well now i have a decision to make....

[Tacobandit]

So it looks like im going to have 2 job offers right on top of each other, one from the feds and one from a very small agency that is going to make me the fto and give me a take home ride. The feds will end up having better benefits and retirement plus I will be able to lateral over to DEA or marshalls if i want too. But with the local agency my salary will double from what i am making now and I will be close to home for the family where with the feds I will probably have to start in AZ and just come home on the weekend. I do have a sense of loyalty to the small agency as ive been working there part time for about 6 months so....

[Cpl. Haas]

As long as it's enough $ to live comfortably, I'd choose the job that's going to make you happier... that's just my $0.02.

[TASK, LLC]

I agree with Cpl. Haas.

Make a list of pros-cons for both agencies. Be realistic. Determine what YOU want, not what others think you want. Determine which agency fits YOUR goals. Money won't make up for a bad work environment. And determine your long-term goals. I mean look at where you want to be with work, family, friends, and career when you retire.

You are in a great spot to be in having to decide between two good choices.

Good luck.

[Sacmedic]

I agree with all of the above. Look at all the pro's and con's, then make the right decision for you. All the money and cool gigs at one job don't make up for being miserable. Good luck!

[Notorious]

Stay local. Don't put your family through that, unless you are sure your marriage is strong enough to last through a long distance relationship. (I'm assuming you're married from you saying you have family)

If you want to pick your job first, have a big long serious talk with the wife about you being gone most of the time and not around for her to depend on. Things happen when people are separated, just saying... if you think your career comes first, fine, if you think your marriage is strong enough for a 20 year stint, fine, but remember, in CA, divorces are very messy and you owe her part of your pension on top of the salary and property.

I'm being morose but realistic, if you really don't give a hoot about it (which I don't sense in your post), then do what you like and take your chances with fate and hope it all works out in your life. I would not feel good about living in one state while leaving my house and possessions and family in another state where I can't be around to watch over and protect them and be there for them.

Either way, you are in a very enviable position, having 2 job offers, local and fed, which most people are dying to get even one offer. Good luck.

[retired]

Just being in le is going to mean working different shifts, working holidays, missing family birthdays, sporting events and school events. That will be difficult enough working at a local le. Working for a Federal agency out of state will be that much worse.

I wanted to give you a little more reality than has already been stated.

As has been said, sit down with the wife or SO if not married and discuss in depth the options and what will be best for you and your family.

Good luck.

[Ken Woodford]

If you are thinking of lateralling to the MARSHAL'S...it's 1 "L". The 2 "L" is the department store.

[Unit74]

I gave up California policing for a fed position. Weekends, holidays off... take home g ride ....overtime if you want it... Only thing I will miss is CALPERS, but my quality of life is far better. It to mention I moved out of state and can buy a house for what a down payment in SoCal is.

Fed isn't that bad at all. But do what you know is right in your heart. And for what it's worth, there isn't much loyalty in agencies anymore. People will go where it benefits themselves. I have seen sergeants, captains and beat car pushers walk for a better position.

[Notorious]

If you are thinking of lateralling to the MARSHAL'S...it's 1 "L". The 2 "L" is the department store.

Unless he was going to work for the department store as his moonlighting gig.

[Catalyst81]

Is moving the family with the fed job out of the question?

[crashbubba]

Is the PD in CA? I have yet to see any CA PD that has a worse retirement than FERS. From a financial perspective, it's also hard to match local PD pay on a GS scale. Ultimately, you should go with the job you want to do. Most Fed LE jobs are far different from the work you would do as local PD. From my experience, the older folks that have cut their teeth on the streets enjoy the transition to Fed LE while the younger folks get bored and wish they had gone local PD (especially here in CA). In addition, you should take the Fed job if that's the job you want...not because of the potential transfer opportunities. "Lateral" is an often mis-used term in Fed LE and is not as easy as folks think (except maybe going to ICE/HSI).

[Wickedflava]

To piggy back on the Federal side.... I work for the BOP, which is under the umbrella of Department of Justice (which is also the umbrella over DEA & USMS), and I have never seen anyone lateral over to a different agency solely because of their affiliation with a certain agency. It may help you in the sense that you already have a DOJ clearance (assuming that it's adjucdacted) but other than that, you will have to go through the whole process like everyone else. So I would not pick a FLEO job over anything else because you anticipate latteraling over to another agency.

[Tacobandit]

my major apprehension is with the moving out of state, the wife and I have discussed it some and we had agreed we would give it 2 years to where I could either transfer back, or get into another agency, (DEA, ICE, USMS) in LA, or we would move to where I am stationed. In the mean time I would go back and forth and only be home on the weekends, which would suck, but the pay and benefits will be so much better for federal then with the local agency, thats where my dilemna comes in, do i stay in CA with the local job that has less pay/benefits or do I take the feds and have to travel back and forth.

[Notorious]

Is moving the family with the fed job out of the question?

I would not immediately move the family out of state and risk changing everything and going through all of it until you are very settled with the feds, that is... pass probation and have some time there so you know you are secure and won't be jacked with and transferred again out of state, or worse, fired.

Last thing you want is to have the wife and kid be stranded out of state with you being out of work or something because then you would really be screwed and move back to CA to start over. Seen it happen before, bub.

One guy ended up losing his job, his new house, and eventually, his wife.

[TheExpertish]

my major apprehension is with the moving out of state, the wife and I have discussed it some and we had agreed we would give it 2 years to where I could either transfer back, or get into another agency, (DEA, ICE, USMS) in LA, or we would move to where I am stationed. In the mean time I would go back and forth and only be home on the weekends, which would suck, but the pay and benefits will be so much better for federal then with the local agency, thats where my dilemna comes in, do i stay in CA with the local job that has less pay/benefits or do I take the feds and have to travel back and forth.

First off, congrats on having a choice in this economy. Secondly, you know what they say about "plans", and 2 years is a long time to ask a spouse to put up with a career that already puts a major strain on marriages. IMHO, you're better off staying local. Feds have their perks, but I've always appreciated being with an agency where my chief knows my name.