It will get better...

[Notorious]

We were hiring until the latest news came out from the governor's office. Ugh.

I hear LAPD, LASD, and a few smaller places are hiring here like Westminster and Newport Beach.

[Cokebottle]

Socal is a better place to start-LAPD, Orange County, etc. Norcal is very slow, the talk is concessions and expanding retirement age. I'd consider out of state. Good luck.

Maybe not LAPD with the current budget, but Burbank and Torrance have standing recruit openings.

[dkindrumr]

Costa Mesa PD is letting go of 20 officers and Newport Beach just dissolved their Air Unit. Looks like Huntington Beach got the contract.

Maybe this is why Joe Citizen is lining up to buy an AR and taking tactical classes.

[yzErnie]

This whole scenario could be solved almost overnight if the state and local powers-that-be quit giving away money services to those who do not deserve it. But, that is a topic for another thread.

[Ubermcoupe]

If San Jose lays off those 200+ officers, you will have a hard time getting hired. Some of those slated for layoffs will have 4 or more years of experience.

Some of them have close to 7. Anyone north of badge 4xxx has "potential" to be cut...

[veeklog]

Went through the same situation in 1994 after finishing a pre-service academy but the military was discharging veterans and to be honest, they had WAY more life experience than I did. My solution was to go back to school and finish my B.S. By that time all the problems with the State/local budgets were evened out, and law enforcement agencies couldn't find enough quality recruits; in fact, there were articles in USA Today about the problems agencies were having finding recruits. But that was about 1998 and I had already started working for the Feds. I don't know if too many people can wait four years though. I think the only agency that will start hiring after all Congress takes care of the budget is Border Patrol.

[fullrearview]

This whole scenario could be solved almost overnight if the state and local powers-that-be quit giving away money services to those who do not deserve it. But, that is a topic for another thread.

But it should be the topic of every thread!

[Notorious]

Costa Mesa PD is letting go of 20 officers and Newport Beach just dissolved their Air Unit. Looks like Huntington Beach got the contract.

Maybe this is why Joe Citizen is lining up to buy an AR and taking tactical classes.

Well, Newport Beach is hiring patrol officers at salaries up to $8k per MONTH!

Maybe that is where they are spending their budget... supplementing patrol instead of an air unit. Those things are very expensive.

[cacop]

San Jose grounded their bird too. I wouldn't be surprised if a tank of gas for a shift was several thousand dollars with maintance costs being up there too.

[Beatone]

I don't think it will get better for 5-7 years at the earliest. US debt is at 3.6 trillion and rising.

[ankyle62]

Well, Newport Beach is hiring patrol officers at salaries up to $8k per MONTH!

Maybe that is where they are spending their budget... supplementing patrol instead of an air unit. Those things are very expensive.

Wow, I would have no problem taking the position for half of that amount.

[yzErnie]

Air units are expensive. We have been told that depending on what kind of bird it is the cost is anywhere from $1,000-$2,000 an hour. That includes maintenance, fuel and salary.

[Notorious]

Wow, I would have no problem taking the position for half of that amount.

Yeah, the cost of living in Newport makes the $8k seem like a servant's pittance but I would still take it. My buddy jut got hired there. Bastard!!!!

[tom2]

In general, once the economy turns back for the better - it'll be another year or so after that for the municipalities (city, county, state) to reap the benefits again (budgeting ahead). So, it's about (minimum) 3 years out before any "real" hiring will resume.

when these other departments downsize (lay off) or fold (dissolve), those experienced officers will be picked up before an academy grad (cheaper, more beneficial) let alone, sending a new boot off to the academy with no guarantees of that person passing the academy, let alone the field training process...

in the meantime, academy grads - consider joining up as a reserve somewhere. get field training / time in the field, making a good name for yourself will go far when the mass hiring starts up NOT TO MENTION, the more important thing - the freezing of your POST academy (or Basic) certificate... Make sure you go to a POST agency. (there is a 3 year rule of obtaining a job (regular or reserve) or your training will run out and you will need to complete a re-certification course or worse, repeat the academy training process.

yes, hang in there. it will get better soon enough (but not yet).

[Outta Control]

As a self-sponsored recruit unable to find a job that is all I hear, "It will eventually get better," or "Be ready so when we do start hiring." I keep going on ride-alongs to make my face familiar with local departments, but its discouraging. It just seems like the hole California is in just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and public safety budgets keep getting smaller and smaller. After spending thousands of dollars and applying all over God's green creation, I've still been unable to land a job.

So, to end my rant, when will things actually get better?

Since you are in Salinas I am surprised they are not hiring.