Becoming a LEO officer...

[Deleted member 12999]

View attachment 56386



Yes. Clints character was based on me.

 

[ochmude]

No. You pick four municipalities to submit your name to, and one is always your residency preference should you have one.

My recommendation has always been:
1) Town of residence (preference)
2) MBTA
3) Nearby wealthy muncipality
4) Any municipality where you have intel that they may be hiring.

Remember, you can always change them later.

Does that limit who you get interview offers from? My understanding was that it does, but I received a letter from a PD on the cape that I'd never even heard of and was not one of the towns I listed when I took the exam. The really weird part was that they sent it directly to me here in Arizona, it wasn't forwarded by the USPS, and I never updated my address with HRD when I moved.

 

[OfficerObie59]

Does that limit who you get interview offers from? My understanding was that it does, but I received a letter from a PD on the cape that I'd never even heard of and was not one of the towns I listed when I took the exam. The really weird part was that they sent it directly to me here in Arizona, it wasn't forwarded by the USPS, and I never updated my address with HRD when I moved.

That's weird. I don't know what to tell you about that one.

 

[ochmude]

That's weird. I don't know what to tell you about that one.

Just found the letter. It was Bourne PD. I picked Chicopee, Springfield, West Springfield, and South Hadley when I tested. I was a Chicopee resident at the time, and I seriously had never even heard of Bourne.

 

[OfficerObie59]

Just found the letter. It was Bourne PD. I picked Chicopee, Springfield, West Springfield, and South Hadley when I tested. I was a Chicopee resident at the time, and I seriously had never even heard of Bourne.

I still don't know what to tell you about that one, but Bourne isn't a bad PD to work for. Half on Cape Cod, half off.

Any chance you accidentally entered their code by accident? You could always check your CS account.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Does that limit who you get interview offers from? My understanding was that it does, but I received a letter from a PD on the cape that I'd never even heard of and was not one of the towns I listed when I took the exam. The really weird part was that they sent it directly to me here in Arizona, it wasn't forwarded by the USPS, and I never updated my address with HRD when I moved.

They have ways to find out who you are and where you live!

Way back in 1971 I was spooked by getting personalized letter from Pres. Nixon's people at my home in CT, like you not forwarded. Nobody else I knew/worked with got one and what was very strange about it was:

- I had not changed my address with anyone, tax return had been filed from MA, still had a MA DL, even had my checking acct in MA, etc.
- I used to pick up my MA Mail when we came back up to MA to be with friends/Family (almost every weekend).
- Only my security clearance thru DOD and NR would have been tagged with my CT address.
- I was never a Registered Republican.

It got me looking over my shoulder! And back then they didn't have our entire lives computerized, so finding people was a manual labor job.

- - - Updated - - -

I still don't know what to tell you about that one, but Bourne isn't a bad PD to work for. Half on Cape Cod, half off.

But getting from one half to the other half is a bitch . . . unless you take the "tunnel"!

 

[jkommelb]

Does that limit who you get interview offers from? My understanding was that it does, but I received a letter from a PD on the cape that I'd never even heard of and was not one of the towns I listed when I took the exam. The really weird part was that they sent it directly to me here in Arizona, it wasn't forwarded by the USPS, and I never updated my address with HRD when I moved.

They recently changed the lists; it now goes son/daughter of LEO killed in the line of duty, disabled vet, resident veteran, resident, then EVERYONE else in the state (may have the exact order wrong, and there may be another special category I'm missing). For example, as a non-veteran with a 97, I am now in the 2400s on the list. This is not a town/city list; it is THE list, for the entire state...find here). In other words, they are saying if you are not a resident of a civil service town or a member of a special category, you WILL NOT get hired by a civil service department. MSP is of course always an option, but even MBTA is likely a no go unless you're a veteran now that there is no selecting it.

 

[Bolio]

Just found the letter. It was Bourne PD. I picked Chicopee, Springfield, West Springfield, and South Hadley when I tested. I was a Chicopee resident at the time, and I seriously had never even heard of Bourne.

Bourne sends it out quite a bit. Doesn't matter if you list them or not.

 

[Oldarmy]

Develop a bad attitude toward authority while serving in the National Guard. Work out at the gym two or three days a week. Abuse your girlfriend. Shave your head to cover up your steroid abuse and look "tough". Roll up the sleeves on your short sleeve shirt so everyone can see how bulky you are. Get a family member to pull a few strings for you. And ... BINGO ... you're a small town cop.

Soooo much better than my own sarcastic comments could ever be....

 

[mpkeelee]

Exam is on the 15th. Anybody got any tips or anything they would like to offer? I spent the last 2 months reading the practice book online and it helped but only so much. I think we all would appreciate anything you have to offer

 

[Len-2A Training]

Exam is on the 15th. Anybody got any tips or anything they would like to offer? I spent the last 2 months reading the practice book online and it helped but only so much. I think we all would appreciate anything you have to offer

As much as I hate Masscops.com that is probably a better forum to find the info you seek.

Best of luck!

 

[weekendracer]

Has anyone actually ever seen a cop eating a donut? I haven't.

I'm not really a 'cop', but yes, I've witnessed some feeding frenzies.

 

[Deleted member 12999]

Just relax. Answer the questions. You know how I used to relax? I would say to myself: Self, you're not a resident of any Civil Service community, or a veteran, so technically this test means nothing.

I always scored high 90's. Usually missed one or two because I wasn't really caring.

 

[TOM1960]

I'm going to chime in here, and this is not meant to bash cops (I'll save that for another time)

Many people wanted to be a "DJ" and be on the radio, and focused their efforts exclusively on that, only to find out there are very few jobs out there, and they do not have a broad enough education/skill set to get a job in another field.

Law Enforcement is similar, except the profession is expanding. It is expanding slower than the number of people who want to do it, and slower than the number of people who are qualified to do it.

If you can become a reserve or auxiliary officer somewhere with academy training that may help you at some point.

Having first responder or EMT credentials looks good on the application.

Getting on a non civil service department while you are trying to get through the civil service process helps.

The son of a friend of mine went to school, got a CJ degree, got on a non civil service dept on the North Shore, then was hired by his home town via civil service. The fact he had already been through the academy on another towns dime helped quite a bit.

I know you want to be a LEO, and follow in Dad's footsteps, but make sure you have something to fall back on if this career choice doesn't happen.

The stepson of a former co-worker experienced that problem. He is a white guy, had CJ degree and no military service, but some experience as an armored car driver/guard and an restricted (employment-only) LTC-A. Took the Civil Service exam numerous times, only to get shafted by departments that only hire vets, minorities, females, friends, family members and other forms of reverse discrimination/nepotism. Finally sick of it all, he applied to Florida departments. Didn't take long before he was sent to the academy and emerged as a fully-sworn deputy with a large Florida sheriff's department. Sometimes, you just have to move in order to get the opportunity. In MA, if you are a white man (especially with no military service), you are at a distinct disadvantage.

 

[mark056]

The stepson of a former co-worker experienced that problem. He is a white guy, had CJ degree and no military service, but some experience as an armored car driver/guard and an restricted (employment-only) LTC-A. Took the Civil Service exam numerous times, only to get shafted by departments that only hire vets, minorities, females, friends, family members and other forms of reverse discrimination/nepotism. Finally sick of it all, he applied to Florida departments. Didn't take long before he was sent to the academy and emerged as a fully-sworn deputy with a large Florida sheriff's department. Sometimes, you just have to move in order to get the opportunity. In MA, if you are a white man (especially with no military service), you are at a distinct disadvantage.

It's okay to be a white male in MA if you have relatives on the Job especially if your ancestors hail from an island that has no snakes and lies west of England.

I've told a lot of our interns that they need to move out of state if they want a LEO job or join the military but then they get all whiny and start acting like man-babies and give me reasons why they can't leave Mass.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Scott D.]

Besides all the other recommendations, Look for a crappy dispatcher job, they usually pay peanuts, have shitty hours, and can be stressful. But it'll get your foot in the door.

By the way... LEO officer is redundant.

One time when I was in the academy, (for another type of law enforcement) one of the students, a KNOW IT ALL nobody liked, came in with a hat he had made at the mall. It said "ACO Officer". One of the ladies in the class called him out on it in the middle of class. Funny as hell! He never wore it again to class.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Sometimes, you just have to move in order to get the opportunity.

There is a reason why FL LEO jobs are available for qualified applicants, but MA jobs are hard to come by unless you have some sort of juice. All you have to do to understand is compare the compensation and retirement packages of MA to FL. In a free market equilibrium sense, MA is definitely overpaying as the pool of qualified applicants vastly exceeds the openings.

 

[WPDC13]

Be a ding ding instead. Everybody loves you and you get paid to sleep. 2 days on and 5 off leaves for more shooting time haha

 

[shamrockjr]

Consider the field of corrections. It's a different nut but is easier to get into (MUCH easier) as no one wants to be a screw. But that could potentially set you up with law enforcement experience working for a qualified agency. In any event, best of luck.

 

[fencer]

So, besides acing the written exam, what other things can I do to improve my chances at a position?

Use a large syringe to suck out half your brains.


Just kidding of course

 

[That Guy]

Be a ding ding instead. Everybody loves you and you get paid to sleep. 2 days on and 5 off leaves for more shooting time haha

The major difference being the cops sleep in their cruisers behind the firehouse while the firefighters have beds inside.

 

[Bolio]

The major difference being the cops sleep in their cruisers behind the firehouse while the firefighters have beds inside.

LMAO

 

[WPDC13]

Either way, at least they get comfy beds haha

 

[namedpipes]

Has anyone actually ever seen a cop eating a donut? I haven't.

As a literal answer, yes.

Back I the 80's I observed an Acton officer take a regular (every Sunday morning) coffee/donut break in a seemingly deserted parking lot.

Of course everyone does deserve their break, but I was young and thought it was hilarious.

I was once stopped for expired plate when I pulled into a DD. It wasn't, but the sticker on the plate was old.

Sent from my chimney using smoke signals.

 

[Hush]

Either way, at least they get comfy beds haha

Either way, they get paid to sleep

 

[TOM1960]

There is a reason why FL LEO jobs are available for qualified applicants, but MA jobs are hard to come by unless you have some sort of juice. All you have to do to understand is compare the compensation and retirement packages of MA to FL. In a free market equilibrium sense, MA is definitely overpaying as the pool of qualified applicants vastly exceeds the openings.

You also have to figure in Florida's cost of living. You can (at least at the time that guy's stepson applied) get a nice house for a fraction of what you would pay up here. Municipalities like Lowell and Lawrence are now having problems funding public service pensions and their fully-paid-for-life insurance bennies for retirees. Eventually, it will have to come to an end. There are cops in MA who are under indictment for felonies (including a deputy chief) and one cop sitting in a Florida jail, awaiting child rape charges, still collecting their full salaries. This has to stop. When the money finally runs out, it will. Money (or lack of it), is a powerful weapon indeed. Lack of cash, and the resulting insolvency, caused the demise of the once-mighty Soviet Union.

 

[vipprimo]

Has anyone actually ever seen a cop eating a donut? I haven't.

I'm going to say the law of averages means whether it's a sterotype or not, it's going to happen.

 

[That Guy]

You also have to figure in Florida's cost of living. You can (at least at the time that guy's stepson applied) get a nice house for a fraction of what you would pay up here. Municipalities like Lowell and Lawrence are now having problems funding public service pensions and their fully-paid-for-life insurance bennies for retirees. Eventually, it will have to come to an end. There are cops in MA who are under indictment for felonies (including a deputy chief) and one cop sitting in a Florida jail, awaiting child rape charges, still collecting their full salaries. This has to stop. When the money finally runs out, it will. Money (or lack of it), is a powerful weapon indeed. Lack of cash, and the resulting insolvency, caused the demise of the once-mighty Soviet Union.

I like how health insurance for a retiree (who is not eligible for Medicaid because he was in civil service retirement) is considered a "bennie" by you.

And re: funding? You do realize that civil service pensions are self-funded and the state and cities' shares would increase if everyone was switched to social security instead of the current system, right? If cities like Lowell and Lawrence are having problems managing their funds (and I have no evidence of this - in fact, nearly every city in the state is part of a larger pool of pension funds and individual cities do not manage their own funds for the most part) then that is a matter of mismanagement, not a problem of the pension system.

Whenever I hear someone who is clearly not part of the civil service pension system talking about pension reform it makes me laugh.

 

[WPDC13]

^^^^You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to That Guy again^^^^

 

[Serapis]

You also have to figure in Florida's cost of living. You can (at least at the time that guy's stepson applied) get a nice house for a fraction of what you would pay up here. Municipalities like Lowell and Lawrence are now having problems funding public service pensions and their fully-paid-for-life insurance bennies for retirees. Eventually, it will have to come to an end. There are cops in MA who are under indictment for felonies (including a deputy chief) and one cop sitting in a Florida jail, awaiting child rape charges, still collecting their full salaries. This has to stop. When the money finally runs out, it will. Money (or lack of it), is a powerful weapon indeed. Lack of cash, and the resulting insolvency, caused the demise of the once-mighty Soviet Union.

Really guy?