Expert: Jack Toomey - 8/24/2004

Question
Hello

I am currently in the Marine Corps and will be getting out with an honorable discharge next month. I want to become a police officer but I am not sure how to go about it. I know I have to take the civil service test. From there I heard I have to speak to the police chief in my town or city, could you tell me if thats correct. Can you also give me any guidance on what I have to do to become a police officer. Any information you could give me would help. I appreciate your time and thank you.

Answer
Hello Brandon,

   Since there are literraly thousands of police departments from small town departments with three officers to big city departments with twenty thousand officers there is no real standard procedure for becoming a police officer.  If you were to choose a small town department of say twenty five officers I doubt if there would be any civil service exam.  If it was city or county department of hundreds or thousands of officers then there would be some kind of apptitude test.  

  So you first are going to have to figure out what kind of officer you want to be.  A small town officer where you might be the only one working or a state trooper whose main duty is patrolling the interstates enforcing traffic law or a county or city officer who responds to calls for service.

  Meeting the police chief might not be the best thing to do.  I doubt if the chief is going to have time to meet with a prospective officer candidate unless its a small town somewhere.  Your best bet is to apply to several departments and start making inquiries now.  With the internet it can be easily done.  Then when you get out of the Marines the background, tests, physical, apptitude, etc, will all be done if you qualify.  But I think I would start making inquiries now.  You can find out salary, working conditions, minimum educational requirements, vacancies, etc, all over the Internet or by phone.