Police Academy

[Supertechmom]

Anyone send their child to a Police  Academy with a "mommy diploma"?  I have one who decided he would like to be a detective and is currently researching the way.  He's going to job shadow with the police department as soon as we can get it set up.     Wondering what would be the best way, cheapest way, BTDT advice???    Anybody set one on this path? He's 9th so plenty of time to get organized.

 

(He's even decided he needs to go the gym and get strong! He currently pulls a muscle crossing his legs as they say .......Up to this point, he has been the aimless clueless drifter who randomly does schoolwork and spends way too much time on video games.  Now he's going to the gym to prepare for a future career  :svengo:  Maybe aliens abducted him :smilielol5:  )

 

TIA!

[scoutingmom]

No experience for you on the mommy diploma....

 

Do they have any police youth groups there? In Canada, there are many Police Venturer units (Venturers are part of Scouts Canada ages 14+) setup that work with either the RCMP or local police forces. I was a member of one for a while as a youth.

 

Some stuff I remember was learning the police radio codes, there was ride-alongs, first aid, doing security at some events (probably a fundraising thing for the group), seeing the police range... I think there might have been opportunities to use the range - not sure.... stuff like that.

 

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[theelfqueen]

In the US it would be Explorer Posts not Venture Crews, usually.

 

I know there have been several HSLDA cases involving police departments balking about homeschool diplomas.

[scoutingmom]

Oh, we also practiced doing searches for lost people....

 

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[Supertechmom]

Hmm.. I'm reading up on it and it seems the diploma thing is a iffy depending on where you are hired.  Some have requirements as diploma, GED or college degree.  The age is 21 so he is looking at criminal justice degree.   What can you do with a criminal justice degree if you fail police academy??

[regentrude]

Hmm.. I'm reading up on it and it seems the diploma thing is a iffy depending on where you are hired.  Some have requirements as diploma, GED or college degree.  The age is 21 so he is looking at criminal justice degree.   What can you do with a criminal justice degree if you fail police academy??

 

You don't have to get a criminal justice degree. My friend's homeschooled son is looking into Police Academy; they have encouraged him to go for an English degree rather than CJ, because strong writing skills are in high demand for a police officer.

[charlotteb]

My son's goal is to become a police officer. He graduated from homeschooling last year. From everything we've heard, a college degreed is not required, but VERY recommended.  They have tons of people who apply for the police academy each year, so of course they only pick the best of the best. DS is doing community college right now, but plans to transfer next year to a university and major in criminal justice.

 

I don't think a police academy could deny someone because of a homeschool diploma, but I would recommend furthering the education.  I've also heard that military service is good if a degree isn't desired. 

[G5052]

Yes, locally they expect at least an associate's degree and experience as a security guard or something similar. It's very competitive from what I've been told.

[Lecka]

My husband is in the military, and we meet people who have joined b/c a specific police department prefers to hire someone who has been in the military for 2-3 years.

 

I think it is worth it to look at some specific police departments and see what they require.

 

My BIL looked into this, and found that in his area, some police departments would hold a police academy.  Others wanted you to come in with a community college thing, or else have gotten the police academy training from a different police department.  It was kind-of like -- the larger city where he lived wanted people to come in with either prior experience, of pay themselves for the community college thing.  They did not want to pay for the training.

 

Smaller departments in the area did not require the community college thing. 

 

So it was kind-of like, you could do the community college thing and apply directly to the larger town.  Or, start in a smaller town and then later apply to the larger town.  (My BIL lived in this larger town.)

 

My understanding for the military experience is:  some places really want military experience. Some places really want the criminal justice degree, or may require it for further advancement down the road.  You want to know what they are looking for, in the places you want to apply.

 

I have heard that some departments prefer specific branches of the military.

 

I also know of people who have gotten an Associate's Degree on-line while they are in the military (that can be paid for by the military if they go through the Ed Center and qualify etc) ---- and then they come out with 3 years experience and an Associate's Degree.

 

For some locations ----- it is incredibly competitive, and they may only hire a handful of people in a year.  I hear this from people who are from small towns and want to get a job in their hometown area. 

 

I would definitely look into it locally, and also your surrounding areas.  I have heard it can range from being pretty easy to get on if you have the requirements, or that it can be extremely difficult just because of some departments only hiring a very small number in a year.  I have also heard of departments that only hire every other year, so that people might know this and expect to work at another job while they wait for the next round of hiring to occur. 

 

It is great he has an interest to follow!  That is a wonderful thing for a 9th grader :)

 

This is all very anecdotal from me, but my husband is in a branch that is a "preferred branch" for some police departments, so we meet people who are on this path.  He is not in the military police, btw.  Sometimes people cannot get into the military police (bc it takes a limited number at times), and do not want to wait to join the military until they can get that slot.  Other times they have heard that locally, their department will look equally favorably on several branches, and one is my husband's branch (he is in the Infantry).  I really do not know the ins and outs of whether it matters what branch of the military someone has served in, or if they just look for military service.  I hear different things to be honest, and I really don't know.  I am sure it varies!  And may depend on the other applicants, too. 

 

Edit:  This is anecdotal also, but I have also heard of people who waited 2-3 months to join the Army, to wait for a slot in the military police to open up.  Sometimes it can just be this way, I guess.  Either you can go ahead and join in a different branch, or you can wait until you get the branch you want. 

 

It is just something to be aware of, I think, b/c sometimes people are disappointed to realize, that if they had just waited a month or two, they could have gotten the branch they wanted instead of going into the branch that was available to them. 

Edited April 7, 2016 by Lecka

[Supertechmom]

He's looking into joining the Explorers here locally..  One of the perks is a job offer possibility when reaching the right age.....  Well it gives him something to work toward..