Leo questions

AliasNeo07 · Jul 9, 2012

1. What is the age at which most agencies start passing you over? Do 30 year olds ever get hired as leos?

2. How important is college? I've got some time and I'm going to take some classes.. but how important is it to have a 4 year degree?

Thanks.

MJD438 · Jul 9, 2012

Not a LEO; however, to answer your first question, BPD currently has a 42yo in class 1201 and two trainees over 50 in class 1203.

The 42yo is my brother and is still being actively recruited by MSP despite being almost 6 months through the BPD academy.

zoostation · Jul 9, 2012

I used to sit on interview boards. 30 years old is nothing these days, no worries there.

College is helpful. It shows a tendency to stick with a project, and also will show you better prepared for the academic side of the academy. Criminal justice classes demonstrate a genuine interest in a profession where a new agency is going to dump around $100K in pay and expenses to get you fully trained. However, while helpful, college isn't necessary at the entry level.

At age 30 a good work history and common sense are more important, along with a pretty clean background. Some minor mistakes are workable for a good applicant, but too many or the wrong drugs in the past can end an application process quickly. A pattern of responsibility in the workplace and to some extent at home (child support warrants look really bad on applicant reviews

) goes a long way.

AliasNeo07 · Jul 9, 2012

I'm not 30 I'm only 24 but I need to lose over 100 lbs and get some college under my belt...I just didn't really know if I was too late, as it will surely take a few years to do this.

What sort of classes to Leo recruiters like? I was always told criminal justice is the last thing you should take as someone interested in Leo, though that always seemed counterintuative.

-Z/28- · Jul 9, 2012

AliasNeo07 said:
I'm not 30 I'm only 24 but I need to lose over 100 lbs and get some college under my belt...I just didn't really know if I was too late, as it will surely take a few years to do this.

What sort of classes to Leo recruiters like? I was always told criminal justice is the last thing you should take as someone interested in Leo, though that always seemed counterintuative.

I'll chime in as I'm in a similar position. I'm 21, just graduated with my B.S. in Soci/CrimJ, and am starting to apply places.

Criminal Justice classes are worth while imo. I went to Towson and had multiple professors who were former leo, lawyer, or corrections. Very insightful.

Also I just dropped about 30lbs to get into condition for this. Stay motivated, and you can do it!

BlackBart · Jul 9, 2012

-Z/28- said:
I'll chime in as I'm in a similar position. I'm 21, just graduated with my B.S. in Soci/CrimJ, and am starting to apply places.

Criminal Justice classes are worth while imo. I went to Towson and had multiple professors who were former leo, lawyer, or corrections. Very insightful.

Also I just dropped about 30lbs to get into condition for this. Stay motivated, and you can do it!

Good job and impressive. How did you manage it?

K31 · Jul 9, 2012

I'm a Pisces but it has more to do about the retirement rules of the department. Some states Georgia, IIRC, have no cut off ages as a part of their right-to-work laws.

fivepointstar · Jul 9, 2012

zoostation said:
I used to sit on interview boards. 30 years old is nothing these days, no worries there.

College is helpful. It shows a tendency to stick with a project, and also will show you better prepared for the academic side of the academy. Criminal justice classes demonstrate a genuine interest in a profession where a new agency is going to dump around $100K in pay and expenses to get you fully trained. However, while helpful, college isn't necessary at the entry level.

At age 30 a good work history and common sense are more important, along with a pretty clean background. Some minor mistakes are workable for a good applicant, but too many or the wrong drugs in the past can end an application process quickly. A pattern of responsibility in the workplace and to some extent at home (child support warrants look really bad on applicant reviews ) goes a long way.

I agree with Zoo

you can't discriminate due to age, we've had a 40 YO in the academy before but he just retired from the military. Its more important taht your fit and healthy than your age, its just a number.

College is required in some PD's but not most. I agree its helpful but I'd pick an applicant with a good work history, clean record, and history of good judgement over a college person who has a disciplinary problem at school, work etc.

Presentation is EVERYTHING!!! you have to sell yourself as the BEST CANDIDATE for the job both in your backgrounds, your interviews and your Oral Boards. if you get your BI to like you that goes along way too. I did applicant BI and they have to do a report on you to their bosses. Anytime you meet with the BI, always present yourself professionally.

joppaj · Jul 9, 2012

Due to retirement regs, some of the Feds (maybe all of them) cap entry age at 37. You have to be able to do 20 years at a minimum to retire and you have to be gone at 57. Criminal Justice classes do have a place, but most Depts that want a degree don't care what it is. If you have a gift for languages than some course work there could really set you apart in the DC area.

Blaster229 · Jul 9, 2012

joppaj said:
Due to retirement regs, some of the Feds (maybe all of them) cap entry age at 37. You have to be able to do 20 years at a minimum to retire and you have to be gone at 57. Criminal Justice classes do have a place, but most Depts that want a degree don't care what it is. If you have a gift for languages than some course work there could really set you apart in the DC area.

9 more years for me. Thank doG.

Name Taken · Jul 9, 2012

CJ classes are useless IMHO.

Just about all you can do with it is police work...and atleast in MD it's not required to have a degree to work for the large agencies.

Get some Business Managerment or something under your belt. That way if the LEO thing doesnt work out or if you are able to retire you can use that BM classes towards something non LEO related.

CJ classes are a waste. The agency will teach you what they want you to know.

kohburn · Jul 9, 2012

does a current security clearance have any bearing?
should I break out the rosetta stone and get my spanish back up and running?

and am I crazy for considering a 20K paycut to do something that I think actually matters for a living?

joppaj · Jul 9, 2012

kohburn said:
does a current security clearance have any bearing?
should I break out the rosetta stone and get my spanish back up and running?

and am I crazy for considering a 20K paycut to do something that I think actually matters for a living?

A current clearence wouldn't hurt at all and being proficient in Spanish is a plus.

If you can live on the pay cut, then go make a difference.

gtodave · Jul 9, 2012

I'll pipe in too out of curiosity....

Are there physical requirements that need to be met, ie 6 minute mile or ability to run for two miles, or anything like that? Is there a lot of running in training?

Hunterjjd · Jul 9, 2012

kohburn said:
does a current security clearance have any bearing?
should I break out the rosetta stone and get my spanish back up and running?

and am I crazy for considering a 20K paycut to do something that I think actually matters for a living?

not sure what everyone else has said but if your young and can afford the pay cut then you need to follow your heart.

Money does not make the world go round

As for getting collage now, let the agency pay for it.

ST Marys is hiring and needs cadets BAD. Come fill out an app and take the tests. If you need to drop the weight who cares, come take the tests and find your weak points. They may even make a deal thatyou have to drop the weight before joining or going to the acad.

Just make sure your past "fun times" where not to much FUN.

Drug use policy is killing agencys for recruits

And I am not a LEO or anything, I just stayed at a Holiday inn express last night

Hunterjjd · Jul 9, 2012

gtodave said:
I'll pipe in too out of curiosity....

Are there physical requirements that need to be met, ie 6 minute mile or ability to run for two miles, or anything like that? Is there a lot of running in training?

there is a physcial test, but I am not sure what. Go test and find out where you need to improve

Spanish is a BIG plus. Don't think they will pay you more for it

ianmcall · Jul 9, 2012

Im 20 years old currently enrolled at Christopher Newport University. Majoring in Computer Science with a minor in U.S. National Security. We have several agencies that do recruiting through these two departments. With the growing rate of crime occurring in the electronic world, computer scientist and engineers are highly sought after. I had a recruiter tell me that over 90% of cyber crimes go unsolved because there simply aren't enough officers and agencies to investigate them all.

So if your looking for something to major in that agencies want and need I would recommend something computer related. In my personal opinion the criminal justice stuff you can learn at the academy. I havent heard of any police academies teaching computer science.

-Z/28- · Jul 9, 2012

gtodave said:
I'll pipe in too out of curiosity....

Are there physical requirements that need to be met, ie 6 minute mile or ability to run for two miles, or anything like that? Is there a lot of running in training?

Yes. The standard tests most depts. have from what I've seen are 1min push up, 1min Sit up, 1.5 mile run, some sort of flexibility/dexterity tests like stretches and trigger pulls. The more competitive the dept, the harder the reqs.

kohburn · Jul 9, 2012

I believe that MD state and VA state troopers websites have the full physical test breakdown listed.

K31 · Jul 9, 2012

-Z/28- said:
Yes. The standard tests most depts. have from what I've seen are 1min push up, 1min Sit up, 1.5 mile run, some sort of flexibility/dexterity tests like stretches and trigger pulls. The more competitive the dept, the harder the reqs.

Most departments lowered the physical standards in the 70's when they were pressed to hire women.

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