View Full Version : Marine to Law Enforcement
Hey everyone.
I have just under 18 months till my EAS and have started looking at civilian career opportunities(which are few and far between these days). I'm going to be deployed until literally a few weeks before my EAS so I figured I should start looking now so I can hit the ground running when I get back. Being a police officer has always interested me and since agencies love to hire prior military I naturally started looking at that first. Right now I'm interested in being a state trooper either here in North Carolina or back home in Wyoming.
Are there any Marines on here who are current or former law enforcement? Any advice to give? Also, I read you should start putting in applications ~6 months ahead of time because of the long process of interviews, background check and waiting for academy classes to start. Since I'm going to be deployed on an Amphib during that time I don't think thats going to be possible. Anyone know if agencies will let me interview before I leave and if accepted, hold off on sending me to an academy until I get back?
Thanks in advance for any replies!
Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy... we all know you're a good Marine ... why not start your job hunt in the carreer planners office?
Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy... we all know you're a good Marine ... why not start your job hunt in the carreer planners office?
I think the saying is something like "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice..." well you see where I'm going with this.
haha, just kidding.
Honestly, I never intended to make the Corps a career or even do more than once enlistment. I will be proud of my service to my country and wouldn't trade it for anything. I wont ever regret signing the piece of paper and giving my self to my country for 5 years. Just time to serve in a different capacity I guess.
Integrity57
01-23-10, 09:07 PM
Have you gotten your Air Traffic Controller Cert through the FAA yet? We had ATCs in my department in P-Cola and they were saying making 60k a year doing the same thing as a civilian is the lower end of the pay spectrum for ATCs. Just some food for thought, you might check out wyomingatwork.com for other ideas if you can't get into Law Enforcement right away or are looking for other options.
Have you gotten your Air Traffic Controller Cert through the FAA yet? We had ATCs in my department in P-Cola and they were saying making 60k a year doing the same thing as a civilian is the lower end of the pay spectrum for ATCs. Just some food for thought, you might check out wyomingatwork.com for other ideas if you can't get into Law Enforcement right away or are looking for other options.
Yes, I have my CTO from the FAA and am fully aware of opportunities for ATC in the civilian world. Its just not what I want to do. ATC is a great career and I love doing it but, its not what I want to do in the long run however, its always a possibility. i want to explore all my options first.
And $60k is high for entry level pay in the FAA these days. After years of pay cuts starting salary is about $37k which, is about the same as an entry level Law Enforcement Officer is most areas. Controllers do advance quicker in salary but in the end they don't make too more more, anymore.
Nick Valdez
01-23-10, 09:30 PM
Most departments these days what you to have a college education. They are looking for someone who has a BA in Criminal Justice. Years ago when I got out of the Corps they were looking for individuals with a military background, now it is college. Go back to school and graduate from college.
polizei
01-23-10, 09:33 PM
My only advice is to save all the money you can, because finding a job can be quite difficult. Now, granted I'm only 20 (so I can't try for LE yet), but I can't even find a SECURITY job as an MP with all my qualifications (I have other civi qualifications as well). It's a horrible time to be looking for a job...especially one in LE.
Good luck.
Komenko
01-23-10, 09:34 PM
you have many options you can take! ICE Agents, FBI, U.S. Marshals, or go DoD civilian and become a Police officer for a Base! check this link out for Base Law Enforcement! I know Camp Pendleton is still short on numbers, don't know about Lejeune!
https://chart.donhr.navy.mil/index.asp
Sgt Leprechaun
01-24-10, 03:00 AM
Depends on where you go, and what you want to do. A college degree is NOT a requirement for most local LEO's, at least in my state, and in much of the south. States out west I can't speak of.
Local (and even local Federal) processes do, in fact, take six months. Or more. Now is the time to start putting those apps in.
AND...I'd still check out the 'jammer. You just never know what might be lurking out there that you may be interested in.
Nick Valdez
01-24-10, 09:58 AM
I can only speak for the departments up north in reference to college. I'm sure that there are departments up here that do not require a college education, but they are few and far between.
firedog974
01-24-10, 10:33 AM
It all is going to depend on where you want to work. I would say overall, the hiring process for law enforcement is VERY slow. The average time to get hired is 3 to 6 months, but it is not unheard of to take up to a year. North Carolina is one of those states that needs officers right now. A great place to help you out is officer.com. If you go to the "agencies" tab and click "United States" you can find the website for nearly every agency in the US. Go to some of the agency websites you are interested in and see what their hiring requirements are. If you find a couple places you are interested in, shoot them a call and ask them how long their hiring process takes.
firedog974
01-24-10, 10:50 AM
I would also suggest putting in applications now, and calling the agency and telling them what your situation is. One of the officers in my agency put in his app, told us he was going to Iraq, Interviewed before he left, and when he came back 12 months later, he had a job the day he EAS'ed.
you have many options you can take! ICE Agents, FBI, U.S. Marshals, or go DoD civilian and become a Police officer for a Base! check this link out for Base Law Enforcement! I know Camp Pendleton is still short on numbers, don't know about Lejeune!
https://chart.donhr.navy.mil/index.asp
US Marshals aren't accepting apps right now. FBI has to have at least a BA. Not sure about ICE.
That's a great link, and it might end up landing me a gig.
Jimmy, check out Alaska state police. They get paid crazy amounts of money, if you can deal with being so far away from everything. Application processes can be over 10 months, but you only have to go there for the polygraph and physical prior to reporting to the academy. (I believe academy pay is 4,200 a month)
Hey, Komenko, how legit is that site? I'm getting an account there now but they are unwilling to proceed unless I provide my SSN. Should they be trusted?
Komenko
01-24-10, 11:45 AM
Hey, Komenko, how legit is that site? I'm getting an account there now but they are unwilling to proceed unless I provide my SSN. Should they be trusted?
its a DoD website. i trust it, hell they hired me from it so i really trust it and reconmend it to any service member former or active! and as a former military member you get to see job postings that the civilians don't get to see! another get thing about it is if you didn't retire from the military you can buy back your military service and add it to your time in civil service. like take me for example i did alittle over 10 years active service, if i retire from civil service in 30 years i can add the 10 years to the 30 for a bit larger of a retirement check!
I would also suggest putting in applications now, and calling the agency and telling them what your situation is. One of the officers in my agency put in his app, told us he was going to Iraq, Interviewed before he left, and when he came back 12 months later, he had a job the day he EAS'ed.
I found the number for the recruiter for the NCSHP and figured I'll give him a call this week and see what he would recommend doing.
US Marshals aren't accepting apps right now. FBI has to have at least a BA. Not sure about ICE.
That's a great link, and it might end up landing me a gig.
Jimmy, check out Alaska state police. They get paid crazy amounts of money, if you can deal with being so far away from everything. Application processes can be over 10 months, but you only have to go there for the polygraph and physical prior to reporting to the academy. (I believe academy pay is 4,200 a month)
Wow, thats a nice number but, I dont know, Alaska is a lil bit farther than I was hoping for. I'll keep in mind though.
Integrity57
01-24-10, 02:22 PM
With Alaska you have to keep in mind the pay is what it is because of the high cost of living up there and maybe some extra for hazardous duty pay since you could possibly be mauled by a bear the size of a truck lol.
Wyoming
01-24-10, 06:07 PM
PM me for a link to a SO position (Deputy).