My first Career Day.

[omgwtfbbq]

Last night before leaving the department, I was volunteered, or as I like to say, "Voluntold" that I would be speaking for approximately 3 hours at a local Middle School Career Day today.

I don't have an issue with public speaking adn I really enjoy my job, so talking about my job (Probation Officer), the role we play in the LE community, creditials and education etc etc, wasn't a problem for me.

What I wasn't prepared for was the onslaught of... How can I put this lightly? Stupid questions, by the young audience.

"Have you ever shot anyone?"

"How do you beat a piss test?"

"Do you have cuffs?"

"Will you cuff me?!"

"Has anyone ever drank a urine sample on accident?"

I was also under the impression that I was supposed to talk about the duties of my chosen profession and what it takes in terms of education and experience to do br a PO, however, unbeknownced to me, the teacher actually wanted me to "Scare the students Straight"

Anyway, other than for me to vent, the purpose of this thread is to share experiences we LEOs have had at events like this: Career Days, Career Fairs, or just generally when people ask us what we do, and how to get into our careers.

PS: Despite the stupid questions I think I got off easy, an officer from another local agency got asked, "How many donuts have you eaten today?"

[CBR_rider]

I like the parolee's and probationers who, away from their homies, almost always something like "I was going to be in law enforcement one day..."

[Petro6golf]

I like the parolee's and probationers who, away from their homies, almost always something like "I was going to be in law enforcement one day..."

I arrested a girl for Heroin, a rig and being high the other day. On the way to the jail she seriously asked me how to get into law enforcement and told me she was taking CJ classes.

[omgwtfbbq]

I arrested a girl for Heroin, a rig and being high the other day. On the way to the jail she seriously asked me how to get into law enforcement and told me she was taking CJ classes.

Our local Junior College held it's first Probation Officer Core Academy last year and some of the senior officers from my department were chosen as instructors. The class shrunk after the first day when the participants were informed that POs, like all LEOs in CA, cannot have a felony conviction in their criminal history.

[Petro6golf]

A buddy of mine is an instructor at the college for CJ classes. 1/4 of the class couldent go on a ride along or take a jail tour cause it violated their probation status. lol.

[omgwtfbbq]

A buddy of mine is an instructor at the college for CJ classes. 1/4 of the class couldent go on a ride along or take a jail tour cause it violated their probation status. lol.

I supervised a guy for a while who was convicted of 273d(a) PC for tazing his son as a form of punishment for bad behavior.

He would ask every visit how long it would take for him to terminate early and get his record expunged so he could become a PO.

Oh... And he had a 215 rec. Good luck with that buddy.

[19K]

A buddy of mine is an instructor at the college for CJ classes. 1/4 of the class couldent go on a ride along or take a jail tour cause it violated their probation status. lol.

im taking CJ as a filler class, surprisingly everyone who applied was cleared for the jail tour. except one girl, who on a daily basis brags about her record.

[Che762x39]

Back on topic, I did career day at several Middle Schools. My favorite was Markham Middle School on 104th Street. I went there a few days after the L.A. riots in '92. Good times indeed.

A few students from my talks on law enforcement all those years ago are now Police Officers and/or Deputy Sheriffs. I guess I did really well .. and yes I had two donuts before my talk.

[omgwtfbbq]

Back on topic, I did career day at several Middle Schools. My favorite was Markham Middle School on 104th Street. I went there a few days after the L.A. riots in '92. Good times indeed.

A few students from my talks on law enforcement all those years ago are now Police Officers and/or Deputy Sheriffs. I guess I did really well .. and yes I had two donuts before my talk.

I will say for all the grief I gave in my OP, there fore a few kids in that class who seemed genuinely interested in a CJ career, and they asked very pointed and thoughtful questions.

What was unfortunate is that I get the feeling that many of the kids who were in the classes were directed there by teachers in hopes of somehow getting "scared straight" which was not what I was told I was there for, not is it something I agree with. The day after I just told myself that as long as one kid in the class seriously entertains working in CJ or even more specifically, probation, I did my job.

[Rickrock1]

It is what it is. The kids need to know the truth and it not be sugar coated. I did a cople of career days with my kids at schools and the staff are so political correct and in my opinion is not right.