Originally Posted by KRA
whatd you do before this to become a cop? whatd you go to school for?
I didn't. I graduated High School. I was a computer geek.
I'm not a sworn Peace Officer yet, and I wont be until I graduate the Police Academy.
To get into the academy I had about 2 months of testing, all sorts of misc tests. Mainly academics testing. Then I had to pass 2 background checks (D.O.J and a quick not-deep personality check) and then I had to pay the course fee and provide my uniform(s) as specified.
I also had to give up a job (which I had been laid off from anyway) because being in the academy 7am to 6pm monday through friday doesnt give me the ability to work even part-time.
When I complete the academy, I can then apply and get hired (I can actually apply at the 4th week of the academy and on) from any Department in California, from there I will become a sworn Peace Officer - but I will be riding with at all times what's called an FTO. Field Training Officer. He will "show me the ropes" and act as my supervisor from anywhere from 12 weeks to 1.5 years. After 1.5 years if I've done my job, I will have completed that and no longer be on probation; I will be what's called a Lateral Sworn Peace Officer and allowed to work at any department in California *without* needing the special supervision of a supervisor, FTO and without being on probation.
That's the way *I* did it.
You can go about it by getting hired on by a department FIRST, and then THEY pay you to go to the academy, as well as pay FOR the academy. However, only about 3 out of every 2000 or so applicants actually get to do that, and they definitely want to look at people with college credentials or military credentials for that position, since they're going to invest roughly $25,000 in you. They want to make sure you're comitted, basically.
I skipped that route, paid for it myself; with the thought that when I apply the departments know they can have a working sworn officer right then and there, for a free price tag; rather than waiting 6 months and spending $25,000+ to possibly have them fail and not meet the credentials.
Hope that clears it up...