You are here:
Careers: Police/SWAT
Advertisement
Question
I am making this inquiry on behalf of my son who is currently deployed in Kyrzygstan. he is 25 years old, joined the military at 17, was going to go to college to be a cop but was deployed right of high school to Iraq. he was telecomm then, and when he came home from Iraq he changed over to Military Police. He volunteered for this deployment and will be home next March. His military obligations have prevented him from being able to attend college full time to get a degree. it was his desire to work in the law enforcement field. what type of jobs would he be eligible for with the background he has when he's back home? he is able to do some online schooling right now and needs to know what he should take that would help him. would he need a degree to pursue a job in the FBI or SWAT or would his military training get him in anywhere. any advise or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. he'll be almost 26 when he gets home which isn't an ideal age to try to become a full time student.
Cathy,
While I cannot tell you what kind of jobs he would be qualified for without knowing his entire background, etc, I can try to answer the law enforcement portion of your question.
First of all he can forget the FBI unless he has a degree in a few limited disciplines such as Law, Accounting, Political Science. They make that very clear in their literature and on their web site.
Secondly you don't go to school to join SWAT. That is a position on a police department that is gained by working for years as a uniformed patrol officer, doing very well, and having good recommendations from supervisors.
It sounds like that he only has a high school diploma. In this economy police departments can afford to be very selective and have their choice of people who have degrees. In fact most departments today require at least 60 college credits. If he does have 60 credits then he could apply right away for whatever police departments are in your area. If he only has high school then he really should try to get an AA because the job market is tight no matter what kind of job he is qualified for.
- Ask a Question
| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | No Comment | ||
Related Articles
- What should you do after high school? A look at your post graduation choices. Military Life Straight to Work
- U.S. Military FAQ -- I have a GED. Am I eligible to join the military?
- Get These Jobs With a High School Dipoma or GED - Jobs You Can Have With a High School Diploma or GED
- GED vs. High School Diploma
- Go to College Without a High School Diploma
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.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.