Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network

Massachusetts Police News, Information and Discussions on MassCops

Posted by: futurecop87

Hey I am just wondering what is the best state to become a police officer or Trooper in other than Mass. I want to relocate but dont know where? I am looking for good pay, good crime and not so tough to get on. I have a clean record but still that polygraph for some departments that Ive looked at other then mass scares me. I just dont want to work in mass because of how tough and long the process is. Thanks for reading this.

---

Posted by: LA Copper

Well, if you look at the posts in this area, it looks like Florida and California are pretty easy. Both states are hiring lots of people, both have lots of crime and both have nice weather. That all sounds good to me!

From reading the posts here, it looks like there are lots of transplanted New Englanders in Florida and I know from my own experience that there are lots of New Englanders here in California. That includes my department, the LAPD. We have A LOT of people from Massachusetts on the department who all had the same experience with Civil Service that you're referring to, myself included.

Seems like either choice you make, you're gonna get a good deal.

Whoops, I forgot to mention Neveda, 'cause Las Vegas PD hires a lot of folks too.

There are folks on this Board from each one of these states that can help you out with any questions you might have. (These folks are all New England transplants that know what it's like in Massachusetts and can relate to your experiences.)

---

Posted by: TopCop24

You're 19 years old and already complaining about the process in Mass?? You're not even eligible to take the tests. The job isn't handed to you son, you have to earn it.

---

Posted by: Macop

Oh, lighten up!

---

Posted by: jessekb

I work for Las Vegas Metro PD so if you have any questions about our hiring process send me a message

---

Posted by: kttref

Colorado is usually hiring..and it's amazing out there.

---

Posted by: MARINECOP

Quote:

Originally Posted by kttref Colorado is usually hiring..and it's amazing out there.

Agreed, I have a buddy out there and he loves it. I would go with Florida though, especially if you are young and single with no children.

---

Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Come on down to Florida, we're always looking for a few good men.

---

Posted by: SGT_GRUNT_USMC

Nevada

---

Posted by: LA Copper

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopCop24 You're 19 years old and already complaining about the process in Mass?? You're not even eligible to take the tests. The job isn't handed to you son, you have to earn it.

At least he's being smart enough to plan ahead.

---

Posted by: futurecop87

ya i notice im only 19 but when the time comes i dont want to wait. Its complete Bs up here to get hired. You could have a Bach degree even a masters, emt lic, perfect records and if your a white male NON vet, THe chances are slim. I am an auxiliary and that still does not help up here but other states it might. Plus the weather sucks I mean right now June 4th, 2007 its 60 degrees out and raining.


But about florida, you guys think Im too Young???

---

Posted by: sempergumby

Go anywhere but Mass and Virginia or West Virginia or Kentucky or Alabama or Mississippi or Georgia or North Dakota or south Dakota or Nebraska or Canada.

---

Posted by: MDSP2597

I'll put it to you this way my young friend, go to a state that you would like to live in. Meaning, if you plan on staying for a while go somewhere YOU would like to be not because someone has told you to live there. Most states now you have to be 21 years old before you can become a Police Officer.

You have other avenues to take as well. The military, where you will learn a vast amount about yourself and your ablilities. I say the Marine Corps is the best place for that, just my two cents. You may be asking me why the military; well, in my experience in life most departments will not take someone that is 21 yrs old, most recruits today are 25 yrs and older. I was 28 yrs old when I went through the academy. My class was either military, prior police or college grad and some of us had both military and college. Some guys tried for 5 yrs before they got hired. One of my classmates turned 42 in the academy.

I hope this helps to paint a picture for you. Does it mean a 21 yrs old can't get hired? No, it happens there were three 21 yrs olds in my class. I just want to perpare you for the future ahead of you.

Take what you want from this. Best of luck with becoming a Police Officer.

---

Posted by: new guy

California and Florida seem like excellent choices and it's probably no coincidence that so many former Mass residents go that route. While you're still young you may want to save some coin for a couple of years and consider exploring the possibilities of self sponsoring yourself through the academy. I believe Florida still does self sponsors ( PBC correct me if I am wrong ). Of course it would be best to get hired in advance and have someone pay for you to train but it's nice to have a plan B in case your having a difficult time breaking in. Good luck.

---

Posted by: futurecop87

Does California and Florida both do the Polygraph test or do just some police departments or sheriffs use it. Does anybody know which counties and Pd do and dont?

---

Posted by: LA Copper

Quote:

Originally Posted by futurecop87 Does California and Florida both do the Polygraph test or do just some police departments or sheriffs use it. Does anybody know which counties and Pd do and dont?

Most PDs here in California that I'm aware of do use the polygraph, including mine.

Also, regarding the academy, you don't need to sponsor yourself out here. Here you get full pay to attend the academy and it's not a live in.

---

Posted by: Deuce

Quote:

Originally Posted by sempergumby Go anywhere but Mass and Virginia or West Virginia or Kentucky or Alabama or Mississippi or Georgia or North Dakota or south Dakota or Nebraska or Canada.

Why not VA or GA?

---

Posted by: JeffC

Quote:

Originally Posted by sempergumby Go anywhere but Mass and Virginia or West Virginia or Kentucky or Alabama or Mississippi or Georgia or North Dakota or south Dakota or Nebraska or Canada.

mass is a great place to work if you can get on somewhere.

---

Posted by: leoinfl

I believe all agencies in FL do the poly, I've never heard of any that didn't. You can self-sponsor yourself through the academy, but like LA said, why bother when their are departments that will pay for the academy and pay you while you go through it.

---

Posted by: AdamJ1984

I can see the point with GA being Atlanta as they are a desparate department with it seems like many political problems. Not enough staff and they are freezing their pay grades. I wonder about VA as well because I have and still am interested in the Virginia Beach area. The pay will not be comparable to here but the cost of living is much less, so why not VA?

---

Posted by: Officer Dunngeon

Quote:

Originally Posted by futurecop87 I am looking for... good crime...

Good crime? Does such a thing exist?

---

Posted by: MDSP2597

cost of living in VA low..... think again!

---

Posted by: FLCOPZSPD

Futurecop....If college or the service is NOT for U and U don't feel like waiting years on CS in MA, then come to FL. PD's & SO's hire 19-22 yr. old people ALL the time. It's NOT like up North where age can keep U from getting hired, being young here in FL means not being burt out or old and set in the old cowboy ways. Lots of Dept's here will hire and send you to the academy but they will be large Dept's where crime is very high and the need for cops great. If you want to be able to pick what Dept's U want then U need to put yourself thru the academy like I did and then sell yourself to the Dept's U want most. I was picked up half way thru my academy and most are. As for the poly ALL Sheriff's Dept. require it but there are still some PD's and College PD's that don't. I went thru the poly fear too when I first moved down here from MA but it really isn't that bad. Hit me up if you have any questions.

---

Posted by: futurecop87

Well I would still like to get my education, but there is plenty of time for that. And the service No isnot for me.

---

Posted by: AdamJ1984

I thought VA had a lower cost of living? Maybe not near DC metro, but I thought overall it was? I must have been thinking of another state then, sorry.

---

Posted by: DrShredz

all the information you are looking for is online.

---

Posted by: Boss173

Cost of living in VA varies significantly depending on where you want to get on. If your looking to get on/live in Arlington County, Fairfax County, or Alexandria, then your cost of living is going to be similiar to Washington DC. For example, Fairfax County is one of the richest counties in the US. Since the county has plenty of money, they pay their officers well and have plenty of specialized units. Also, just because the county has money doesn't mean there is no crime. They have had gang problems, including MS-13.

If your thinking of California, there are officers on this board from CA who will go way out of their way to help you out. I speak from experience. Take advantage of that if you decide CA may be the place to be. LAPD has an expedited testing process for out-of-state applicants. You can find all the information on the process on their website. I have gone through most of the process for LAPD and they make it easy for people living outside of CA. If you decide to give it a shot, go on a ride-along, and you will be hooked. It's what happened to me.

---

Posted by: wolf9848

How soon could one expect realistically to get on the LAPD being from out of state? Do they fly out east to do a background investigation? Do veterans get any preferance on the test at all? Whats the pay like in the Academy for the LAPD?

---

Posted by: AdamJ1984

I am very interested in both LVMPD and NLVPD as they have great starting pay, benefits, and nice warm weather.

---

Posted by: no$.10

Quote:

Originally Posted by futurecop87 Well I would still like to get my education, but there is plenty of time for that. And the service No isnot for me.

yeah. Gud idEa i thiNk

---

Posted by: LA Copper

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf9848 How soon could one expect realistically to get on the LAPD being from out of state? Do they fly out east to do a background investigation? Do veterans get any preferance on the test at all? Whats the pay like in the Academy for the LAPD?

We are currently trying to hire quite a few people in the next few years so the process is being sped up. Actually, the out of state process is faster than it is for folks who live here. Depending on how much stuff you have for the background investigators to investigate, you're probably looking at about 6 months from start to finish.

No, the investigators don't fly back there to do a background, they do it by phone and by mail.

As far as veteran's preferance, I don't believe so but don't quote me on that. I do know it's not like Massachusetts Civil Service where veterans go right to the top of the list. It's not like that with the LAPD.

You get full pay while attending the academy, which is not a live in and it's seven months long.

---

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by LA Copper No, the investigators don't fly back there to do a background, they do it by phone and by mail.

Hey, wait a minute.....Friday and Gannon went all over the place when they did backgrounds.....

---

Posted by: SinePari

I took the LAPD test here in 2001 in Boston, flew out to LA, completed the whole thing in 3 days, and had an offer of employment in 90 days from start to finish.

---

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by SinePari I took the LAPD test here in 2001 in Boston, flew out to LA, completed the whole thing in 3 days, and had an offer of employment in 90 days from start to finish.

I went out to CA after getting discharged, they used to have a dual-testing weekend, the LAPD would test on Saturday, the LASO on Sunday (or vice-versa). They made it as convenient as possible for out-of-staters, but that was over 20 years ago.

---

Posted by: masscopguy

You should also take a look at North Carolina and Georgia.

NC is booming and all the major cities like Charlotte, Durham Raleigh and Winston/Salem are hiring.

Savannaha (sp) and Atlanta are also hiring. The cost of living and quality of life are supposed to be very good.

In DC, the Metro Police and the Transit Police are also hiring.

---

Posted by: Officer Dunngeon

Quote:

Originally Posted by futurecop87 And the service No isnot for me.

I'm just curious... why is the service not for you?

---

Posted by: NegroRotary

In FL they also use the voice stress test, I know Orange County Sheriff does, the pay in FL is good, you get take home car with mostly all of the agency. I'm thinking about going back as well, dont' know, waiting on this CS crap here in Mass.

---

Posted by: SPS5592

Florid has worked for alot of us...

---

Posted by: AdamJ1984

See now when I go to officer.com and into the FL board, many say it is the armpit of america with the cost of living thoughout the state increasing and pay not so much. They work there and I guess would be the best answer to a question, but here people say it is good, I guess it depends on which city/town/county within FL you are working in.

---

Posted by: Mitpo62

Florida an armpit? Must be some very unhappy campers. Sure, areas like Miami can be rough, especially if you don't speak the language. But others are not so. Florida continues to struggle with their growth issues, i.e., water supplies, taxes (or lack thereof), school systems, etc. As far as police work goes, I can't think of an area better suited for those willing to work. I did 8 years there and if not for a homesick wife and children I'd be retiring in 3 (Now that's a kick in the sack). If I were a "young'n" I think I'd be taking steps to go to a place that works vs. complaining about a system that doesn't.

---

Posted by: xterra55

Anyone know much about the DC area? I saw that they were hiring and was thinking of applying.

---

Posted by: PearlOnyx

Adam,

I live in Orange County, and although I've only been here for 2 years now, I don't think I'll ever leave. Although I make less yearly than I did in MA, with the no state income tax, I take home more money than I did in MA. Florida is growing, and there is a lot of crime and other issues here, but it's mostly confined to the inter-city areas. If you live in the "burbs", you'll do allright.

---

Posted by: masscopguy

There is a ton of crime in DC. The areas outside the Capital District and Georgetown are pretty bad.

At one time, DC had one of the higest murder rates in the country and the homocide divison were often critized for their inability to solve cases.

Since DC recieves it's funding from the federal government the District is always compalining that they don't have the necessary funds for the PD.

Housing in the good areas is also quite expensive you may have to live outside the area in Maryland or Virgina.

---

Posted by: NegroRotary

Pearl, Orange County still hiring?

---

Posted by: PearlOnyx

Negro,

Yes, Orange County and Orlando are both having a huge hiring push right now. Most of the smaller OC agencies are hiring too.

---

Posted by: AdamJ1984

Cool, great information, I guess on almost any board, you get the fanatics. Those who either love or hate something and I guess there were a lot of haters on the board that day. Thank-you I will check out those department's websites.

---

Posted by: NegroRotary

I should really look into it, I already have the academy but I better hurry up cause it will expire in Oct 2008

---

vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.
vB Easy Archive Final ©2000 - 2008 - Created by Stefan "Xenon" Kaeser