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Question
my name is stacey. im interested in being an animal cop but i was just woundering to get started should i go to school for criminal justice first or is there something else i should study before i go to school for that? im 26 and ive been out of school for a long time so i was just needing some guidance on here to start. i would appreciate some assistance. thank you
Stacey,
This criminal justice thing is getting way out of hand. Almost every question I get about a law enforcement career contains a question about criminal justice. I suspect it is because the flood of television commercials showing criminal justice students in the middle of the action. Nothing could be further from the truth. People are sitting in classrooms right now who have no chance at all to get hired in law enforcement because they are not qualified.
I'd suggest that you get a degree but do something that you are interested in. It could be that you will change your major after a year or two and that is normal.
Have you inquired whether the position of "animal cop" requires a degree in your area? Seeing that you are 26 you might want to jump right into it if any departments are hiring. Since I have never met an "animal cop" in my life I have no idea how many work for each county/city, etc. So I don't know how many there are compared to police officers.
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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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