Hi all my name is Shawn I am 38 years old have a wife and 1 child. I have one regret in my life and thats not joining the military I was very close my senior year of high school . I had a recruiter that I was friends with all through that year close to graduation it got I showed the slightest bit of doubt and he toatly changed became an ass. Turned me off completely. I regret it to this day alot of my friend went on to join and become officers in the north east and some arw just retired from the service.Anyway I was wondering what was considered too old to think about a career in law enforcement.
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Too late to become a LEO
- Thread starter Shawn F
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Opportunities don’t discriminate.
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I’m a firemen not a cop but when I was 24 I went to the academy with a 52 year old guy. He did just fine. Go for it!
I work most holidays now. I work at a marina and people want their boats on holidays. What shift I work wouldnt concern me. I think that the job would be interesting to me and mabey I could do some good in my community.
I am really considering it . I have just been thinking latley how I just work some bs job same old thing every day . When Im older id like to be able to loom back and say I made a diffrence or at least tried. I am going to look into what I need to qualify for becoming an LEO. As I am not sure if I need college crimanal justice courses or what have you. But I am really interested in starting a career instead of just working some job just to pay the bills. Id like to enjoy going to work and I really think I would enjoy it. My uncle was a LEO in coventy R.I. he loved his job.
Sparkey
NES Member
Not trying to discourage you but working 3rd shift sucks then trying to sleep during the day or work a detail then catch a few hours sleep before going back in takes a toll on family life.
Just my experience not as a LEO but working in a state job in the tunnels I was gone on Christmas Day with little ones at home because I was the low man.
Sparky123
NES Member
38 too old, are you serious ? A young man like you have should have many good years ahead. So why not use them to do the things you really want to do ? When you get to be my age (65) you may have many regrets, don't let this be one of them. I say, go for it !!!!
My first suggestion if you really want to be a cop is to start paying attention to detail. Everything you do or say will be scrutinized and your report writing skills are key to being successful. If you type like a 15 yr old texting his friends you’ll just make life harder on yourself and confusing for anyone else reading it.
Take a few extra minutes to make sure what you type is clear and concise before hitting submit.
Start the process now, it’s long and drawn out and may take 2+ yrs before you even get a notice to come in for your initial interview. Good luck.
Take a few extra minutes to make sure what you type is clear and concise before hitting submit.
Start the process now, it’s long and drawn out and may take 2+ yrs before you even get a notice to come in for your initial interview. Good luck.
^ This
If you make a mistake in a report, I'll make you look incompetent on the witness stand, and the drunk driver will walk
mikelawtown
NES Member
Well no military And no college you would most likely have to take the civil service and it’s every 2 years .
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Wrong
Sarcasm
mikelawtown
NES Member
A ton do but plenty out there that will hire if u can keep up, lol.
Section 58A Chapter 31 General laws for Boston says if u hit 40 on the exam day it’s a No.
lowbuckbob
NES Member
Just do it. There have been a lot of late bloomers at our department and they all did well. There will be short term sacrifice in terms of shifts, weekends and holidays but it will work out in the end. Keep your eye on the prize.
Agreed, if it was up to me I’d up the age to be a cop instead of upping the age to buy a rifle. Older cops are more reasonable, have more patience, more life experience, more to lose and hopefully have let the chip on their shoulder fall off long ago with nothing to prove.
Bob and I have trained many guys at the academy who were late 30’s and even 40’s and all have done well, where as a lot of the much younger guys have stepped on their dicks in the first couple years just like a Private in the military would.
I’d rather have a guy with a steady hand and a good thought process than some a**h*** who can run a 5.5 min mile but snaps when someone looks at him cross eyed.
You’re lucky then, I spent 28 yrs between green and blue and have plenty of regrets. Sometimes I feel like the entire thing was a waste and lost my family along the way to boot. Just try not to stare at the ice in the bottom of your glass too long, have to keep moving forward.
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alan226
NES Member
Go to the Feds. There was a court case not too long ago that determined that the age cut off doesn't apply to veterans.
MEMORANDUM FOR HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
FROM: John Berry
Director
Subject: Change in maximum entry-age requirements for Veterans’ Preference Eligibles
On July 2, 2008, the Merit Systems Protection Board (Board) issued a final decision in Robert P. Isabella v. Department of State and Office of Personnel Management, 2008 M.S.P.B. 146, that affects preference eligibles who apply for federal positions having a maximum entry-age restriction. The Board decided that the agency’s failure to waive the maximum entry-age requirements for Mr. Isabella, a preference eligible veteran, violated his rights under the Veteran Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) because there was no demonstration that a maximum entry-age was essential to the performance of the position.
Based on the Board’s decision in Isabella, qualified preference eligibles may now apply and be considered for vacancies regardless of whether they meet the maximum age requirements identified at 5 U.S.C. 3307. In order to determine whether it must waive a maximum entry-age requirement, an agency must first analyze the affected position to determine whether age is essential to the performance of the position. If the agency decides age is not essential to the position, then it must waive the maximum entry-age requirement for veterans’ preference eligible applicants. In instances where the maximum entry-age is waived, the corresponding mandatory retirement age for these individuals will also be higher because it will be reached after 20 years of Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) service for the entitlement to an immediate enhanced annuity.
The same principles set forth above would apply to appointments to other types of positions for which the setting of maximum entry ages are authorized under 5 U.S.C. § 3307. These types of positions are: (1) firefighters, (2) air traffic controllers, (3) United States Park police, (4) nuclear materials couriers, and (5) customs and border patrol officers (subject to the Federal Employees Retirement System, 5 U.S.C. § 8401 et seq. only).
Agencies are reminded that they are still required to apply suitability, occupational qualification standards, and medical qualification determinations when waiving the maximum entry-age requirements for preference eligible veterans.
Please contact the OPM Human Capital Officer that services your agency should you have questions concerning this policy change.
cc: Chief Human Capital Officers
MEMORANDUM FOR HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
FROM: John Berry
Director
Subject: Change in maximum entry-age requirements for Veterans’ Preference Eligibles
On July 2, 2008, the Merit Systems Protection Board (Board) issued a final decision in Robert P. Isabella v. Department of State and Office of Personnel Management, 2008 M.S.P.B. 146, that affects preference eligibles who apply for federal positions having a maximum entry-age restriction. The Board decided that the agency’s failure to waive the maximum entry-age requirements for Mr. Isabella, a preference eligible veteran, violated his rights under the Veteran Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) because there was no demonstration that a maximum entry-age was essential to the performance of the position.
Based on the Board’s decision in Isabella, qualified preference eligibles may now apply and be considered for vacancies regardless of whether they meet the maximum age requirements identified at 5 U.S.C. 3307. In order to determine whether it must waive a maximum entry-age requirement, an agency must first analyze the affected position to determine whether age is essential to the performance of the position. If the agency decides age is not essential to the position, then it must waive the maximum entry-age requirement for veterans’ preference eligible applicants. In instances where the maximum entry-age is waived, the corresponding mandatory retirement age for these individuals will also be higher because it will be reached after 20 years of Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) service for the entitlement to an immediate enhanced annuity.
The same principles set forth above would apply to appointments to other types of positions for which the setting of maximum entry ages are authorized under 5 U.S.C. § 3307. These types of positions are: (1) firefighters, (2) air traffic controllers, (3) United States Park police, (4) nuclear materials couriers, and (5) customs and border patrol officers (subject to the Federal Employees Retirement System, 5 U.S.C. § 8401 et seq. only).
Agencies are reminded that they are still required to apply suitability, occupational qualification standards, and medical qualification determinations when waiving the maximum entry-age requirements for preference eligible veterans.
Please contact the OPM Human Capital Officer that services your agency should you have questions concerning this policy change.
cc: Chief Human Capital Officers
Cap'n Mike
NES Member
Sorry to hear that Cams
My 26 years has been a twisted path full of mistakes and f***ups on my part, but few regrets because they made me who I am.
That and being lucky enough to marry a woman that put up with me.
I definatly have to work on that I do text likea 15 year old texting his friend.I will work on that. I have always had an eye for detail little things now one else would notice.Everyone always would say to me I should be a dective or something. I just wanna do something with my life .Last few years I just work a job to pay the bills but its not something that I enjoy. I just think being an LEO would be something I would enjoy.
Nah don’t be, I chose it like the rest of us here that choose these things, you take your lumps and move on.
Good point also, I’d rather be cranky, broken and scarred than wearing sandals and carrying a man purse. lol
Grab it by the throat then and take what you want, life’s gonna kill us all eventually anyway no matter what we do. Set your goal and don’t stop until you’ve conquered it.
Look at applying for Transit Police, no age limit and you’ll get your fair share of just about everything policing has to offer. They are always hiring and have their own academy in Quincy.
excuse me, could you stop yelling at me lmao
I've heard that Transit only hires veterans since they don't do residency preference. Is this still the case?
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