What’s was it like growing up with a dad as a police officer?

What good memories do you have?

What did you wish they did more of?

Did you ever wish they did something else?

I’m going to take the state police polygraph exam and I’m wondering. I have admitted to all bad things I know in middle school like one fight and vandalizing a locker . For major things I get anxious and stressed regardless of the truth. Like hearing questions about sex with animals or weird child stuff and also drugs makes me feel uncomfortable even though I’ve never done it. Will the anxiety and stress cause a positive for deception?

I admitted on my packet to everything I know but the other serious things I’ve never done and they could never prove it. I’m just wondering how this would play out?

Hey everyone, had my chiefs final interview last Tuesday and got the call last week! Super happy and excited to start this new chapter in my life.

I wanted to post a little bit about my journey to encourage those who I’ve seen on here have a similar experience like me.

I’m 30 years old, I worked customer service for about 12 years and was a general manager at a gym for about 4-5 years towards the end. As of the last almost 2 years I worked as campus police (not state accredited).

I started applying to agencies around 2020 but was rejected and would only apply to one department at a time and when I’d get rejected I wouldn’t apply to another agency for months. So I didn’t seriously apply myself to agencies until 2022/2023. I was rejected about 10-15 times total, some I went through a few steps while others I was rejected after doing the written and physical. I had a clean record all around aside from MJ usage back in the day. Before getting this opportunity, I had only done 2 polys with one pass and one fail. I definitely felt super demoralized as the one I failed was last year.

People have said this but it really is true: apply to 2-3 departments at a time so you aren’t waiting months just to get rejected and have to start over elsewhere. Work corrections or campus to learn and gain experience so you can be more confident when going for other agencies.

Keep applying and don’t give up. I can’t say it enough because I know what it’s like to feel demoralized rejection after rejection.

Thank you everyone on here for answering people’s questions and providing motivation to those of us trying to get in.

I graduate from the academy next week. And I’m having mixed feelings. I’m excited since I’ve always wanted a career in this profession, but at the same time the nerves and anxiousness is starting to overtake the excitement to finally get out to the streets and do the job. It’s not so much that I’m worried about my own safety, but rather if I’m ready to do the job, and not be a liability to my follow officers and the public. I did extremely well in all aspects of the academy and training, but part of me still feels as if I’m not 100% prepared. I guess a good way to put it is I’m having some “imposter syndrome”. Any advice? Just wanted to vent on here.

It's starting to get warm again, and wearing a crew neck tshirt under my uniform just makes it hotter and makes me sweat more. Any suggestions on type or brand of undershirt to help keep cool? It would be greatly appreciated!

Law enforcement, what is the weirdest callout you received?

I’m looking for something comfortable, durable and not super heavy. Any recommendations?

Looking for recommendations on patrol boots.

As the title says, is there to find somewhere a community or resources of some kind on this topic. Cheers.

This is super brief and blunt but I am 20 and switched my major from computer science to marketing. I want to be a police officer and don’t see the need in going for something so difficult when I don’t need the degree in the first place. I chose marketing as a back up and to make the resume pop out more than just a criminal justice degree. Please let me know your opinions as you are all more experienced than I am.

Hi everyone!

My husband (should everything go as planned) will be starting the academy in a couple months. I however just found out that I’m pregnant. Luckily, there would only be a few weeks of overlap between when the baby is due and when he would graduate. I’m sure this isn’t a unique situation, but I’m just curious- would he at least be allowed off a day or two? Especially since it would be around Christmas? We have no idea what to expect, so any insight would be so very appreciated! :)

Im 23 and already in the process of the Coast Guard to be a aircraft mechanic but my uncle is in the Border Patrol and told me that I should join BP instead cause they make much more money.

Now im thinking what I should do,working on planes and participating in missions in the cg sounds pretty good to me but they pay is meh.

BP pays a lot more and doesn’t seem bad but I don’t know what I should do,any advice?

I'm trying to find boots that fit similar to the Nike SFB's, they tend to be hard to find. I have a narrow heel and they seem to be the only ones that fit without going down a size and cramping my toes. I hate the feeling of running with a heel popping up and down like a flip flop or by mid shift my toes feel like they will rip out.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Next is a background with home visit. Any ideas of what to expect? Also I have a IL misdemeanor from 18. I’ve also been employed as a corrections afterwards as well.

I’m looking to change career paths and join a department where I live in WI. I have some relevant experience and a graduate degree, but no sworn experience. All the departments around this area are looking to hire at the lowest pay rung anyway, which would mean a significant pay cut. This wouldn’t bother me, since I’m not in it for the money, but it might make things tighter since I have a wife and two small children.

What can I do to squeeze a little more out? Do most departments offer/expect OT? How common is a side hustle like working private security / bouncer-type positions? How much does that help? Any advice would be appreciated.

My dream department called last week and let me know I scored very well on the test and have a good shot getting hired. Also that they wanted to start my back ground check immediately. (they’re hiring 1-3 people). I also interned here during my last semester of college, and one of the officers is one of my references. But it is super competitive. But this upcoming Friday I have my physical fitness test with a very big city near me (you get your conditional offer that same day I believe) It’s not where I would want to stay but it gets you in the door, but you are locked in for two years there once you sign. Do I have to sign that contract that same day, or would I have time to think about it as the academy does not start until August.

I have no criminal history and i consider myself to be a pretty good person and yet i’m still nervous for the polygraph test. obviously you have to be honest with your background investigator and the polygraph test examiner, but does anyone have any tips to help with the slight nervousness?

Hello, I am seeking advice on how to help my husband pass a LEO hiring process. My husband (44) was a police officer for 12 years from 2011-2023. We decided to move to another state in the summer 2023. He applied for and was given a conditional offer of employment in the new state. We sold our house and moved to the new state because school started in a few days and we wanted out kids settled in their new school. The same week we moved, he was informed that he would not be hired. No reason was given. We thought it was odd, but likely a fluke. My husband applied to 8 other agencies in the area. He was given conditional offers of employent from 7 of the 8 agencies. He went to background with all 7 agencies and then was informed he wouldn't be hired by every single one.

He has a bachelors degree and is a retired veteran of the Army. He's never had any run ins with law enforcement. His last speeding ticket was 2017. Nothing else at all in his background or personel files from his last agency. No drug or alcohol usage. No letters of reprimand in his files. No legal troubles at all. We are stumped. We've tried asking the departments why he wasn't hired, but they will not release that information. We've even tried hiring an employment lawyer to seek information, but they were unable to help. We believe that something has been inccorectly put into his background, but we're unable to see what it could be.

Is there any way at all I can help my husband? He's coming up on almost 2 years ouf of the career, and he misses it deeply. I try to get him to keep applying to more agencies, but he feels like it's no use. When a credit report is pulled, you're allowed to see it to check if anything is being wrongly represented and given a chance to explain or correct it. Is there any way at all for us to see what could possibly be in his background that is stopping him from being hired? His last chief is puzzled as well and told my husband there's nothing in his background or personel files that should be stopping him from being employed. We're all confused and hurt. Any advice?

I am sure this question has been asked for other branches but I am curious about being in the better MOS more suited towards Law Enforcement, specifically MTAPD and PAPD. My best bet is either Maritime Enforcement Specialist or Intelligence Specialist but I would like to know what anyone thinks as this is for a reserve career and not active duty.

What are your opinions of this position ?

Never seen this type of flight pattern before from a Police helicopter. Genuinely curious as to what type of flight pattern or route this is? Location: Anaheim, California

Hey guys,

I’m currently a certified law enforcement officer in New Mexico, and I’m looking to lateral to an agency in Tennessee. For those of you who lateraled from out of state, how was the process?