ok i got a question, I’ve decided i want to be cop but afterwards I want to be able to specialize in something related to law enforcement, not desk-job type of administrative work or anything but actual law enforcement. I was on the gov’t website but i can’t differentiate between the desk work and the law enforcement kind of stuff which is why im asking you guys. What kind of careers are there other then just SWAT and detective work?? also do i need a degree if I want to specialize in anything?? What’s that job called where you go around the world and arrest major criminals in foreign countries. Is that Interpol work?? whats the benefit of having a degree and being a cop? You still gotta start out like everyone else at the bottom right?
[quote]WWEAttitude wrote:
I was on the gov’t website but i can’t differentiate between the desk work and the law enforcement kind of stuff which is why im asking you guys. [/quote]
Which govt website?
Depending on the department, there may be academy positions, helicopter, K9, undercover, accident investigator, etc. Your career is being a cop. You will just have different units you are in.
A degree doesn’t hurt. You will start at the bottom of the ladder. Any specialized training you need for your job should be provided or paid for by the dept. You can also pay for your own training (and take it off taxes) if you can’t go on the dept dime or they don’t offer it. Having a degree can mean extra pay and some departments require higher education in order to be considered for promotion/advancement.
I think you have been watching too many movies… Interpol is what you are talking about. I have no idea how you get hired by them.
I knew a guy who spent 10+ years in the Marines. In the military, you can make good contacts. He got out and became an ATF firearms instructor. I don’t know if he had to spend any time as a field agent. Fed jobs are a little different than local cop jobs. I do know that you will spend more time chasing bad guys as a local cop than as a Fed, at least in the beginning. If you want to get in foot chases and car chases, join your local city dept. If you want to investigate (paperwork), go federal. There are federal jobs where you can chase people but those are usually staffed by guys that have been on awhile and definitely proven themselves.
Hopefully some others will chime. I give my advice based on 14+ years as a street cop.
Where are you? Are you thinking municipal, state/provincial or federal force?
Depending on the force you are looking into, and what kind of fields you are interested in, a degree may or may not be required. Some area will also require other kinds of licences or training (like scuba training if you want to do underwater recovery).