to #6. There is almost never a time you need someone up some quickly that you can't wait for help doing it. You're already doing enough damage to your lower back with all the gear you carry on your belt and the horrible seats you have to sit on

[DR296]

Stay focused, listen to your gut, it is okay to feel fear just overcome it. Trust no one. There is no such thing as a fair fight, you must win.
Ask your FTO questions, but dont question your FTO.
Work starts an hour before shift, in order to get the proper mindset.
Money, Women and alcohol can get u into trouble
Never Lie to your fellow Officers or Superiors or while testifying.
Never try to cover up or support any wrong doing

[prc104]

Buy your training officer breakfast/lunch/dinner/coffee.

If your TO takes the lead on something, shut up and follow directions.

[ethan454]

NEVER post anything on the Internet you wouldn't want your chief or a jury to see.

[Notorious]

While on probation:

- keep you head down, don't ask why, just do it
- show up to work early despite what other people say, get ready and be reading the briefing boards before briefing starts, sit attentively, take notes, keep quiet, go to work, be the quiet professional who is always ready to go
- don't ever, ever, ever *****, moan, complain, whine, one iota about having to work late, overtime, weekends, nights, holidays, etc., because your FTO is there with you and he has way more seniority than you and he has earned every right to not hear you, a boot, say a peep about it, if you have anything to say about it this early, you ain't making it for 25 years, we don't work at our own convenience in this job and nobody forced us to take this job
- stay home and do not engage in any extra activities, including going to clubs, bars, movies, anything that might involve alcohol, strange women, strangers, crowds, fights, off duty involvement requiring LE intervention, etc., it will save your career and if you can't stand this little sacrifice, don't be a LEO
- do what your FTO tells you, even if you disagree, as long as it is a lawful and valid order, because he holds the keys to your job, you do not work in a democracy where your voice matters and this ain't no Gen-Y drum circle where you need to give your input to feel like you are heard and valued as a person, if you need that, go work for OWS and get raped
- avoid doing anything, anything remotely controversial or noticeable, like dye your hair, get a noticeable tattoo, wax your eyebrows, tailor your uniform to fit like you are a 2 bit stripper, etc., the key is to skate under the radar the whole time
- Booze, Broads, Betting. AVOID messing with it beyond your control at all costs. Forever. Not just on probation. Don't tempt fate and don't think you are that special that you are the one that can get away with it when every other cop that tried lost his job over it. You are not that special.
- On that note, don't be a hero. Do your job. Do your best. Go home and repeat for the next 25 years. That is your goal. You die playing hero, well... here's a flag and some tears, maybe even a picture in the lobby of your department. Next guy in line to take your job starts right away and the department moves on as always. The department was here before you, it will be here after you. Your goal, from day one, is to make it to retirement, while doing the best you can. Both goals can be accomplished and you don't need to be a worthless slug that hides from calls so you can make it to retirement, you can still do a good job and stay alive barring a Rolo Tomasi, but you don't have to be a reckless hero who has to try killing himself on every call either, because when you get yourself killed due to stupidity or recklessness, you might not always succeed, but you will very likely get other cops hurt or killed and that is inexcusable.

If I sound harsh, I am. That's because I had enough years and seen enough crap, and I have been a FTO and I have seen enough new boots come through, some good, some worse than criminals I have arrested. You start losing patience with this. This badge used to mean something. It was fought for and earned. Now some think they are entitled to a badge just because they want it and they are some special minority group so we have to lower our standards to fit them when it should be one standard for everyone or they are too good for the badge but took it because it paid well and had good benefits in this sucky job market. Those people need to get out and make room for those who want it. You know you want it, you can't fake it. It's in you, or it's not. We can see it too.

That being said, good luck and remember my words.

[Hank15]

Thank you sirs!

All the information you guys provided are along the lines of what the officers I've shot IDPA with have told me. It looks like the protocol is standard across various agencies and departments.

I have some followup questions to some of the information provided in this thread.

If any of you gentleman prefer to talk it over PM, please let me know. Otherwise I will ask them on this thread shortly.

[Andykev]

Every day is a new day, your job interview. Keep your mouth shut. Keep your private life private. Say nothing stupid or critical of others or the agency. The guy sitting across from you at line up will be the Deputy Chief someday. They will remember that one time you said something stupid, or screwed up. It takes 100 hero points to fix one "aw SH**". Always, ALWAYS work. Be there early, and don't cry about missing dinner, being forced over, or going to court on your day off for the third week in a row. If you really feel bad about that, become a fireman instead.

[BoJackUSMC]

oh yeah... whatever happens in the briefing room, it stays inside lol...
Just remember.. everyone goes through it, not just you.

[Notorious]

Originally Posted by BoJackUSMC

oh yeah... whatever happens in the briefing room, it stays inside lol...
Just remember.. everyone goes through it, not just you.

Whatever happens in the locker room, stays in the locker room.

Whatever happens in your private life, is nobody else's business, unless you want it to be, and you don't want it to be. Trust me.

Everyone goes through it. Those who are still there survived it one way or another. You aren't special.

You know what happens to cops who think they are special?

They either are greeting you at Wal-Mart, behind bars, or have their faces all over the news, and not for anything good either.

[retired]

And if you do get hired and you do follow the good advice given by others, one day you will be able to go by the same name I do here.

Good luck.

[Spanky8601]

Most of the advise above is spot on.

I might add....Remember that all the rules/laws apply to you.

[epilepticninja]

Take speech and writing courses. You are going to have your reports read by educated people who will draw an opinion on you from how you write, and your use of grammar ("mams" is "Ma'am"). Also, you will be required to speak in public, and not always in the best of conditions (i.e. responding to questions by an aggressive defense attorney.) If you cannot speak clearly and articulate, all your hard work in the streets will go right out the door.

[Raider510]

If you don't catch them now, you'll catch them later. No need to ever fudge a report or plant something on someone. You will get them later. If there's one thing that officers lose more respect on from the public, it's lying. Don't do it. Keep your integrity.

[non sequitur]

Lots of great advice here. Notorious pretty much summed it up perfectly. Copy and paste his advice and post it in your locker!

The only thing I would add is this: have a hobby and friends OUTSIDE of law enforcement.

Any hobby is good... golf, fishing, kite building, anything to take your mind off of the job.

Also, once you become an LEO, your family and true friends will still care about you but you may lose some friends because not everybody likes cops. That's just the way it is.

It's OK to have cop buddies. After all, only other cops will truly understand your stress, grief, joys, concerns, etc. I regularly hang out with some of my Academy classmates, patrol buddies, etc. BUT I have a healthy contingent of non-cop friends too.

Good luck and stay safe!

[3S16]

It's a tough club to join. If it were easy, everyone would do it. Don't get discouraged if you get passed over a couple times. It's a long process from the written test to actually getting hired - usually nine months or more. There is a LOT of competition and agencies can afford to be selective.There is a huge pool of unemployed college graduates out there. There are a lot of skilled military coming home also. Many agencies offer preference points for Vets (as well they should). There are also a lot of "Academy complete" and laterals to contend with.
Don't apply to a dozen different agencies hoping someone will pick you up. It will come back and bite you at the oral. Pick 2-3 that you are truly interested in and stick with them. Show some loyalty.
I didn't see any mention of age. If you're under 25 or so, living with your parents and not ex-military, you probably should gain some life experience.
Consider joining a Reserve program. You might find out that REAL law enforcement isn't like what you see on TV. Ride-alongs with different agencies are assigned with much grumbling and are a pain in the *** for real officers. They aren't Disneyland rides.
Finally, if you are just looking for a steady paycheck and a pension you are making a terrible choice. Law enforcement - if you're doing it right - is a calling, not a job. It can be a harsh mistress. Over 20-30 years it will take a terrible toll on your family life, as well as your mental and physical health.
Having said all that, I spent 32 years on the job and loved every day of it. At some point though, you "hit the wall" and realize that it's a young mans sport. When you start arresting the grandchildren of the A-holes you started out arresting, it's time to go.
"It was the best of times-it was the worst of times...". Good Luck.

[Hank15]

What stage of the process are you at?

Conditional offer from an agency. Waiting to hear back from other agencies (already went through the initial stages, i.e. initial background and assessments). I can PM you more info if you'd like.

I just realized I didn't say much more about myself beyond "going into law enforcement". Sorry for being rude. Here's some background. Be warned, it's lengthy. I wrote something along the lines of this in my application to an agency:

About 2 or 3 years ago I had a life changing experience. My grandpa was dying from cancer. While most people experience the death of a relative in the family, not many of them witness their last breath. I did a lot of thinking while he was in the hospice - general denial, questioning of a higher being, life after death, etc. Eventually I thought about how he lived his life.

At the age of 18, he joined the Nationalist army and fought his way out of China as the communists rose to power. After Taiwan declared itself a sovereign nation, he took pride in being a citizen of Taiwan. The word patriotic by itself isn't enough to describe his love for his country.

As I was growing up, my grandpa saw increasing similarities between the circumstances of our lives, most notably that I was also an immigrant looking for better opportunities in a foreign nation. Somewhere along the lines he instilled in me the values of service and duty to one's country. The ironic thing was that my family shipped me over here because they didn't want me to go through the hardships of military service (which is mandatory in Taiwan).

He never outright asked me to be a serviceman, but he always hinted at it, albeit bluntly: "Your commanders would love you. You're definitely qualified to go to a military school."

As I was graduating from high school, I had the opportunity to meet my teacher's husband, who was a Detective III at LAPD. After I learned more about the job, I decided it was something I wanted to pursue. I told my grandpa about it and he was excited. However, maybe it was the language barrier and my thoughts were lost in translation, he understood it as I wanted to join the FBI. I wasn't going to correct him.

College steered me away from my law enforcement aspirations. Growing up in a capitalistic society made me value money. I started considering careers that paid the most. Careers that had great benefits beyond medical and dental care, i.e. shares to the company stock. And as an 18 year old, valuing money made all the sense in the world, especially since my family was poor to the extent that I spent the last couple years moving all the time, which included extended stays (months) at hotels.

Sociology classes taught me that law enforcement is institutionalized racism. Professors taught me that the servicemen protecting and serving our country are less intelligent than criminals, yet bear no difference other than that one has an uniform. You won't hear one good thing about military/law enforcement personnel in a public university. The pepper spray incident at Davis certainly didn't help. Torture scandals in the military didn't help either.

I was conditioned to garner a disdain for the servicemen that provided and secured the opportunities I have today.

However, my grandpa prevented and changed all that. By the time he was in the hospice, he had already given up on his hopes of telling other people that his grandson was a serviceman. Especially since I passed up the opportunity to attend a prestigious military school. Instead, he praised me for doing well at my university, for being able to do well in everything I do. At this point, I had a substandard cumulative GPA. I believe I had a 2.5 and a 2.8 for my first two quarters.

His day came faster than we imagined. Almost the entire family gathered by his deathbed on the day he passed away. As he was choking blood and struggling to breathe, he talked to each one of us. He spent most of his last minutes with me. He told me how proud of me he was. He used what's left of his strength to give me a thumbs up. The nurse came in shortly to administer morphine or anesthesia to ease the pain and help him pass peacefully. She warned us he might not wake up. As we were mourning, a monk came in and noticed that I appeared to be the saddest. She told me something I'll remember to this day. It was along the lines of "He used his life to teach you lessons that can make you a better person".

I was set to "send him away" as us people in Taiwan would call it. He woke up one last time to give me a thumbs up. During that time I said one last thing that I knew would give him peace and make him happy - I told him to not worry about my mom's financial situation. That I was going to go into the FBI academy like we talked about, and that I'd be making over $60,000 a year. So he doesn't have to worry. He passed away shortly after that.

After his death I learned a lot of things about him. For instance, at the age of 85, he would take shaky public buses rather than taxis so he can save a few more dollars for my family. He did this for so many years that he had about $10,000 in his savings, which he gave to my mom to buy me a car. Prior to that, he took out a loan on his already paid off house so that we would have a down payment for the house we live in today. He really did give up his life to better mine, and to make me a better person. He changed me and the way I look at things.

After I returned to school, I became an addict for productivity. I don't recall a school night where I slept more than 3 or 4 hours. I applied for jobs when I had the time. I volunteered for research assistant positions when I was satisfied with my GPA. I even applied for the centralized student experience program with the US Marshals, which I qualified for, but couldn't attend, due to the termination of the program under the Obama administration. I did so many things that I can't remember half of them unless I really sit down and think about it. Some people have been offended and displayed a "you're a liar" attitude/tone of voice when I talked to them about these things.

Fast forward to present day, and I earned my bachelor's degree in 3 years with honors, with both research and work experience under my belt. I received educational offers from the very best universities and employment offers that are much better than most college graduates can imagine or obtain.

Some people have called me stupid for giving up these opportunities. Others have said "dude why are you going to settle for just a street cop. Someone with half your intelligence could do that."

But my grandpa gave his life to teach me to be better than that. And for that, I am returning the favor by postponing other opportunities to work towards fulfilling my promise to my grandpa. To answer a rediscovered sense of calling - that is, service and duty to the country that provided me with the opportunities to accomplish everything I listed above.




It seems like all the suggestions so far has been very consistent with each other. That said, I have a few follow up questions regarding some of those suggestions:

1) At what point into the career is it okay to start asking question?

2) Is it a good idea to maintain contact with your FTO after you're off probation and/or after you've promoted?

[FUBAR]

If you're scheduled to work on Super Bowl Sunday, don't you even think about calling in sick. And that goes for any other holiday you're scheduled.

Keep you're uniform clean and pressed. I can't stand slobs. Makes us all look bad.

[Notorious]

It's always encouraged to ask questions about parts of the job you don't understand. It's also good to ask good questions so you can always improve. It's not okay to ask the same questions after you have been taught over and over.

Unless you work in a huge department, you will likely not be too far away from your FTO, who will still be in the field. I've kept in touch with my FTO even from an old department who has since retired. We talk regularly and are good friends. However, there will be those FTO's that you hate because they were hard on you. There's no requirement to be friends with everyone at work, it's your call.

[9mmepiphany]

I've always kept tabs on my trainees. Trainees are a reflection on your ability to train. If they were going through a rough patch, I'd check in on them to see if they needed help. I don't know if other FTOs did this, but I think mine liked it.

My worst FTO (I thought about quitting) and I cleared the air 10 years after I had him. I found out that he was told to put extra pressure on me to see what I was made of...I guess it's tough when you're the first Chinese officer they've hired

[maxmonster]

Man... all this is a good read I take my written exam tomorrow! Kind of has me nervous now...

[Hank15]

Unless you work in a huge department, you will likely not be too far away from your FTO, who will still be in the field. I've kept in touch with my FTO even from an old department who has since retired. We talk regularly and are good friends. However, there will be those FTO's that you hate because they were hard on you. There's no requirement to be friends with everyone at work, it's your call.

Are FTOs hard on you because that's their job and/or they've been told to do so? Has there ever been complaints filed against FTOs?

I've always kept tabs on my trainees. Trainees are a reflection on your ability to train. If they were going through a rough patch, I'd check in on them to see if they needed help. I don't know if other FTOs did this, but I think mine liked it. My worst FTO (I thought about quitting) and I cleared the air 10 years after I had him. I found out that he was told to put extra pressure on me to see what I was made of...I guess it's tough when you're the first Chinese officer they've hired

Wow, I wonder if I am not in a similar boat...being one of the "new generation" of college grad applicants.

[Notorious]

FTO's have different styles and some are cool and want to teach you in a nice way and some are old school and want to stress you out to see how you act under pressure. There's no real set method for someone to be while training you. I don't believe in stressing someone out for no reason as it is not conducive to learning but I do believe in the Socratic method where I don't give you the answer but rather let you figure something out with the knowledge that you have.

[9mmepiphany]

Originally Posted by Notorious

I don't believe in stressing someone out for no reason as it is not conducive to learning but I do believe in the Socratic method where I don't give you the answer but rather let you figure something out with the knowledge that you have.

That was the way I trained too.

I'm wasn't even looking for you to come to the same answer that I would have...in half the time...but, how you arrived there. I was testing to see how you applied the law, common sense and how your logical reasoning worked.

If you came to the wrong conclusion, but your reasoning seem logical, we would look for the flaw in perception of either the facts or understanding of the law. More often than not, it was a flawed supposition...listening is a highly under rated skill

I wonder if I am not in a similar boat...being one of the "new generation" of college grad applicants

My former department hired it's first college grad back in the 60s...half my academy class ('79) had degrees

[SVT-40]

Originally Posted by Ron-Solo

Don't go out with "donut dollies"

Hey Ron thats a bit on the harsh side........

[9mmepiphany]

...next thing you know, he'll be saying to avoid the hash slinging honeys too

[Socaliente]

Stay in shape, you dont have to be a gym rat but dont be lazy just because youre out of the academy and off training.

Don't let your personal life carry into the job and dont let your job carry into your personal life. It can be stressful, don't take it home with you. Don't take anything personal from **** bags on the street. They hate the badge and not you.

Be professional, when going to call where the victim is a 80 year old women, treat her like you would want someone to treat your grandma.

Keep your opinions off facebook/twitter, that **** can and will be brought up in court against you. It can be a career killer.

Be proud to wear the badge but don't let it get to your head. You serve the public.

[CBR_rider]

Here is what I learned through training and what has stuck with me since (it mirrors closely what many of the fine gents above me have posted).

#1 You and your partner always go home at the end of shift.

#2 Don't do stupid stuff on duty and don't post on social networks/bring to work your stupid off duty antics.

#3 Don't be an arrogant jerk (to the public, suspects, or coworkers).

#4 Don't stop learning.

#5 Keep hobbies/friends outside of work.

#6 Don't date your partner.

#7 Be Honest and always keep your word: If you tell Joe Dirtbag you are gonna cut him a break, you better do it. If you aren't willing to cut him a break, don't promise him one.

#8 If everyone is happy, you aren't doing your job.

I've had a serious, cop-hating gangster come to my aid during a melee because of #3 and #7 one time. He was over 6'2 and 250lbs, things would have been a lot different if he had decided to join the other side.

[IA300]

Originally Posted by CBR_rider

Here is what I learned through training and what has stuck with me since (it mirrors closely what many of the fine gents above me have posted).

#1 You and your partner always go home at the end of shift.

#2 Don't do stupid stuff on duty and don't post on social networks/bring to work your stupid off duty antics.

#3 Don't be an arrogant jerk (to the public, suspects, or coworkers).

#4 Don't stop learning.

#5 Keep hobbies/friends outside of work.

#6 Don't date your partner.

#7 Be Honest and always keep your word: If you tell Joe Dirtbag you are gonna cut him a break, you better do it. If you aren't willing to cut him a break, don't promise him one.

#8 If everyone is happy, you aren't doing your job.

I've had a serious, cop-hating gangster come to my aid during a melee because of #3 and #7 one time. He was over 6'2 and 250lbs, things would have been a lot different if he had decided to join the other side.

Very good points, esp. #1...Better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6, #5 is huge, had to deal with that to save my marriage!, #6- NEVER sh$$ where you eat, it will only end badly. #7 always be able to look yourself in the mirror, you alone have to deal with your conscious! Good luck

[Mike-4]

A lot of good advice posted. Follow it.

[Hank15]

Thank you all for the advice.

I'll be writing them down on a piece of paper.

The following questions may be more personal, and I understand if they're not questions you guys would like to answer.

1) What are some disappointments law enforcement professionals encounter?

2) What are some career achievements that are guaranteed by hard work? I ask this because I've met people that work really hard, but was never promoted due to lack of participation in politics.

[Notorious]

1. Politics will be the top disappointment. More cops quit the job due to politics than to a lot of other things. It can ruin a career faster than anything else. It also leaves a terrible taste in your mouth and turn you off to LE. The joke of a criminal justice system is also another disappointment where you bust your *** and sometimes almost lose your life so the scum can plea and walk out before you finish your report. Then you have professional activists who love to ruin your life with false complaints and follow you around accusing you of stuff. That's just the tip of the iceberg here.

2. Hard work guarantees you more work. If you are the go to guy who can take care of stuff, you will be given more stuff to take care of. You are not guaranteed a promotion for anything other than if you are the golden boy or if you fill some minority quota they got. The department can and will use you and chew you up and spit you out if you let it. It did it to people before you and it will do it to people after you. You want promotions? Be a solid cop but know how to be on the right people's good side. Overcome every instinct to just be a solid guy and hope you will be "noticed" for being a good guy. Nobody cares. You have to promote yourself and toot your own horn because nobody else will.

Then again, if you love LE and it's in you, none of this matters at the end of the day because you can't imagine yourself doing anything else. That is something only you know if you got it in you.

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Dang, a ton of good advice here.

One more piece of advice... stay out of Association/city-county-whatever politics. I know a longtime cop who's starting over in a different department because of it.

[ak_in_ca]

Remember where you came from and be humble
do not become a badge heavy prick
have friends and hobbies outside of LE
make your family a priority, to the department you are a number dont lose what truely important.
treat others as you would want to be treated in the same situation.
continue to train on your own and constantly learn, the second you think you know everything and become salty is the day you need to quit and find a new career.
BE WARY OF WOMEN AND BOOZE THEY ARE CAREER KILLERS!!!!!!!!

[Hank15]

Thank you everyone for all the input so far.

This might be a bit of a stretch and I might be looking too far ahead.

For those of you that took sergeant, detective, lieutenant exams, did these textbooks help?

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...l+service+exam

If so, which ones do you recommend?

[Just-in]

studying this thread closely as well...