LOL, Norman hit the nail on the head with that comment.
For Ride-A-Longs, you should just call any agency that you are interested in working for and ask them if they have a "Ride-A-Long" program. Let them know that you are very interested in getting in to LE and that you are interested in working with them.
For Ride-A-Longs, you should just call any agency that you are interested in working for and ask them if they have a "Ride-A-Long" program. Let them know that you are very interested in getting in to LE and that you are interested in working with them.
As the wife of a 22 year veteran of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, my advice is don't do it. Find something else to fulfill your urge to help the dregs of society (like volunteer at the Food Bank), but please don't tie yourself to a LEO job for 20 years.
I'd steer you away from it unless you prefer a smaller agency. First, you stick yourself with a degree which is worthless should you not be hired by anyone or get injured and forced out of the profession. Second, at any of the larger age cries you'll most likely have to complete their in house academy anyway which again waste the point of the program.
Get a degree you can use in the private sector. A business, finance, etc. degree will also help you stand out per other applicants who went the Criminal Justice route.
Better advice than I provided. The idea of being law enforcement is great and I still love it. The application of that ideal however is getting more and more tainted as each day passes and our society tumbles downward. Be a fireman, good money, people still love you even if their house burns to the ground, and more off time not getting spit on by the rejects of the streets.
ZG, you have some very good points why you should go for a different degree other than a COPS program. I do not have a COPS program degree, but have considered it, because I could do it while I work and still obtain an associates. I could always turn that in to a business administration degree later.
The plus side to having a COPS degree is that a smaller agency that can not hold a CLEET academy (Very few can at this time. Norman, OKC, OHP, and maybe Edmond and Tulsa. I do not know of any others off the top of my head). For any other agency the fact that they can hire you, send you to CLEET to take the written test, and then potentially send you straight out in to the field is a great benefit right now. If I remember correctly CLEET is 15 weeks right now. That is a lot of money that an agency would have to pay someone that they are unable to use during that time, well except on weekends.
The plus side to having a COPS degree is that a smaller agency that can not hold a CLEET academy (Very few can at this time. Norman, OKC, OHP, and maybe Edmond and Tulsa. I do not know of any others off the top of my head). For any other agency the fact that they can hire you, send you to CLEET to take the written test, and then potentially send you straight out in to the field is a great benefit right now. If I remember correctly CLEET is 15 weeks right now. That is a lot of money that an agency would have to pay someone that they are unable to use during that time, well except on weekends.
As that veteran of OHP I would like to say that this is good advice. I have seen changes in Law Enforcement in the last 10 years or so that are not for the best. I have some decent benefits right now BUT this most recent academy is having some of those benfits either reduced or taken away completely. Something to think about when you get old like me.If I had taken my dads advice I would be at OCFD right now even though he retired from OCPD. Just food for thought.
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