Becoming a LEO officer...

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So, besides acing the written exam, what other things can I do to improve my chances at a position? Or am I just SOL because I don't have veteran status? My father was an LEO that was injured while on duty early into his service, and was never able to return, so I have great respect for you guys and was curious about the process of following in my fathers foot steps.
 
I thought you were a forensic scientist. Do well on your oral boards and it doesn't hurt to have contacts in law enforcement and maybe avoid sarcastic replies to posts posted who work for the MSP on how great you are except you don't meet the qualifications for a specific position.

Enlist in the military maybe and get some experience.
 
I'm going to chime in here, and this is not meant to bash cops (I'll save that for another time)

Many people wanted to be a "DJ" and be on the radio, and focused their efforts exclusively on that, only to find out there are very few jobs out there, and they do not have a broad enough education/skill set to get a job in another field.

Law Enforcement is similar, except the profession is expanding. It is expanding slower than the number of people who want to do it, and slower than the number of people who are qualified to do it.

If you can become a reserve or auxiliary officer somewhere with academy training that may help you at some point.

Having first responder or EMT credentials looks good on the application.

Getting on a non civil service department while you are trying to get through the civil service process helps.

The son of a friend of mine went to school, got a CJ degree, got on a non civil service dept on the North Shore, then was hired by his home town via civil service. The fact he had already been through the academy on another towns dime helped quite a bit.

I know you want to be a LEO, and follow in Dad's footsteps, but make sure you have something to fall back on if this career choice doesn't happen.
 
Develop a bad attitude toward authority while serving in the National Guard. Work out at the gym two or three days a week. Abuse your girlfriend. Shave your head to cover up your steroid abuse and look "tough". Roll up the sleeves on your short sleeve shirt so everyone can see how bulky you are. Get a family member to pull a few strings for you. And ... BINGO ... you're a small town cop.
 
Develop a bad attitude toward authority while serving in the National Guard. Work out at the gym two or three days a week. Abuse your girlfriend. Shave your head to cover up your steroid abuse and look "tough". Roll up the sleeves on your short sleeve shirt so everyone can see how bulky you are. Get a family member to pull a few strings for you. And ... BINGO ... you're a small town cop.

[rolleyes]


OP, its hard for me to answer this without sounding like an ass. I knew what I wanted to do would mean that I served my country. So I did. Best 4 years of my life. Best experience. You want to be a cop or fireman in MA, join the military.

If you don't want to join the military, take tests out of state. Like ochmude said, PLENTY are hiring, but you'll have to move.

Good luck in whatever you do.
 
Develop a bad attitude toward authority while serving in the National Guard. Work out at the gym two or three days a week. Abuse your girlfriend. Shave your head to cover up your steroid abuse and look "tough". Roll up the sleeves on your short sleeve shirt so everyone can see how bulky you are. Get a family member to pull a few strings for you. And ... BINGO ... you're a small town cop.

Gotta admit, this made me chuckle [laugh]
 
Develop a bad attitude toward authority while serving in the National Guard. Work out at the gym two or three days a week. Abuse your girlfriend. Shave your head to cover up your steroid abuse and look "tough". Roll up the sleeves on your short sleeve shirt so everyone can see how bulky you are. Get a family member to pull a few strings for you. And ... BINGO ... you're a small town cop.


I've been doing it wrong apparently.

OP. Move out of Massachusetts. Unless your town is civil service and you are a resident, or you are willing to pay your way through academy, it's slim pickings here. By the way... LEO officer is redundant. [wink]
 
If you don't want to join the military, take tests out of state. Like ochmude said, PLENTY are hiring, but you'll have to move.

I suspect you will fine the pay and pension is modest in areas where it's relatively easy to get a cop job. The $100K+ salaries for an experienced officer and $80K+ pensions w/lifetime medical that are common in MA are unheard of in many other states - which why they have job openings and MA does not.
 
Develop a bad attitude toward authority while serving in the National Guard. Work out at the gym two or three days a week. Abuse your girlfriend. Shave your head to cover up your steroid abuse and look "tough". Roll up the sleeves on your short sleeve shirt so everyone can see how bulky you are. Get a family member to pull a few strings for you. And ... BINGO ... you're a small town cop.

I got a good laugh out of this, too. [rofl]
 
I suspect you will fine the pay and pension is modest in areas where it's relatively easy to get a cop job. The $100K+ salaries for an experienced officer and $80K+ pensions w/lifetime medical that are common in MA are unheard of in many other states - which why they have job openings and MA does not.

True in some places, though you can make around 80k in Dallas with OT and buy a new 3000 square foot home for 200k. Plus no income tax. I think thats a better deal, except they actually shoot cops there.

Outside of MA most places will allow retirement at 20 years with a decent pension. Not really possible here in MA. You are doing 32 years mostly unless you buy back military time.

- - - Updated - - -

Lol, you should have seen the nasty pm he sent me about having Navy vet in my sig line.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

Maybe I'll get one because I have it under my user name.
 
True in some places, though you can make around 80k in Dallas with OT and buy a new 3000 square foot home for 200k.

I remember going to a meeting with people from all over the country and had to set the salary for an employee of the org we were running. The guy from TX was looking at those of us in the room who thought $100k was an ok, but modest, income like we had three heads.
 
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I thought you were a forensic scientist. Do well on your oral boards and it doesn't hurt to have contacts in law enforcement and maybe avoid sarcastic replies to posts posted who work for the MSP on how great you are except you don't meet the qualifications for a specific position.

Enlist in the military maybe and get some experience.

I'm not sure where you got sarcasm from that post, just making a statement. Sorry it got your panties in the bunch. I do work as a forensic scientist, but like I said, I was curious about the process.

Thank you to all those helpful replies, I hope it helps someone down the road, but it was pretty much what I thought, tough to do without veteran preference.

Did not mean to create a shitstorm or ruffle any feathers.
 
Develop a bad attitude toward authority while serving in the National Guard. Work out at the gym two or three days a week. Abuse your girlfriend. Shave your head to cover up your steroid abuse and look "tough". Roll up the sleeves on your short sleeve shirt so everyone can see how bulky you are. Get a family member to pull a few strings for you. And ... BINGO ... you're a small town cop.
Wow, I guess I wasting my time by getting my job on merit. Getting hired at age 20 with no connections...it must have been my Iraq tan they confused with one from the tanning bed.

Now hold on while I slap on my jack boots and go all thug life on the local unassuming citizenry.
 
I just recently signed up for the civil service test... guess I'll see where this road takes me. Afterall, the worst thing that could happen is I end up a Ma LEO. (ba-dump-ba)

Now, my understanding is that after the test I present my VA letterhead for disability and my DD-214 long form to someone there from HRD; but, when do we selected what towns we would like? Is it just sent out to all of them? Also, at what point in this process should I delete my facebook (Note: I actually use it to keep in touch with everyone from my old unit, so it is actually important to me) to keep potential employers from seeing it?
 
I just recently signed up for the civil service test... guess I'll see where this road takes me. Afterall, the worst thing that could happen is I end up a Ma LEO. (ba-dump-ba)

Now, my understanding is that after the test I present my VA letterhead for disability and my DD-214 long form to someone there from HRD; but, when do we selected what towns we would like? Is it just sent out to all of them? Also, at what point in this process should I delete my facebook (Note: I actually use it to keep in touch with everyone from my old unit, so it is actually important to me) to keep potential employers from seeing it?

If I recall correctly, you pick the towns at the same time you take the test. It's one of the forms you fill out. You also are allowed to change your choices via the HRD website after scores are released.
 
If I recall correctly, you pick the towns at the same time you take the test. It's one of the forms you fill out. You also are allowed to change your choices via the HRD website after scores are released.

I got out of CS game, but I thought they did something weird recently regarding statewide scores? Heard some rumor to that effect. I'll check into it.
 
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I got out of CS game, but I thought they did something weird recently regarding statewide scores? Heard some rumor to that effect. I'll check into it.

Might be. I haven't kept current on the civil circus since the test in 2011.
 
Learn and get certified in ASL (not Age Sex Location, perverts) and Spanish. Departments don't just want to hire the highest scorer or the second highest scorer who's in first because of his 10% Vet status on the exam. They want to fill roles that they don't have and stay within budget.

You ever read the stories of police getting sued for tackling an unresponsive victim because... he was deaf and didn't know what the hell they were yelling or an officer getting jumped during a traffic stop because the occupants of the vehicle were able to form a plan in Spanish while he was questioning the driver? Make yourself Unique.
 
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