28 y/o - Too late to start??

[Tallship]

If you really aren't sure you want to make this life change, you might consider the reserves. Realize tho, if you do and then later decide you want to do it full time, you will have to thru the "regular" academy even tho you have gone thru the reserve one.

I don't know about the LA area, but here in San Diego there are colleges that offer the full POST Basic academy on a part time basis. As a matter of fact, the reason there are so few Level 1 reserves in SDSO is that most of them have been hired on fulltime. They get a new badge and are good to go.

[Gator Monroe]

They could ask you (While your hooked to machine ) Have you ingested Magic Mushrooms or Ecstasy ? Have you smoked Hashish, have you Smoked or Snorted Meth,Pot,Cocaine,... have you had sex with a Minor, have you evaded Taxes ....

[bombadillo]

And they did. I did the CHP oral review in 2001 and it was freaking horrible. I had a guy who was seriously pushing 7 feet tall and a tiny guy next to him who sounded just like the guy from Princess Bride. The little guy had an arm that was cut off just about midway between his elbow and his wrist so when he would make a point during the interview his stump would whack the table and it took all I had not to laugh at him. I got hammered when I forgot to put that I worked at safeway IN HIGHSCHOOL so be careful what you say and how you say it when putting in for it. For the most part they don't really care that much about what you've done in the past as long as it wasn't within the last couple of years so long as you are truthful about it. Good luck with your decision as i'm in the same boat right now. 10 years of doing optician work and i'm about ready for a change of scene. I've been considering going to the local police academy myself and just starting at a local level PD before doing anything else. Maybe lineman as well..........

[FLIGHT762]

I was hired at 27. I did 28 years and was able to retire at 55 with full benefits.

I've seen and done a lot of things that few people get to experience. I'd do it all over again.

[cmonk518]

Thats never too late of an age to start a LE career. I've actually noticed all my buddies who started around that age have done really well, very very content, and all climb ranks quite quickly. It can probably be due to being more goal-oriented, higher maturity level, and focused that maybe say when you were 18. It can actually be a more positive factor than anything being 28.

However, if you only intention is to get into aviation units with city or county police depts., you might find it kind of difficult esp in LA (I figure you might live in LA since your in tv production). They are extremely elite specialized units and with such a small tight-knit group, they hardly ever rotate in and out, unless one retires or promoted. It might take you quite awhile to climb enough ranks to get into such a specialized unit...or worse just waiting around for a slot to open.

With your background in aviation, FAA, and piloting, you might want to check careers in federal law enforcement such as Homeland Security, Border Patrol, Coast Guard, or Customs where they way more aviation units at their disposal and might actually be easier for you work your way in. I would quite frankly say you could probably find yourself within an aviation unit in federal LE within 5-7 years working diligently or even shorter, where as with local law enforcement, a majority of LEOs will tell you its near zilch to get into such an elite specialized unit in 5-7 yrs working LAPD or LASD. Many LEOs can attest that even working diligently in a big-city dept, it can take years just to make detective or sgt. ranking, let alone a specific unit.

[Holocanthus]

Really??? I thought cutoff was in the 30's for CHP.

Must start application process when 35 max.

[Olav]

It is never too late if you are determined. I turned 27 in the academy. There is a 48 year old guy who is going through the process now. He is a tough man. I have no doubt him making through the academy.

What academy is that?

[Fire in the Hole]

Must start application process when 35 max.

This is correct. You can be 20-35, when you apply and enter the academy, as long as you can turn 21 prior to graduation. You can also turn 36 prior to you graduation date, but can not apply at 36.






Salary Cadet - $4,030 - $5,064
Cadets earn a monthly salary while attending the CHP Academy. in addition, cadets receive free room and board. Effective the first month following their Academy reporting date, cadets receive full health and dental benefits for themselves and their dependents. Cadets also earn an additional seven hours of mandatory overtime per month.

Officer - $5,432 - $6,604
Upon graduation from the CHP Academy cadets are promoted to the position of officer. Annually, an officer's base pay is $65,185. 5.0% increases occur yearly until the top step base salary of $79, 248 is reached.

Note: - These salaries do not include pay incentives or overtime compensation. During an officer's first year, approximately $10,000 is earned in overtime.
Pre-and Post-Shift Work Activities Pay Differential
Officers receive a stipend equal to 3.5% of their base pay to compensate for pre-and post-shift activities.
In addition, all officers earn the following pay incentives:

Physical performance Pay (PPP)
$65.00 per month; after the fifth year, $130.00 a month.

Lunch Pay
Officer's are paid an additional 6.25% of their base salary, or approximately $4,953 annually at the top step.

Uniform Allowance
Officer's are entitled to an annual uniform allowance of $920. Cadets are loaned the funds to purchase their first set of uniforms. This interest free loan will be repaid over the first 12 months of their career.

Specialty Pay Bilingual Pay
$100 per month for certified bilingual speaking officers who are assigned to a bilingual position.

Canine Pay
$156 per month for officers who are canine handlers.

Educational Incentive Pay
2.5% of their base pay of officers who possess an intermediate Peace officer Standards and training (POST ) Certificate of Associate of Arts/Science degree or 5% of their base pay for officers who possess an Advanced POST Certificate or Bachelor of Arts/Science degree.

Field Training Officer (FTO) Pay
Field Training Officers earn an additional 5% of their daily base pay each day they serve as an FTO.

Investigator Pay
$50 per month for officers assigned as full-time Vehicle Theft or Fraud Investigators.

Motorcycle Officer Pay
4% of base pay for motorcycle enforcement duty.

Flight Officer Pay
Annual salaries for officers who fly in either airplanes or helicopters, at to step: Pilot - $92.592 Flight Observer - $82,812

Shift Differential
Swing Shift adds an additional $0.80 per hour per shift, which averages $1,650 annually. For graveyard shift, add an additional $1.30 per hour per shift, averaging $2,650 annually.

Senior Officer Pay
Officers also earn a monthly pay differential based on the years they have worked. Add an additional:
2% after 18 years 5% after 21 years
3% after 19 years 6% after 22 years
4% after 20 years 8% after 25 years

Example of potential CHP Officer Salaries First Year After Fifth Year
Base pay $65,184 $79,248
PPP Pay 780 1,560
8-1/2 Hour Day 4,074 4,953
Swing Shift Differential 1,650 1,650
Pre & Post 2,281.44 2,773.68
Subtotal $73,969.44 $90,184.68
Average Overtime 10,000 15,000
Subtotal $83,969.44 $105,184.68
Education Incentive (BA) (5 % of base) 3,259.20 3,962.40
Total: $87,228.64 $109,147.08

* This is not a contract or an offer of employment. Salary and benefits are subject to change.

Benefits Medical, Dental, and Vision Benefits
The Department provides comprehensive medical, dental, and vision health care plans for officers and their dependents. Officers may select from numerous health care plans, the plan that best meets their needs.

[mountaindweller]

It is never too late if you are determined. I turned 27 in the academy. There is a 48 year old guy who is going through the process now. He is a tough man. I have no doubt him making through the academy.

That's awesome... I'm 30 and going to enter the service and then wanted a LEO career. That 48 year man is a soldier.

[retired]

What academy is that?

Tho he can answer for himself, I'll jump in. It is LASD, the same one I went to, just a few (lol)years earlier.

LASD also has outside agency cadets attend in the same class.

[CaliTheKid]

Using the Reserve program as a test ground is a good idea too. Let's you check out the culture without giving up what you already have. Best of luck.