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Expert: - 9/13/2009


Question
Hi Chris, I came cross this website as I have been searching for ages regarding employment in the USA. I am a serving member of the Metropolitan Police in London UK. My self and my partner are wanting to move to the US and I would love to carry on my career in the Police, Do you know how I will be able to do this or even if its possible. I do not mind becoming a US citizen. I am really finding  it hard to find any answers. I here so many times that its possible but with no clues how! and also been told not possible, Do I just need a Police department to sponsor me etc. or do you know of any websites that will help me apply to do this.
Any Help would be much appreciated

Regards

Tony

Answer
Hi Tony,

Well in the US most police departments are local or county or state. Very few are federal like the UK police. Our national police are the FBI and such, we don't have any uniformed national force. To be a federal officer you must be a US citizen.

You have to meet the state requirements where you decide to live. The only state that I know of that allows non-US Citizens to become police is California. Other than that you have to become a US Citizen. So to answer your question it is maybe.. :)

What you need to do is decide where you want to live in the US, then check the state requirements for that state.

For instance if you decided Florida was where you wanted to be a police officer, you would search for "Florida Police officer requirements". You will eventually find this page: http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/CJST/Officer-Requirements/how-to-become-an-o... which tells you what requirements you have. Each state has something like this.

If you still have trouble finding the state information let me know and I will point you in the right direction.

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Chris Wagoner

Expertise

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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