Careers: Police/EOT Questions

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Expert: - 2/29/2008


Question
QUESTION: I am 34 yrs old, Prior Military Police Captain ( 8 years active duty) B/A in Criminal Justice, M/A in Security Management, I am currently applying for police positions in Florida. I have a great military record, 100% clean criminal record my only issue is currently I am unemployed due to lay offs becasue of the recent housing market ( was in construction management for 2 years) I am divorced and paying child support and own a home, I am current on my mortgage, car and child support, however have not been able to keep up with my revoloving credit debt, I am looking at possibly filing a bankruptcy.  Would that kill  my chances with the agencies here in Florida? Thank you

ANSWER: Hey Andy,

Your bankruptcy will not kill your chances, but may make some agencies look twice at you. I would make sure that you get a chance to explain everything to the background investigator.

You know with your military police background (I am guessing you went through MP School) you don't have to attend the police academy, you can try for an exemption and attend a two week "Equivalency of training" course and then take the State exam to be a cop here in Florida.

Go here for more on how to do this: http://cisit.sfcc.edu/ips/selection/equivalency.htm

Good luck..

BTW I was an MP Sgt., 981st MP Co, 3rd Infantry Division. Hoooaahh.. Thanks for your service to our country..

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for the quick response,I am in central Florida and I have already started my registration for the EOT 2 week course.  Any advice on what I should do now, before the course starts, what things I should start learning on my own?  Also, what is your opinion of the strengths and weaknesses of both a major Metropolitan Police organization and a large county sheriffs office ( Orange / Osceola ) Thanks again!

Answer
Hey Andy,

If you can contact the academy you are going to the two week course at, you can try and get a copy of the text book that the recruits use, study the Objectives in the front of each lesson, and answer them. Every single question on the state exam comes from the objectives in that text.

Also your two week course you have to qualify in Defensive Tactics, Driving, Firearms, and First Aid, bone up on those also. If you need, since your former Army also (gotta take care of the brothers in arms) I can put the curriculum up on the Internet for you to download and look at. Its huge but you can start reading it and get ready for the two week course and start studying for the state exam.

Heck Ill do it anyway. :) Give it a couple of hours for me to upload its half way done at 1pm.

You can download the entire curriculum at:

http://cisit.sfcc.edu/ips/Basic Recruit Student Guide and Handouts.zip

Password to unzip is FDLESFCC (all caps)

Its a large file (over 120 megs) and in word format. STUDY STUDY AND STUDY, you should be fine.

Good luck, and welcome to law enforcement in Florida..  Hoooahhhh

PS I will not be leaving the file up more than a few days so get it sometime over the weekend or by Weds of next week. Stay Safe!

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Chris Wagoner

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I have been a police officer for 30+ years! I am the Police Academy Commander at the Santa Fe College, Institute of Public Safety in Gainesville Florida It is a full service Law Enforcement and Corrections training facility. I can answer most questions concerning law enforcement procedures, law enforcement training and general questions about law enforcment. I can also answer questions about becoming a law enfocement officer. I have a booklet and web page I have written that answers many questions about how to become a police officer called "So you want to be a cop (police Officer) in Florida?", which is free, Google it.. All you have to do is ask. I teach the following subjects: RADAR/LASER, Law Enforcement Driving, Law Enforcement Firearms and Patrol Techniques, Officer Safety, WMD's for Patrol Officers, Application of Law, Communications skills, Dealing with the Mentally and physically handicapped, and many more subjects. I have worked as a subject matter expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and helped to write the police curriculum for the State of Florida. I like answering questions about how to become a police officer, and questions about why did an officer do this or that type questions. I also like answering any questions you may have about police work in general. I do not mind helping with homework questions or trying to answer your questions about legal subjects that I have knowledge of. You will never know the answer until you ask! If you do ask a question, PLEASE take the time to at least rate the answer. I do not get paid to answer these questions and do it on my own time. If you ask, please rate it when I answer. Thanks!!! If its a question about becoming a police officer, it may be answered here: http://sites.google.com/site/flaleohelp/ My "hobby" website - http://www.youtube.com/user/3rdID8487 Military Videos on YouTube and Facebook!!

Experience

I am a 30+ year veteran police officer, I am currently the Police Academy Commander of an Academy in North FLorida. I have been training police officers since 1993 and have trained them in all aspects of law enforcement, including firearms, Driving and legal subjects including patrol techniques and others and training all over the world. I have trained over 5000 officers worldwide in the last 16 years of training.

Publications
I am a published author in Accident Investigation from the University of North Florida, Institute of Police Technology and Management. Also have written and published on the Internet, "So You Want to be a Cop (Police Officer) in Florida?" you can Google it..

Education/Credentials
I have 2 degrees, in Criminal Justice.

Awards and Honors
Phi Theta Kappa, plus 50+ Departmental Awards over the years. FBI Directors award for assisting in a Nationwide investigation into Child pornography.

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