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Question
I soon plan on attending a private aviation school to learn how to fly helicopters and am very interested in flying as a career, i was wondering what that qualifications are or even how to get into flying a helicopter for law enforcement after learning to fly and of course becoming a police officer.
Shane,
Good question. This is a first for me. I would have to say that there are only a very few departments that own or use helicopters. I have no idea how many but I live in a major metropolitan area and only two departments use helicopters and they are used mostly for medivac missions.
I think that your biggest hurdle is going to be getting hired by a police department. Only about 5 -10% of applicants who make it past the aptitude test actually get hired. The rest are washed out somewhere along the way. If you are hired and do pass through the police academy you would probably spend several years on the street as a uniformed officer before you would ever be considered for a specialized unit even though you might have a pilot's license.
But if you are serious about this make darned sure that the department that you apply to has a helicopter unit. Unfortunately I cannot tell you what the qualifications are for police pilots because each department in the country has its own standards and rules.
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Answers by Expert:
Jack Toomey
Expertise
U.S.: I am an expert in this category for the purpose of giving young people an idea what the hiring process involves for the position of police officer. I am getting a flood of questions from young people who are being influenced by unrealistic television shows. I'd ask you to consider that when you watch police shows on television that they are NOT realistic and most of what you see does not happen in real life. Please do not ask me about potential jail sentences that you, your friends, or family might receive in court. There is no way for me to know that. I am NOT a probation officer so I cannot answer questions about probation and parole matters. I am a retired police officer with 26 years experience.I worked in a variety of assignments including investigations, homicide, sex crimes, runaway investigations, missing persons, and fraud.I also dealt with the general public during that time giving a wide range of advice on matters such as domestic disputes, problem solving, teenage problems, civil/criminal matters, and dealing with the mentally ill. I am available to give sound and reasonable advice which can solve most problems. Please do not ask me to do homework questions or online interviews. Young people should not rely on the Internet for interviews. Local police officers are normally very agreeable to assist students with interviews and surveys.
Experience
Worked as a police officer/detective for 26 years.
Graduate of the University of Maryland.B.S. in Law Enforcement.Attended numerous schools and training courses involving investigations, interviewing, interrogations, crime detection, domestic violence, and others. Recognized in court as an expert witness.
Received numerous awards during my police career for expert investigations. Handled the most sensitive and confidential investigations. In 1999 I won an award for my work with high school students while working in my new career in a large suburban high school.
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