# New User, Many Questions



## AdamJ1984 (Oct 5, 2006)

Hello all, as my ID states, my name is Adam. I am 22 years old and reside in Methuen, MA. I am technically a junior at UMass Lowell based on credits but just started my 5th year. I have about 70-75 credits and hate what I am doing right now. I have migrated from Nutrition/Pre-Med>Nursing>Business>IT and through it all I was searching for things other than a career I wanted. Whether it be the most money or the highest pretige, none of them delt with my true passion. I have though, maintained a 3.92GPA through this all, so I am not unintelligent, I just study hard for whatever it is I am doing. I just wanted to give a little background because I want to become a true member of this community and want to get to know people and people feel free to get to know me. It has not been a dream, but my goal since I was 6-7 to be involved somewhere in LE. What threw me off was that my parents always said I was too smart to be a cop and it was not enough money to satisfy me. I listened not because they stereotypes were right, but I did not want to dissapoint others. It has come to the point that I cannot wait any longer. I want to start a career in LE because as of right now I feel like a complete waste and that my life has been a failure. I live everyday being miserable and pretend to like what I am doing. What I am basically asking is for some honest, down to earth advice on where to start. I love the University police scene, not so much the local city/town departments, but also like the state PD. What should I do to begin this journey? I was looking at UMass Lowell campus police as they were hiring, but they were looking for those already with certification. How would I get into a University unit, do they have their own academy? How does the whole civil service exam work, I saw on officer.com that many people do not like the waiting game it creates. How would it be to begin in security like at a hospital or medical center? Would the pay be decent to start, working 40 hours or so? I am a newbie, I really am, so please excuse my ignorance in anything unfamiliar. I just want to know what exactly I should do and the procedures one goes through to become an officer somewhere in this state? Thank-you all and hope to get some great feedback.

Sincerely,
Adam


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## FutureCop23 (Sep 24, 2004)

Welcome aboard Adam!
One thing many people will tell you is it is extremely difficult to get on as a full-time officer in this state, especially in a Civil Service town. That being said, it just means you need to work for it, which will make you value it more in the end. As far as where to start, you have many options;
1) Civil Service: Tests are administered every 2 years, with the next one being in April of 2007 if I am correct.
2) Non-Civil Service: Look for openings in non-civil service towns and just keep applying, you never know in this state!
3) State Police: The MSP conduct their own tests as well as academies. The last academy ( 79th RTT - Recruit Training Troop ) just graduated last week, so chances are it will be a while before they administer a new test.
4) College PD's: I can't be of much help as I do not know much about these departments, I do believe however that most will want you to be academy trained before appointment, other than that I'm sure someone else can offer more information.
5) Auxiliary/Reserve Positions: You may want to look into these, not only will they give you experience in the field, in most cases you will receive a decent amount of training (depending on dept.) and maybe even the Reserve/Intermittent Academy (a non-residential academy that lasts approx. 3 months if memory serves me correctly, often meets 3 or 2 nights a week and all-day Saturday) but be prepared to pay as most departments won't (check this site for more information on reserve academies: www.mass.gov/mptc). Also, you CANNOT self-sponsor yourself anymore, you need a department to sign your application. What powers/duties you are given as a reserve or auxiliary officer also varies from dept. to dept. Some towns give you full police powers and allow you to carry a firearm. On the other hand, some towns give you no police powers and only allow OC for protection.
5) Out of State: Many people have grown tired of waiting for jobs here in good ole Mass. You may want to look into NH opportunities as you are not too far away. Keep on the lookout for openings listed on this website as all (Civil Service, Non- CS, and Out of State are listed).
6) Training on your own: Try to get as much training on your own as possible; CPR/First Responder, AED, or even a foreign language if you haven't had one or aren't very proficient. An EMT certification may be of some use, in my opinion you can't have enough credentials, some argue EMT cert. is worthless and vice versa.

I can't think of anything else at the moment, and others may have better/more information to offer, feel free to keep asking questions and more importantly keep your mind open to suggestions and learn from experienced members of this site. If you mind your p's and q's and don't act like a know-it-all ( not inferring that you will/are as you seem very articulate and honest, but there are some people..) you will gain some great information from this site. Any questions/comments feel free to PM me. I wish you luck with your future Law Enforcement career.


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## FutureCop23 (Sep 24, 2004)

Adam,
Forgot to add that for a list of departments with Auxiliary/Reserve Departments search the site for Auxiliary Departments and you will find some good info there also...


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## KozmoKramer (Apr 25, 2004)

Adam - welcome to the site.
I took the liberty of removing your last name from your opening post.
This is a public forum and I'm not sure you really want to put that out there.
If I'm wrong, let me know and I'll put it back for you. Good Luck!!


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## Guest (Oct 5, 2006)

Hi Adam,

Welcome. The previous posters have all given you good advice.

With your GPA, I would also consider Federal Law Enforcement opportunities like the DEA, ATF, Capital Police, FBI and Secret Service. Each agency has their own web site
also check out USJOBS.GOV They are always loking for good young candidates who are willing to relocate. If you can speak Spanish the Border Patrol will have you in training before you can finish filling out the application.

The starting pay is not the best, but your pay increases with time and the benefits are great.

Your first step should be an Auxiliary or Special Police Department. They will sponsor you to the Reserve Academy and I think the cost is under $500.00. The guy who runs the Reading reserve academy is a nice guy named Larry Noonnan here is his email to find out the cost of the academy. [email protected]

Somerville, Waltham, Randolph and Belmont have good groups. Some Towns only appoint residents, but I know many of the Somerville guys don't reside in Somerville.

I was able to use my Auxiliary training to get a College Police job after a 20 year 
career in an other industry. I don't make the money is used to but I am much happier.

The Middlesex Deputy Sheriff's also have a Reserve program and they will sponsor you to the Reserve Academy. There web site is http://www.middlesexdeputysheriff.com/

Feel free to Private Message me with any specific questions. Getting a job is difficult but not impossible if you put your mind to it.

Good Luck


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## AdamJ1984 (Oct 5, 2006)

Wow guys, thanks for all the information so quickly! Thank-you for taking out my last name, forgot that the public can still view without registering. 
My questions are vague, but I guess its better to ask and know than not know. Say you take the civil service exam and I get hired by the Lawrence PD. They send me to the academy correct? Now I read in a prior post about the SSPO and another one that starts with an Mxxxx. They were saying that universities/colleges send you to SSPO? Others look for those already from an academy. How would I go about doing an academy without actually getting into a force? How does security for say Mass. General Hospital or Boston Medical sound for getting experince? How is the pay, I would work 40 hours or more because I am an extremely dedicated worker and a constant learner. This is all just new to me, and I appreciate all that has been offered already

Oh on a positive note, I have my AHA First Aid and AHA BLS for Healthcare Providers certifications.


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## FutureCop23 (Sep 24, 2004)

On the Auxiliary side of things, you may want to check out Hoverhill Aux. also: http://www.ci.haverhill.ma.us/departments/police/hapd.htm

They have full police powers, carry firearms, and do not require residency.


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## j809 (Jul 5, 2002)

> Oh on a positive note, I have my AHA First Aid and AHA BLS for Healthcare Providers certifications.


No kiddin, you should apply directly to your local PD.


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## AdamJ1984 (Oct 5, 2006)

I had noticed the Haverhill auxiliary unit before but was unsure what it could lead to. Thank-you for bringing it up again, I just filled out the online application and see where it goes from here.


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## DVET1979 (Aug 4, 2004)

Adam, since you already have alot of medical knowledge, I would try going for you Commomwealth of Massachusetts BLS (the good old commonwelath doesn't recognize the federal standards) or ALS license. This will give you a big boost. Also I would try to take up a foreign language and get fluent really fast. If all else fails,you could always join the military and get the coveted veterans preference.


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## AdamJ1984 (Oct 5, 2006)

I really want to learn Spanish as my fiance is Dominican/Spaniard. I can read it pretty well and speak it just decently, but I want to take some formal classes. Joining the military would be a negative because my fiance said she would leave, even though she knows it is patriotic, because she would be left alone. I do understand her and I could not afford to lose her. By any chance do you know about the Boston hospital security jobs or those and Boston area universities/colleges?


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## Guest (Oct 6, 2006)

Adam,

All the Civil Service Cities and Towns send there recruits to the Municipal Police Academies. They pay you will you train. The Special State Police Academy was set up to offer the large State college and Universities as well as some private colleges a place to train their officers. 

The College I work at, doesn't require it, but they will sponsor you if you wish to pay for it yourself. Some Universities, like Harvard and MIT send their officers to the Regular Municipal Academy. UMASS Lowell used to, but they found that after paying for the Academy the new hires would jump to a municipal police force who would hire them because they were already trained and they wouldn't have to pay for training and wait 4 months to put them on the street.

The Community Colleges like Bunker Hill and Mass Bay generally don't send their people to the SSP Academy but will pay for you to go to the Reserve Academy.

Hospitals are a good place to get experience. It is much better than working at a contract security firms like Northeast or Securitas. You generally work with a better crop of people, health insurance is affordable along with other basic benefits like sick time and vacations.

MGH is competitive as is Beth Israel. Beth Israel has a police force made up of graduates of the regular academy who carry firearms. The Beth Israel security force is also well run they pay is about 11.50 an hour but there is a ton of overtime. They are hiring all the time.

NEMC is very busy but they pay is on the low side like 10.00 a hour with benefits.
I have worked at the Faulkner Hospital in West Roxbury, it is a great place to work(sometimes it is boreing since there are 5 guys on a shift in 1 building) the benefits are good but the pay is low. They are always looking for good people.

The Sheriffs Departments are always hiring. Suffolk is looking for people now. The pay is decent but the working conditions are questionable. You get good training because you are working with offenders everyday. I wouldn't recommend making a career out of corrections.

Essex County hires part time reserve correction officers and hires full timers from that list.

Middlesex usually has a test every spring.

Check out each counties web site. If you want to move to New York. New York City is always hiring the pay sucks for the first 5 years, after that you can make about 60k.
There are no details like in Mass any overtime is generally patrol work.


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## AdamJ1984 (Oct 5, 2006)

Masscopguy,

Thanks for the plethora of information. I am learning so much in just these few days, all things that I had questions about. So getting hired by a local force, they send you to the academy whereas most colleges send you to the SSPO training but you have to pay out of pocket? Or do any pay for it as well? Is there anyway to do SSPO training without actually being hired by a unit? Like I saw in the past, BU and MIT hiring, but they already wanted trained individuals. How can someone get a job without training?


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## FutureCop23 (Sep 24, 2004)

"How can someone get a job without training?"

Unfortunatly that's the problem you will often find; departments want trained applicants but wont train them. A lot of times you'll find it to be a complete cycle; departments want training, you go to get training, you need the department's sponsorship/job guarantee after training in order to be accepted to training program, go to department for sponsor/signature, they say they won't train as you are not currently employed by them, back to square 1. But of course that makes perfect sense, oh wait... nothing makes sense about it, we're in MA.... This is yet another reason many go to bordering states, get full-time academy training and on the job experience and look for transfers/laterals into MA.


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## no$.10 (Oct 18, 2005)

Adam, maybe you should be a firefighter.


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## AdamJ1984 (Oct 5, 2006)

First to futurecop: so looking at NH departments and the NH state would seem like a good idea?

no$.10:Isn't getting into a fire department alot of politics as well? I would not mind it at all, but isn't that also a ball of strings? Let me know what you know about the firefighting field.


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## FutureCop23 (Sep 24, 2004)

Adam,
It certainly would not be a bad idea... if you look around and test up there, the least it will do is familiarize you with the process. I had an interview with Nantucket 2 years ago for a summer gig, didn't make it any further but still got the experience. I was talking to a friend of mine who was going for an interview down in VA and said he would've liked to have had some previously to know what to expect etc. Where you live fairly close, maybe you wouldn't mind taking a job up there? There is also another thing you may want to look into; http://www.mcintoshcollege.edu/programs/criminal-justice.asp. They run a test twice a year if I'm not mistaken, this test will be used for 37 NH and some Maine departments, which would increase your chances dramatically. I don't know anything about the Fire Departments other than they do have Civil Service exams for some towns, similar to the police process. I talked to many current police officers and the common advise I received from all was: Take as many tests as you can, eventually someone will call you back..." Like I said, the least it will do is give you some confidence and familiarize yourself with the processes. There are only a few outcomes of taking as many tests as possible, none that can hurt you; you get on in another state and never regret it for a moment, you get on and get valuable training/experience and then end up transferring to a MA dept., or you don't get on in another state but again get the experience of testing etc.


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## AdamJ1984 (Oct 5, 2006)

Hey guys, thanks for the information, if you have any more, keep it coming. I am so glad that I found this site because it gives me the best prospective of those who actually do the work. I have another question, I found the Essex County Sheriff's Department is hiring correctional officers. It looks enticing because it is a criminal justice career and it is related, not very directly, to LE work. They want 60 college credits and I have 70 or so and would continue my education slowly online at UMass Lowell in IT. Does anyone here have any experience, know any rumors, etc about this, or maybe middlesex county? I know someone who works under Sheriff Dipolo(sp?) as his assistant or something like that. I think that would be a good reference if anything. Thanks again!!!


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## Guest (Oct 7, 2006)

Working at a County facility can be difficult because you are locked up with offenders all day and the place can be very political.

A great deal depends on what your assignment is. Most guys want to move into transport or what they call pick and stick which is watching prisoners do community service work on the outside. Since the Sheriff's are elected many times contributors and supporters get the best jobs.

Middlesex has some special units like warrant apprehension and tracking down dead beat dads. The Sheriff has started to send the guys who work on these teams to the regular municipal academies.

Plymouth County also does a lot of non corrections type work. As I said, it is good training and looks good on your resume, but I wouldn't want to do it forever.

Any college that requires the Special Sate Police Academy will pay for it and pay you while you train. BU, MIT,, Harvad, and Northeastern for example, generally hire officers who have worked at other Colleges or for smaller municipalities.

Just keep applying but get that college degree as soon as possible. It makes a difference as it shows you are educated and can complete something you started.

Also join an Auxiliary unit so you can get the Reserve Academy under you belt.


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## DVET1979 (Aug 4, 2004)

The hiring process for the fire department is almost identical to the police process as they are both governed by civil service. Most fire departments arent as intrusive into your backround as police departments are. Also a paramedic in this state can very easily get onto a department in this state as many departments now only hire medics.


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## trel (Jul 13, 2004)

Do you want to be a police officer? Firefighter? Correctional officer? These jobs are verryy different! Like others have said the best thing is to get as much on your resume as possible. This would include Mass Cpr/Dfib cert, Emt license, Class A license to carry a firearm, Reserve academy, college education in criminal justice. Then with this you could get hired by a college dept, then get some experience and hope to get to MPOC academy and on a town or city if you wanted. Dont just count on civil service because even if you get a good score vets go to the top and there are more and more vets coming back each year so if this is the field you want to get into you have to do everything you can to make yourself competitive. This process takes a long time it doesnt happen overnight. good luck these jobs are hard to get in MA!


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## AdamJ1984 (Oct 5, 2006)

I definitely want to be an officer, but then people suggest fire fighting and corrections. I just find it amazing how someone with all these certifications and pieces of paper get ahead of people who have the desire and drive to do just as well or better than them. Also, getting a degree in CJ is fine, my fiance is in the process of getting her Master's degree, but that should not be number one in my mind. From what I have seen from her classes and material, very little emphasis is placed on LE, I think a business degree or one in IT/CS is just as good and shows you are versatile. I found some Universities with tests available for entry-level officers and will take them and go from there. I again thank-you all for your advise, criticism, and knowledge. I genuinely accept it and will consider it in my decisions.


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