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Moving to Florida

(Click here to view the original thread on the MassCops Message Board)

Posted by: futurecop87

Hey Everyone,

I am a 19 year old college student and my dream is to become a police officer, but i dont know if i want to around here. I might be applying to a few departments down in florida, do you think its a good move? Are there any good departments? or should I just wait and give mass a try? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


Posted by: KozmoKramer

Quote:
but i dont know if i want to around here.
Why is that Future?


Posted by: frank

IIRC and the little research that I've done, the way things work in Florida is that you have to have an associates degree and the academy under your belt before departments will take you...not sure if it's the same situation with all departments or not. The academy is something like $3K for Florida residents (1 year required to gain residency), or around $8K for non-residents.

So, if you want to do it and you have the means to do so...move down to Florida, work on your associates degree, gain residency at the same time, and go to the academy between semesters.

Hope that helps.


Posted by: 209

Its best/easier if you can get through the academy on your own. I believe you can get financial aid to help you pay for it(you better double check with academy staff). From what I understand when the academy is about half way over area departments send recruiters over to look at recruits. A lot of departments are hiring ( Cape Coral-Punta Gorda-Sarasota Cty. Sheriffs, North Port, etc.).

One thing to keep in mind. If you plan to return to Mass. someday expect to take the FT academy over again. If you work FT in Mass for 2 years + the FT academy you can transfer into FL by just taking a very short crossover class. If you dont have family down there it could be tough. If you are doing okay here, stay at home or in a college dorm SAVE YOUR MONEY. Get your associates degree and then in two years when you are about to turn 21 start making your decision then. 2 years is a long time and you will never know where your life will take you. Trust me.

Good luck.

P.S. If you have no criminal history and a good driving record don't be a dumbass and screw it up. Everything you have done in you life will be scrutinized. Never lie when applying no matter how much you would rather not tell the truth. In FL they will catch those lies on the Poly. Recruitters/Detectives know people make mistakes, what matters is how big those mistakes were and if you have the stones to step up and admit to them. Like I said LIE AND YOU ARE DONE FOREVER. Just follow the instructions on the application exactly.
---------------------------------------------
Heres some info on an academy in Sarasota County (south of Tampa, FL)

Sarasota Tech.
Police Academy

http://www.sarasotatech.org/programs...nforcement.htm

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:Applicant should be 21 years of age and meet all pre-employment requirements as set forth by CJSTC which includes a:
-SCJA Registration Card - Two passport type photos - Florida Basic Abilities Test (FBAT) - Application completed and notarized - SCTI Admission Check List - SCJA Fingerprint Processing for background check, as required by Florida Statute 943.14 (Form 1) $50 fee - A three to five year driving history record from the Clerk of the Court, Sarasota County, Sarasota County, or the Department of Motor Vehicles where the license was issued.
-Polygraph examination (signed form) (Form 2)
-Physician’s Release form for Physical Abilities Test (PAT) (Form 4)
-Physical Abilities Test (PAT) (Days Vary/ Test at Academy) (Form 3)
-Copy of Birth Certificate
-Copy of Florida Drivers license
-Copy of high school diploma and college diploma or transcripts (if applicable)
-Military discharge DD-214 - Applicant Release form notarized (Form 5) (if applicable) - Drug Use Guidelines paper signed - Advisory Board Selection and Approval


Posted by: FLCOPZSPD

Futurecop….I was born & raised in Mass. and all I ever wanted was to be a cop in Mass. My Grandfather and 3 of my uncles were & still high ranking officers in a City PD. I always figured with there pull I would get on with no problem but thanks to good old civil service it was never enough. So I became a Reserve Officer and that finally got me a Campus Cop job but without the FT academy I was stuck at a small unarmed Campus. I finally had enough and just over 5 years ago moved down here to the Tampa Bay area of FL. I put myself thru the academy and took it PT nights. It took longer to finish but I was able to work the whole time. By my 4th month in the academy I had already received over 5 job offers. I graduated and went right into FTO, so it took me less then a year in FL to become a cop. Had I done this back when I was 19 and didn’t play the waiting game in Mass, I’d have a very sweet retirement built up by now. Unlike in Mass here in FL you can become a FT Cop/Dep./Trooper, whatever at 19. So if you moved down here now and got hired in your first year like most, you could easily have the option to retire in your early 40’s. As for cost of the academy it can be as low as $2,000 to over $5,000 some charge more if you are from out of state or have been living in FL less then a year. Not all do that so have to shop around. As for an associates degree or higher very few Depts. Require that and a lot that do are currently looking into doing away with it. There are just way too many LE jobs here in FL and all the PD’s, SO’s, FHP, Fish & Game, etc are fighting to get officers. As for moving back to Mass with a FL academy, Mass does accept the FT. FL academy it is up to the Dept. hiring to request the waiver and send you to the Mass. Law Package. Also all the surrounding New England states accept it too. Hope this helps


Posted by: 209

I didnt realize you could get on at 19...But then again I was just going from the Sarasota Academy website. Thanks FLCOP for clearing that up.


Posted by: FLCOPZSPD

Ya when I went thru the academy here there were 7 people that were 19 yrs. old and all were hired by Dept's before they even graduated. I'll admit I miss the seasons in Mass. and the hometown feel, but when you can make just as much as a cop in Mass and in a lot of cases even more, plus take home cars and most PD's & SO's are part of the State Retirement System here. So really not a bad deal.


Posted by: PBC FL Cop

This sight may be helpful for your search.

http://www.fpca.com/fpcajobsregionallists.htm


Posted by: BSP4141

I Just Got Back From 4 Days Of Testing For Broward County, Is This A Good Department?


Posted by: Mitpo62

You'll earn your bacon down there. Uh, no pun intended.


Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Quote:
Originally Posted by BSP4141
I Just Got Back From 4 Days Of Testing For Broward County, Is This A Good Department?
Its all in what you make of it.


Posted by: BSP4141

But What Is A Better Department, Broward Or Pbso, I Know Each County Has Its Shit Holes. I Got A Friend Who Works For Boynton Beach Pd And He Loves It


Posted by: PBC FL Cop

If I had to choose between the two, I would go with PBSO. BSO has had a lot of problems since Ken Jenne took the reigns. PBSO's new sheriff, Ric Bradshaw has a solid law enforcement background and has made a lot of improvements in that agency. The deputy's seem happier under Bradshaw.

Jenne was never a cop!!


Posted by: BSP4141

How Are The Area's In Pbc, I Flew Out Out Of West Palm And Stoped At A Complex To Ask A Pbso Deputy For Directions, He Then Asked Me If I Had A Gun, Which I Replyed No, He Then Said I Should Get One I'm In A Shitty Part Of Town


Posted by: leoinfl

In reference to carrying down there...Better to have it with you and not need it, than to need it and not have it!!! FL isn't like New England. In FL you can have one really nice quiet residential street and behind it you will have a crack infested area or a run down trailer park. You will learn the good parts and the bad parts quickly, especially if you're working on the job down there.


Posted by: FLCOPZSPD

LEO....point well taken. BSP spending most my life in Mass and then moving to the Tampa Bay area was an eye opener. LEO is 100% right, in Mass there are loads of towns where there is little to almost no crime. You know what cities are bad and what parts of those cities are the worst. Here some of the richest area's have projects right behind them. Driving from one block to another can be a gamble depending on the area. The teenagers are a completely different breed down here and just because U R wearing a badge doesn't mean they wont shoot U dead. Even with the death penalty in FL most of the scum here wont hesitate to kill a cop. Cops get killed here EVERY year and most are from that side of the state. One word of advice if U come down here is,live up to the Masshole name and don't ever show weakness. Good luck


Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Quote:
Originally Posted by BSP4141
How Are The Area's In Pbc, I Flew Out Out Of West Palm And Stoped At A Complex To Ask A Pbso Deputy For Directions, He Then Asked Me If I Had A Gun, Which I Replyed No, He Then Said I Should Get One I'm In A Shitty Part Of Town
In Palm Beach County, you can literally go from the "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" to a crime infested ghetto in three minutes. There are beautiful parts of the county to raise a family and places you wouldn't drive thru alone, with or without a gun. In South East Florida, there aren't any slow, quiet/rural areas anymore. Traffic is a nightmare, new communities are being built on every inch of undeveloped land. PD/SO's are all understaffed and overworked, so if your looking for action and excitement, your headed to the right place!!!


Posted by: BSP4141

How Hard Was It To Get Use To The Life Style Down There, I'm Only Asking Because I've Lived In Boston 29 Years And This Is Going To Be A Huge Step For Me, If I Go Down There I'm Never Coming Back To This State Again. Was The Poly Test Tough For You Guys?


Posted by: PearlOnyx

BSP,

I've been working down here for a little over a year now. Life is definatley different, but it was an easy change. It depends on where you live too. I was living in Tallahassee during the academy, and now I'm in Orlando. There are obviously huge differences. Living in Tallahassee was quite like living in Western Mass for the most part. On the other hand, Orlando is quite urban. You gotta pick and choose your spot based on what you like. The panhandle, if you end up there though, is definatley a different world from the rest of Florida.

The polygraph is easy if you fill out the pre-exam packet, and take the test truthfully. The people who have the problems are the ones who either lie, or try to over explain or explain their way around an issue. No one has been perfect their whole life, and I'd venture to guess that everyone who has taken that test has had to admit to one thing or another. Just tell the truth, and as long as you haven't done anything real bad, you'll be good to go.


Posted by: BSP4141

I Took The Poly Last Weds And It Wasn't To Bad.


Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Quote:
Originally Posted by BSP4141
How Hard Was It To Get Use To The Life Style Down There, I'm Only Asking Because I've Lived In Boston 29 Years And This Is Going To Be A Huge Step For Me, If I Go Down There I'm Never Coming Back To This State Again. Was The Poly Test Tough For You Guys?
I lived in Mass for 32 years and have been in FLA for almost six and its been an easy transition. Florida is a different world from Mass, some love it and some hate it. The warm weather is not for everyone, but I don't think I could ever go back to the cold, New England winters.

Best of luck!!!


Posted by: leoinfl

I found it to be a much more relaxed lifestyle down there compared to the Boston area. Pinellas county, outside of Tampa is highly saturated, like much of FL now. The beaches are incredible there, no waves like the Atlantic, but incredible beaches and the water is like bath water most of the year. You won't have the New England look, the homes are different, no hills and not the wooded areas like in the suburbs of New England. Now on the flip side you won't have to defrost your car or deal with any of that non-sense, like right now it's April and snowing!!! It's extremely hot and humid from mid-April/May right through until late October/November. I shut the windows in April and can't open them until November due to the heat and humidity, so if humidity bothers you, you will be unhappy with that. Basically, if you're outside during those months, you will be sweating. But keep in mind it's always sunny and the winter months are what brings people to FL, they're perfect. Also, I never saw the sense of community that you have in New England and that I missed a lot. It's such a transient state that you don't get those close ties to the town/city. I miss the lifestyle as a whole down there, the chilled out atmosphere when you're out. Going back to my previous posts along with others, it's much more dangerous down there. Million dollar homes in one area, followed with the ghetto less than a mile away, sometimes closer! Makes for interesting policing and the kids teenagers down there, well they're not like up here. Gangs in every community and keep in mind if you have kids that FL has a horrible education system. If you're going down there to be a cop, then you'll have an incredible time if you work a busy area.


Posted by: BSP4141

Well I Look At It Like This I Grew Up In A Part Of Boston Where I Could Piss On My Neighbors House From My Window. And I Really Sick Of How Hard It Is To Be A Cop Here I've Been With The School Police Now For About 4 Years And That Job Isn't Getting Any Easyer So Maybe Its Time For Me To Move On And Try Something New, Plus The Sunshine Is Something I Look Foward To


Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Quote:
Originally Posted by BSP4141
Plus The Sunshine Is Something I Look Foward To
Well thats one thing there's no shortage of
</IMG>


Posted by: SoxGirl49

Quote:
Originally Posted by leoinfl
I found it to be a much more relaxed lifestyle down there compared to the Boston area. Pinellas county, outside of Tampa is highly saturated, like much of FL now. The beaches are incredible there, no waves like the Atlantic, but incredible beaches and the water is like bath water most of the year. You won't have the New England look, the homes are different, no hills and not the wooded areas like in the suburbs of New England. Now on the flip side you won't have to defrost your car or deal with any of that non-sense, like right now it's April and snowing!!! It's extremely hot and humid from mid-April/May right through until late October/November. I shut the windows in April and can't open them until November due to the heat and humidity, so if humidity bothers you, you will be unhappy with that. Basically, if you're outside during those months, you will be sweating. But keep in mind it's always sunny and the winter months are what brings people to FL, they're perfect. Also, I never saw the sense of community that you have in New England and that I missed a lot. It's such a transient state that you don't get those close ties to the town/city. I miss the lifestyle as a whole down there, the chilled out atmosphere when you're out. Going back to my previous posts along with others, it's much more dangerous down there. Million dollar homes in one area, followed with the ghetto less than a mile away, sometimes closer! Makes for interesting policing and the kids teenagers down there, well they're not like up here. Gangs in every community and keep in mind if you have kids that FL has a horrible education system. If you're going down there to be a cop, then you'll have an incredible time if you work a busy area.
Though I'm not in LE, I agree with you on the no sense of community thing. I was born and raised in MA and went to college in FL. It seems as if most people in FL moved there, not many people are born and raised there. It's not like here in MA. I also missed the changing of the seasons. I do hate the cold though, so it was nice to go to the beach in February. After I graduated I moved back to MA, which was about six years ago. There are aspects to living in FL that I really miss, like the weather, and people being friendlier. I have to say it was the best four years of my life. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. When my senior year came around I was ready to leave FL, and now I find myself thinking about moving back. With regards to the education system, I went to a great college, though it was private and very expensive. A lot of the girls I went to school with who were from FL went to private high schools and they were all extremely bright and have all gone on to advanced degrees. I don't know about the public school system. UF School of Law is one of the top programs in the country, and Stetson School of Law in St. Pete has one of the nation's top programs for trial advocacy, so not all the schools are terrible by any means. Anyway the only way to find out if you're going to be truly happy there is to take the plunge. I say go for it! You never know unless you try, BSP4141.


Posted by: BSP4141

Well I Just Got Word Today That I Passed My Pych And My Poly And As Long As My Medical Comes Back Ok I'm Slated For A June Academy In Davie, So If It Comes I'm Going To Roll The Dice


Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Best of luck!!!


Posted by: leoinfl

Good luck to you when you get on down there and keep in mind that the real learning begins after the academy when you hit the street.


Posted by: NegroRotary

BSP did you start the academy yet?




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