# Advice....



## MiaZ (Jan 28, 2009)

Hi all! My husband is a Staff Sergeant in the Marine Corps with an EAS in 2 years, after which he will have served 13 years in. Over the past few years he's gone from considering an alternate career in law enforcement to wanting to do whatever he has to to make it happen. As much as he loves the Marine Corps spending months away from our 3 young sons is not something he wants to do anymore. That said, we'd love to get any tips from insiders regarding the best way to become a MA Police Officer. Boston was our first choice, but we've been told the odds of getting that is 'like a snowflakes chance in hell' due to budget cuts and the residency requirement (we're in California).

If you could offer us any advice on the best way to go about making this happen, we'd be so appreciative!

TIA.


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## John J (Jul 18, 2002)

Why leave California? Its alot easier to become a cop in CA than it is around here!


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## JMB1977 (Nov 24, 2007)

John J said:


> Why leave California? Its alot easier to become a cop in CA than it is around here!


+1


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## sc3 (Jun 28, 2009)

John J said:


> Why leave California? Its alot easier to become a cop in CA than it is around here!


+2

And not just that but when he reaches his EAS he will be only 5 yrs from being able to retire with a military pension...


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## MiaZ (Jan 28, 2009)

We want to leave because our end goal is to be in MA permanently- I want to go to grad school there, but mostly because we want to settle there once we can choose where to go 

The pension issue is definitely something we've considered, however, from now my husband would have to stay in for another 9 years and he's not to thrilled at that prospect being in a unit which is deploying so frequently.... Plus, a LO career has been a dream of his for awhile, it's definitely not the most ideal time to get out and/or relocate but at the end of the day, job satisfaction has to count for something, right?


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

For most part, any local or state LEO job in MA will be difficult to get in any community here without having at least one years worth of residency.


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## celticsfan (Dec 18, 2007)

Also not sure of his age but civil service has a cut-off in Mass. (age 32), which limits his options as far as the list of cities/towns he could work in. I'm not a veteran but I think the Commonwealth used to give up to 4? years "credit" though--allowing up to 36. Of course, other states and munis. often have one, also. He's probably OK... depending on when he started in the Marines.


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## Harley387 (May 1, 2002)

There are NO LEO jobs in Mass. Honestly, he should try anywhere BUT here.


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## Rocco39 (Jul 13, 2007)

Harley387 said:


> There are NO LEO jobs in Mass. Honestly, he should try anywhere BUT here.


Ditto

I commend your efforts and your husbands service to our nation.

I would agree with most of the responses you've received. It is nearly impossible to get hired on in MA with all the lay-offs we've suffered. Plus he hasn't taken the CS exam, PLUS PLUS he needs to be in a MASS town/city for 1 year to achieve residency preference (I know, more bad news).

My suggestion would be for him to look in other states (include CA) if he really has his heart set on an LE career. Otherwise I would suggest something else, he should look into a lateral to another branch of the service, specifically the USCG. He could save/transfer the 13 years of service towards his pension and continue to add to it. This also allows him to seek a "quasi" LE career as a boarding officer (water cop), keep and build his pension and still get out in 20. Also the Coast Guard has stations all over MA and RI, CT, ME so he'd be close to home and plenty of coasties spend their entire careers in the same geographical area. Just a thought.

Anyway good luck to you and your husband. I hope things work out for the best.


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## Guest (Jul 21, 2009)

http://www.masscops.com/forums/ask-cop/69528-wife-few-questions.html#post364344

People were kind of hinting at how bad it was here in the first thread. It's gotten worse.


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## Loyal (Oct 21, 2007)

some people start in small cs departments that are relatively easy to get on, like provincetown, then do lateral transfers to bigger departments


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## MiaZ (Jan 28, 2009)

Thanks everyone for all the input, we appreciate it!

Re: Provincetown, what are the other smaller areas we can try to get into that are relatively close to Boston? 

Thanks!


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## FordMustang (Nov 8, 2005)

MiaZ said:


> Thanks everyone for all the input, we appreciate it!
> 
> Re: Provincetown, what are the other smaller areas we can try to get into that are relatively close to Boston?
> 
> Thanks!


Mia there are also smaller towns that are non civil service which he might have a shot at...but right now they are hiring few and far between...you would have to keep your eye on the job postings.

Another thing to look into is maybe Campus Police/Hospital job. A campus might hire him and send him to a SSPO as they are non civil service...would be a job for him for some income and maybe a foot in the door while you guys are establishing residency.


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## LGriffin (Apr 2, 2009)

MSP is now on the civil service exams so make sure he checks that box as well. Also, look into bordering towns in NH and RI. Good luck!


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## Irishpride (May 5, 2002)

I'll be real honest with you right now there are over a hundred laid off civil service police officers in Massachusetts. Every laid off officer will have an opportunity at any Civil Service police job before someone is hired off the street combine that with the fact that your husband will not have residency in any city/town in MA his chances are somewhere between slim and none regarding Civil Service. A lot of the non Civil Service towns that have been hiring lately are requiring that the applicant be academy trained (it saves them money and with all of the lay offs there is no shortage of experienced trained applicants). Maybe in two years things will get better but right now this is the wrong state to be looking for a career in law enforcement.


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