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Expert: - 2/22/2010


Question
I want to join the air force when i graduate and stay in there for about 4 years. After the air force i want to become a swat member. I read that you have to become a police officer before you can become a swat member. I was wondering if you have to become a police officer if you are coming from the air force. i want to do security patrolling or possibly even swat while I'm in the air force. Can you give me any information about how transferring from air force to swat would benefit me. If I did swat in the air force could I just start swat out as a civilian when I discharge from the air force. Or would I still have to go through training after the air force.

Answer
Hi Lauren,

Well I commend you for thinking of going into the military, good for you. If you go into Air Force Security Police, and get the right training, then you can transfer a lot of that to the State of Florida and you may not have to take the Police Academy in Florida! You should read about the State of Florida Equivalency of Training program. It allows officers from out of state and those in the military police branches to qualify for a shortened program (usually two weeks) to qualify to take the State of Florida Certification Exam.

Read this: http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/CJST/Officer-Requirements/Equivalency-(1).aspx

It really depends on what training you get in the Air Force. They compare your training by hours of class taken. For instance, if you get 80 hours of Driving training in the air force that is equal to the 80 hours we get in the police academy and you would qualify. And so on for the rest of your training.

Also this may help: http://dept.sfcollege.edu/IPS/CEW/So%20you%20Want%20to%20be%20a%20cop.pdf

Good luck and be safe.

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Chris Wagoner

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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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