Being a police officer is a storied and noble career. There may be more books, television shows, and movies written about it than any other profession in the world. Which is cool, but most often it’s been sensationalized and peppered with inaccuracies. It’s also one of those jobs that as soon as you hear it mentioned, you think you know what it’s all about. But until you’ve done it, you don’t. Thanks to the entertainment industry, water cooler conversations with our buddies, or that one time you got pulled over, you have ended up with a lot of misconceptions about who and what it takes to do the job. If you’ve considered becoming a police officer but have held off because of some idea you have about what it takes, read on, because here I address five common myths about what it takes to be a police officer.
Myth #1: You Need A College Degree In Criminal Justice To Be A Police Officer
You do not need a degree in Criminal Justice to become a police officer. In fact, most police departments do not even require a college degree. The truth is that a Criminal Justice degree is not all that useful in the long run, depending on what you want to do with your career. Police officers face a wide range of problems to solve, people to deal with, and unusual situations, so having a diversified skill set is an asset to any police department. I have worked with people from a variety of educational backgrounds; from engineering, finance, and teaching, to history, chemistry, and physics. It takes all kinds to do this job — degree or not. (But the best part is that since no one told us up front, we now get to sit around and debate who’s degree is the most useless). With that said, having a degree does not guarantee that you have common sense, integrity, or any actual life experience which are way more important.
As for me, I have two Associates Degrees, and they don’t add up to a Bachelor’s. I have a degree in Commercial Design and Illustration and a degree in Criminal Justice. After almost 18 years on the job, the only thing the Criminal Justice degree helped me do was take the entrance exam. A trip to the library for some study guides would have done the same job for a lot less time and money.
If you’re out of high school and looking toward college, choose a degree field that is something you enjoy and that is applicable to the marketplace outside of police work. Aside from climbing the ranks and becoming a police chief or other high-ranking official, you most likely will not spend your entire working life in law enforcement. Being a police officer is a young man’s game. According to the U.S. Department of Justice most officers retire by the age of 55. That leaves 20 to 30 years of your life to enjoy an encore career. When it comes to college and your degree choice, follow the advice of the Grail Knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: “Choose wisely.”
Myth #2: You Have To Have A Clean Criminal Record To Be A Police Officer
Can a criminal record preclude you from becoming a police officer? Yes. Will it always? Not necessarily.
I am not the best example for this one. My greatest civic offenses involved two traffic violations. The most reckless and spontaneous thing I ever did was go snow-tubing in my underwear in the 8th grade. Granted, I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my life, they just weren’t the kind that were against the law. I was raised in a conservative Christian home by a mom and a dad who loved each other and who are still married to this day. We weren’t rich materially, but we were rich in other ways. Maybe that’s not the case for you.
If you’ve been in trouble in the past, it’s not the end of your dream of being a police officer. Like many aspects of the hiring process, the rules will vary from state to state and department to department. Most, if not all, felonies will exclude you. Misdemeanor crimes typically need to be of a certain number of years in the past, have been annulled, or dropped. You’ll have to check with your state and the department you’re interested in to be sure.
Maybe you’ve had a past pattern of bad behavior or a recent run-in with the law but you truly have changed. Don’t let the prospect of having to wait a couple of years to apply discourage you. Just understand that if you did something worthy of getting locked up a month ago and it became a turning point in your life, don’t expect anyone to believe that yet. Don’t take it personally, it’s simply too soon so show a pattern of better behavior. It takes time to put distance between the old you and the new you. Use that time to focus on your personal growth and be the best employee at whatever job you currently have. That will make all the difference.
Myth #3: Being A Police Officer Is Not As Cool As Being A Firefighter
This is a big, fat lie. If you like grocery shopping, washing and waxing trucks, wearing sweaters with elbow patches, and sleeping a lot, then being a firefighter is probably for you. Firefighters are nice people and have an important job to do, they’re just nowhere close to being as cool as police officers. Sorry, not sorry.
Myth #4: You Need Military Experience To Be A Police Officer Or To Get On The SWAT Team
Case and point: me. I was never in the military. Not to say that I didn’t look into it, because I did. At the age of 19 I was in the Marine Corp recruiter’s office ready to sign, but after two hours of the recruiter talking about himself and how great he was, it turned me off and I never went back. However, there are days that I wish I had enlisted, because I have met many veterans on and off the job that have tons of experience and training that I wish I had. It makes me wonder what would have happened had I signed up. Nonetheless, like many of my coworkers, I was hired without having been in the military.
I have also been selected for two different SWAT teams at two different police departments for a total of 10 of my 18 years in law enforcement. There were certain aspects of SWAT that I was a little behind on because I had not been in the military, but I was teachable and eventually functioned at a high level right along with everyone else. Given the opportunity and the right training, you can too.
If you’re considering the military, I would encourage you to enlist if it’s right for you and your situation. Serving in the U.S. Armed Forces is honorable in so many ways and you’ll get training and experience that is unmatched. Just remember, it isn’t necessary to be a police officer or to be on a SWAT team.
Myth #5: Any Idiot Can Be A Police Officer. Heck, A Trained Monkey Can Do The Job.
Not everyone is cut out to be a police officer — at least a good one — and not everyone will make that cut. Any good agency will have an in-depth, extensive hiring process to weed out the unsuitable candidates. Sometimes unqualified people make it through because of bad policies, quotas, sloppy background checks, or a relative who is a decision maker. Other times good cops go bad, get lazy, or stop caring. But not everyone can be a good one. Most departments require a:
– Written exam
– Physical fitness test
– Oral board interview
– One-on-one interview with the background investigator
– Complete background investigation to include your finances, relationships, criminal history, drug and alcohol use, and work history
– Psychological evaluation
– Polygraph
– Interview with the Chief
And that just gets you in the door. Then you have to go to a police academy and meet or exceed all their standards and training. Graduation from the Academy is usually followed by weeks or months of field training and a probationary period. The entire process can take a year.
Over the course of my career I’ve encountered a lot of morons on duty and online ready to criticize us for doing our job. One of my favorite lines from them is, “You think you’re real tough just because someone gave you a badge and a gun!” Not true. I’m not that tough and nobody gave me anything. I earned it.
So, no, it’s not easy, and any idiot can’t do it — and certainly not a trained monkey. If you think it’s a breeze or a walk in the park to get hired and do the job, think again. Now, more than ever, we need good people with not only the physical and mental capacity to do the job, but more so with a high level of integrity and character. Others need not apply.
Why We Exist
A better police force starts with a better person and we are committed to growing you as a person and as an officer. Johnny Tactical exists to make law enforcement better from within and safer from without, while helping you take your work seriously but not yourself. We are a business of better, are always seeking to improve, and we want you on the journey with us. Follow us on social media, visit our website often, and consume all of our free content. We want you to succeed personally and professionally. You are our mission.
Live tactical. Be happy.
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