How To Become a Cop
Usually, when people decide to embrace a
career in law enforcement, they have no idea what all
is involved. I suggest that the first step you take in the process is
to do some research on how to
become a cop. Before you begin that research, sit down and list all
of the questions that come to mind. Those questions may include:
Why become a cop?
Can I become a cop?
What does it take to become a police officer?
How long does it take to be a police officer?
How old do I need to be to get into the
police academy?
What
criminal justice jobs are
available?
Is there a reason I shouldn’t be a
correctional officer?
Luckily, you are in just the right place
to find that information. As you read through this material, these, and
other questions should be answered.
First, you should consider the type of
criminal justice career you would like to pursue.
There are a vast variety of positions available in law
enforcement. Do you want to be with a local police department,
or be on the
highway patrol? Maybe you would prefer the sheriff’s department. If
you have great shooting skills, you may have interest in being on a SWAT
team.
If your desire is to work for the
national government in some capacity, the Department of Justice has a
number of law enforcement agencies that may be of interest to you. There is the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and many others.
Congress created the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) in 2002. The United States Secret Service (USSS)
is now part of that agency. This federal agency protects the president
and vice president of the United States, along with their families and
other dignitaries. It also investigates counterfeiting crimes involving
U.S. currency and the monetary system.
Another federal agency is the U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which includes Enforcement
Removal Operations (ERO) that handles interior immigration enforcement
in the United States, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
There is also the U.S. Customs
and Border Protection (CBP), which includes United States Border Patrol
(USBP). And the list goes on.
If you have a sharp and inquisitive mind,
you may find a rewarding career as a criminal investigator. There are
also private investigators that are employed in the private sector.
There are literally hundreds of different roles you could entertain as a
cop. You should decide which
one, or ones match your personality and your interests the most. Then
research each one individually.
Becoming A Cop
So, you are beginning the research
process on becoming a cop. Awesome! As you continue
your research, you will find out if a career in
law enforcement is really for
you. In the process of learning how to become a police officer, it will
become clearer as to which road you should follow.
Second, check out all of the
requirements. You need to be
of a certain age, and have the required education and experience level
to be eligible. In many
states, the minimum age to get into the police academy is twenty-one. In
some states, you may find that you will also need a college degree.
Check with your local agencies to make sure of the exact requirements.
Often times, the police agency will put you through the academy free of
charge if you qualify.
Third, expect to go through a lot of
medical, mental, and physical testing. There are many
steps to
becoming a
police
officer. The job requires a high level of integrity and
character. Not everyone measures up to the strict
code of ethics that is
required. Anticipate some stress and an expectation to meet some very
high standards in each of the areas mentioned.
Fourth, expect at least three to four
months of intensive training at a police academy.
That includes a lot of book study, as well as extensive physical
training. If you want to get off to a head start, you may want to begin
with getting a college degree in criminal justice. Some choose to go
into the military and become a Military Policeman (MP). For those who
want to get experience, but aren’t old enough to join a police force,
this is a great option. With this experience, your chances of becoming a
police officer increase greatly.
In a nut shell, that’s the basic idea.
Now take a few minutes and browse through the dozens of articles
I’ve provided here, and get more specific information on
how to become a cop.
Good luck with your career!
Keep reading, as you will learn
how to become a police officer. If you decide to become a cop, it
will be quite an adventure, and I believe it will be worth your while.
It can be quite a rewarding career.
The desire to protect and serve a community is the intrinsic reasons for becoming a cop. Additionally, there are a lot of other reasons to serve as a peace officer, based on a large variety of job opportunities.
If you want to know how to become a cop, it makes sense to start
by asking someone who is a cop some questions.
If a relative or family
friend is a cop, this would be someone you can trust to tell you
the good, bad and the ugly about the job.