quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
...you start to focus more on the more fundamental things in life: family, friendship, peace, and happiness.

No, I totally agree. I hope for all those things for both of us in abundance.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
I kinda feel like the stereotypical middle-aged warrior from TV/movies, who wants to hang up the sword and just go tend his crops, make babies, and be left in peace.

Hopefully that's more the denouement than the exposition preceding the rising action of those films. We're becoming middle age men in a strange time.

quote:

Originally posted by Loswsmith:
If worst comes to worst and you want to move there are, like, 13,000 law enforcement jobs in the PNW that need filled.

I'm gonna go ahead and say I don't think this is where he's going to find happiness and purpose.

Best of luck to you in whatever new endeavors you get into!

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

hair plugs, convertibles, and blonde bimbos

Ain't nothing wrong with those, maybe do without the hair plugs.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by RogueJSK:
.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by Loswsmith:
/QUOTE]

I'm gonna go ahead and say I don't think this is where he's going to find happiness and purpose.

He also seems clear about that, now. That may change in retrospect. Also, and here's a major drop of knowledge and life experience: you need to be careful if your job is your life. Some people do this and it works for them, but most do not, because often(always? sometimes?) as Rogue found out, the job doesn't give a shit about you. He has, right now, a valuable and sought after skill that will make him a ton of money. He might want to find places where he can arbitrage that. I have identified one such. I know the PNW, especially Washington, leaves a bad taste in mouths, especially maybe yours and I get that, but others have made it work.

Hopefully he gets a job doing what he loves, meets the love of his life doing and everyone lives happily ever after. And I really mean that, but it's nice to have plan B-Z ready to go too.

Best wishes to you, RogueJSK. It takes courage to walk away, even if the reasons are-- as yours-- rock-solid.

Sounds like you're already working through the ways your skills/experience translate to non-cop occupations. Training is a huge one (and not specifically LE training, either.)

If you're interested in higher education, many institutions (even at the community college level) have bulked out their Title IX compliance programs, which often involve investigative functions but in an entirely different setting than you're accustomed.

Echoing what others have posted, you'll land. And you'll kick yourself for not doing it sooner.

OT, but will your agency be a LEOSA headache?

I have no clue about the retirement system over there but is there a chance of getting a job in the same system so you don’t lose the pension?

quote:

Originally posted by DennisM:
OT, but will your agency be a LEOSA headache?

Possibly, since I didn't retire, but voluntarily separated. I haven't even crossed that bridge, and may not. At least not right now. Arkansas is a constitutional carry state, and I've kept my AR CHL current anyway, to skip the background check when buying new guns.

quote:

Originally posted by cooger:
I have no clue about the retirement system over there but is there a chance of getting a job in the same system so you don’t lose the pension?

Yes. It's a state retirement system shared by pretty much all state government agencies and public schools, and by many county and city governments too. Service at any participating agency contributes towards your 25/28.

The issue is finding something within that retirement system that earns enough to pay the bills for the next 8-11 years. Lots of entry level ~$30k city/county/state jobs around here, but not many higher ones, as they tend to promote from within into higher and better paying positions. (And most of the higher-paying state jobs are in Little Rock anyway.)

It's definitely something I'm pursuing, though.

Does anything with state or national parks interest you? I’ve always heard good things from veterans who went that route.

Good luck brother. I did the same thing, pulled the proverbial pin at 15yrs 8 months due to many of the same reasons about 7 years ago now (I'm 48). Best decision I ever made, and I miss it not even a little. If you want to talk my email is in my profile. I ended up in private corporate security with much better pay and benefits (not to mention far less stress, even running things as I currently am).

I don’t know exactly how you feel, but I have a good idea. I retired from full time LE in July and just reserve now. Just last night, a crazy guy tried to assault me with a club, but was only able to dent my unit and shatter a window. I’ll be 60 next month, so I will probably shut it all down by year’s end.

Good luck with your new endeavors, whatever they will be!

You may want to consider health care LE or security. After I pulled the pin I got on with a middle sized hospital PD - far, far less stress, decent pay, obviously full health care benefits (assuming you are OK with their providers) and for me the best part is working three 12 hour shifts which makes it seems like part-time.


Hospital drama and politics suck, but at my age I can easily ignore it.

No advice, but you'll be fine. Best of luck!

Possibly a security manager at a local hospital would interest you. It’s constant education and training of staff as healthcare roles are slightly different than police department. Plus cute nurses.

Glad you're taking care of your mental health. This profession takes it's toll. I just turned 49 a few months ago and made it to full retirement a few months before that. I'm not sure how much longer I plan on sticking around.

I wish you peace and good luck.

What about another department in an administrative role to get that pension?

Good for you. There is no compensation for a job you dislike.

I wish you the best. I was completely prepared to do the same thing just a couple of months ago, but I’m adjusting my mindset for now. They pay me too much and I’m too vested to stop just yet.

The jobs are out there. And the difference is unbelievable. You’ll get it sorted.

Very sorry to hear this, Rogue, but I completely understand. You will be a loss to Arkansas LE, especially in the training world. Your wide base of knowledge is of great service to new officers. In the long run, I believe this will prove to be a wise decision. For the first time in my career, when I'm asked, I no longer suggest LE to young people as a profession.

LE leadership nationwide, and especially in Arkansas, is not what it once was. Morale is dying because of it.

I envy you. I have 30 years in right now (not including 3 years of dispatching time from 19-22). I'm 53 now, and have been on the T-DROP for a little over a year. I'll retire in 3 years, when I'm 56. You've been smarter than me with your money, for sure, and I think that's great that you have the option to call your own shots.

I wish you the very best. I'm quite certain you'll find something that will be fulfilling and far less stressful. Please let me know if I can help you with anything. Be safe.

Congrats! Sounds like you did better than a lot can do in a job with that type of stress. I agree with Jones- a sad but not surprising byproduct of the times- good folks leaving LE…

Let us know (if you can) where you end up!

I want to make two comments, which came to my head after reading all the posts above.
1. Having a job where you’re appreciated is worth more than money, and can make up for the crap you have to take with the job. Happened to me when I went back to work after retiring. I’m glad I did it if just for that feeling.
2. Listen to us: if you’re a cop, in the military, a physician, who knows what other positions are true service careers: we don’t want our kids to go into them. This is an unseen, unrecognized crisis in our country.