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Good day Commander Wagoner,
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this question. I am currently a 24yr old corrections officer in northeast florida, and would like to become a law enforcement officer which has been my ideal occupation for a long time. My question to you is, there anything I can do that will better my chances of getting hired with one of the agencies? I have obtained my bachelors degree in criminal justice and have not been in any trouble with the law. I experimented (twice) with marijuana in highschool. The only thing I am worried about is my financial situation. I have been trying to rectify the situations by making payments of what is owed and am making pretty good progress (although they will not be payed off for another year). How much will this hurt my chances of being hired? I do realize I am able to take the transitional classes from C.O. - LEO but would much rather receive paid training instead of paying out of pocket. So once again is there anything I can do to better my chances of getting hired to one of the agencies (ex- jso)? Thank you for your time commander.
Hi Chuck,
What you wrote your good, here is an excerpt from my Guide on how to become a LEO in Fla., "The BI will check to see if you have bad credit. This one is different for different agencies, but all seem to be looking at it more. If you have bad credit (really bad, bankruptcies, or a lot of outstanding debt) you are a liability for bribery or other problems like theft. You may at times in this job find yourself handling large sums of cash and being in debt makes you a liability when doing that. The temptation is too much for some in need. So police departments really look at this. I have carried and had in my possession in excess of three quarters of a million dollars. And yes the thought went through my mind, “Where could I live on this for the rest of my life.” But the thought lasted as long as it took to think it and that was it."
You should be OK as long as your not really overboard on the creit issue.
Be well and good luck..
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Answers by Expert:
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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