Expert: Eric Potts - 5/18/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi! I am 18 and I want to become a police patrol man right after I finish high school, (at age 18-19) and then a year later I would like to become a Police Sniper, but I no most states require me to be 21 to become a police patrol man, including my own.....)= so I was wondering what should I do in the 3 or 4 years of waiting, I cant join any armed serves because of my 20/400 uncorrected vision, and to tell you the truth I really don't want to go to college. I just want to get my real life going and become a Police Sniper/Police Patrol man. Is there any Police academies I can go to? and do you go to a Police academy before becoming a cop? any help? Thanks allot for your time!

ANSWER: Enthusiasm is a good thing but sometimes reality steps in and directs us down the right path.

I'm not sure why you think you can't join the Service with your eyesight being what it is, my eyesight is 20/500 uncorrected (thank goodness for modern technology or my glasses would be very thick) yet I was able to join the Army and serve 6 years as a Military Police Officer. Check again with all branches of the service.

As far as College goes, I would highly recommend you get a college degree. First off it can only help you in life and secondly most departments require at least a two year degree now a days.

Usually you go to the Police Academy after you are hired by a Police Department, although in NJ we have what is known as Alternate Route. Where you as an individual pay to attend the Police Academy, but before that can even happen you must go through the same stringent selection process as if you were being hired including an extensive background check and interview process. Then, once you're accepted, you attend the academy like everyone else, only you pay to attend and once you graduate there is a good chance you'll get picked up by a Police Department since you've already been trained.

You don't become a Police Sniper after only one year, although I suppose it could happen in a smaller department, usually, like anything else, you have to pay your dues working as a Patrol Officer for a bit before you can apply to any advanced position.

Hope that answers your questions and if I can be of any further assistance please don't hesitate to contact me.

Eric

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

QUESTION: Thanks allot for that info! it really cleared my head, but what do you do as a military police officer?

ANSWER: As a Military Police Officer I did much the same as I do now. Enforce the laws of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). We made arrest, issued tickets, investigated crimes, accidents, and assisted the community.

We also went out in the field where we did Route Recon, Rear Area Combat Support, Escorted Convoys, manned Traffic Control Points, set up and maintained POW (Prisoner of War) camps and a myriad of other things soldiers do everyday.

Remember it has been 20 years since I was an MP, but at the time, the Military Police Corps was moving to become a much more combat oriented occupation specialty and the role of an MP may have changed to much more field duties than what we called "garrison" duties of patrolling the base we were stationed at.

Eric

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

QUESTION: Are there M.P.'s in Iraq rite now? and are you in the army or something when your an MP or more like a police officer? thanks.

Answer
First and foremost before you are anything in the Army you are a SOLDIER...you must go through Basic Training to learn how to be a soldier first, then once you complete Basic Training you attend your MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) School.

As I stated, while I was in I did both Garrison Duty (Police Work) and went out to the field ALOT. While I believe MPs still do some patrolling on some posts, I believe the tendency has been to turn over the police work to DOD (Department of Defense) Police in most areas. The MPs are more combat oriented now. Hopefully we can get someone who is an MP now reading this and clarify it for us as it has been a long time now...alot changes in 20 years. Some of the posts I remember being stationed at in Germany no longer exist and Ft. McClellan Alabama where I did basic training and MP School is now closed.

Yes there are MPs in Iraq right now! God Bless our Men and Women of the Armed Services!

Good Luck.