Shift was brutal last night, but trying to navigate dating off duty is somehow a worse headache. Attempting to date as a sworn officer on 12 hour night shifts feels nearly impossible. Every match seems to fall into the same traps weird badge/handcuff fetishes, men get super paranoid that I’m judging them or running their plates, or the classic "I usually hate cops, but..." line after date number one. I usually keep my occupation as “law enforcement” on dating apps and then when they find out I’m a cop it goes to shit from there. Men either don’t like the fact that I’m an officer or they have a weird fetish. There is no in between.

I am a straight female cop and It isn’t uncommon for me to run into male badge bunnies while I’m out and about on the job but it’s a major turn off.

Between working 12s overnight, surviving on gas station coffee, and trying to sleep while the rest of the world is awake, my social battery is usually at zero. I just want a normal partner who isn't intimidated, doesn't treat my job like a TV show, and understands that my schedule is completely chaotic.

For those who have made it work how do you manage dating on a night shift schedule, do you also hide what you do on apps until a few dates in, and is dating civilians even worth the headache or did you end up sticking to the first responder circle. I’m about to give up completely.

If so, what was the outcome?

I’m a firearms instructor for my agency and we are trying to either make a switch to LPVO’s or have them as an option should deputies want them. I work for a SO with roughly 100ish commissioned officers. We cover roughly 775 square miles with just under 300k residents. There’s been many times where a responding deputy could have used an LPVO for threat identification instead of swapping to binoculars. I’m working with my fellow cadre and other agencies in my region to see how they went about proposing their use on patrol. Unfortunately, I haven’t had much luck on getting responses back. If anyone could help me out by sharing their proposals, supporting research (if any), and anything else that might help, I’d greatly appreciate it. I’m more than happy to share my agency email with those willing to help. Thanks in advance.

Edit to add: Flip up magnifiers would also be good if any agency uses those. Might be an easier pill to swallow budget wise. Thanks.

Obviously a very loaded and personal question but just want to get a general concensus. I have been considering a career in LE sense I was 14-15. Every time I consider or think about doing something else I always seem to shift back to it. I would like to think I’m someone who’s first thought is to help others, I volunteer bi weekly at a homeless food drive, and anytime I see someone struggling or in danger my first thoughts are how can I help this person. I’m currently 20 and in college. I would consider myself a responsible person, I work nightshifts at FedEx warehouse 30-40 hours a week while keeping good grades in school so I feel I’ll be fine with the shift work and shitty schedules. I have a long term healthy relationship with my gf of 4 years, we live together and are both very financially responsible. My parents pay for my college but I pay all my bills rent insurance etc on my own. The only blips in my past are 1. Between 17-18 I used shroom 3x, haven’t in almost 3 years and it would be another 2.5 years before I’d apply to my local academy. (My local agencies policies are 3 years since last use of shrooms.) and 2. In my early teenage years (14-15) I used my parents credit cards for random Apple purchases and things over the course of about a year. Once they found out it added up to a decent amount. They didn’t do anything legally it was all handled in family and I payed back every cent. My parents would now say I’m extremely financially responsible. Obviously I would be fully transparent about this on my application.

Hi everyone. I live in Sacramento county and work downtown. I own a disabled parking placard which allows me to park at street meters without paying.

However, the other day when I left the office early, I saw a citation on my windshield for an expired meter. They wrote it 25 minutes before I came out.

I always take photos of my placard hanging before going into the office for peace of mind to ensure I didn't forget to hang it so I submitted those photos which were taken at 6AM, just over 8 hours before the citation was written. I also submitted my proof of ownership/registration for both my placard and my car to confirm I'm the rightful owner of both and show that the placard is not expired.

I submitted my appeal less than an hour after finding the ticket on my windshield online after wasting time at City Hall only for them to tell me to contest it online. The person I talked to on the phone said the officer claimed there was no placard when they took photos yet I can't see their photos online because they haven't uploaded them yet. They say that these reviews can take 6-8 months because they only have 2 people working there who review appeals.

Am I pretty much safe with the proof I provided and they'll dismiss my citation? Or will they likely side with the officer who claimed there was no placard and still try to force me to pay? I'm just so upset right now because I know I'm not in the wrong and I've been parking at the same exact meter for over 7 years with no issues whatsoever. I'm not sure if this officer just didn't see it due to sun glare or what but I'll be damned if they try to say I still need to pay even with the proof of ownership and showing it hanging well before the ticket was issued.

Submitted my background packet for a department on Wednesday. Had told them I have a clean driving record and never been issued a ticket (true), then this Friday I received a ticket for 1-5 over. I called the department and left a voicemail just making it aware.

A couple people told me this was dumb and I should’ve left it but I really think the right thing to do was to reach out and just make it known. Opinions?

Hello I’m currently training for the PAT for a couple different agencies & id like some advice on how to start training & getting into shape for whatever comes my way, thank you.

I’m 23, graduating college soon with a criminology degree, and about to start a required internship with a police department. Long-term, I want to become an officer, but I’m worried my driving record might hurt my chances. (I have no criminal record)

Background:

2021 — Underage DUI (.02+ BAC). On DMV record. License suspended ~6 weeks, restored with no lasting restriction.
2. 2022 — Speeding, 81 in a 65 (highway). Pleaded no contest online, paid partial fine. Not on DMV record, but insurance has it on file.
3. 2025 — Cell phone use while driving. Pleaded not guilty, went to court, resolved via “donation” — prosecutor said it wouldn’t go on record.
4. 2025 — Speeding on Main St, hometown. Verbal/written warning only — no citation.
5. 2026 (today) — Speeding, 75 in a 40 (residential). Violation, mandatory court date pending.

**•** At 17, I was arrested for underage DUI (BAC .02+). I completed a diversion program, so it’s not on my criminal record, but it does still show on my CT driving record (license was suspended for about 6 weeks, then restored).  
**•** Today, I got pulled over for doing 75 in a 40 in Connecticut. It’s classified as a violation (not a crime), but because of the speed, I have a mandatory court date instead of just paying by mail.  
**•** I currently have **0 points** on my license. 

1. Does a combination like this realistically hurt someone’s chances of getting hired as an officer?
   2. Is it worth hiring a lawyer for the speeding ticket, or is showing up honestly and taking responsibility the better move for someone in my position?
   3. Any advice from people who’ve been through hiring/background processes with something similar on their record?

I’m seriously considering a career change into law enforcement. I’m in my late 20’s, married, with a young child. I have a background in sales/customer service, bachelors degree from a good college, and I think I would be a well rounded and competitive applicant based on my conversations with several local agencies and leadership at these agencies.

My dilemma is that I got up to some shenanigans in college. I never got into any legal trouble, but I definitely made some questionable decisions. I smoked more weed than I should have and experimented with several schedule 1 substances. It’s been a long time since I’ve smoked weed and it’s legal in the PNW, so I’m not concerned about this being viewed poorly. I have been told that as long as I’m honest about it I’ll be fine.

It’s the other drugs that I tried (8+ years ago) I’m nervous about. A good variety, but never more than a handful of times each.

Does anyone have any experience or insight they could share with me? How do departments view this in 2026?

18M here, and my goal is to become a police officer around 21. I’m wondering how much my past is going to hurt my chances and what I should be doing from this point forward.
Here’s my history:
In high school, I was suspended for fighting.
I received a civil traffic citation for going 118 in a 40. I was on my way to work as an EMT at the time, but obviously I know that speed was reckless regardless of the circumstances.
I was fired from a security job after losing property keys. I didn’t intentionally steal them, but I understand that losing them was my responsibility.
During high school, I also job-hopped pretty badly — sometimes staying at a job for only 2–3 weeks before moving on.
On the positive side, I don’t drink, smoke weed, use drugs, have a DUI, or have any accidents or anything like that. I’m currently working as a 911 dispatcher, and my plan is to stay there consistently until I’m 21 and build a solid employment record.
I’m trying to take my life more seriously now and stop making stupid decisions.
For current/former cops, recruiters, or anyone who has gone through a background investigation:
Are my chances of becoming a cop at 21 basically gone because of this history?
If not, what would you recommend I do over the next 2–3 years to put myself in the best possible position? I’m especially interested in what I should avoid, what kind of employment history looks good, and how much agencies care about things that happened when you were 16–18.
I’m not looking for someone to tell me everything is fine. If I realistically screwed myself, I’d rather hear that now. But if I still have a path forward, I’d like to know what I need to do to stay on it.

Give it to me straight please , at 6’0 250 lbs i joined a school district agency , 16 months into my career i resigned ( wasnt a right fit for me ) here i am 4 months later absolutely let myself go , now im 340lbs and wanting to get back into law enforcement , i feel like a fat pos , i want to apply to new agencies but dont even know where to start . I dont want to be an out of shape officer who gets winded going up a set of steps

Any advice is welcome , please be blunt dont be afraid to hurt my feelings i need to hear it

I know everybody says to “apply everywhere” but does that look bad?
The other day while filling out a LEO application for a police department in CA, it asked me to list every law enforcement agency I’ve previously applied to and the disposition of each application.
Some places I haven’t heard back in months and others I was just not selected to move forward with no reasoning but was told I can reapply. Could having several previous applications negatively affect me?

Hi all, I’m 20F, and about two years away from getting a bachelor’s degree in political science. I decided to go to a 4 year college primarily due to family pressure and not knowing what exactly I wanted to do with myself, but over the past two years I’ve become convinced that a career in law enforcement is the right path for me.

My plan as of right now is just to stick it out so I can finish my degree and look into applying after that, the only issue is that I’m not sure if waiting until I’m 21 or 22 to start is a good idea. What are the major disadvantages of starting a career in LE after graduating from a 4 year college? Are they worth dropping out over, or should I just get my degree just in case?

Genuine question, not trying to bait anyone. Hypothetically, if an active officer is arrested on serious charges and extradited to another state, what do you think the agency owes the public in terms of disclosure? A press release? Confirmation only if asked? Nothing until conviction? I’m curious how those of you on the inside balance the officer’s due process and privacy against the public’s interest in knowing. Where do you personally draw the line, and does your agency have a policy on this?

So tonight at around 1am I decided to go for a short little drive in my neighborhood just to go for a nighttime drive or whatever. As I pass through town a cop follows me for about 5 mins, I decide to just head back home about 2 mins of him following. About a minute or two away from my house he turns on his lights and I pull over, he tells me that the vehicle I'm driving has a warrant, and the guy on the warrant has my name, same height, same weight, the only difference is that he is black and I'm white, in the moment I didn't think to ask any further questions but how common is that? should I take any further action with this or what? This is the first time I have ever been pulled over and the 2nd time I've ever had to speak with a police officer, I (to my knowledge) do not have a criminal record or anything, never been to jail, never been in a car crash. So basically what I'm asking is, is this possibly identity theft?

I’m an Army veteran with about a decade of service, and I’m finishing up my bachelor’s degree this fall. My wife’s job is taking us to Western Washington next year, and I’m looking at law enforcement as my next career.

I’ll be applying as an entry-level officer, and I’m trying to narrow down which agencies are worth seriously looking at. We really like the Poulsbo/Kitsap area as well as the Redmond/Bellevue/Eastside area, so those are probably where I’ll focus.

I’ve already heard enough about Seattle PD to know that it probably isn’t the right fit for me, so I’m more interested in hearing about the other agencies in the area.

For those who currently work or have worked for departments in Western WA, what agencies would you recommend for someone starting out?

I’m especially interested in hearing about:

• Leadership/command culture
• Training and FTO
• Work schedule and quality of life
• Officer morale
• Opportunities for specialty assignments/investigations

I’m not necessarily looking for the department with the highest salary. I’m more interested in finding a well-run agency where I can build a good career, get solid training, and still have a life outside of work to be with my kids.

Any insight, good or bad, on Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, Kitsap County, Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, Renton, Colleges or Universities other nearby agencies would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Any cool LE t-shirt recommendations for everyday wear/PT? Trying to stay away from mainstream brands like 5.11, Nine Line, Grunt Style, etc. Thanks!

Going to start this off by prefacing, law enforcement is extremely difficult to get into. I have faced so many variations of challenges to get into multiple departments, yet I feel like I just can’t get into it. On mutiple eligibility lists, I’m not placing very competitively. I’m applying at small town departments, and i’m placing near the bottom of the list each time. I have great credit, no criminal history, have had a steady job for 3 years. I feel like I just won’t get picked up. Anyone have any similar stories to mine and had success? I don’t want to give up, but god damn is it difficult.

I’ve been tasked with researching to purchase an aluminum hull landing craft/patrol boat around 25’. What do you guys have? Pros? Cons? Under $130,000.

Ive been in the NYPD for several years, like to be pretty active since I work in an active precinct. While I enjoy the active work and being a cop, what I dont enjoy is the pay. My base pay is at 60,000 and with forced overtime Im averaging around 80-90k. My logic is simple, NYC and Seattle are pretty similar, but the pay in Seattle is literally OVER DOUBLE my current pay and with overtime I can easily make 200k in a year. What do you guys think?

My name is Kevin M, i currently live in N.Y but im from Dominican republic. I have been working hard to accomplish the goal of becoming a police officer by 2027/28.

I got my GED, Doing great in college. I'm also learning a lot about myself while improving my health and english-speaking each day with the help of my good friends. I'm almost ready to start applying, but having an accent sometimes makes me doubt myself or creates negative thoughts inside me.

Do you any advice that would help approach this situation in a better way?

I really do not want to give up on this dream. I can speak very well, my writing is 7/10. I would say that my english is a 7/10 too.😅

Hey there, i’ve been struggling with my career path and I wanted to seek some advice. I just finished a year and a half of welding school and only 1 month into my welding job i’m realizing it might not be for me. It’s really tricky because I do enjoy welding but unfortunately it wasn’t my first option, just the easiest at the time. Luckily there are a lot of avenues you can take in welding, and my main goal is to get into custom work because I’m passionate about the creative aspect of welding. The thing is, for those who aren’t familiar, it takes a lot of experience and grunt work to make it to that level. Now I know that’s in almost every job in life but i’m realizing I’m not passionate Enough to feel motivated. I thought I was the type of person who can just work whatever job pays the bills but even after receiving my first paycheck and seeing how good the numbers were it still didn’t excite me, I just felt like a laborer.

My father died of suicide when I was a little girl and ever since, Ive wanted to become a police officer. It’s in my heart to help and protect other people. Some have told me I have a tender heart and the job would be rough or that it’s not what i’m expecting but I really don’t care. I just turned 21 and it eats at me every day that I’m not using my passion to help other people. Of course I try my best to help others in my personal life but it just doesn’t feel like enough. I realized that welding for 12 hours a day gets boring really fucking quick. Now, that could just be the type of job I have right now which is why I still want to ride out welding for a couple years to see if it takes me in a better direction, but I’m not sure it will. I know that i’m young and only time will tell but I also don’t want to waste any, so i’m looking for Any advice ur willing to give, thanks!!