Careers: Police/Infantry to PD

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Expert: Eric Potts - 10/5/2008


Question
Mr Potts-

First off thank you for your service during your enlistment. It is much appreciated. My question is is it true that some Police Departments waive their four year degree if someone has four year in the military including one year of overseas tour duty? The reason I ask is because my husband's ETS date is July of 2010 and is currently serving in his second deployment. He was interested in getting into law enforcement after he gets out but has no education or college degree in law enforcement. Is this true or just a rumor? Thank you for your time and appreciate everything you have done for this country and your current community! Thank you

Answer
Hi Amanda,

I can not speak for all Police Departments, I can tell you that from experience many departments do in fact waive College requirements if an individual has served and been honorably discharged from the Military. I was hired based on this, I did not have any College until after I was hired but had served for 6 years in the Army.

I would advise your to start taking College courses now which can only help him to get hired and of course help him later when it comes time for promotions.

Good luck to both of you and Thank you to both you and your husband. Him for serving and you for all your support and serving right beside him!

Eric

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Eric Potts

Expertise

I am a Veteran of The United States Army where I served as a Military Police Officer for 6 years and have been a Municipal Police Officer for 20 years. I am a certified Arson Investigator, as well as a certified Community Police Officer. I am a DARE teacher in the local schools. I am a Defensive Driving Instructor and worked for years as a Detective specializing in White Collar Crime. I'm qualified to answer general law enforcement questions, general procedure questions (all departments have different rules and regulations. I can answer questions about how to become a law enforcement officer, and questions that might help someone understand why an officer acted a certain way. I am also a Police Suicide Awareness trainer and a member of the NJ Critical Incident Response Team. PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO SWAT-I AM NOT QUALIFIED TO ANSWER THEM AND WILL REJECT THOSE QUESTIONS.

Experience

I have 27 years total Law Enforcement experience in a wide range of areas. I have worked as a Detective and a Patrolman and have made well over 2,000 arrests in my career.

Education/Credentials
Graduated from the United States Army Military Police School Basic Law Enforcement Training Arson Investigators School DARE Officer Training Interview and Interrogation School Police Suicide and Awareness Trainer

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