# Chicago Police Department



## beantown15 (Mar 28, 2016)

It looks like Chicago is about to hire a ton of officers in the coming years, the test coming this April. It seems like its lottery style as long as you pass. Has anyone heard anything about working there? Also, for the guys who have chased the dream outside of Massachusetts, how has it been getting used to new areas and leaving family, friend, etc. behind? Any advice is appreciated.


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## Chitownlost (Jun 24, 2016)

Anyone with specific Chicago questions feel free to send me a message. I have lots of painful first hand knowledge to offer. 

As for getting used to a new area, leaving friends, etc, I came from Chicago to New England. Ill keep that simple, it blows! There is no place like home.


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## LA Copper (Feb 11, 2005)

I "chased the dream" 28 years ago from the South Shore to Los Angeles. (It's much warmer here than it is in Chicago plus we give the test 5 days a week and an academy starts almost every month.)

If you're close to your family, it's definitely a hard thing to do, especially around birthdays and holidays, etc. However, with the technology the way it is nowadays; cell phones, email, facetime, skype, etc, it's much easier to stay in touch. When I came out west, none of those things existed.

You can always give it a try. If it doesn't work out, you can head back home. One of the perks of living in a free country, you have options.


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

CHICAGO!?!?!
Rahm Emanuel, Barrack Obama, Eric Holder, Blagojevich among others past and current......
That PD is hurting under those thumbs and noses for now


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

I choose LA over Chicago any day .
There is a reason why their hurting for help in the Windy City


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## felony (Oct 24, 2014)

There is a reason they are going to be hiring in droves. Take every test you can, who knows you might love it out there. I would personally look into any other surrounding state before, I jump to that department. RI constantly hires and is very dense population wise. There is always police work to be done. Take the NYPD exam, as it will usually take 2 years till you get hired, from the time you take the test.


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## Chitownlost (Jun 24, 2016)

I think felony has hit the nail on the head. RI actually has quite a few openings last time I checked. Pay isn't bad, and none of this stupid SSPO/PT/Auxiliary, horse fodder. 

I would MUCH rather be an hour or two from my family than 1,000 miles. Those trips home on days off, or even before/after work, make a Trump sized YUGE difference. 

And ya, I tested at like 20 agencies before I got hired in Chicago. I tested with like 20K+ people and got a high lottery number. (Yes, it's a LOTTERY).


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## Kilvinsky (Jan 15, 2007)

Chitownlost said:


> I think felony has hit the nail on the head. RI actually has quite a few openings last time I checked. Pay isn't bad, and none of this stupid SSPO/PT/Auxiliary, horse fodder.
> 
> I would MUCH rather be an hour or two from my family than 1,000 miles. Those trips home on days off, or even before/after work, make a Trump sized YUGE difference.
> 
> And ya, I tested at like 20 agencies before I got hired in Chicago. I tested with like 20K+ people and got a high lottery number. (Yes, it's a LOTTERY).


RI is a whole different world for cops. Mass/RI, I'll take RI every time. I cannot say for ABSOLUTE CERTAIN, but from everything I've seen, the cops in RI are actually RESPECTED more and not just by the local citizenry, but by the courts as well. Again, I COULD be wrong, but I'm going on stuff I've seen and heard. Great state. Sometimes I honestly wish I had given it a shot YEARS ago.


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## Patr8726 (Dec 12, 2015)

If you're serious about chasing your dreams, the more mobility you have, the better. I've moved a few times already, from and back to New England, and I'm likely have a couple more to go before I get my career where I really want it. Plane tickets and vacation time make it pretty simple to visit family wherever you wind up. You'll be surprised just how close some of your friends AREN'T when you don't see them every week. I talk to some guys all the time, others drifted away very fast. Adapting to a new area where you don't know anyone can be tough, but it forces you out of your shell too.
Bottom line, if I hadn't looked beyond the horizon, I would have been stuck, likely never would have landed a FT sworn position, etc. Those MA civil service tests are expensive lottery tickets with no guarantees. I thank God every day that I uprooted and relocated when I did, because the timing has worked out very well for me so far. If it's not happening for you in Mass, go, jump, get out. I have too many friends stuck in barely LE positions who waited too long.


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## gm7988 (Jul 18, 2010)

Totally irrelevant to CPD, but I figured if people are talking about going to RI, I'll throw out NH. Tons of agencies up here are dying for cops. Pay isn't the best but I get by just fine.


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## GD (May 2, 2002)

Kilvinsky said:


> RI is a whole different world for cops. Mass/RI, I'll take RI every time. I cannot say for ABSOLUTE CERTAIN, but from everything I've seen, the cops in RI are actually RESPECTED more and not just by the local citizenry, but by the courts as well. Again, I COULD be wrong, but I'm going on stuff I've seen and heard. Great state. Sometimes I honestly wish I had given it a shot YEARS ago.


Thanks we appreciate all the accolades we can get lol. Stay safe!!


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