Police Applications Plummet Nationwide

December 11, 2018, 02:18 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Strambo:
quote:
Originally posted by Edmond:
quote:
Originally posted by mrapteam666:
Oh well, I have given up and honestly have started looking at working private contractor overseas to pay our bills off.

I looked into those jobs as well.

Seems the higher paying gigs are for combat arms, deployments and if you have a security clearance. I think most were in the $500/day neighborhood.

Does that sound about right to you?

I did a 5 month stint as a PSD team leader in Baghdad. Loved the experience and glimpse into that world...but decided I liked my family better. Offhand, I have a hard time thinking of a long-time PMC I knew who was still married.

The big $ when I was doing it was for engineer, IT types, us grunts got six figures but nothing like those trades.

All I wanted was Fed LE or local as a fallback when I got off active duty in '02. Now, I see it as a blessing that it didn't pan out. I wouldn't do it in this environment for any amount of $.

I think the crime has to get bad enough there is a mass outcry from the "silent majority" to roll back this PC criminal-coddling nonsense. It will get a lot worse before it gets better.

Your last point... I agree. But let it come, then maybe, just maybe, society will wisen up and take the handcuffs of of us... let us crack a few heads, and restore bad guys to being just that, bad guys.

December 11, 2018, 08:36 AM

RogueJSK

quote:
Originally posted by CPD SIG:
One of the more valuable lessons I've learned in those long hikes in the Marines- Head down, one foot in front of the other... Suck it up, keep moving, keep your people happy and moving until you hit the finish line.

Word.

12.5 ~~miles~~ years in... 15.5 more to go.

December 11, 2018, 10:58 AM

jsbcody

quote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
quote:
Originally posted by CPD SIG:
One of the more valuable lessons I've learned in those long hikes in the Marines- Head down, one foot in front of the other... Suck it up, keep moving, keep your people happy and moving until you hit the finish line.

Word.

12.5 ~~miles~~ years in... 15.5 more to go.

Amen!

22.5 years in at current department (35 years total)...........3.5 years left.

December 11, 2018, 11:35 AM

GWbiker

GF's son is beginning his third year as Correction Officer for Arizona and has been considering taking the Sergeant test. He's working 12 hour work shifts due to under staffing at Arizona state prisons. Pima county Prison system is also short handed.

Arizona voters recently decided to change the CO retirement pension package to a 401 retirement plan. Lower pay scale changes were also voted in effect several years ago.

He said he and several co workers are considering an application to Border patrol, TSA or Federal Prison work.

December 11, 2018, 12:21 PM

Sigmund

quote:
Originally posted by GWbiker:

...He said he and several co workers are considering an application to Border patrol, TSA or Federal Prison work.

FYI, Border Patrol and Federal prison slots generally require applicants to be under 37 at hiring.

December 11, 2018, 12:42 PM

GWbiker

quote:
Originally posted by Sigmund:
quote:
Originally posted by GWbiker:

...He said he and several co workers are considering an application to Border patrol, TSA or Federal Prison work.

FYI, Border Patrol and Federal prison slots generally require applicants to be under 37 at hiring.

Thanks, the GF's kid is 24 years old. He's seriously considering a move to the Feds.

December 11, 2018, 01:32 PM

MikeGLI

The application process is a huge jerk off session, at least around here. There was a time where I wanted nothing more than to wear a badge, now I'm not interested. Though it doesn't matter because I couldn't get hired, so call me jaded. College degree, clean driving record, spotless criminal record, LEO certified, but not the right "candidate". Theres a shelf life to certifications and most agencies make you wait a 6 months to re-apply, even if they fuck something up during the process. I'm sure I could have been picked up at a smaller agency, but Im not interested in getting my ass shot off for $17/hr.

It's funny to see how local agencies, namely the big two in Orlando will fast track the right people, while others wait a fucking year to get pushed through the academy, after being hired. Not to mention the fact that some of them are just flat out bitchmade or idiots.

I talk to some buddies who are in and it seems to be love it or hate it.

December 11, 2018, 02:09 PM

SBrooks

Someone said they see a lot of hires being small females (to keep diversity numbers up).

This seems like they are asking for more shootings to take place. A small woman is going to have more trouble handling a bad guy and will need to resort to the weapon more often or more quickly I'm thinking.

Right ? Wrong ?

December 11, 2018, 03:00 PM

az4783054

quote:
Originally posted by SBrooks:
Someone said they see a lot of hires being small females (to keep diversity numbers up).

This seems like they are asking for more shootings to take place. A small woman is going to have more trouble handling a bad guy and will need to resort to the weapon more often or more quickly I'm thinking.

Right ? Wrong ?

Not necessarily in my experience (26+ years). Where a male officer would typically jump into a fight, a female officer tended to talk the situation down. I worked closely with three female officers in patrol and CI, all small in stature but big in confidence. They could kick butt like any male but their talking, in most situations, de escalated the situation to a point where fighting wasn't necessary.

There were the exceptions to this...the women who didn't want to break a fingernail taking down an unruly suspect. They didn't fare well with their male counterparts. They promoted...there were a lot of worthless male and female officers who became worthless field supervisors. FWIW, the recent trend in AZ is hiring female police Chiefs.

The % of female OIS is probably less than male OIS just based on female vs male officers hiring numbers but I doubt any stats are available.

December 11, 2018, 03:00 PM

08 Cayenne

It sure has changed from the early 1980's, was in Columbus Ohio and there was a waiting list to get into the Aux. police, which was volunteer, just for a shot at a full time job. Had to buy everything yourself, and I mean everything. I'll never forget the lie detector test and the questions they asked, good lord.

December 11, 2018, 04:41 PM

Ed Fowler

Some poly operators were plum sadistic!

December 12, 2018, 06:32 AM

HayesGreener

I hired a trainload of officers and fired a few. I learned some hard lessons from some hiring mistakes, and was uplifted by many successes. I am convinced that recruitment, selection, training, and discipline determine the outcome of the quality of service your department provides. Finding and recruiting the cream of the crop is a hard job and a relentless pursuit, because the whole thing falls apart if you don't maintain high employment standards.

Once you get them, you have to be relentless in training them, and maintaining standards of discipline in order to retain quality officers. Deviant behavior should be condemned by the agency's culture.

You expect 10% turnover per year due to retirements and other factors. Some figure out early on that policing is not a career for them and their departure is a good thing for everyone involved. Some can't hack the training or the culture. But not every officer who leaves is doing so because they are unhappy with the department. If you are in Florida and the officer's spouse wants to move home to Indiana, there's nothing you can do about that. If you have high standards the Federal and state agencies will be poaching your officers. I lost a number of officers to FBI, DEA, and other three letter agencies and felt it was a positive thing.

Native intelligence is a key factor in turning out a highly effective officer, based on my observation of officers who were successful vs. unsuccessful over the years. The officer must be able to work independently and make good spur of the moment decisions and still be able to work as the member of a team.

Your pay and benefits must be competitive with surrounding communities. But the officers you want the most are not in it for the money. The guy who just wants a steady paycheck and dental plan will not be successful in the long term. Officers will take a few dollars less to work in a center of excellence but compensation must be competitive.

You are looking for an intelligent warrior with a servant's heart, who is driven by a desire to make a difference. Things like duty, honor, respect, and service to others are meaningful to them. That's a tall order because they would be successful in any career they chose, and if they are a minority every recruiter in creation is after them. You have to reward them and make them feel appreciated within the organization no matter what is going on outside the admin building. When the community, and the media strip away the things that motivate the warrior servant, they become disenchanted or leave. They must have community support and the support of elected officials or it won't work. The community gets precisely the quality of law enforcement agency that it deserves.

December 12, 2018, 07:58 AM

CPD SIG

^HazeGreener,
I couldn't ask for a better and intelligent plan on hiring.

However....
When "Employers" are using those new buzz words like
Diversity
Transparency
Reflection of the Community
You know it's just circling the bowl. Words like "Best" and "Most Qualifyed" somewhere got replaced.

Some places are actually looking at; "well, it's got those big, dumbassed earings, it's a Trans-whatever, it identifies as a Lemur, and has purple hair. You're hired! But lower the bar just enough so it can get in the door."
Then, the employer has to face a lawsuit because they referred to it as a "you" and not a "Zee", "WooWoo" or some fuckin squiggly line.

I say it kind of tongue in cheek, but I'll be damned if there ain't a bit of truth in my sarcastic comment.

December 12, 2018, 08:23 AM

Klusk2

I enjoyed much of my career when being the “Police” meant something. I was proud to put on the uniform and hit the street to make a difference. Things have changed so drastically in the last few years that I am just praying to make it to the end and retire. I always knew that there were sacrifices to be made, long hours, rotating shifts, no family time during holidays, days off cancelled and the possibility of not coming home in the same condition as I left for work, or even coming home at all. In spite of all that, I still took the job. I expected that as long as I acted in good faith and had good intentions, I would be backed by my co-workers and supervisors/department. I’m not taking about the “Code of Silence or Thin Blue line” crap that the left seems to think exists, but that if you did your job lawfully, you would be protected by the same laws that you swore to uphold. Sadly, this is not the case anymore. The rule of law has been thrown out and has been replaced opinions of the uninformed or willfully ignorant.

It’s a different game out there now and the left is in control. Why would a sane person want to put themselves in a position to be tomorrow’s front page news? Subject themselves to lawsuits, or prison simply because they will be thrown to the wolves if what you do looks bad in the eyes of the general populace. Not many are going to sign up for that.

December 14, 2018, 10:02 PM

limblessbiff

quote:
Originally posted by jsbcody:
quote:
Originally posted by limblessbiff:
And yet when I got out of the army as a patrol supervisor in the military police 6 years ago you’d think that you would have to bribe somebody to get a job. And it’s not because of my polygraph or work history or anything. Kept passing all the tests, did well in all the review boards. Just got passed up too many times so I took my happy ass to welding where any asshole can get a job. Maybe it’s time for me to get back into shape and try again

As a 30+ years LEO, stick with welding. Law enforcement has changed for the worse and will continue to get worse. Departments will throw officers under the bus for any edited viral video clips. Soros sponsored elected persecutors will go after officers to appease the mob while not charging any crimes in the spirit of criminal justice reform:

1. Baltimore PA......check.
2. Chicago Cooke County PA.......check.
3. Several Florida PAs (remember where the Governor removed the PA from the cop killer case because she refused to seek the death penalty)........check.
4. Philadelphia PA......check.
5. St. Louis PA........check. It has got so bad that most serious cases, officers are taking to the US Attorney. Recently in Kansas City there was a meeting between Federal Prosecutors and Chiefs on taking cases to the FEDs if your local PA is progressive shithead.
6. St. Louis County PA recently elected......check. He is going to be tested right away on his stated refusal to seek the death penalty in any case with the Catholic Supply Store Killer (guy sexually assaulted three women in a Catholic Supply Store and executed one of the women when she refused his demands...then continued to sexually assault the other two. This scumbag needs to die). Local Law Enforcement Officers are bracing for what will come and finding ways to take cases to Feds like St. Louis City.
7. Newly elected Boston PA.......check. Really special kind of stupid here:
Newly Elected PA Won't Prosecute for Resisting Arrest and 15 Other Crimes
Just to highlight what she won't prosecute for (these are direct from her webpage, not making them up):
•Trespassing
•Shoplifting (including offenses that are essentially shoplifting but charged as larceny)
•Larceny under $250
•Disorderly conduct
•Disturbing the peace
•Receiving stolen property
•Minor driving offenses, including operating with a suspend or revoked license
•Breaking and entering — where it is into a vacant property or where it is for the purpose of sleeping or seeking refuge from the cold and there is no actual damage to property
•Wanton or malicious destruction of property
•Threats – excluding domestic violence
•Minor in possession of alcohol
•Drug possession
•Drug possession with intent to distribute
•A stand alone resisting arrest charge, i.e. cases where a person is charged with resisting arrest and that is the only charge
•A resisting arrest charge combined with only charges that all fall under the list of charges to decline to prosecute, e.g. resisting arrest charge combined only with a trespassing charge

Don't worry, the other progressives in my list above and other places will or have already jumped on this bandwagon had a same or similar list.

All the police can do now is take a report that just keeps score: Crooks: 1, 245, 658....Cops: 0

In light of the anti-police/anti-rule of law environment, why the hell would anyone want to be a police officer? To serve the community and tell victims over and over and over again that there is nothing they can do and nothing will be done and no one will be charged??????

Problem is that welding sucks, and the pay sucks too. At least where I live it does and I can’t travel. I saw all these things starting to happen in military law enforcement. Hell, just a week before I got out I got in a fight at a civilian club on downtown patrol with the polizei and it took 5 of us to get this asshole in cuffs. I watched him until a car came to pick him up and he got squirly with me. All I did was take him down and all of a sudden I was accused of excessive force and racism by the dick head. And this brand new Master Sgt. who believed him who was also black tried to hassle me. I more or less told him to go fuck himself (without actually saying it) and I got out and came home a week or two later.