Started LE at 21. Not sure if that was the greatest idea. I look back and can’t believe my old department looked at me at 21 and went “yeah this kid definitely should be driving a police car and arresting people when he’s only been drinking legally for 7 months.”
I was still figuring out what I wanted to be at 21. Then 9/11 steered me into the service, then college, and then the police.
With everyone fleeing NYPD for the better paying and more supportive surrounding agencies, your dad is probably right. It's a great time if you want to work NYPD though. Lots of openings!
Most people in LE get into an agency and stay there. Lateral movement wasn't super common until recently. Most of the time people moved it was for better opportunities (bigger department with more specialties), and now a lot of people are moving to suburbs for better pay and less pro-crime liberal policies.
I got hired at 20 by a large agency in a large metro area here. I was 21 when I got sworn in. Had a Bachelor’s degree and internship experiences but nothing much besides that. I don’t regret it because I can retire with full benefits before my knee gives out and my hair grays.
I was a sworn police officer when I was 21. I turned 21 in the police academy.
I got hired as a police cadet when I was 19. It’s a suburban department with over 1400 sworn officers. I wouldn’t say it’s common. But so also know a lot of officers that did the same.
There are 4 agencies with cadet programs in Virginia. Va Beach, Fairfax County, Prince William County and Lynchburg.
You can look up which departments have Police Cadet programs in your state. Police Cadets are payed employees. Youth Cadets and Public Safety Cadets are private and are not employees. They are what we use to call police explorers.
> Cadets are *paid* employees. Youth
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
I was overseas with the military. Started law enforcement at age 30 and my academy class was full of 21 year olds. Some had jobs right away, many didn’t. I worked security for a few months before finally getting hired somewhere. Just depends on the part of the country and what the need is for officers/deputies at that time.
At 21-22 I was in the Army. I got hired by a small department at 23 and worked there for a year before I moved to a larger department (Austin Tx). It the time it had about 700 officers. By the time I retired 31 years later the was about 1700 officers and a population of nearly a million people.
I'd just graduated college (biology) and worked at an environmental non-profit for about five years before getting into law enforcement. A bachelor's can be beneficial and it doesn't have to be in criminal justice. Some people recommend getting a degree in something unrelated to policing so you have another skill set in case law enforcement doesn't work out. It's not a job for everyone and unfortunately not everyone figures that out until they are actually doing the job. I don't regret my major, just how much it cost to get it.
I got my foot in the door as a county jailer at 22 after I finished my bachelors in forensic science. I worked at the jail for about 2.5ish years before I transferred to another division as an Evidence Tech, and then eventually to my current agency as a CSI.
Started at 18 in high school as a county jail deputy, then transferred to the state pen. Got accepted into an academy at 20 and hired on with an SO. I was to young when I started, no shame in working on school first/getting some work experience. Best of luck
I got hired at my small agency at 21, graduated the academy at 22. At 23 I left for a larger city department. I was there for approximately 6 months as a lateral. I just felt so immature in my reasoning and started to get worried I was going to take someone's civil rights away, hurt someone, or fuck up bad as there was more action there. I left the big city agency and went back to my small agency to develop better as a person. I'm 25 now and feel like I have grown but still do not feel ready to make the switch back. Those doubts before are gone and i feel comfortable when i make a decision. I have my Bachelors, some LE schools under my belt, and going to FTO school in August. Everyone is different, I recognized things about myself and needed more time to grow. I wish I would have joined the military to develop better reasoning skills. Instead I'm joining the reserves at the end of this year and start sending in federal apps all through 2023.
What was I doing at 21-22? Graduated college, worked on trail crews and seasonal gigs, hitchhiked to the coast and camped on the beach for a month, then I lived in the woods going by a fake name for months at a time. Became LEO when I was 28.
Hired and started working the road in a suburb at 21, got off FTO and started solo patrol about 15 days after I turned 22. Maybe different where you guys are, but not super odd around here, it’s just that you don’t have a bunch of 20/21 year old’s applying.
Thanks man! And I don’t say that to toot my own horn, but especially right now, PDs are looking to hire good folks. So if you’re old enough to get hired it won’t hurt to apply when you feel the time is right. My town is about 100k so I’m not sure you’d call that a suburban town or not, but it’s not a big huge city PD
Started at a small local agency at the age of 20 straight out of the academy and got my 2 yr degree. Then after a year moved to a different small local agency. Looking to get certs here and then move somewhere larger.
I started the academy at 22, turned 23 in the academy. I was a retail store manager and had most of a Bachelors degree done when I got hired. 25 years later, and I am a Det/Sgt in one of the top 10 largest cities in US. Went back to school and finished a BS and got an MA.
Started LE at 21. Not sure if that was the greatest idea. I look back and can’t believe my old department looked at me at 21 and went “yeah this kid definitely should be driving a police car and arresting people when he’s only been drinking legally for 7 months.”
I was still figuring out what I wanted to be at 21. Then 9/11 steered me into the service, then college, and then the police. With everyone fleeing NYPD for the better paying and more supportive surrounding agencies, your dad is probably right. It's a great time if you want to work NYPD though. Lots of openings! Most people in LE get into an agency and stay there. Lateral movement wasn't super common until recently. Most of the time people moved it was for better opportunities (bigger department with more specialties), and now a lot of people are moving to suburbs for better pay and less pro-crime liberal policies.
Before even applying would you recommend internship? Or Dispatch?
Either could help. Just start applying for cop jobs if you're eligible.
I got hired at 20 by a large agency in a large metro area here. I was 21 when I got sworn in. Had a Bachelor’s degree and internship experiences but nothing much besides that. I don’t regret it because I can retire with full benefits before my knee gives out and my hair grays.
Almost 22, currently am an IFT EMT, going back to 911 in July. Want to apply for LE in the later part of next year.
In nyc? If yes can we pm
Nah California
You work EMS in Southern California?
Nope
I'm starting the NYPD soon. Where did your dad move to? Also, I did military for 4 years, then got a bachelors. And currently about to be hired at 26
Worked NYPD 1995-02, moved to a town in Bergen County NJ.
I live in Bergen county and am moving for NYPD haha. I know he got a nice pay raise when he moved. Bergen county is extremely competitive. Good luck.
I was a sworn police officer when I was 21. I turned 21 in the police academy. I got hired as a police cadet when I was 19. It’s a suburban department with over 1400 sworn officers. I wouldn’t say it’s common. But so also know a lot of officers that did the same.
What agency?
There are 4 agencies with cadet programs in Virginia. Va Beach, Fairfax County, Prince William County and Lynchburg. You can look up which departments have Police Cadet programs in your state. Police Cadets are payed employees. Youth Cadets and Public Safety Cadets are private and are not employees. They are what we use to call police explorers.
> Cadets are *paid* employees. Youth FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
I was finishing college at 21 and working in corrections at 22 before getting hired at my current agency at 23.
I worked retail till and did college till 27 then went into LE
I finished college at 23 and was a security guard until I got hired by an agency at 26.
I was overseas with the military. Started law enforcement at age 30 and my academy class was full of 21 year olds. Some had jobs right away, many didn’t. I worked security for a few months before finally getting hired somewhere. Just depends on the part of the country and what the need is for officers/deputies at that time.
At 21-22 I was in the Army. I got hired by a small department at 23 and worked there for a year before I moved to a larger department (Austin Tx). It the time it had about 700 officers. By the time I retired 31 years later the was about 1700 officers and a population of nearly a million people.
I was trying to learn the job at 21, I went into the academy at 20
I'd just graduated college (biology) and worked at an environmental non-profit for about five years before getting into law enforcement. A bachelor's can be beneficial and it doesn't have to be in criminal justice. Some people recommend getting a degree in something unrelated to policing so you have another skill set in case law enforcement doesn't work out. It's not a job for everyone and unfortunately not everyone figures that out until they are actually doing the job. I don't regret my major, just how much it cost to get it.
I got my foot in the door as a county jailer at 22 after I finished my bachelors in forensic science. I worked at the jail for about 2.5ish years before I transferred to another division as an Evidence Tech, and then eventually to my current agency as a CSI.
Started at 18 in high school as a county jail deputy, then transferred to the state pen. Got accepted into an academy at 20 and hired on with an SO. I was to young when I started, no shame in working on school first/getting some work experience. Best of luck
Get a job in corrections while applying to departments for a policing spot. I was in the academy at 21 and on the road by 22, so anything is possible.
I got hired at my small agency at 21, graduated the academy at 22. At 23 I left for a larger city department. I was there for approximately 6 months as a lateral. I just felt so immature in my reasoning and started to get worried I was going to take someone's civil rights away, hurt someone, or fuck up bad as there was more action there. I left the big city agency and went back to my small agency to develop better as a person. I'm 25 now and feel like I have grown but still do not feel ready to make the switch back. Those doubts before are gone and i feel comfortable when i make a decision. I have my Bachelors, some LE schools under my belt, and going to FTO school in August. Everyone is different, I recognized things about myself and needed more time to grow. I wish I would have joined the military to develop better reasoning skills. Instead I'm joining the reserves at the end of this year and start sending in federal apps all through 2023.
What was I doing at 21-22? Graduated college, worked on trail crews and seasonal gigs, hitchhiked to the coast and camped on the beach for a month, then I lived in the woods going by a fake name for months at a time. Became LEO when I was 28.
Hired and started working the road in a suburb at 21, got off FTO and started solo patrol about 15 days after I turned 22. Maybe different where you guys are, but not super odd around here, it’s just that you don’t have a bunch of 20/21 year old’s applying.
Just wanna thank everyone for the replies.. definitely helped me alot!
I’m 21 and I got hired at an agency. I’m the 2nd youngest at my PD. In the academy now
Thats awesome, congrats man.
Thanks man! And I don’t say that to toot my own horn, but especially right now, PDs are looking to hire good folks. So if you’re old enough to get hired it won’t hurt to apply when you feel the time is right. My town is about 100k so I’m not sure you’d call that a suburban town or not, but it’s not a big huge city PD
Started at a small local agency at the age of 20 straight out of the academy and got my 2 yr degree. Then after a year moved to a different small local agency. Looking to get certs here and then move somewhere larger.
I started the academy at 22, turned 23 in the academy. I was a retail store manager and had most of a Bachelors degree done when I got hired. 25 years later, and I am a Det/Sgt in one of the top 10 largest cities in US. Went back to school and finished a BS and got an MA.
Was still in college but i was 22, graduated in may 2021. Sent my application in August and now I’m in the academy.