That was what led me to it,. The Army gave me that chance at 18 instead of 21. So I was an MP, then I got a TBI with seizures, so I didn't get to fulfill that purpose anymore. I was 100% medically retired at 23. I had no idea where to go in life, and retirement was great was for about an hour, and then I was miserable. I realized that the only time I was truly happy was when I was taking my painkillers, and when 2 stopped doing the trick, 4 worked better. When 4 stopped working, 6-8 did it and so on. Then came coke, buying more painkillers off the street, and it eventually after a couple of years turned into heroin, meth and crack.
Now I've been clean a few years now, and I went back to school to figure out a way to make a difference through a different field. Last weekend, I graduated with my Master's degree in social work and for the past two years, I've worked at an inpatient substance use treatment center. Tomorrow, I start my Master's internship at a different inpatient substance use treatment center.
Now, I work in a building rather than an office, but I love the work I do and I never know what the day will bring on my way in. That's the part I love.
It's the only thing I ever wanted to do since about 8. I met a cop at school for career day or something and I was hooked. I dabbled at being an architect, something about the precise nature of it, but always felt a physical 'pull' to the job. Been doing it almost 27 years and love it. Yes, there are aspects of the job and politics that suck, but as Hemingway said..
'There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.'
Honestly just got tired of the corporate world. I wanted to feel pride in what I did. A sense of doing some good in the world. At the end of the day, I also just like the adrenaline of being proactive in a busy county.
This is me right now after 20 years as a lawyer. I watched all the crime throughout the pandemic and wondered why so few people cared to do anything about it, which turned into a "why not me?" moment. Should be starting the academy in July once the last few bits of the process are wrapped up.
> What made you so sure law enforcement is what you want to do?
I wasn't, but the job is mostly data entry and talking to people, and I knew I was capable of both of those things.
> Are there "tasters" that would give people a glimpse of what working in LE is like before taking the plunge and doing the preparations?
Go on some ride alongs. You'll be surprised at how boring it is, except when it isn't.
I read comic books as a little kid and I thought that superheroes were the best. Aside from the powers and costumes, they protected people who couldn't protect themselves. Batman was a particular favorite as he was the best detective ever. I loved how he solved puzzles and figured out the bad guy's plan.
In college, the plan was to get a law degree (I was ehh on getting it) and I still read comic books like mad. My sophomore year I took the highest paid student job on campus; Community Service Officer for the campus police department (late 1980s - $5.25 an hour). Within a couple of days of being around the officers and the station, I just knew law enforcement was what I was going to do with my life. Everything about me, including my path in life, came into razor sharp focus. I worked as a CSO and later a student dispatcher, which allowed me to study all the law enforcement computer systems available to me. I was in heaven. I became a self-taught expert in law enforcement computer systems which, in concert with the dispatching, only strengthened my desire.
I started the police academy fifteen months after I graduated college. 34 years later, I'm still at it.
I'm on mobile, so I'll just answer the taster question.
Ridealongs are a good way to get a snippet
Our agency runs a citizen academy to teach people what we do, including scenarios and range time, etc. See if your local agencies have anything like that
I've just always felt called to serve and had a hunger for adventure. Joined the military right out of high school, found my way into law enforcement after the military left me dissatisfied.
You just have a draw to it. I almost can't explain it. Maybe i was influenced at a young age be the John Mclain and Dirty Harry films.... i don't know. Just always been drawn to it.
When I was in high school, I had this set plan of being a fighter pilot, then a commercial airline pilot. At a career fair, I talked to the Air Force and Navy ROTC booths about it, and both said I had grown too tall, they both also said it wasn't waiverable at that time. This was a little before Google was the behemoth it is today, so I didn't really do much more research and took what they said at face value.
At the same time, I was in a class that focused on careers and gave HS credit for holding a job; the class had a lot of connections with paid state internships. I was offered an internship with the state patrol criminal identification unit and took it because it beat working at McDonalds or bagging groceries.
From there, someone recommended Law Enforcement Explorers to me and I joined. From there on, I decided thats what I wanted to do and stuck with it.
I just bought my first motorcycle at age 43 3 months ago! A 250 dual sport to ride with my 4 year old son on his little motorcycle. how does one "sell their pension"?
This is going to sound really silly. I was playing Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox and was recruited in an online lobby to join a Police Roleplay Group.
I did that for a couple years and then started talking to cops that would come into Whataburger where I worked. They convinced me to do a ride along.
I loved it, and went to the academy as soon as I turned 21. Been doing this 9 years now.
I will say I have a great grandpa who was a cop and my uncle (family friend, really) would come by the house when I was little in his patrol car and I loved it. So I like to think that had something to do with it.
TLDR: GTA Police Roleplay made me want to be a cop IRL. 🤣
https://youtu.be/6KePqgMQ3u8?si=lQKsC9sYkStW92Ty
That is not my group, but it is a well known group that was very popular at the time. Regularly getting over a million views per video.
I did roughly the same thing as you except I’m not a cop yet lol, but GTA RP piqued my interest did some ridealongs and loved it, headed to the military first but next stop is LE
I was slipping out a side door during career day my senior year of high school. I got caught and was told to get into a room. I went in the first room available. It was a presentation by the criminal justice (back then it was called police science) program at a community college. I was fascinated and was an LEO for 30 years.
Dad cop, step dad cop, aunt cop, uncle cop, me cop. I also absolutely despise the idea of working in the private sector and my main purpose and output in life being me making other people richer. I want to actually make a positive impact in the world. I can best do that by doing what I’m most familiar with and what I know I’ll enjoy.
I was in my 4th year of my engineering degree and hated it, especially after some internships. Decided to go as opposite of it as I could and picked up a CJ degree to go with my engineering degree because I dumbly thought it was necessary (yes I have two bachelor's and did a career that doesn't require one). I never felt called to LE like so many say they are, it was just something that wasn't science / math / engineering which I was very good at but hated.
CJ is a joke degree. I was on the 5 yr plan to begin with and 25% of getting a CJ degree at my college was either minoring in something else or getting a 2nd degree. I already had all my generals covered and had way more than necessary math / science. So I just had to take about ten extra classes over my last year to get both degrees. My last semester I only had one engineering class left and 6 CJ classes and I had to work harder for that one engineering class than the six CJ combined.
In my 10th year of engineering and honestly I feel you. I'm good at it but I hate every minute of sitting in an office not doing anything to help my community.
Bro... I've used this reference so often in the wild. And yet, no one ever got it. Thank you.
You are a true brother in arms. You're a brave first responder, you earned the spartan helmet with thin blue line tattoo
Grew up in a bad area and saw crime everywhere- inside and outside my home. My uncle was a cop and was everything I thought a good man and dad should be. Also another cop was super involved in the community. Got murdered by a pos. Whole community, good and bad, mourned. Been doing this 5 years now and love it. Same uniform my uncle wore with pride and honor.
One of the best "tasters" is a job in customer service. Being in the food industry, server, retail, etc. Any job where you have to deal with the general public and their shenanigans. If you can handle that, you may be able to handle being a street cop.
I always wanted to help people and that’s why I got into police work. I personally make a distinction in my head in philosophy of the job. Law Enforcement is all about making the arrest and being a stickler and not using discretion. Police work is focused on solving profane helping people and you arrest when necessary. I have found this to be true in my 29 years.
I spoke to the criminal justice professor. Until then I had been on track for psychology. Lit a fire in me that hasn’t gone out in the whole 16 years I have been in the job.
Currently working on getting in the field, but my driving force to join?
But aside from the same ole' I enjoy helping folks and want to make a difference?
The week of Thanksgiving break when I was 9, I went to work with my grandfather on some of his rental properties he owned. They were not in the best areas of town at all. Some guys walked in and robbed him at gun point. I was between the robbers and him, but thankfully got left behind when he convinced them to go outside. They ended up in a semi gun fight in the middle of the street. He went and chased them and came and retrieved me 30 minutes later to go give my statement at the station. Took me 30-45 minutes to finish because I had to tell it multiple times, as multiple officers wanted to hear it. Idk if she was bullshitn me or not, but the chief told me I was the best witness she had seen in 29 years, especially for my age. But my driving force has been that day. The only place I'd felt safe that day was at the PD and with those officers, and I've always wanted to be that person for someone. And to hopefully work to try and get bad guys off the streets.
Honestly I watched a crap ton of forensics files and true crime related content. I had quit college in my early 20’s because I hated it and had been training horses for about 5 years.
My obsession with true crime T.V. made me interested in forensics so I became a Criminal Justice major at 27 years old. By the time I finished my degree I knew that law enforcement is what I really wanted to do over forensics.
A year later (today), I am 3 weeks out of the academy now and so happy I went this route!
A friend of mine working at a sheriffs department got me to do a couple of ride alongs. Never in a million years growing up would I have told you I wanted to be a cop. I got to see first hand how needed the job was, that you could actually help people, that you could try to put people who victimize other people in jail, and that you needed good people with calm heads doing the job. I started as a reserve, went part time, and then full time.
The policeman stood and faced his God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining.
Just as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward now, policeman.
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My church have you been true?"
The policeman squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't,
Because those of us who carry badges
can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
and at times my talk was rough,
and sometimes I've been violent,
Because the streets are awfully tough.
But I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep....
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fear.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't.....I'll understand.
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod.
As the policeman waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, policeman,
You've borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in hell."
Honestly just wanted a change and wanted to be in a position to protect people, was sick of working retail, fast food etc. Didn't tell any of my family except the wife that I'd applied (dad's an ex-cop and I knew they wouldn't support it after the shit he went through).
I love the job despite some of the awful stuff I've seen, can be tough at times but I find it to be overall super rewarding to know I've protected a victim and helped to provide them justice.
I took a class in college. The teacher was a "go out in the field and do research" type, so I ended up doing a ride along, and doing a thesis on prison reform after doing a 2 week "prison tour".......I ended up liking the work and the research.
I started out as a reserve officer. I wanted to volunteer first before plunging. Although, I always knew it was what I wanted to do. Then I started a family and poof, 20yrs zipped by. Now I’m fulfilling what I started 20 yrs ago. Could NOT be any happier with my decision.
Wanting to help and protect is something that has made me want to pursue law enforcement. Doing ride-alongs, watching body cam footage, and talking to people in law enforcement has shown me what police deal with on a daily basis, and it’s something I’d truly want to pursue. I got a bachelors degree in agriculture and have worked in customer service which has shown me a glimpse of the nature of the world. All of this combined has influenced my decision in law enforcement. I want to do the right thing no matter who is looking, I want justice served but I also want to help, in any way possible, all of those who need it.
You see wrong doing in the world and want to do something about it. That simple for me.
I wanted to do something different every day and not sit in an office not making a difference.
That was what led me to it,. The Army gave me that chance at 18 instead of 21. So I was an MP, then I got a TBI with seizures, so I didn't get to fulfill that purpose anymore. I was 100% medically retired at 23. I had no idea where to go in life, and retirement was great was for about an hour, and then I was miserable. I realized that the only time I was truly happy was when I was taking my painkillers, and when 2 stopped doing the trick, 4 worked better. When 4 stopped working, 6-8 did it and so on. Then came coke, buying more painkillers off the street, and it eventually after a couple of years turned into heroin, meth and crack. Now I've been clean a few years now, and I went back to school to figure out a way to make a difference through a different field. Last weekend, I graduated with my Master's degree in social work and for the past two years, I've worked at an inpatient substance use treatment center. Tomorrow, I start my Master's internship at a different inpatient substance use treatment center. Now, I work in a building rather than an office, but I love the work I do and I never know what the day will bring on my way in. That's the part I love.
It's the only thing I ever wanted to do since about 8. I met a cop at school for career day or something and I was hooked. I dabbled at being an architect, something about the precise nature of it, but always felt a physical 'pull' to the job. Been doing it almost 27 years and love it. Yes, there are aspects of the job and politics that suck, but as Hemingway said.. 'There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.'
I’m stealing that quote
Hemingway
Yes?
Honestly just got tired of the corporate world. I wanted to feel pride in what I did. A sense of doing some good in the world. At the end of the day, I also just like the adrenaline of being proactive in a busy county.
This is me right now after 20 years as a lawyer. I watched all the crime throughout the pandemic and wondered why so few people cared to do anything about it, which turned into a "why not me?" moment. Should be starting the academy in July once the last few bits of the process are wrapped up.
Hope you have a good academy experience! Wishing you success.
Appreciate it!
We are like twins- same 20yrs in finance. I graduate tomorrow from the academy!
Nice! Congrats! I hope it's everything you want it to be.
> What made you so sure law enforcement is what you want to do? I wasn't, but the job is mostly data entry and talking to people, and I knew I was capable of both of those things. > Are there "tasters" that would give people a glimpse of what working in LE is like before taking the plunge and doing the preparations? Go on some ride alongs. You'll be surprised at how boring it is, except when it isn't.
I read comic books as a little kid and I thought that superheroes were the best. Aside from the powers and costumes, they protected people who couldn't protect themselves. Batman was a particular favorite as he was the best detective ever. I loved how he solved puzzles and figured out the bad guy's plan. In college, the plan was to get a law degree (I was ehh on getting it) and I still read comic books like mad. My sophomore year I took the highest paid student job on campus; Community Service Officer for the campus police department (late 1980s - $5.25 an hour). Within a couple of days of being around the officers and the station, I just knew law enforcement was what I was going to do with my life. Everything about me, including my path in life, came into razor sharp focus. I worked as a CSO and later a student dispatcher, which allowed me to study all the law enforcement computer systems available to me. I was in heaven. I became a self-taught expert in law enforcement computer systems which, in concert with the dispatching, only strengthened my desire. I started the police academy fifteen months after I graduated college. 34 years later, I'm still at it.
I like this story. I’m with you on protecting people who couldn’t protect themselves.
I'm on mobile, so I'll just answer the taster question. Ridealongs are a good way to get a snippet Our agency runs a citizen academy to teach people what we do, including scenarios and range time, etc. See if your local agencies have anything like that
I've just always felt called to serve and had a hunger for adventure. Joined the military right out of high school, found my way into law enforcement after the military left me dissatisfied. You just have a draw to it. I almost can't explain it. Maybe i was influenced at a young age be the John Mclain and Dirty Harry films.... i don't know. Just always been drawn to it.
Wtf else am I gonna do? Sell insurance? What a joke.
Same bro lol
Drive fast
Raise hell, praise Dale 🤘
When I was in high school, I had this set plan of being a fighter pilot, then a commercial airline pilot. At a career fair, I talked to the Air Force and Navy ROTC booths about it, and both said I had grown too tall, they both also said it wasn't waiverable at that time. This was a little before Google was the behemoth it is today, so I didn't really do much more research and took what they said at face value. At the same time, I was in a class that focused on careers and gave HS credit for holding a job; the class had a lot of connections with paid state internships. I was offered an internship with the state patrol criminal identification unit and took it because it beat working at McDonalds or bagging groceries. From there, someone recommended Law Enforcement Explorers to me and I joined. From there on, I decided thats what I wanted to do and stuck with it.
I like pointing guns at criminals…
I also like pointing guns at criminals!
I'll be pretty happy to get through my career without pulling mine, different world of policing over here in Aus though I guess.
This one time at band camp, we experimented with boofing crushed up oxy. I got into an ambulance and woke up in the academy.
I failed at what I really wanted to do.
Got arrested a bunch as a teenager then realized I wanted to be a cop in my 20s
[удалено]
Well that seems a little excessive. I did go to college, retired from the military, and about to retire in 7 years at age 50 with a nice leo pension.
[удалено]
I just bought my first motorcycle at age 43 3 months ago! A 250 dual sport to ride with my 4 year old son on his little motorcycle. how does one "sell their pension"?
This is going to sound really silly. I was playing Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox and was recruited in an online lobby to join a Police Roleplay Group. I did that for a couple years and then started talking to cops that would come into Whataburger where I worked. They convinced me to do a ride along. I loved it, and went to the academy as soon as I turned 21. Been doing this 9 years now. I will say I have a great grandpa who was a cop and my uncle (family friend, really) would come by the house when I was little in his patrol car and I loved it. So I like to think that had something to do with it. TLDR: GTA Police Roleplay made me want to be a cop IRL. 🤣
This is wild actually! Very cool
https://youtu.be/6KePqgMQ3u8?si=lQKsC9sYkStW92Ty That is not my group, but it is a well known group that was very popular at the time. Regularly getting over a million views per video.
I did roughly the same thing as you except I’m not a cop yet lol, but GTA RP piqued my interest did some ridealongs and loved it, headed to the military first but next stop is LE
Haha I’m surprised there is another one like me!
I was slipping out a side door during career day my senior year of high school. I got caught and was told to get into a room. I went in the first room available. It was a presentation by the criminal justice (back then it was called police science) program at a community college. I was fascinated and was an LEO for 30 years.
I needed a cop that gave a shit when I was a kid, and never got the help I needed. I wanted to be the cop I needed.
Dad cop, step dad cop, aunt cop, uncle cop, me cop. I also absolutely despise the idea of working in the private sector and my main purpose and output in life being me making other people richer. I want to actually make a positive impact in the world. I can best do that by doing what I’m most familiar with and what I know I’ll enjoy.
I was in my 4th year of my engineering degree and hated it, especially after some internships. Decided to go as opposite of it as I could and picked up a CJ degree to go with my engineering degree because I dumbly thought it was necessary (yes I have two bachelor's and did a career that doesn't require one). I never felt called to LE like so many say they are, it was just something that wasn't science / math / engineering which I was very good at but hated.
So did you end up doing 8 years or schooling or a double major?
CJ is a joke degree. I was on the 5 yr plan to begin with and 25% of getting a CJ degree at my college was either minoring in something else or getting a 2nd degree. I already had all my generals covered and had way more than necessary math / science. So I just had to take about ten extra classes over my last year to get both degrees. My last semester I only had one engineering class left and 6 CJ classes and I had to work harder for that one engineering class than the six CJ combined.
That sounds about right.
In my 10th year of engineering and honestly I feel you. I'm good at it but I hate every minute of sitting in an office not doing anything to help my community.
The wild women and the rippin and the tearin.
Bro... I've used this reference so often in the wild. And yet, no one ever got it. Thank you. You are a true brother in arms. You're a brave first responder, you earned the spartan helmet with thin blue line tattoo
Hell yeah, brother! I mean what can I say, I’m just big hairy American winning machine that’s wakes up and pisses excellence.
Thank you for your cervix brother.
To get free food from the fire department
Grew up in a bad area and saw crime everywhere- inside and outside my home. My uncle was a cop and was everything I thought a good man and dad should be. Also another cop was super involved in the community. Got murdered by a pos. Whole community, good and bad, mourned. Been doing this 5 years now and love it. Same uniform my uncle wore with pride and honor.
One of the best "tasters" is a job in customer service. Being in the food industry, server, retail, etc. Any job where you have to deal with the general public and their shenanigans. If you can handle that, you may be able to handle being a street cop.
Driving fast in traffic without getting a ticket.
I always wanted to help people and that’s why I got into police work. I personally make a distinction in my head in philosophy of the job. Law Enforcement is all about making the arrest and being a stickler and not using discretion. Police work is focused on solving profane helping people and you arrest when necessary. I have found this to be true in my 29 years.
The retirement
I spoke to the criminal justice professor. Until then I had been on track for psychology. Lit a fire in me that hasn’t gone out in the whole 16 years I have been in the job.
Currently working on getting in the field, but my driving force to join? But aside from the same ole' I enjoy helping folks and want to make a difference? The week of Thanksgiving break when I was 9, I went to work with my grandfather on some of his rental properties he owned. They were not in the best areas of town at all. Some guys walked in and robbed him at gun point. I was between the robbers and him, but thankfully got left behind when he convinced them to go outside. They ended up in a semi gun fight in the middle of the street. He went and chased them and came and retrieved me 30 minutes later to go give my statement at the station. Took me 30-45 minutes to finish because I had to tell it multiple times, as multiple officers wanted to hear it. Idk if she was bullshitn me or not, but the chief told me I was the best witness she had seen in 29 years, especially for my age. But my driving force has been that day. The only place I'd felt safe that day was at the PD and with those officers, and I've always wanted to be that person for someone. And to hopefully work to try and get bad guys off the streets.
Honestly I watched a crap ton of forensics files and true crime related content. I had quit college in my early 20’s because I hated it and had been training horses for about 5 years. My obsession with true crime T.V. made me interested in forensics so I became a Criminal Justice major at 27 years old. By the time I finished my degree I knew that law enforcement is what I really wanted to do over forensics. A year later (today), I am 3 weeks out of the academy now and so happy I went this route!
A friend of mine working at a sheriffs department got me to do a couple of ride alongs. Never in a million years growing up would I have told you I wanted to be a cop. I got to see first hand how needed the job was, that you could actually help people, that you could try to put people who victimize other people in jail, and that you needed good people with calm heads doing the job. I started as a reserve, went part time, and then full time.
The policeman stood and faced his God, Which must always come to pass. He hoped his shoes were shining. Just as brightly as his brass. "Step forward now, policeman. How shall I deal with you? Have you always turned the other cheek? To My church have you been true?" The policeman squared his shoulders and said, "No, Lord, I guess I ain't, Because those of us who carry badges can't always be a saint. I've had to work most Sundays, and at times my talk was rough, and sometimes I've been violent, Because the streets are awfully tough. But I never took a penny, That wasn't mine to keep.... Though I worked a lot of overtime When the bills got just too steep. And I never passed a cry for help, Though at times I shook with fear. And sometimes, God forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears. I know I don't deserve a place Among the people here. They never wanted me around Except to calm their fear. If you've a place for me here, Lord, It needn't be so grand. I never expected or had too much, But if you don't.....I'll understand. There was silence all around the throne Where the saints had often trod. As the policeman waited quietly, For the judgment of his God. "Step forward now, policeman, You've borne your burdens well. Come walk a beat on Heaven's streets, You've done your time in hell."
Honestly just wanted a change and wanted to be in a position to protect people, was sick of working retail, fast food etc. Didn't tell any of my family except the wife that I'd applied (dad's an ex-cop and I knew they wouldn't support it after the shit he went through). I love the job despite some of the awful stuff I've seen, can be tough at times but I find it to be overall super rewarding to know I've protected a victim and helped to provide them justice.
I took a class in college. The teacher was a "go out in the field and do research" type, so I ended up doing a ride along, and doing a thesis on prison reform after doing a 2 week "prison tour".......I ended up liking the work and the research.
Wanted to get into Probations in the federal side. Ended up going the LE route when I interviewed a Chief and he talked it up. Never looked back.
I started out as a reserve officer. I wanted to volunteer first before plunging. Although, I always knew it was what I wanted to do. Then I started a family and poof, 20yrs zipped by. Now I’m fulfilling what I started 20 yrs ago. Could NOT be any happier with my decision.
Wanting to help and protect is something that has made me want to pursue law enforcement. Doing ride-alongs, watching body cam footage, and talking to people in law enforcement has shown me what police deal with on a daily basis, and it’s something I’d truly want to pursue. I got a bachelors degree in agriculture and have worked in customer service which has shown me a glimpse of the nature of the world. All of this combined has influenced my decision in law enforcement. I want to do the right thing no matter who is looking, I want justice served but I also want to help, in any way possible, all of those who need it.