Careers: Police/hi

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Expert: - 2/8/2005


Question
hi, i just have a few questions, im 18 and about to graduate high school, i live in new york and i would like to be a cop, hopefully one day a detective maybe, but im doing horrible in school because i made some horrible choices in my life but i really changed my ways and i was wondering do you need good grades to get into a criminal justice college or can i just go to like a police academy, and what would the pay difference would be, and also i was caught stealing one time when i was about 13 years old, i tried to steal a candy bar from a supermarket, is that going to matter in the future?? ok tyvm  

Answer
Hello,

    First of all you should be talking to your high school counseler about getting into college.  Your counseler is familiar with you and your grades and the colleges in your area while I am am not.  

   You asked if you can go straight into a police academy.  Are you aware that you have to be 21 to be hired as a police officer?  Police academies are run by the county or state police agency that hires you and they are not private institutions like colleges are. So you first must go through the hiring process, get hired by a police department (which is not easy) and then you go to their academy for training.

   So if you are eighteen you have three years to worry about being a police officer.  My advice, which I am sure would be the advice of your counseler, is to enroll in college and see what happens.

Careers: Police

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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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