Questions about the academy

[Big Korea]

Good morning,
I'm a veteran in the San Diego area (dime a dozen, I know), currently waiting for my driver's license to come in the mail so I can complete the written test for SDSD. I am currently a GI bill user, and aside from part timing at a gym I use the stipend as a primary source of income. My only worry is during the hiring process for the Sheriff's department, I will perhaps be waiting an extended time. Has anyone here attending a police academy unsponsored by an agency, and do you think already having a POST certificate will make me a more attractive prospect opposed to someone who still needs to go through the training. If I went to the academy unsponsored I would still be eligible to receive payment from the VA, but I'm not sure which route is best. I guess I'm just looking for input.

Thank you for your time.

[Rogue187]

Your in competition with a lot of others. It used to be having your certificate made you a better prospect. Some agencies would still still have you go thru their academy even if you have your certificate. Try to get hired with an agency so you wouldn't have wasted your time. Because you can only renew the cert once. Good luck!


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[Big Korea]

Your in competition with a lot of others. It used to be having your certificate made you a better prospect. Some agencies would still still have you go thru their academy even if you have your certificate. Try to get hired with an agency so you wouldn't have wasted your time. Because you can only renew the cert once. Good luck!


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Thanks for your input, I have a lot of factors going each way but definitely don't want to waste my time and money that is for sure... I am determined, I will find my way into law enforcement!

[CinnamonBear723]

I went through the Golden West Police Academy unsponsored. I can say without a doubt it helped me get hired because more than of the tac staff pulled me aside and "ordered" me to apply at their respective agencies. Golden West tac staff is made up of instructors from all over Orange County. We had a handful of military guys all unsponsored using their GI bills to get thru. I think only one ended up unhired.

This is just my experience and I work for a midsize agency in OC. Bigger agencies don't care as much but smaller agencies like a POST cert because it's less of a gamble for them if you can't pass the academy and its six months they don't have to wait on you to be in the field working. Hopefully this helps. If you need any further info feel free to PM me.

[micro911]

If you can, apply first and see how the process goes. Being hired by an agency and going through an academy is better, because you get full salary anyways.

[Big Korea]

Great thanks so much for everyone's input. I'm going to go ahead and follow the path and see what the agencies are saying and make a choice from there. I sincerely thank everyone for their responses!

[Tallship]

Seeing as how you are in San Diego, if you put yourself through the Miramar academy, that is where the SDSD and SDPD send their recruits. I can tell you that if you don't have any background disqualifiers, you will almost certainly be hired by one of those agencies.

[syntaxerror]

I figured why pay for something when you can get paid to do it?

[Ron-Solo]

LASD is on a big hiring push right now. If you get hired, you are paid from day one. www.lasdcareers.org

Riverside Sheriff's Department is also hiring. www.joinrsd.org

[fawndog]

What's the cost ? 2-3k ?
I heard a RTO said it cost 80k to run recruits through. But I imagine that included wages & benis.

[CinnamonBear723]

I figured why pay for something when you can get paid to do it?

If only it were that simple. There are a lot of pros and cons to both. Having been a person who sponsored themselves, I can certainly say its a good way to get the ball rolling in your favor. If you have the time and money to wait, then maybe it would be beneficial to wait and have them pay your way. Really depends on where you are at in life.

[CinnamonBear723]

What's the cost ? 2-3k ?
I heard a RTO said it cost 80k to run recruits through. But I imagine that included wages & benis.

It cost me about $7,500 in total. Maybe $15,000 in total with living, food, and gas. I was lucky enough to have a good support system at the time and rent was free. Like i said in my above post, its kinda dependent on where you are in life. That was just me independently. I would imagine its much more expensive for the agency to be paying all the extras along the way.

[emvampyre]

LASD is on a big hiring push right now. If you get hired, you are paid from day one. www.lasdcareers.org

Riverside Sheriff's Department is also hiring. www.joinrsd.org

I agree with Ron, LAPD is also hiring and CHP is getting ready to do another big push as well. I went through the academy hired by the LASD, and I remember we had 3 guys in my class who sponsored themselves and had no job at the end. One of the guys eventually went out of state and was hired several years later. Good luck man, don't give up!

[indy78]

All True

I agree with Ron, LAPD is also hiring and CHP is getting ready to do another big push as well. I went through the academy hired by the LASD, and I remember we had 3 guys in my class who sponsored themselves and had no job at the end. One of the guys eventually went out of state and was hired several years later. Good luck man, don't give up!

Additionally, if you get injured in an academy where you have sponsored yourself you are on your own. However, if you get injured in a departmental academy you're covered under workman's comp and will be rehabilitated and cycled into the next class. I tried to tell a friend of the family this and he did not listen. He suffered a stress fracture to his hip in his self sponsored academy and he was done. Our department would not look at him as he's a liability and simply a workman's comp case waiting to happen.

Had he listened to me he would have been treated, rehabilitated and started over in the next academy class. Our department gives 10 veteran preference points and that counts for a hell of a lot more in the hiring process than having your POST. We don't care because you have to finish our academy regardless.

[Big Korea]

Thanks for all the input, any suggestions on what to wear to my written test? I assume business casual should be sufficient?