Expert: Jack Toomey - 4/11/2009

Question
Hey Jack I have a question or a few that i wouldn't mind getting answers to.I am 16 now and heading into my jounier year of high school. I am hard working ALWAYS. I am interested in becoming a SWAT team member and this has been my dream ever since i can remember, however I am extremely serious about these thoughts that i am about to tell you and plan on working to the fullest of my extent to get there. I am thinking on joining either the army or the air force (which ever may better my experience). I plan to gain experience and possibly sign up on a military swat team. I have read up on many of your other answers however this is not more of my qualifications but on the process I need to go through to get to where I need to. After the military I strongly consider going to college for police science and getting my degree. and of course after a few years of being in a department I plan to join either a local response team (SWAT) or possibly move into the direction of the DEA. Either way you look at it I see my future busting down doors, can you help me rather than me talk to some recruiter that will just "YES" the hell out of me and tell me what id like to hear not what i should be hearing.

Answer
Steven,

 Let me call something to your attention.  Your statement that you "see your future in busting down doors" is bothersome.  If that remark should ever be heard or known by a background investigator for a police department I can just about predict that you would be disqualified for employment.

 Joining the military is not going to hurt your chance of someday becoming employed by a police department.  Only about 10 - 15% of those apply are actually hired and the rest are washed out somewhere along the line so don't get the idea that this is some automatic thing like getting a job at Walmart.  There is a long tedious hiring process that involves many steps and most fail somewhere along the line.

  I would strong encourage you to get your degree and see where that takes you.  I would also advise you not to apply for a police department with the intention of leaving in a few years for the DEA.  That is one way to ensure that you will not get hired.  Some departments make you sign a contract that would penalize an officer if he leaves in a certain number of years for another agency because of the expense that goes into investigating and training a new officer.

  After reading your question a couple of times I really don't see a real question.  Just a statement of what you plan to do.  Good luck but make sure that you keep your "door busting" thoughts to yourself because the background investigators will be probably talking to almost everyone that you know now in high school.