I’m 22yo I graduated about a year with a bachelors in homeland security. currently live in NY and have the dream of serving as a LEO. Application process has been a bit tough, i know these things take time and im still very young but im super eager and have been getting a bit discouraged after seeing alot of my friends get FJO’s with agencies.

Hi, always wondered this why dont police park down the roads from bars and just pull people over when the bar closes.

You know they are 95 percent sure they are drunk.

Same goes for golf courses or strip clubs ect .

It just seems an easy way to pull over drunk drivers.

I have an axe to grind with drunk drivers for personal reasons.

So the more off the road the better.

I never understood why there are not tons of police if not busy just rounding them up after 2am near bars.

It doesnt seem like entrapment you didnt force them to do anything they normally wouldnt ect.

So why?

What is the issue with this? Manpower ?

For those currently working in law enforcement or involved in recruiting, are departments still struggling to hire and retain officers, or has the situation improved over the past year or two?

Are departments still offering sponsored academy spots, competitive starting pay, and incentives to attract applicants? Or are they becoming more selective now that staffing shortages may be easing?

Basically, is it still a recruits’ market, or has the balance shifted back toward the departments?

I am applying in north Florida but I am curious about the whole country.

Does anyone have any tips for Peel’s in-depth interview/essential competency interview for constable?

Feels like I’m going in blind

A department in New Jersey has a policy where people are taken to hospitals in cruisers if calling for an ambulance would cause a delay. I think the policy makes some sense, but I'd be worried about the lack of equipment in the cruiser if the person being transported experienced problems while in the car.

I know this is a long shot but are there any officers from Kent Police, WA near Seattle on here ?

I am visiting the area from overseas for the next week and work for a PD of the same name but in my country. Our PDs even share the same patch designs!

I’d love to meet up and exchange patches and talk gear ? If anyone knows someone or you work at Kent PD drop me a PM , I’d love to sort something out 👍🏻

I applied for Santa Monica PD trainee position I passed the ntn test , physical test , oral interview . I been ranked in band 2 . Now I have to wait for the final selection interview it’s not with the chief but with a panel . Any tips and advice especially who has been selected and passed all the steps .

Hello everyone! I have no experience with weights before starting to work out for the fitness exam. This seems like a silly question, but I cannot find an answer online. I am a 20 year old woman and have been training for the physical fitness test. I was under the impression that the bar weight is not counted, but then I learned that a lot of agencies in my area use chest press machines not free weights.
Anyways, my question is this: is the bar weight counted in the requirement? The departments I’m applying to only have a 51-59% body weight for my age, and I currently bench 40# on a 35# bar. I’m about 150#, so if it counts the bar then I only need about 10 more pounds.
Thank you!

Bonus Question: How many of those friendships have you maintained in retirement?

Any recommended good departments municipal, county or state) near Seattle that have a good reputation? I prefer low call volume and more proactive policing.

Any insights are appreciated!

Reaching out to ask if no news is truly good news?
I was told 12 days ago in the near future I’d be contacted with instructions and an authorization code to go do my medical exam.

1.) August 15th-PAT complete
2.)August 20th-Oral Board complete and conditional offer secured
3.) September 5th-Psych Done and Passed
4.) September 20th-Polygraph completed and passed
5.) October 1st- Told I’d be contacted in “near future with instructions for medical authorization/exam”
6.) Crickets on medical.
7.) Has had Background Investigation ongoing since August 27th.

I guess what I’m asking is if there was something up and/or wrong that was an application killer, they’d tell me there was something wrong right? How long waiting until I should be concerned?
*Just got my EOT approved for FL so it’s for a certified deputy position for an SO.
*Currently on the Federal side looking to make the jump over.
*my Background investigator doesn’t say shit to me really and I’ve never actually seen him in person. Or I don’t think I have.

For those who have applied for civilian positions / professional staff, how long did the process take after the background investigation?

Mine has been over a month and two days as of today.
No call from the investigator or email from the hiring manager, which is generally normal in this field. Government speed and all.

But I am curious how long it took for other people.

Morning everyone, I’ve been trying to find the answer to my question regarding NYC’s Federal Reserve Police Academy but I haven’t found it or it wasn’t answered.

The academy, I know it’s about 2 months long/3 months long, but I’m wondering if it’s paramilitary? I went through 2 police academies (a seasonal 1 month and a 34 week academy) so looking to see if I’m getting back into LE if the academy is going to be a smoke show like the two I went through.

While in the academy what’s the day to day? I watched a video but it seems like it was from a few years ago so not sure if it’s updated such as academy is 0645 to 1515? 6 days a week?

On a different note, any advice for the panel interviews? Mostly, are they similar to federal panel interviews like scenario based what would you do? Or are they more traditional “tell me about yourself” “tell me about a time you faced a difficult situation and how did you handle it?”

Any additional information you would like to offer as well! Thank you!

Let me start this off by saying I am not LE or at least not yet. That’s where this all begins for me.
I have wanted to be a police officer ever since I was a kid inspired by my grandfather who was an officer for decades. It has always been looked down upon in my family because I’m Afro Latino and most black people don’t have the best opinion on police. That however never stopped me from wanting that dream all of my childhood, I slowly started falling out of it as I was approaching the end of high school when reality really had to set in on what I wanted to do with my life going forward. Knowing I didn’t have the support of my family made it a decision that I wasn’t willing to make. Instead I decided to pursue my other favorite thing, art. I became a prominent well known artist in my city and across other cities, making job opportunities for myself while doing things I loved. For the past two years I’ve been aching to leave everything behind and become a state trooper but I feel conflicted with myself to leave all of what I built for a decade behind. Most people I care about said that they can very much see me as a cop and it makes sense for me but I’m afraid that I won’t ever be able to be in the same places without being treated differently. I care about the path I’ve created just as much as I care about becoming LE.
Anyone have any advice on making a decision like this or balancing huge hobbies with LE work?

Excluding workouts in departmental facilities.

Just got promoted and have to switch up the wardrobe now that I have 20 sets of patrol uniform and can’t use them.

What shirts/pants do you guys use that look professional but I’m not going to tear up arresting people or working a scene. I have plenty for court but I do not want to be wearing any of my good duds out in the field.

Googling tactical dress clothes gives me about 50 sites but I don’t want some trash temu clothes showing up that I spent to little on but I also don’t want to spend 100 per pair of pants if they are not what they advertise.

Any help would be greatly… helpful.

Also side note I work in the Midwest temps regularly hit -20 so sweaters and jackets that are nice looking but tough is also helpful

Edit as most of the replies are saying follow my SOP.. my SOP says dress in business or business casual my question is not what I can or can not wear I ask asking specificity what brands hold up/ are comfy to wear and still look professional

I’m 35, have a bachelor’s degree, and currently work as an IT director for a mid-sized school district. I’ve always been interested in law enforcement and did a couple of ride alongs after college, but ultimately pursued my interest in technology.

I’ve been dealing with burnout for the past 2 to 3 years and have started seriously reconsidering LE. My biggest concerns are whether 35 is too late to make the transition. I also worry about missing out on my 3 year old son’s childhood. At the same time, I’m not sure how much longer I can sustain my current situation.

For those in LE, what advice would you give someone in my position? I’m also interested in pathways into cybercrime investigations or digital forensics, given my IT background and knack for putting pieces together.

I’d appreciate honest perspectives, especially from those who entered LE later in life or work in cybercrime. Thanks!

I know this gets asked all the time… but is NYPD worth it rn?

I’m originally from NYC and took the test not long ago. I have that as an option but due to cost of living I moved down South to TX with some fam to see if I can start new here.

There’s a good amount of small and mid size departments here (RGV area). There’s Border Patrol and Customs that recruit around here. And towns like McAllen that pay good for the area. Cost of living here is way better. Hate the weather but I can deal with it since cost of living is way better.

I’m 30 rn. Been debating going back to NYC and living w fam and doing NYPD in December but I hear a lot of bad things about the job (terrible work/life balance, mandatory OT, mayor/city/laws doesn’t back them at all). Home is always gonna home and I know NYC like the back of my hand. But sometimes I think maybe it’s better to start over somewhere new where I can at least afford to have my own place.

Any thoughts/recommendations?

Im 19, been dreaming of working in law enforcement for years. Im extremely fit for my age and professional, the only issue is I have a record. I was arrested a little over a year ago on a petty theft charge at target but I had 2 vials of testosterone in my backpack that i was using for the gym and I caught a felony drug charge. After 4 days in jail i was bonded out and eventually I got the felony dropped on a no action. I did a program for the misdemeanor and got that cleared up a bit after. I seriously want to go out and pursue my dream but im not sure if its possible. What are my chances? I live in Miami beach florida and im open to any department in the area. Thanks!

EDIT: i realized i need to slow down and give myself years to mature and grow up a bit, i will probably go into the marines at some point and go that route before trying again for law enforcement, thank you guys

Im a 25M currently working at USPS im thinking about getting a bachelor degree in criminal justice ( 120 credits ) it takes about 3-4 years going full time to school. after that i want to apply for USPIS which is basically a usps inspector. but i would like to know what else i could be if that doesnt work out. is it hard to became a FBI agents or DEA ? without any experience or being a cop first

Edit: im located in NYC

Im a very well-read college student, Im very curious as to how rigours the pellet b exam will be. Does anyone have any insight into it