I'm currently on the hunt for any department that's looking for new hires or for the most part just willing to sit down with me. I'm 26 years old and graduated two years ago with a degree in criminal justice and just recently took the civil service exam. I've been working in the security field for the past two years. I currently live in the south shore area but I am willing to go anywhere just to get a foot in the door. I just found out about this page and I figure this isn't a terrible place to ask for some guidance on where to start as I haven't had much luck elsewhere.
Your degree means very little, your score will determine your chances, and mass is a state filled with people chasing down LE jobs. Don't score a 98 or above? The likelihood of employment is relatively small. Spend time reading the multiple pages of info here, it'll open your eyes relative to your chances.
Go South or West, where your education actually means something. Or join the military.
Education Doesn't mean anything up here for a CS department because that is based on preference, test score, and squeaky clean Background. And for a non CS department it also doesn't mean anything because they all want full time academy. The degree might get you some extra money if you're lucky enough to get on a town that took over funding the Quinn Bill. If you don't believe me, just look at the backgrounds of the people that are getting hired. I know of several who don't even have an associate's degree but got hired because they sponsored themselves to the full time academy.
Sorry if I sound extra bitter this morning, I just got off my first midnight shift back on for the week.
P.S if for some reason you are dead set on staying up here, find a way to sponsor yourself to the full time academy or at least the part time and try to get on as a special somewhere or on a campus PD (you can be an SSPO with the reserve academy and degree). You mentioned you were on the South Shore. I know Hull at one point hired summer cops, and there's a handful of other small towns that hire year around specials.
Another option....Get a commission in the Military. You"ll get vet status plus the other benefits that come with it. Thinking about going back in myself.
Supposedly and I mean supposedly their hiring non vets for Boston. Trick is you need the residency for at least a year ( one city councilor is pushing for 3 years )
You could always work Suffolk County while waiting to get on Boston.
However bear in mind a lot of people had designs on getting to their favorite PD and wound up stuck in Corrections or another job.
Meet a gal , have a couple of kids and your options are going to get pretty slim. I've been on the tour of LAPD thanks to another member here and have to say it is very impressive.
If you want to be a big city cop and do lots of cop stuff that would be the place to go. Of course you can self sponsor as mentioned here. No guarantees , but a lot of these towns won't even look at you unless you have the full-time Academy
Or you could join the military. That would put you on par with the rest of the people coming home from the Middle East. Veteran status is way more important than a CJ degree.
Supposedly and I mean supposedly their hiring non vets for Boston. Trick is you need the residency for at least a year ( one city councilor is pushing for 3 years )
You could always work Suffolk County while waiting to get on Boston.
However bear in mind a lot of people had designs on getting to their favorite PD and wound up stuck in Corrections or another job.
Meet a gal , have a couple of kids and your options are going to get pretty slim. I've been on the tour of LAPD thanks to another member here and have to say it is very impressive.
If you want to be a big city cop and do lots of cop stuff that would be the place to go. Of course you can self sponsor as mentioned here. No guarantees , but a lot of these towns won't even look at you unless you have the full-time Academy
Or you could join the military. That would put you on par with the rest of the people coming home from the Middle East. Veteran status is way more important than a CJ degree.
I'd say the majority of the last couple bpd classes, as well as the one starting august 7th, are non-vets. They still need a lot more guys so it's one of the easier departments to get on now. 4 guys from my shift alone just got hired in the last year.
Gotta agree with the military suggestions. When I got hired with the agency I retired from I later asked why I was chosen over some of the other testers who had CJ degrees. I was told that not only was it because I was a veteran but even more important so had military police training and background. The services can usually guarantee that MOS/AFSC prior to signing up.
I agree with Cowboy, don't discount New Hampshire, Vermont or Maine. They have a lot more employment testing and because they don't have CS, being a veteran, as far as I know, won't effect your standing on any hiring list. Also, corrections is a good stepping stone too. I have a few friends that stuck it out for the first few years and have gained some serious seniority fairly quickly due to the high turnover rate in that field. You can dispatch, campus security or another similar gig coupled with maybe joining a local guard/reserve unit, you would definitely make yourself more marketable.
I apologize in advance if that came off as a ramble. I'm on the tail end of a forced double and don't care to proofread! Good luck!
I agree with Cowboy, don't discount New Hampshire, Vermont or Maine. They have a lot more employment testing and because they don't have CS, being a veteran, as far as I know, won't effect your standing on any hiring list. Also, corrections is a good stepping stone too. I have a few friends that stuck it out for the first few years and have gained some serious seniority fairly quickly due to the high turnover rate in that field. You can dispatch, campus security or another similar gig coupled with maybe joining a local guard/reserve unit, you would definitely make yourself more marketable.
I apologize in advance if that came off as a ramble. I'm on the tail end of a forced double and don't care to proofread! Good luck!
Don't forget CT either. The cities are always hiring and pay very well. CT also takes law enforcement seriously and most PDs are well supported. PDs hire on their own without CS red tape.
Just to wade in on the conversation for a moment.
If you go the corrections route try to have an end-game that doesn't involve getting stuck working at the jail.
It's fine for a couple of years getting some good experience. After that you're just doing time with the inmates.
I honestly recommend self sponsoring though the Full Time academy, it will take a year or so to get into it, but once you have that you can work anywhere. Even as a Special, Reserve, Part-Time, State College, Private College, or Full Time in a town. Once you get "Police Officer" on your resume the door will open more and more. A lot of towns are leaving civil service, which means you don't have to wait to be called. However, you'll have to fill out very thick application packets. Everyone has a different story on how they got on, or what they did. I personally have no political pull or family that's in Law Enforcment. I'm the first one, and it seems to be working for me. Good luck dude, I hope to see you down range.
Good advice, and agreed. I personally had no political pull either, and still managed to make it. Like you said, people just need to have patience and work at it until they get it.
Just to wade in on the conversation for a moment.
If you go the corrections route try to have an end-game that doesn't involve getting stuck working at the jail.
It's fine for a couple of years getting some good experience. After that you're just doing time with the inmates.
Yes be careful. I got a job offer years ago by Plymouth County Sheriff for a CO position and the pay was great but I'm glad I didn't take the job and continued by endeavor to be a police officer. It was a great job with great benefits and I know a few guys that got stuck there because the money was good and it was hard to start over.
That's what happening to my good friend as we speak. No PD is going to match his salary, benefits, or retirement. He's been in for a little bit and has some seniority now and gets details too.
Plymouth County is not a bad stop. They've got a great sheriff and seems to be a pretty well-run facility.
But I'm sure after 20+ years it's going to take its toll.
It's just not the same job.
This topic has been covered several times, if you search the site, you can find what you're looking for. Waiting two years is nothing, compared to some of the other members of this site that have taken a decade or more to get on. Everything goes in cycles and it's seems it's that decade, where everyone is retiring. A few years ago, PD's near me were locked up with zero movement. Now, they cant find enough qualified people for the positions.
As others have stated, join the military, self sponsor, apply to the local SO, apply for campus PD jobs, or DOC. Wait it out and see what happens. Or apply out of state and see where that takes you.
Access to information is a lot better nowadays. Wish masscops was around when I was trying to get on.
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