Any NC (L.E.O) Here?

[joel3431]

I know this might be a little vauge, but here it goes. I am debating NC State Trooper, or my Local PD. I am currently deployed overseas and have 5 years in the NC Army National Guard. I have 2 years completed from a 4 year University for Criminal Justice. Would it be a good idea to try and apply now, or continue my education and get my B.S. in criminal justice? So For any NC Law Enforcement Officers, if you personally were in my shoes what would you do?

V/R,

Joel.

 

[silver03svt]

Not an NC LEO, so I apologize, but I am VA State Trooper. My advice to you is this. If you are able, then absolutely get your degree first. Although the degree may not be beneficial when trying to get into a larger department, it will be benificial when looking for promotions. Most LEO agency entry tests are basic testing for physical agility/fitness, mental stability, background checks, and comprehension testing. They are designed to weed out people who are not fit in one way or another for LEO career.

 

[joel3431]

Thank you, I am leaning towards what you suggested. Also I forgot to mention I am very young, 21. Been in the military since 5 days after my 17th birthday and have always kept my nose clean and perfect PT. I am very very sick of school, but I will have a year of post 9-11 GI bill once I return home so that is a little motivation.

 

[wesessiah]

agreed with the above on finishing. i was looked over at a medium sized department for not having a 4 year. that particular department, and a lot of others hire with blet and associate's (or high school diploma) but sometimes departments that don't require a particular degree "prefer" one at certain times, or prefer lateral transfers. if you're looking at char/meck, i don't believe they require a degree, but i'm not sure. also, charlotte, and some other large departments have their own blet school, so you go through the process to get hired then go through school, instead of going through the process for rookie school, then whatever department you apply to.

in short, if i were in those shoes again, i would have finished a 4 year rather than waiting to take classes afterwards.

as far as local vs trooper... get as many ride-alongs as you can. doing nothing but traffic and wrecks like nc troopers is not my cup of tea. some people love running nothing but traffic (larger departments have specific traffic units too) and others don't.

a little input on your local pd (i'm assuming char/meck) a few guys i've talked to didn't like it there due to coming into hours of backlogged calls, no take home cars...with some exceptions... but some people like running nonstop. from those guys i talked to, they never left when they were supposed to due to finishing reports, but maybe they've changed how their shift changes/float cars operate to allow for some lee-way before shift change since then. they do pay you through blet, and i believe starting pay is around $41,000 with higher pay if you're bi-lingual. like i said though, ride along with as many different departments as you can, when you can, and you'll get an idea of what to expect, and your preferences.

 

[joel3431]

Roger that, what is the best way to go about getting a ride along trooper side? Or same as local PD just stop by and fill out the form? Thank you for that information.

 

[wesessiah]

Roger that, what is the best way to go about getting a ride along trooper side? Or same as local PD just stop by and fill out the form? Thank you for that information.

to be honest, i don't know much on the trooper side of ridealongs. troop h is the closest to you in monroe, with salisbury being next, but i'd go and check with them in person when you get back.

 

[svtcop]

to be honest, i don't know much on the trooper side of ridealongs. troop h is the closest to you in monroe, with salisbury being next, but i'd go and check with them in person when you get back.

Not NC LEO, but this is what you should do. No better way to get acclimated and see if you even like the field of police work than seeing it firsthand.

You may realize that you don't want to be a city cop and would rather troop it up. or vice versa. Then again you may not like police work at all after a few ride alongs. It's nice to be able to get a close view of a job before you actually have to work it. Can't do that in a lot of professions.

Good luck and thanks for serving!! :beer:

 

[Outlaw99]

I was in for 11 years in Asheville NC. most the troopers here are prior military + an education. you would qualify just fine.

i couldnt be a trooper here tho. write tickets, work accidents...thats very boring to me. i know some troopers who made the switch to local pd's or sheriff. you have a lot more doors to open as a sheriff or police.

look at it this way...when a trooper needs back up, who does he call? its not another trooper because there isnt one.

there is an asheville trooper on here. im sure he will see this soon and respond.

 

[silver03svt]

I was in for 11 years in Asheville NC. most the troopers here are prior military + an education. you would qualify just fine.

i couldnt be a trooper here tho. write tickets, work accidents...thats very boring to me. i know some troopers who made the switch to local pd's or sheriff. you have a lot more doors to open as a sheriff or police.

look at it this way...when a trooper needs back up, who does he call? its not another trooper because there isnt one.

there is an asheville trooper on here. im sure he will see this soon and respond.

Are NC Troopers really spread out that thin? I know in rural counties in VA, there may only be 1 Trooper working, but in well populated areas, you may have 4 or 5 only minutes away in an emergency.

 

[Outlaw99]

there is usually 2 on duty at any given time. sometimes just 1.

 

[silver03svt]

there is usually 2 on duty at any given time. sometimes just 1.

Damn.

 

[Outlaw99]

other counties may be different....or it might have changed since i was in. but thats how it was.

 

[wesessiah]

Are NC Troopers really spread out that thin? I know in rural counties in VA, there may only be 1 Trooper working, but in well populated areas, you may have 4 or 5 only minutes away in an emergency.

other counties may be different....or it might have changed since i was in. but thats how it was.

still not much different. i don't know how many each troop has working at any given time, i'm sure it varies by area with the mountains and coastal areas being more thinly spread, but i've never heard of anything less than a 45 minute eta from them, based on passing wrecks outside of our jurisdiction to them. seems like they're always working some wreck in a place well off the beaten path. my county has at least 2 at any given time, but going from the center of the county to any corner is a 20-30 minute drive.

another drawback... no thanks to wearing long sleeves when it's 100 in the summer.

 

[joel3431]

Gotcha, Thank you all for all the input. I have a little better idea of where to go from here.

 

[badws6ta]

there is usually 2 on duty at any given time. sometimes just 1.

FL is the same way, they used to call us (County) for back up all the time in the rural areas.