Law Enforcement career or something else? Should I stay or go?

Question

I am not sure if it's a Texas thing but the hiring process is slow and exhausting. It takes about several months to find out if you get hired or not. a long time for a yes or no question. The background check is about as thorough as if the CIA is doing it. I have put college on hold for it since the hiring process seems to coincide with registration and finals for college. It seems to be an either/or thing. I have a police job now but I had to wait almost a year for an ID Card, Vest and other equipment.

The pay isn't bad and I can always go someplace else. But I don't want to keep going to places and wasting my life for a yes or no answer. Should I stay or should I go?

Answer 1

Go ahead to college. If this job is for you then it will be there when you finish, and since the hiring process is so slow, you can apply again before you graduate if that is still what you want. You seem to be at a cross road so I would suggest you go ahead and do something else. Get that college under your belt and you might just find that job that makes you happy.

Good Luck to ya!

Answer 2

Whats funny is that my husband went through the same thing. He applied at a local jail and it took forever to hear something back and was driving 45 minutes both ways for interviews, tours, and to exchange information. He would have continued his search for a job in law enforcement but decided to take a faster route and joined the Navy as an MA, which is their form of police. He seems to hate it now, and wants out pretty bad but still talks about being a police officer on the outside. It all really depends on how much your heart is in it. I plan on doing some sort of Internet crime busting if i could ever get myself into school. My heart is completely in it, so I'll do whatever it takes. Give it your best shot. During his months trying to be a jailer he simply worked a normal job to pay for things and let his application take it course. Give it your all, if its what you truly want. The pay is never as much for the most important jobs but the glory and the great feeling you get for doing it make up for the pay cut any day.

Answer 3

You should try to go to school even if its just a couple courses a year and continue working. Even an AA degree in Administration of Justice, Psych, or English will prove invaluable as your career progresses and you seek promotion. I don't know about law enforcement in Texas. I have only met one person who worked as a cop in Texas. I was not impressed by him in the slightest, but that may be more of a personality thing rather than a reflection of Texas. Being in law enforcement will change who you are in all aspects of your life forever, you need to do some soul searching. Its a great career if you can handle the stresses and truly believe in the good you're doing.

Answer 4

This far into the process, you should stay if law enforcement is where you want to be. Where I am, the hiring process is 6 months and 13 steps long, plus 20 weeks of academy and 6 months of training with an FTO.

Answer 5

If I had the choice, I would choose college. Once you get your degree, then you can go into police work or anything else, depending upon your curriculum. It would be nice to have several things to choose from, yes?

Answer 6

Choose college. By doing that you open a heck of alot more doors than dropping it and getting a possible no. Get the the education and then you will call the shots.

Answer 7

Stay. Money in your pocket now is better than a hazy what if scenario down the road.

Answer 8

decide urself

Answer 9

go