It appears that a CUT change may be worth considering... I fought the good fight for as long as I could, but a man can only fight so much.



After 17 years and 3 months in the law enforcement and criminal justice world, I resigned. I just couldn't do it any more. I was at this point a bit over a year ago, and thought the opportunity of a new position would be enough to make me feel differently. Turns out it wasn't. Over the past couple months, it became increasingly apparent that this was not sustainable, and that I was not going to make it another 8 years to early retirement, or 11 years to full retirement, like I originally envisioned. (Though I'm still vested, so I can access a partial retirement pension at age 65.)

Partly it was the ongoing, relentless stress of the profession. Partly it was some worsening friction with my direct boss over management styles, unclear expectations, and the like.

So I began crunching numbers and getting my ducks in a row to potentially bail if needed, and a couple weeks ago, it was needed. Now I find myself having bailed out of the airplane of job security into the freefall of unemployment, albeit with a hefty parachute. And the funny thing is... even with all that uncertainty, for the first time in many years, I find myself less stressed than before.

My living expenses are covered for the next year, if needed. I'm not quite 40. I have a degree, and a bunch of non-police-specific job experience related to things like training, hiring/recruiting, public speaking/community outreach, and management.

So now the only question is: Where will I land?

I have about two dozen job applications out there already, and am working my network of friends and retired/former guys who went into the private world for more leads, along with job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn.

I'm looking for something with significantly less stress and a better work/life balance. And I suspect it will involve better pay too, considering the large gulf in private vs. public sector salaries around here. I have zero interest in getting back into law enforcement. That ship has sailed. But I'd be okay with something related/adjacent, like background investigations or corporate security. Or I may end up chasing something else entirely. I really enjoy teaching and training, so it may be something along those lines. (Though not as a schoolteacher!)

Wish me luck!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RogueJSK,

You'll do just fine. Stress in a job environment can be life shortening so you having bailed may have just ensured you'll be around to enjoy old age.

2 words. Mall Security.

Congrats on emptying your bullshit bucket. As scary as it can be it’s usually such a relief to do so.

Take a few weeks for yourself and then the world is your oyster and you can get to……refilling that bucket.

quote:

for the first time in many years, I find myself less stressed than before.

That is priceless. I wish you well in your next stage of life.

quote:

corporate security

Large, multinational corporations security groups are a great spot for former law enforcement officers and over the years I've known several at my employer. Also, I know one former secret service agent in executive protection at a large, multinational corporation. Walmart's HQ is up your way and might be an option for corporate security or executive protection.

A friend is a LEO and thinking more and more about making his side hustle his full-time job. In Houston, LEOs can moonlight at security gigs in full uniform and with full law enforcement powers. Businesses are getting sick of security with no legal authority whom the criminal element ignore, and instead are hiring LEOs to work on their off days. My friend's side hussle is staffing coordinator for other LEOs moonlighting. Only works with solid people that he hand picks from his agency. Might be an option for you if Arkansas laws are similar.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Walmart's HQ is up your way and might be an option for corporate security or executive protection.

Yep. I already have some irons in that fire. There's also at least one other Fortune 100 company whose HQ is up here, along with several other Fortune 500s.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
I'm not quite 40. I have a degree, and a bunch of non-police-specific job experience related to things like training, hiring/recruiting, public speaking/community outreach, and management.

So now the only question is: Where will I land?

You'll land. You'll do just fine.

Best of luck Rogue. Glad you've got yourself covered & we're able to bail on your own terms.

Shit, you're young, experienced, educated and understand the value of doing what you like so you should be just fine.
Even if you do something completely different that your past - just think it through and do what you enjoy doing.
Life is too short and you have a long way to go.
Good Luck!

You'll still be fighting the good fight. You'll just be doing it someplace where you'll be better appreciated.

Good luck on your new adventure, enjoy a bit of time off while you hunt down your next job!

Man, sorry to hear this.

This is the ultimate result of the current climate in policing. Good people leaving the job.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, what do people believe will happen when all the good cops leave? There aren’t people standing in line for the long hours, poor pay and poor family life. Along with the high stress and politics.

My best to your future endeavors. Keep your head up, J

I'm glad you value your mental health. One can only take so much stress and bullshit. I've done the walk away a few times myself, and every single time, the mental relief is invaluable compared to whatever the good pay was.

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Originally posted by 12131:
the mental relief is invaluable compared to whatever the good pay was.

Ha! I didn't even get the benefit of that good pay.

Well, I was doing okay. But nothing like some of the private sector jobs that I'm apparently well-qualified for. It was an eye-opener the first time I read the qualifications for a corporate job posting with an advertised salary nearly 3x what I was making and went "Waitadamnminute... I check all these boxes!"

I understand fully my friend!!
I have 6 months more time than you and just hit 40. So I know exactly the boat you are rowing. What a different world Law Enforcement has become.
25+ year police careers are honestly a thing of the past. Very few folks can make it that long anymore without having serious health/mental health, family, ramifications, myself included.

I have set things up that I will be able to leave come May. I’d like to push out another 3 years after that to maximize my pension but I just don’t see that happening.

I know lots go into these decisions and sometimes just venting helps.
If you need to chat by all means shoot me an email and I’ll give you my phone number.

Best of luck to you moving forward!

Take care of yourself brother! Use them time to enjoy some solitude and process what you've been through, then figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. Exciting times.

Welcome to the club my friend. The day I left I thought I’d be a basket case, but I actually felt a lot of relief. I miss the good parts of the job and am going to be starting some part time work to scratch the itch, and may consider an executive position if the right one comes up, but like yourself I was done working for incompetent leadership. I couldn’t look myself in the mirror and feel good about myself, when I knew in my heart that I was not doing the right thing. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors and my email is in my profile if you ever want to chat. Good luck and be well friend!

I wish you all the luck in the world. BTDT.

With your experience and desire for better work/life balance, I would suggest looking at Postal Office security / investigator. I had a neighbor who was employed as one. I don't really remember the proper term, maybe postal inspector.

He put in regular hours and they still have a good pension plan unless they went completely to the FERS system.

Best wishes for you. Seventeen years of on the street real world experience; someone will soon call you for an interview.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
With your experience and desire for better work/life balance, I would suggest looking at Postal Office security / investigator. I had a neighbor who was employed as one. I don't really remember the proper term, maybe postal inspector.

Yeah, US Postal Inspector Service. But that's still law enforcement. Even if I was willing to continue in law enforcement, I'm a couple years too old to start a federal law enforcement career. The cutoff for starting any federal LE career is age 37, without prior military or federal work to offset that. You have to be able to complete at least 20 years of federal service before mandatory retirement at age 57.

I hate to hear that. Jones is right though- good people are leaving the profession and nobody is lining up to fill the holes. In my area we are largely shielded from the stuff a lot of big cities are facing but even here it gets rough. It seems like 2020 just kicked the air out of everyone and it’s taking a long time to recover.

I’ve got just over 3 years left until I can go. There’s still some left in the tank but once I hit 20 I’m not sure how much will be left.