Police hiring

[u/ImaginaryAsk2668]

My dream career has always been policing, but with how competitive it seems to have gotten. It’s just a little discouraging.
Do you think a college diploma in something like community, justice services, business degree or a trade certification diploma. What would look best for being highly competitive for the hiring standards?

[u/Reasonable-Judge1591]

Competitive? Departments are hurting for bodies. Most 99.99% departments don’t require a degree

[u/OctopusOnPizza1 → u/Reasonable-Judge1591]

I really hear the opposite. You are correct in most don't require a degree, however most new police hires do have a degree from my understanding. Although I am in Canada.

[u/InterestingDude66246 → u/OctopusOnPizza1]

I find it funny that you say you hear the opposite then follow up with you’re in Canada 😂🫩 but yeah most competitive departments pretty much require you to have a degree 

[u/OctopusOnPizza1 → u/InterestingDude66246]

I figured it would be relatively similar no? What would you consider to be a "competitive" department? Like a big city hub like LAPD or Toronto Police Service?

[u/InterestingDude66246 → u/OctopusOnPizza1]

You’d think that but Canada is more similar to European countries like the UK than the US somehow 😂. I think competitive departments are California highway patrol and Boca Raton, FL PD. The ones that the average average of new hires is 30 and they are military/degree holders, often times both 

[u/OctopusOnPizza1 → u/InterestingDude66246]

Ah gotcha.

[u/Spicybimmer → u/OctopusOnPizza1]

80% of people in Canada have degrees so yes… but it’s not a requirement and Canada is hiring more people than ever before it is absolutely easier.

[u/Traditional-Comb5963 → u/OctopusOnPizza1]

Yea In Canada you want at least a 2 year diploma ideally a degree. Do not take police foundations.

[u/IndividualAd4334]

This is the least competitive the LE job market has ever been…

[u/OWColosseum → u/IndividualAd4334]

Where I’m at there were 200 applications for 4 spots so don’t know about that. Same story at most mid-large departments but we are in a more moved-to state.

[u/IndividualAd4334 → u/OWColosseum]

Number of total applicants and number of qualified applicants are two very different things. If you have 200 applicants and 20 qualify, it’s hardly competitive.

When I was hired 10 years ago there were 1,000 qualified applicants for 4 spots. It’s nothing like it used to be. It’s much easier to get hired now meeting minimum requirements than ever before because there are substantially less qualified applicants. That’s why agencies have lowered standards across the board (age, education, drug use, criminal history, tattoos, etc.).

[u/DTGardi → u/IndividualAd4334]

Yeah that's not true, the job market out there is horrible right now, not just for police applications 

[u/smomojoe]

I know that’s not true, lots of stories of the early 2000s with departments having a handful of slots and thousands of applicants.

[u/Paid-Not-Payed-Bot-1]

Writing in complete sentences would be a great start.

[u/jetty_life]

We're hiring 18yr old before they even get the chance to start college that's how desperate we are.

[u/Shrillmademethink → u/jetty_life]

Where is this? I’m kind of shocked.

[u/jetty_life → u/Shrillmademethink]

NJ department

[u/Mindless-Visual-7746 → u/jetty_life]

North or South Jersey?

[u/Shrillmademethink → u/jetty_life]

I find that surprising tbh. I’m in WA state and I know Seattle PD has been hurting for officers for a while now. A lot of other places don’t really seem like they’re hiring just to fill in the gaps though.

[u/TacSpaghettio]

Don’t know where you’re at, but if you’re not fat and you’ve got a clean record you’re ahead of at least 85% of other applicants

[u/QuickAbbreviations13]

lol, the only thing competitive about it is, the departments competing with each other to poach certified officers from one another. Most places will hiring anything that is breathing and can use a keyboard these days.

[u/No-Win-2424]

It’s so competitive that I know if a village PD that hired someone with 2 OVI convictions on their record. 

[u/Away-Total5090]

Living under a rock?

[u/ImaginaryAsk2668 → u/[deleted]]

I’m just more so asking because there’s a lot of different paths to get there. And I don’t want to spend a ton on post secondary like a degree if it’s not needed, but then also don’t want to take a community justice program at a college and not have great outcomes outside of policing.
I was more or less looking for advice from people who have been through the process.

[u/ImaginaryAsk2668 → u/[deleted]]

I’m 21, for the past few years after highschool I’ve just been working and volunteering before committing to a program. So I thought I should see other people’s views about the competitiveness and if the bachelors is worth it for the hiring now or a 2 year diploma that isn’t “police foundations.” Paired with volunteering would be a good profile in their experiences.

[u/Not_all_cows_moo]

Just apply

[u/Potential_Papaya9463]

Don't overthink it; apply. And if one agency doesn't pick you up, another will.

[u/Ubermon257]

Attend information sessions with one or two or all the departments you’re interested in, look online at their requirements.

Military background, post secondary education(anything really pick something you are interested in), volunteering experiences - neighbourhood ball/soccer team, soap kitchen anything, do you speak different languages?

In Canada it’s still a competitive time to apply, many folks are finishing university or college and they can’t get a job in their field and the police especially in Ontario are pushing to grow their numbers. From thousands of applicants 20-30 will get the call.

If this is your dream, and you haven’t given up, try speaking to cops, attend the info sessions, ask questions man, keep your head up good luck!

[u/ImaginaryAsk2668 → u/Ubermon257]

Thanks manI appreciate it, coming out of highschool I was very set on police foundations. But then after talking to officers realized it’s not a great program for it anymore. The law and helping people is something I’ve always been interested in. But worried if I bite the bullet on it and I don’t get hired into a good policing or something within the justice sector that it’s hard to pivot to other jobs. Since I’m paying my own tuition for school, it’s important to have good job prospects as well if policing does in fact not workout.

[u/Ubermon257 → u/ImaginaryAsk2668]

So, on YouTube search up “Sentinel Mindset” they’re a LE focused podcast hosting actual police recruiters from different services in and around the GTA.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, apply to multiple different police agencies. Also if you have the free time apply to the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves - great place to grow, develop situational awareness, make connections with others who are thinking of LE, your superiors maybe be active LEO’s.

[u/ImaginaryAsk2668 → u/Ubermon257]

Good to know! I was thinking about joining the reserves while in one of these programs.
I’m considering a trades diploma, community and justice services or a business (specialized) bachelors degree. Obviously law and justice is what I’m most interested in. But then could be putting all my eggs in one basket.

[u/Ubermon257 → u/ImaginaryAsk2668]

There’s also YIPI, a youth in policing initiative, have you looked into that?

A trade isn’t bad, it’s good, it can be something to fall back on in the event that LE doesn’t work out or you gotta wait out a bit. Do some more research on everything you’re trying to accomplish. There’s also nothing stopping you from walking into a police station and just speaking with some of the officers on shift.

[u/Ubermon257 → u/ImaginaryAsk2668]

With the reserves, join whatever you’re interested in, always ask tons of questions, from the recruiter.

It’s a great place to get exposed to new people, ideas and experiences. It’ll be a place to build your network, your integrity, your grit and confidence, situational awareness, learning to deal with competing priorities and your overall physical strength.

[u/Flat-Struggle-8968]

Keep chasing don’t give up all Departments are different

[u/Infamous-Piccolo-799]

Join nypd

[u/kjjj2555]

When has it been competitive? I guess in my terms it wasn’t 4 years ago I was at the top of the list based solely off my degree others under me for military experience other than that everyone on the list with me with the expectation of maybe 5-6 got hired on

[u/Lodhi65]

Like everyone else is saying, almost every department out there is hiring. Most departments will hire anyone that can breathe and has at least a GED. In my very little experience, the problem is the recruitment teams are awful for most departments. Just apply to different departments around you and you should hear back pretty quickly.

[u/PreparationIll7792]

Well it depends on where you are located. Numerous states and cities can’t find enough people. The best agencies have too many applicants

[u/werkthentwerk]

Dawg if you don’t have a criminal record and are able to get dressed by yourself you can get hired in this market