Expert: Jack Toomey - 10/18/2009

Question
QUESTION: I want to go into law enforcement somewhere along the lines of either becoming a crime scene investigator, or a police officer and eventually a detective. I have two questions, I am currently pursuing a degree in criminal justice. Is this the best degree to pursue for this field? Also, I have a misdemeanor charge of petty theft which I plan on getting expunged. I am waiting until I receive my degree to apply in the field ( which would be in 2-3 years)  , but will having that on my record even if it is expunged disqualify me from being able to go into this field? I don't want to waste my time studying and working hard if that one mistake will cause me my career.

ANSWER: Sam,

There is no way for me to predict if your criminal charge will prevent you from being hired as a police officer and there is no "yes" or "no" answer to your question.  There are thousands of police departments in this country and they all have different hiring standards.  What might be true on Department #A might not be true on Department #B.

The best I can do for you is to tell you that your criminal charge will certainly not help you but it might not hurt you.

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

QUESTION: Thank you for your quick response!

Also, as I explained, I am pursuing a degree in criminal justice. Is this the best degree to pursue for this field, or is there other choices that would stand out more?

Answer
I don't know if you are aware of it but a very small percentage of those who apply for employment in law enforcement are actually hired.  Most people, no matter what their degree is in, simply do not have the aptitude to become police officers.  Many young people today assume that just because they take criminal justice courses that they will automatically be hired.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact many departments are not impressed at all with someone who has a criminal justice degree.  That is because very little that is taught in a college classroom can be applied on the street.  That may come as a shock to you.  What is important is that you do have a degree when you apply for a job in law enforcement.  College teaches a student to think critically, broaden their horizons, and to write and speak much more clearly.  All of these things are important in police work.

In no way am I trying to talk you out of pursuing a degree in criminal justice but you have to think of your future.  If you are like the majority of those who end up not getting hired you need a degree to fall back on to get anywhere in this world.

On some departments the washout rate for applicants is above 95%.  That means that out of 100 applicants only two or three are hired.  The hiring process is a long arduous process and involves an aptitude test, oral interviews, a long background investigation, writing exemplars, problem solving, physical exams, and a polygraph exam.

Again I am not suggesting you change your major.  But I did want to let you know that criminal justice is not a free ticket into a law enforcement career.