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Question
Hi i am 14 years old, i wanna join a swat team or a tactical unit in the police. i would like to know what i would need to pass in high school so i can have an opportunity to join the swat also my friends say that u have to be in really good physical shape but i am not that big for my age. so my question is, what school degree do i need to have a chance at the swat? or a tactical unit?. also which is the faster way to join the swat? thank you for your time.
Brandon ,
You live in Canada and I live in the United States. Your country has a different method of police structure than my country does. However I would be safe in telling you that you have about twenty or twenty five years before you would ever have enough experience to join a specialized unit.
Assuming that you have a perfect disciplinary record and a high scholastic record and go on to college there is a possibility that you could be hired by a police department after college. It does not matter what classes you take. Assuming that you do get hired (and in the U.S.) only about 5% get hired, you would spend about ten years or so as a uniformed patrol officer before you would have enough experience to work in a specialized unit like SWAT.
I am getting a ton of questions from kids about SWAT. There must be a new tv program on about SWAT. But trust me on this. Whatever you are seeing on television is NOT realistic and does not depict police work as it is in the real world.
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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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