# Hate to post this but can somebody clear up some myths for me?



## MrTom (Jul 25, 2008)

Hello. My name is Thomas Waite. I am 20 and hope to become a Massachusetts Police Officer. I have been asking around and talking to some people. From what I have gathered(please take no offense to this), to become a police officer you either have to be ex-military, have a college degree in CJ or your family tree has blue all over it. This really frustrates me. I always wanted to be a police officer. I cannot join the military because I have a fiancee and help my mother and father too much. I would have loved to join the Marines but circumstances said no. 

I talked to a "ex" police officer. This was a friend of a friend. The truth behind this got me curious. There is no "college" to go to for becoming any kind of law enforcement. So we were talking. About things I could do to become one with so little backing me. He said the best thing, or atleast a good thing to put on a resume, is attending Blackwater courses. 

I call BW and they said it would certainly help my odds. "This sort of training is something most Police Departments need" is what the girl told me. I have talked to too many recruiters to buy into this. I bet they will pay for my college too with a GI bill to boot. 

The courses I am allowed to take don't seem that great. If you are law enforcement their courses seem awesome. You would be crazy not to go. BUT is spending 4k(guestimate) really going to shine on my odds? Do you guys as police officers feel a blackwater trained person has better odds or respect than no training? Is it true I am wasting my time without military or college degree?


I want to thank you guys ahead of time. I did not want to post this but it is very hard to get a straight answer from anyone. Too much he said she said information going around. I appreciate the help.




Tom


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## Guest (Oct 16, 2008)

I just don't have it in me tonight.........


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## SBU29 (Feb 4, 2007)

I'm sorry to say that BlackWater, as top notch as their training is, will not get you hired in the state of MA. as a police officer. You will have to go through the whole civil service system that everyone else does, no short cuts.

There are non civil service depts. in MA. but with all the people being displaced from other jobs that are already fully trained you will have a hard time getting any one of them without LE training.

Your best bet is to become a resident in a city or town, take the CS exam and take your chances just like everyone else on this board has to do.

Good Luck


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## martymar219 (Dec 8, 2006)

Save your money and take classes at night! I understand you might not want to join the military however I would encourage you to really think about the reserves or the Coast Guard. 

You may also want to look at departments in other states like Maine and New Hampshire. You are still young, so keep your nose clean and stay focused on your dream!

Good Luck!


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## DNorth (Jun 6, 2008)

It's 0430 and my mind isn't the clearest it could be, but since I have a few minutes to kill I will add to the discussion.

I'm not going to sugar-coat this, some things I am about to say may be rough, but it's reality.

First of all, as you have discovered, you do not need a CJ degree, come from a LE family, or be ex-military.

However I keep wanting to recommend that you join the military, but you mentioned a fiance and living situations preventing you. In my opinion, if your fiance and family can't support you doing what is best for your future (which would be to join the military), then maybe you need to take their opinions with a grain of salt. (Sigh) Maybe she's just not the one for you, if she can not understand how important an enlistment would be to your future, whether your career ends up being in LE or not. I am sure you will have an advantage with _any _employer if you have a military background, as it shows that you (hopefully) have maturity, discipline, and a good concept of teamwork. I can honestly say that I would not be sitting where I am right now (in a nice, relatively cozy ICE office) if I had not joined the Army National Guard when I was 17. Nor would I probably have landed the non-CS job I had in Massachusetts, before I came here. My Bachelor's degree is in a completely unrelated field and only demonstrates that I can be a good student. And if you do choose to go the federal route, either a college degree or military service (or both, as in my case) will be helpful to you. I can guaran-f'n-tee you that you do not stand a chance at ever entering the federal system if you do not have one or the other.

As far as Blackwater goes, they are a company, which means their first and foremost mission is to separate you from your money. You will only waste your time and your cash by going to their courses at this stage of the game. It may give you an edge with some private security companies, but it won't matter much to a PD, and in my opinion would make you look a bit overzealous. Don't put the cart before the horse. Joining a tactical unit should be the least of your worries right now.

As someone said...keep your nose clean, stay in shape...and *network, network, network!!! *

When it comes to keeping out of trouble, guilt by association could kill your career. If you even suspect that anyone you associate is involved in any crime, it's time now to dissociate from that person, as they will only hold you back in the future. Never, ever, ever underestimate what a good BI will turn up...your wildest imagination probably can not even comprehend. And be honest and forthcoming if/when you ever are having a BI done; we are all human and have done stupid things, with widely varying degrees of stupidity, of course.

Good luck...you will need it!


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## robodope (Aug 31, 2003)

Groundhog Day!!!


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## DNorth (Jun 6, 2008)

robodope said:


> Groundhog Day!!!


HA ha, yes, but at least he added the little twist about being "unable" to enlist in the military...


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## countryboy (Aug 18, 2005)

Screw it man!, Buy a hot dog truck, find a good spot and watch the money roll in. You don't have to worry about a degree or joining the military. Plus you can be your own boss!!

Deval is probably going to get rid of police and just have unarmed security patrolling the cities and towns.


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