Heard about getting sponsored.

[Amuro1990]

Well I am 20yrs old. Was going to Heald College to get a Criminal Justice degree but unfortunately got dropped last year after me and my ex fiancee split. I work as a security guard from time to time but my dream has always been to be a police officer. I am currently working on getting my drivers license. I know 20 and dont have a drivers license..pretty crazy. Anyways I was on the Fresno City College site and saw they have the police academy. I was going to go back to school once I get my drivers license and wanted to try and get a criminal justice degree, I saw how much everything would cost for the academy and I dont think I would be able to afford all of that. Then I heard about how some agencies would sponsor you through the academy. Exactly what does that mean? I have a relative who works for the Fresno Police Department and was thinking about seeking his help. Went on a ride along with him last year and it was an amazing experience.

[ckim34]

search is your friend

not trying to be an *** but its been discussed to death

[alex00]

Essentially, sponsored means that an agency has hired you, and is putting you through the academy. I don't think in today's hiring climate that there are many agencies sponsoring people through the academy. I could be wrong. If you're willing to take advice from a total stranger on the interwebs, I would suggest getting a degree in something you enjoy. Eventually the economy will rebound, and people will be looking at other industries for employment. There are times when there aren't enough people to fill a room to test, but this isn't one of those times.

California is saturated with well qualified and experienced people applying for a very limited number of Law Enforcement openings. Many cities and counties have laid off large portions of their sworn staff, and those folks are applying for the same job you would like to have. At 20, you are in a very good position to stay in school, and hit the ground running with a degree, and life experience in 3 to 5 years. I know that sounds like forever now, but you'll be better off waiting. Your pay will be higher, and you will advance through the POST steps at a much quicker rate. Some agencies pay you more depending on your level of POST certification.

The other issue is your driver license. Some agencies may want to see that you have held a valid licence for a certain period of time before application.

[Amuro1990]

Yea very true. I really dont min going back to school and getting a degree in criminal justice. So I will most likely just go back to school and wait.