Can a local cop become a state trooper?
Yes, and some do. However, migration usually happens in the other direction.State troopers are often paid less than city cops.If the state trooper works for an agency that is primarily traffic-oriented, there is not a lot of diversity in assignments. They might move to commercial vehicle enforcement, motorcycles, or some special enforcement detail, but it’s still basically chasing taillights for a living. Sometimes they just get tired of doing that.State troopers can get moved around a bunch. Their permanent station might be in City A, but at a whim, their commander can say, “Drive 400 miles to City B and help them out for a week.” You’re living in a motel and eating fast food, because that’s all you can afford on your state per diem.You can come out No. 1 on the promotion list for sergeant or whatever, but if there are no sergeant slots available in your assigned area, you will have to move if you want to get promoted. That sucks if you like where you are and don’t care much for wherever the opening is.My agency had several troopers quit the highway patrol and join us. The only time anyone went the other way is if they didn’t make probation with us.
What is the best state to become a police officer in?
Assuming you mean a state police officer. The variables among local departments make it impossible to compare as a whole state. If you mean what state is it easiest to become the police then Arkansas. They have no state certification or requiring training. If a department hires you you are a cop, no waiting to go to an academy or pass a state POST type test. So state cops, definitely Louisiana, not because things are great there, they are the lowest paid and considered the most corrupt in the nation, but because they are about the only ones actually hiring right now. Avoid states like Wisconsin where they do not get to do "real" police work. In fact they Wi Highway Patrol cannot make an arrest far off the highway. Only when assisting a local cop. CHP only does traffic but are the real police in a Pinch. Mass. does all kinds of work, not just traffic. They are often the investigators for major crimes in sparsely populated areas. Illinois is the same, they take an active policing role throughout the state, they do all the major detective work for the state universities (U cops are actually a part of the state police). Still their basic mission, like with all stat police, is traffic. If you are an experienced officer with at least 2 years on Texas DPS is hiring. You go to an 8 week academy (the usual TDPS academy is 8 months) and you then take the state certification test if you are an outside of Tx cop. It really depends on what type of cop work you want to do and who is actually hiring during this financial crisis when no state has money. edit Hawaii does not have a 50 or any state force. Off of Oahu the cops are all county deputies, Each major island is its own county.
If I become a police officer in one state, then decide I would like to move, is it an easy transfer?
None of the answers you received so far are correct. Each state has its own requirements to certify police officers. In order to go from one state to another, you must meet the training requirements of the new state, which at a MINIMUM includes many class room hours of training in that states criminal and motor vehicle laws. In some states, experienced and certified Police officers from other maybe hired, and only have to attend the training mentioned above. In other states, they require that even certified police officers from out of state must complete the ENTIRE course of study in the new state's police academy. Because of that, very, very few Police departments accept 'lateral transfers" from out of state. Most big city police departments require that all new hires be trained in their own academy, even if they are already certified police offciers in the same state. Also, to be hired by another department, either in your own state, or in another state, requires that you go through the entire testing process (except maybe for some very small departments, whihc might hire someone off the street without any testing). The testing procedure almost always includes written and oral tests, background and credit checks, physical agility tests and medical/psychological testing. I was a certifed police officer in one state, and left to take a job in another state (having gone all through the testing process) and then had to go all through the police academy a second time. There are some police departments in some states that do accept "lateral transfers" and they expedite the cerification process. However, that is pretty rare. Reference your Boston example: If you were a Philadelphia Police Officer, you would have to quit your job and move to Boston for one year, go through the testing procedure, and if hired, go through the Boston Police Academy and start at the salary of a probationary police officer.
Questions about becoming a PA State Trooper?
Eligibility Requirements – Trooper Applicants for the position of Pennsylvania State Police Cadet will be automatically disqualified if any of the following standards are not met. General Requirements – All standards must be met: Age Requirement – Applicants must be at least 20 years of age on or before the date the application is completed. Applicants must be 21 years of age and cannot have reached their 40th birthday prior to or on the date of appointment as a State Police Cadet. Residency Requirement – Applicants must be a resident of Pennsylvania at the time of appointment. Applicants must also possess a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license upon appointment as a State Police Cadet. Educational Requirement – Applicants must possess a high school diploma or a G.E.D. Certificate plus an Associate’s Degree or 60 semester credit hours in an accredited institution of higher education at the time of application. Only one waiver per candidate, as follows, is allowed: * 60 semester credit hours waived for those applicants with two full years as a full-time police officer as certified by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC). * 30 semester credit hours waived for those applicants with two full years of any law enforcement experience that encompasses the powers of arrest under State or Federal law, e.g., Liquor Enforcement Officer, Corrections Officer, Probation and Parole Officers, Fish and Game Commission Officers. Determination of relevant law enforcement experience to be made by the Pennsylvania State Police on a case-by-case basis. * 30 semester credit hours waived for those applicants with at least two years of full active military duty with an Honorable Discharge or who have completed Officer Candidate School and have no term of obligation. * 15 semester credit hours waived for those applicants who have successfully completed Act 120 training, as certified by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC).
Can you become a corrections officer with a general discharge?
Nope. They will research why you got a GD, and you will be disqualified. Hell, if you got "fired" from the military for drug use, do you really think they will hire you to enforce law and order in a prison full of drug offenders? Guess you should have thouyght of al that BEFORE you did drugs. You did know they were illegal, didn;t you?
How do I become a police officer?
I have always wanted to be a police officer but never felt I had the character for it. Then I met a cop who told me it is not a big deal, just learn to shoot a gun and get in shape. So I have been working out every day and going for gun safety classes in a few months. Right now I am looking for books, videos or any programs that are avalaible so I can be prepaired. If anyone has any information it would be much appreciated. Thank you