i am an 8th grader , if i go to a military high school will i score higher to become a police officer ? Do i become a police officer faster ?
i really want to become a cop , the school is 40 minutes away from me , but if it helps me become a cop faster i will go. #help #career-guidance #law-enforcement #police #police-officer
4 answers
Kevin’s Answer
Brenda
Our department gives a Civil Service exam to all applicants. The hiring list is then put in order of your test score, so you want to score as high as you can. Any applicant who has military experience gets 5 points added to their score. So that can help you out there. Now if you were an MP, that can help. You will have already gained some experience working as an officer which could help accelerate you through field training. But a lot of that also depends upon the department. I hope this helps to answer your question. Good luck which ever way you decide to go.
Richard’s Answer
I would have to echo the advise Kim Igleheart gave you ... there is a shortage of female officers and I too looked for officer candidates with "street smarts" in addition to formal education. I would lean away from Criminal Justice on a personal preference - and seek management while using CJ or psych classes as elective or minor courses. You'll get the CJ degree curriculum in the academy.
If you want to include some military experience at some point you can explore ROTC while in high school and / or join the national guard after high school and have them help pay for your formal education. The military is another way of getting shared life experience.
Best of luck,
Rich
Kim’s Answer
Wow! That's a pretty strong desire. I'm not sure this is what you want to hear. But, as a female, if you meet the physical, intellectual, character, and psychological standards, you will have no problem becoming a cop. There is always a shortage of female officers. If you want that much structure and discipline for 4 years, then go to the military school. But I don't think it will help you reach your goal any faster.
In fact, having been on the applicant review board at one time, my preferences would be for someone who has more in common with the people they will be policing - more shared life experiences. That's just me, but I think it makes the officer more capable of relating to the people when they are handling calls.
Don't overlook the other aspects of qualifying for a department, especially keeping good friends, being honest, etc. I wish you the best, whatever you decide!
Kim
