# 32-year-old female seeks to become a police officer...am I too late?



## goingforit

Let me start by sharing a bit about me. I come from a long line of cops and firefighters; I grew up with the sound of a scanner humming in the background. Specifically, my uncles were cops and my father was a firefighter. Currently, my brother-in-law is a sergeant on our hometown force. Fast forward a few years, I went off to college as an NCAA Division I scholarship athlete and obtained a 4-year-degree in physical education. I mention the athlete part not to brag but because that experience had a huge impact on the person I became upon graduating. After college, I taught elementary school PE for a bit and then went on to coach college softball. Eventually I landed a great job working for a startup company in Providence; I left that job in June after completing a 2-year-retention agreement post-merger. Now here I am, 6 years later, wondering how I made it to the age of 32 without realizing that I am perfectly cut out to be a police officer. It's odd, I get asked by a stranger if I'm a cop at least once a month. It seems even they knew it before I did. Haha. 

I first started to look into it last year, just before my 32nd birthday. From the information I could gather on mass.gov, I was under the impression that I was completely ineligible due to the fact that the police officer test would have fallen after my 32nd birthday. Two days ago my wife sent me the link for the 2019 test that was just announced. She also stumbled on some information regarding age limits in different municipalities. This was news to me. I got on the phone with civil service and not only were they were completely unhelpful, but they confused me even more. From what the woman at civil service stated, I can take the police officer exam on March 23rd but will not be eligible for hire at some municipalities due to the 32-year-old age limit. But, there does appear to be a long list of municipalities that don't have an upper age limit that I am assuming I could get hired at. Unfortunately, the town I live in does have one - I live in Mansfield.

I am in the best shape of my life, I have a good head on my shoulders, and truly feel as though this is my path. The unfortunate part is that I'm afraid I've realized it too late. Something else to note is that I have already obtained my LTC. Not sure that would help me in any aspect, but figured I'd mention it. So here are my questions:* Are the "civil service exam" and the "police exam" two different things?* *If I take the 2019 exam on March 23rd, could I still potentially get hired somewhere? If, in fact, I am too late to become police officer, what other career paths might you suggest that are similar in nature? *The first question may seem like an asinine question to ask, but truth be told, I've never struggled to research anything more than I have this. It seems so gray; websites have such contradicting information.

A friend of mine is on the force in my town and she mentioned that I should also consider joining the reserves. She stated that Mansfield is always looking for females. That is certainly something I would consider, but if I still have an opportunity to become a full-time, fully certified police officer then that's what I want to do. Like I said, I've spent hours trying to dig this information up and it lead me here. I figured that instead of gambling on the information a confused civil service phone operator gives me, I could go directly to the source and get some experienced information from folks who have been through it. After all, it's my future and it seems that I could be close to running out of time!

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer and I do apologize for the long post. I'm a sucker for being thorough.


----------



## HuskyH-2

goingforit said:


> Let me start by sharing a bit about me. I come from a long line of cops and firefighters; I grew up with the sound of a scanner humming in the background. Specifically, my uncles were cops and my father was a firefighter. Currently, my brother-in-law is a sergeant on our hometown force. Fast forward a few years, I went off to college as an NCAA Division I scholarship athlete and obtained a 4-year-degree in physical education. I mention the athlete part not to brag but because that experience had a huge impact on the person I became upon graduating. After college, I taught elementary school PE for a bit and then went on to coach college softball. Eventually I landed a great job working for a startup company in Providence; I left that job in June after completing a 2-year-retention agreement post-merger. Now here I am, 6 years later, wondering how I made it to the age of 32 without realizing that I am perfectly cut out to be a police officer. It's odd, I get asked by a stranger if I'm a cop at least once a month. It seems even they knew it before I did. Haha.
> 
> I first started to look into it last year, just before my 32nd birthday. From the information I could gather on mass.gov, I was under the impression that I was completely ineligible due to the fact that the police officer test would have fallen after my 32nd birthday. Two days ago my wife sent me the link for the 2019 test that was just announced. She also stumbled on some information regarding age limits in different municipalities. This was news to me. I got on the phone with civil service and not only were they were completely unhelpful, but they confused me even more. From what the woman at civil service stated, I can take the police officer exam on March 23rd but will not be eligible for hire at some municipalities due to the 32-year-old age limit. But, there does appear to be a long list of municipalities that don't have an upper age limit that I am assuming I could get hired at. Unfortunately, the town I live in does have one - I live in Mansfield.
> 
> I am in the best shape of my life, I have a good head on my shoulders, and truly feel as though this is my path. The unfortunate part is that I'm afraid I've realized it too late. Something else to note is that I have already obtained my LTC. Not sure that would help me in any aspect, but figured I'd mention it. So here are my questions:* Are the "civil service exam" and the "police exam" two different things?* *If I take the 2019 exam on March 23rd, could I still potentially get hired somewhere? If, in fact, I am too late to become police officer, what other career paths might you suggest that are similar in nature? *The first question may seem like an asinine question to ask, but truth be told, I've never struggled to research anything more than I have this. It seems so gray; websites have such contradicting information.
> 
> A friend of mine is on the force in my town and she mentioned that I should also consider joining the reserves. She stated that Mansfield is always looking for females. That is certainly something I would consider, but if I still have an opportunity to become a full-time, fully certified police officer then that's what I want to do. Like I said, I've spent hours trying to dig this information up and it lead me here. I figured that instead of gambling on the information a confused civil service phone operator gives me, I could go directly to the source and get some experienced information from folks who have been through it. After all, it's my future and it seems that I could be close to running out of time!
> 
> Thank you in advance for any help you can offer and I do apologize for the long post. I'm a sucker for being thorough.


If you want it, go for it. Look towards RI like Pawtucket, providence, Cumberland, and RISP (if your truly in great shape). Try and self sponsor to the academy and apply to all the non CS MA departments.

Take the civil service test anyway, some municipalities need women and exhaust their own lists.

Good luck

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## goingforit

HuskyH-2 said:


> If you want it, go for it. Look towards RI like Pawtucket, providence, Cumberland, and RISP (if your truly in great shape). Try and self sponsor to the academy and apply to all the non CS MA departments.
> 
> Take the civil service test anyway, some municipalities need women and exhaust their own lists.
> 
> Good luck
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Is the civil service exam the same as the police exam that will be on March 23rd? Also, can you talk a bit more about self sponsoring for the academy? I'm not quite sure I understand the process that happens or the order of events AFTER taking the test. Thank you!


----------



## Bloodhound

HuskyH-2 said:


> Take the civil service test anyway, some municipalities need women and exhaust their own lists.
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That is a good point. Departments that need to hire more females will sometimes hire off a female preference list. At least take the exam. I've never understood the 32yo cutoff in some cities and towns.


----------



## goingforit

Bloodhound said:


> That is a good point. Departments that need to hire more females will sometimes hire off a female preference list. At least take the exam. I've never understood the 32yo cutoff in some cities and towns.


Same. Mentally and physically I'm immensely more prepared now at 32 than I was at 22. Sorry to keep asking this, but are the "civil service exam" and the police exam on March 23rd the same thing? Just want to ensure there aren't two tests I should be taking!


----------



## RodneyFarva

keep in mind the MSP's cutoff is 35 so there still is time.


----------



## k12kop

Same test


----------



## MiamiVice

Civil service test only as applies of you live in a city or town covered by it. If your town isn't a civil service town they will likely run there own test. Also look at campus police departments, with your education background in guessing you would be hired quickly. 

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


----------



## pahapoika

Take what you can get. Reserve, campus, Aux, etc.

You'll be with other people trying to get on the job and network.. Plus it will give you an idea if it really something you want to do. Having civil servants in your family helps with the reality of the job. Nights, weekends , holidays, November/ March vacations, etc.

Good luck !


----------



## TheSnowman

goingforit said:


> Let me start by sharing a bit about me. I come from a long line of cops and firefighters; I grew up with the sound of a scanner humming in the background. Specifically, my uncles were cops and my father was a firefighter. Currently, my brother-in-law is a sergeant on our hometown force. Fast forward a few years, I went off to college as an NCAA Division I scholarship athlete and obtained a 4-year-degree in physical education. I mention the athlete part not to brag but because that experience had a huge impact on the person I became upon graduating. After college, I taught elementary school PE for a bit and then went on to coach college softball. Eventually I landed a great job working for a startup company in Providence; I left that job in June after completing a 2-year-retention agreement post-merger. Now here I am, 6 years later, wondering how I made it to the age of 32 without realizing that I am perfectly cut out to be a police officer. It's odd, I get asked by a stranger if I'm a cop at least once a month. It seems even they knew it before I did. Haha.
> 
> I first started to look into it last year, just before my 32nd birthday. From the information I could gather on mass.gov, I was under the impression that I was completely ineligible due to the fact that the police officer test would have fallen after my 32nd birthday. Two days ago my wife sent me the link for the 2019 test that was just announced. She also stumbled on some information regarding age limits in different municipalities. This was news to me. I got on the phone with civil service and not only were they were completely unhelpful, but they confused me even more. From what the woman at civil service stated, I can take the police officer exam on March 23rd but will not be eligible for hire at some municipalities due to the 32-year-old age limit. But, there does appear to be a long list of municipalities that don't have an upper age limit that I am assuming I could get hired at. Unfortunately, the town I live in does have one - I live in Mansfield.
> 
> I am in the best shape of my life, I have a good head on my shoulders, and truly feel as though this is my path. The unfortunate part is that I'm afraid I've realized it too late. Something else to note is that I have already obtained my LTC. Not sure that would help me in any aspect, but figured I'd mention it. So here are my questions:* Are the "civil service exam" and the "police exam" two different things?* *If I take the 2019 exam on March 23rd, could I still potentially get hired somewhere? If, in fact, I am too late to become police officer, what other career paths might you suggest that are similar in nature? *The first question may seem like an asinine question to ask, but truth be told, I've never struggled to research anything more than I have this. It seems so gray; websites have such contradicting information.
> 
> A friend of mine is on the force in my town and she mentioned that I should also consider joining the reserves. She stated that Mansfield is always looking for females. That is certainly something I would consider, but if I still have an opportunity to become a full-time, fully certified police officer then that's what I want to do. Like I said, I've spent hours trying to dig this information up and it lead me here. I figured that instead of gambling on the information a confused civil service phone operator gives me, I could go directly to the source and get some experienced information from folks who have been through it. After all, it's my future and it seems that I could be close to running out of time!
> 
> Thank you in advance for any help you can offer and I do apologize for the long post. I'm a sucker for being thorough.


Take the Exam you've got nothing to lose except for a $100 and a few hours of your day. As far as residency and age issues are concerned, MBTA Transit Police has neither and if you score decent your chances of getting an email from them are pretty good. I would also say that taking the exam now more than ever is a great time because the current political and cultural climate that we live in has caused the candidate pool to shrink which means less competition for you. So is it too late for you? Never say never is all I'll say.


----------



## USM C-2

Now hiring a Police Officer!
Always looking for transplants...


----------



## PG1911

A lot of CS towns have no upper age limit.


----------



## goingforit

Thank you for the information everyone! You've all been very helpful. I just registered for the test. Crapping my pants a bit, but I'm also pretty excited. Haha. Here goes nothin. I'll try to keep this thread updated and will also likely have a bunch of questions. Next step: getting an exam prep book.


----------



## goingforit

pahapoika said:


> Take what you can get. Reserve, campus, Aux, etc.
> 
> You'll be with other people trying to get on the job and network.. Plus it will give you an idea if it really something you want to do. *Having civil servants in your family helps with the reality of the job. Nights, weekends , holidays, November/ March vacations, etc.*
> 
> Good luck !


Certainly something I've thought a lot about. Reality is, we've all got to make sacrifices to do the things we love to do. I also realize I'll likely spend the first few years on the job working a shift I don't necessarily love.


----------



## PBC FL Cop

Best of Luck, VT is always hiring LEO's!!


----------



## goingforit

PBC FL Cop said:


> Best of Luck, VT is always hiring LEO's!!


Don't even tempt me! Been trying to convince my wife to move to VT for years. We frequent Burlington very often; I'm a UVM grad. It is my happy place!!


----------



## Goose

goingforit said:


> Don't even tempt me! Been trying to convince my wife to move to VT for years. We frequent Burlington very often; I'm a UVM grad. It is my happy place!!


Happy place or hippie place?


----------



## goingforit

Goose said:


> Happy place or hippie place?


Someone get this guy a microphone!


----------



## TheSnowman

goingforit said:


> Thank you for the information everyone! You've all been very helpful. I just registered for the test. Crapping my pants a bit, but I'm also pretty excited. Haha. Here goes nothin. I'll try to keep this thread updated and will also likely have a bunch of questions. Next step: getting an exam prep book.


Save your money you won't need an exam prep book for this civil service exam. All you need is this and it's on the civil service website.
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/09/10/2019-police-officer-exam-study-guide.pdf
It has samples of the types of questions you will be asked.


----------



## Goose

goingforit said:


> Someone get this guy a microphone!


You'll have to put your Birkenstocks back on first!!


----------



## felony

As previously stated, a lot of CS towns have dropped the mandatory age cut off of 32 yoa. You can go on the CS website and see what towns have an age limit or not. If the town you reside in has no age limit, take the test. With all the retirements occurring, now is the time to seek out this job. Every town around me is constantly hiring to keep up with retirements.


----------



## chris21

This thread is very helpful. Also considering the exam (post 32 years of age as well). Thank you


----------



## girlcop21

In addition to advice given above, take a look at campus LE... both private and public. Most have same entrance requirements / academy requirements as municipal but may offer you that foot in the door if civil service is of no help. Good luck!


----------



## goingforit

Here's a question. Is there anyone in this thread that can detail the general process and different paths of becoming an LEO? Municipal, state, civil service, non-civil service, campus, etc. The more time I spend on these forums reading about different folks' experiences, the more confused I get!

Thus far, this is all I understand:

1. I take the civil service exam
2. I get placed on some sort of list

Then what? I'd consider myself a pretty smart person but I am really struggling to understand how all of this works and what step should come first depending on which path I'm looking to take. All I know for sure is that the CS exam won't be offered again until 2021 so I have to take it now. I'm registered and ready to go; also signed up for Hanrahan's exam prep course on 12/18.


----------



## goingforit

No takers on the above? I can't imagine why not! Hahahah


----------



## Truck

Don't exclude non-civil service department, they are pretty much able to hire at will. You can also look into attending an academy as a self sponsor. That means you pay to attend and do not get paid by a department to out you through. Being a bit more mature may actually be an advantage in this case. Although department hiring you would be taking a chance on you betting you would succeed. Most non-civil service departments are looking for academy graduates with little interest of hiring anyone without it. Dispatchers are in dire need right now in many departments. That is a foot in the door where you are given an opportunity to shine or fail. Just some points to ponder. Good luck.


----------



## TheSnowman

goingforit said:


> Here's a question. Is there anyone in this thread that can detail the general process and different paths of becoming an LEO? Municipal, state, civil service, non-civil service, campus, etc. The more time I spend on these forums reading about different folks' experiences, the more confused I get!
> 
> Thus far, this is all I understand:
> 
> 1. I take the civil service exam
> 2. I get placed on some sort of list
> 
> Then what? I'd consider myself a pretty smart person but I am really struggling to understand how all of this works and what step should come first depending on which path I'm looking to take. All I know for sure is that the CS exam won't be offered again until 2021 so I have to take it now. I'm registered and ready to go; also signed up for Hanrahan's exam prep course on 12/18.


The only process I can comment on is the civil service process because that's the only avenue I've pursued for employment as an Police officer. I'll break it down the best I can:
1.) civil service has their exams administered every 2 years and all the cities that fall under civil service have to hire off this list. 
(This is the link to the current list with their respective towns)
Civil Service Eligible Lists
2.) Mass State Police usually takes the exam scores from the civ service list every 4 years. (Unfortunately for you you'll age out thanks to an outdated policy they have regarding being older than 34 years on the application filing date.)
3.)once you take the exam you will sit on that list for awhile (I know I did maybe you'll be different.)
4.) If law enforcement is really your be all end all pursue other avenues like college PD and non civ service towns because I took the exam multiple times before I finally got the call. 
The only reason I didn't pursue other avenues was because while I was taking these civ service exams I was getting my feet wet in completely different field. It's why I didn't mind waiting and continually taking these exams.


----------



## Bloodhound

For example
https://www.masscops.com/threads/upton-police.245751/


----------



## MiamiVice

goingforit said:


> Here's a question. Is there anyone in this thread that can detail the general process and different paths of becoming an LEO? Municipal, state, civil service, non-civil service, campus, etc. The more time I spend on these forums reading about different folks' experiences, the more confused I get!
> 
> Thus far, this is all I understand:
> 
> 1. I take the civil service exam
> 2. I get placed on some sort of list
> 
> Then what?
> 
> Here is what-
> 1. look for jobs, I'll give you a hint some are posted on this very forum!!!
> 2. apply for said job
> 3. interview with potential employer
> 4. follow their directions
> 5. maybe get hired


----------



## Joel98

What Miami vice said ^^^^^^^^


----------



## goingforit

TheSnowman said:


> The only process I can comment on is the civil service process because that's the only avenue I've pursued for employment as an Police officer. I'll break it down the best I can:
> 1.) civil service has their exams administered every 2 years and all the cities that fall under civil service have to hire off this list.
> (This is the link to the current list with their respective towns)
> Civil Service Eligible Lists
> 2.) Mass State Police usually takes the exam scores from the civ service list every 4 years. (Unfortunately for you you'll age out thanks to an outdated policy they have regarding being older than 34 years on the application filing date.)
> 3.)once you take the exam you will sit on that list for awhile (I know I did maybe you'll be different.)
> 4.) If law enforcement is really your be all end all pursue other avenues like college PD and non civ service towns because I took the exam multiple times before I finally got the call.
> The only reason I didn't pursue other avenues was because while I was taking these civ service exams I was getting my feet wet in completely different field. It's why I didn't mind waiting and continually taking these exams.


WOW, that list is intimidating. Haha. What are the chances of getting hired within my own town even though I'll miss the 32-year-old age cutoff by 1 month? There's one female with residency at the top of the list, other than that it's pretty empty of women.


----------



## mpd61

goingforit said:


> WOW, that list is intimidating. Haha. What are the chances of getting hired within my own town even though I'll miss the 32-year-old age cutoff by 1 month? There's one female with residency at the top of the list, other than that it's pretty empty of women.


Is your town one of the Civil Service towns exempt from 32 age cutoff? There are many out there


----------



## goingforit

mpd61 said:


> Is your town one of the Civil Service towns exempt from 32 age cutoff? There are many out there


Don't believe so - it's Mansfield. They look to be operating under civil service.


----------



## Bloodhound

goingforit said:


> Don't believe so - it's Mansfield. They look to be operating under civil service.


Mansfield falls under the rule that you must be 31yo as of the last date to apply for the civil circus exam.


----------



## PG1911

goingforit said:


> Here's a question. Is there anyone in this thread that can detail the general process and different paths of becoming an LEO? Municipal, state, civil service, non-civil service, campus, etc. The more time I spend on these forums reading about different folks' experiences, the more confused I get!
> 
> Thus far, this is all I understand:
> 
> 1. I take the civil service exam
> 2. I get placed on some sort of list
> 
> Then what? I'd consider myself a pretty smart person but I am really struggling to understand how all of this works and what step should come first depending on which path I'm looking to take. All I know for sure is that the CS exam won't be offered again until 2021 so I have to take it now. I'm registered and ready to go; also signed up for Hanrahan's exam prep course on 12/18.


I don't know about the CS departments, or how MA does hiring in general; this state seems to like to do everything in the world differently than the rest of the United States. That said, I'd imagine they follow the basic formula that most states do in hiring police officers. I'll tell you what I know from PA and CT.

After the written test (and sometimes before, depending on the department), you'll have a physical agility test. If you pass that (usually not too hard if you're in decent shape), you'll go onto the interview panel aka oral board.

The oral board is usually 2 to 5 officers of varying ranks asking you a bunch of different questions, typically ranging from standard interview stuff (your experience and qualifications, goals, why you want to be a cop and why with that department) to scenarios (what would you do if you saw a fellow officer shoplifting on duty? What if you had to disobey a direct order to save a life? What would you do if you pulled your mom over for speeding?)

If you do well on the oral board, you'll likely move onto the background investigation. You'll get a thick packet to fill out detailing most of your life including education, jobs, financial stuff, places you've lived, other PDs you've applied to, and of course, just about every bad and illegal thing you've ever done, regardless of whether or not you were caught. You'll also submit most of your major documents (driver's license, birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport if you have one, weapons permit if you have one, high school and college transcripts, DD-214 if you're a vet...all that happy horseshit). You'll then meet with a detective who will review your packet with you and allow you to explain anything you need to explain. 
The investigation varies depending on the department. Sometimes it takes a month or two to complete the investigation and they will check EVERYTHING down to the underwear size of the doctor who delivered you. Other times it only takes a week or so, and they'll just check out the most important things (most recent jobs, references and neighbors, and any areas of your background that may concern them).
In most states, you'll likely have to take a polygraph, voice stress, or some kind of "lie detector" test at some point in the background. It's illegal to use for hiring in MA, and also RI, NJ, and a few other states though.
If you clear the background, you'll usually get a conditional offer; that is, the department likes you and intends to hire you pending you clear the medical and psychological evaluations.

Usually the psych eval comes next. You'll meet with a psychologist and go over any questions and issues regarding mental health history (past trauma, psychological counseling, medication, substance abuse, etc), and then you'll take a long, LONG questionnaire that will ask you a bunch of weird questions (usually between 400 and 600 questions). Sometimes the psych will go over it with you, and other times not. If the psychologist finds you fit for duty, you'll move onto the medical evaluation.

The medical is easy: Typical physical exam usually. If you're not blind, deaf, or have a major physical problem that will hinder you on the job, you're usually good to go.

Often, if you make it this far, you'll have meeting with the chief. This is usually a pretty low stress meet and greet. If you're not a total ass, you've got the job at this point.

The entire hiring process takes anywhere from a few weeks to a year or more. It all depends on the size of the department, CS vs. non-CS, how desperate they need to fill openings, how many people they're hiring, and all that stuff.


----------



## goingforit

PG1911 said:


> I don't know about the CS departments, or how MA does hiring in general; this state seems to like to do everything in the world differently than the rest of the United States. That said, I'd imagine they follow the basic formula that most states do in hiring police officers. I'll tell you what I know from PA and CT.
> 
> After the written test (and sometimes before, depending on the department), you'll have a physical agility test. If you pass that (usually not too hard if you're in decent shape), you'll go onto the interview panel aka oral board.
> 
> The oral board is usually 2 to 5 officers of varying ranks asking you a bunch of different questions, typically ranging from standard interview stuff (your experience and qualifications, goals, why you want to be a cop and why with that department) to scenarios (what would you do if you saw a fellow officer shoplifting on duty? What if you had to disobey a direct order to save a life? What would you do if you pulled your mom over for speeding?)
> 
> If you do well on the oral board, you'll likely move onto the background investigation. You'll get a thick packet to fill out detailing most of your life including education, jobs, financial stuff, places you've lived, other PDs you've applied to, and of course, just about every bad and illegal thing you've ever done, regardless of whether or not you were caught. You'll also submit most of your major documents (driver's license, birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport if you have one, weapons permit if you have one, high school and college transcripts, DD-214 if you're a vet...all that happy horseshit). You'll then meet with a detective who will review your packet with you and allow you to explain anything you need to explain.
> The investigation varies depending on the department. Sometimes it takes a month or two to complete the investigation and they will check EVERYTHING down to the underwear size of the doctor who delivered you. Other times it only takes a week or so, and they'll just check out the most important things (most recent jobs, references and neighbors, and any areas of your background that may concern them).
> In most states, you'll likely have to take a polygraph, voice stress, or some kind of "lie detector" test at some point in the background. It's illegal to use for hiring in MA, and also RI, NJ, and a few other states though.
> If you clear the background, you'll usually get a conditional offer; that is, the department likes you and intends to hire you pending you clear the medical and psychological evaluations.
> 
> Usually the psych eval comes next. You'll meet with a psychologist and go over any questions and issues regarding mental health history (past trauma, psychological counseling, medication, substance abuse, etc), and then you'll take a long, LONG questionnaire that will ask you a bunch of weird questions (usually between 400 and 600 questions). Sometimes the psych will go over it with you, and other times not. If the psychologist finds you fit for duty, you'll move onto the medical evaluation.
> 
> The medical is easy: Typical physical exam usually. If you're not blind, deaf, or have a major physical problem that will hinder you on the job, you're usually good to go.
> 
> Often, if you make it this far, you'll have meeting with the chief. This is usually a pretty low stress meet and greet. If you're not a total ass, you've got the job at this point.
> 
> The entire hiring process takes anywhere from a few weeks to a year or more. It all depends on the size of the department, CS vs. non-CS, how desperate they need to fill openings, how many people they're hiring, and all that stuff.


Thank you! This is VERY helpful. I'm extremely depressed that I don't qualify for work in my own town. Especially since when they investigate my neighbors they'll find that they're the police chief's parents. Hahahah. I am going to get in touch with the officer responsible for the reserves anyway. Can't hurt.


----------



## girlcop21

I think it was said before, but there are quite a few municipal departments that do not use civil service, rather they have their own hiring exams. If you are in the Mansfield area, I believe North Attleboro PD gives their own exam as do some departments on the Cape. Also, some non civil service departments only hire from their reserve officer pool meaning you have to be an active reserve officer and then apply for a full time position. Swansea PD is seeking reserve officers and is giving a test on Feb 06. The application deadline is Feb 01. If you are having difficulty finding non civil service job postings, many departments are using social media and will have that information posted.


----------



## TheSnowman

goingforit said:


> Don't believe so - it's Mansfield. They look to be operating under civil service.


If you truly want to work in Mansfield, the only way I could see it happening is if you get hired by another civ service department and then lateral out to Mansfield. That's assuming of course Mansfield takes laterals. You might want to look into that and see if they do


----------



## mpd61

goingforit said:


> I am going to get in touch with the officer responsible for the reserves anyway. Can't hurt.


Darn tootin!


----------



## JGalt413

goingforit said:


> Then what? I'd consider myself a pretty smart person but I am really struggling to understand how all of this works and what step should come first depending on which path I'm looking to take. All I know for sure is that the CS exam won't be offered again until 2021 so I have to take it now. I'm registered and ready to go; also signed up for Hanrahan's exam prep course on 12/18.


Massachusetts seems to be a very difficult place to get hired. From what I can gather, it seems that you have to be a 25 year old disabled veteran who is a transgender minority that speaks a foreign language and has a parent that was injured or killed on the job.

Also, to me, the whole age limit thing is pretty stupid, and age discrimination, which I thought was illegal. I'm trying to get into law enforcement at 37 years old. Being a cisgendered white male, I pretty much figure my chances are zero in Mass. So I'm trying in Connecticut, where they've been known to hire normal civilians to be state troopers who are over 40 years old. The process seems much more merit based and transparent, at least in CT.

Good luck to you!


----------



## Hush

Checkout the names and pictures of MSP command staff, as well as local and state politicians of note. Find someone important, and sleep with them. It worked for one of our former members here, slept her way into a state trooper job AND a plum K9 assignment. True story!

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk


----------



## j809

Hush said:


> Checkout the names and pictures of MSP command staff, as well as local and state politicians of note. Find someone important, and sleep with them. It worked for one of our former members here, slept her way into a state trooper job AND a plum K9 assignment. True story!
> 
> Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Edmizer1

JGalt413 said:


> Massachusetts seems to be a very difficult place to get hired. From what I can gather, it seems that you have to be a 25 year old disabled veteran who is a transgender minority that speaks a foreign language and has a parent that was injured or killed on the job.
> 
> Also, to me, the whole age limit thing is pretty stupid, and age discrimination, which I thought was illegal. I'm trying to get into law enforcement at 37 years old. Being a cisgendered white male, I pretty much figure my chances are zero in Mass. So I'm trying in Connecticut, where they've been known to hire normal civilians to be state troopers who are over 40 years old. The process seems much more merit based and transparent, at least in CT.
> 
> Good luck to you!


 I work near the CT line and CT is an overlooked gem for those looking to get hired. CT PDs are very well paid and equipped. They are also almost always hiring and don't have the CS hiring restrictions MA does.


----------



## PG1911

Edmizer1 said:


> I work near the CT line and CT is an overlooked gem for those looking to get hired. CT PDs are very well paid and equipped. They are also almost always hiring and don't have the CS hiring restrictions MA does.


CT PDs are a lot easier to get a shot with; Pass your physical agility test and do well on the written, and you're very likely to at least get an interview. However, many, dare I say most, PDs in Connecticut are extraordinarily picky about backgrounds though, probably more so than MA, which is why they hire so often: Very few people meet their standards, so they can't get enough candidates, and fast enough, to cover their turnover. One large PD about a decade back had 40 openings, over 2000 applicants, and only 6 people passed the background and got hired! Also, there's an absolute requirement of every candidate to pass a polygraph. I wish the old "just tell the truth and you'll pass" thing was true, but I have found firsthand that it's not.


----------



## triplethreat

Pretty much take the test and hope for the best. As far as civil service goes...IT SUCKS! Nothing but a waiting game and no promises. It enables them to skip over someone with 13 years experience for some joe shmoe off that streets just because they have residency, or vet preference etc. In my opinion it's a waste of time, just another check to Mass. 

With that being said there are still some communities that hire part timers for patrol and go from there. My personal recommendation would be to self sponsor for the academy. Unfortunately fulltime academy is a huge commitment expense wise and time off from whatever you currently do for work. Start off part time with the academy and get on a small department for some details, and experience etc.


----------



## Edmizer1

PG1911 said:


> CT PDs are a lot easier to get a shot with; Pass your physical agility test and do well on the written, and you're very likely to at least get an interview. However, many, dare I say most, PDs in Connecticut are extraordinarily picky about backgrounds though, probably more so than MA, which is why they hire so often: Very few people meet their standards, so they can't get enough candidates, and fast enough, to cover their turnover. One large PD about a decade back had 40 openings, over 2000 applicants, and only 6 people passed the background and got hired! Also, there's an absolute requirement of every candidate to pass a polygraph. I wish the old "just tell the truth and you'll pass" thing was true, but I have found firsthand that it's not.


CT is also much stricter. They have no problem firing people if you they don't fit.


----------



## pahapoika

Edmizer1 said:


> CT is also much stricter. They have no problem firing people if you they don't fit.


Any Union, CC ?


----------



## PG1911

pahapoika said:


> Any Union, CC ?


There are unions, and most of the cities do have civil service, but it's a lot different than MA. Fortunately, they pretty much all go by how CS testing is supposed to: Your score is your score; no wading through preferences and such. Unfortunately, candidates have a lot less recourse in CT if they get booted from the process for something stupid. For job security purposes, yeah, it's probably less than in MA, but officers are still relatively well protected for political-based firings (from what I understand). PDs in CT, however, invest a lot more into new officers up front though, as there's no sponsorship to the academies; only hired recruits attend. If a town is paying for an officer's tuition and salary while that officer is at the academy, you can be damn sure that they're going to do everything they can to make sure their investment pays off, and they get through FTO and probation.


----------



## Treehouse413

A large number of CT departments do not offer health insurance once you retire and no defined pension. Most are 401k type plans.


----------



## pahapoika

Is there any new hire obligation with CT ?

Heard years ago kids from Mass had to sign on for at least 2 years after getting hired with the NH departments or at least the ones on the border.


----------



## Hush

A number of NH depts have a contract obligation to cover the hiring and academy costs, but it varies widely. 

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk


----------



## Edmizer1

Treehouse413 said:


> A large number of CT departments do not offer health insurance once you retire and no defined pension. Most are 401k type plans.


Another quirk in CT is that you do not get an academy graduation certificate until your PD sends the academy confirmation that you successfully completed field training. Some PDs essentially everyone completes FTO and some have a high failure rate. I know of one guy who failed one module of his FTO that the particular PD was known to be very strict on which meant no academy certificate for him. He later had to re-do the academy in Mass and is doing well as far as I know.

As far as the benefits in CT, they used to be extremely good, the pension was incredible which just about bankrupted the state. New hires have significantly less retirements.


----------



## PG1911

pahapoika said:


> Is there any new hire obligation with CT ?
> 
> Heard years ago kids from Mass had to sign on for at least 2 years after getting hired with the NH departments or at least the ones on the border.


None that I know of. In fact, I've heard of guys leaving from one department for another in the middle of the academy. If you ask me, that's a bit of a dick move on the part of the recruit, and on the PD that poached him from the department who hired him, and certainly a bridge burner, but it does happen.



Edmizer1 said:


> Another quirk in CT is that you do not get an academy graduation certificate until your PD sends the academy confirmation that you successfully completed field training. Some PDs essentially everyone completes FTO and some have a high failure rate. I know of one guy who failed one module of his FTO that the particular PD was known to be very strict on which meant no academy certificate for him. He later had to re-do the academy in Mass and is doing well as far as I know.


Damn! That's rough. However, I'd imagine that most departments, having paid thousands to the state and having to wait 6 months for their new hire to hit the streets, are going to do anything they can to make sure that effort pays off. By contrast, in states where you have to self-sponsor to have a chance, very few fucks are given whether a new guy succeeds or not. The departments didn't drop any money on his academy, they have a huge pool of certified candidates who can replace the new guy almost immediately if he fails FTO or probation, so it's no snot out of their nose if he does.


----------



## Edmizer1

PG1911 said:


> None that I know of. In fact, I've heard of guys leaving from one department for another in the middle of the academy. If you ask me, that's a bit of a dick move on the part of the recruit, and on the PD that poached him from the department who hired him, and certainly a bridge burner, but it does happen.
> 
> Damn! That's rough. However, I'd imagine that most departments, having paid thousands to the state and having to wait 6 months for their new hire to hit the streets, are going to do anything they can to make sure that effort pays off. By contrast, in states where you have to self-sponsor to have a chance, very few fucks are given whether a new guy succeeds or not. The departments didn't drop any money on his academy, they have a huge pool of certified candidates who can replace the new guy almost immediately if he fails FTO or probation, so it's no snot out of their nose if he does.


Mass will be in this situation in a few years. With the colleges that are issuing an MPTC certificate at graduation there will be tons of people with certificates. The quality of these programs remains a social experiment in progress. I know that the Mass chiefs are very concerned that these programs will not prepare these graduates for the police profession. The market will suddenly become flooded with certificate holders in a few years, mostly with no experience. MPTC has a rule which I believe mandates that all certificate holders get a full time police job within 3 years of getting the certificate or it expires. I could be wrong on the time limit but I see a situation where many/most of these certificates expire without any use. As CS starts to disappear, and huge pools of candidates are available, I see the pay/benefits of this profession taking further falls.


----------



## PG1911

Edmizer1 said:


> Mass will be in this situation in a few years. With the colleges that are issuing an MPTC certificate at graduation there will be tons of people with certificates. The quality of these programs remains a social experiment in progress. I know that the Mass chiefs are very concerned that these programs will not prepare these graduates for the police profession. The market will suddenly become flooded with certificate holders in a few years, mostly with no experience. MPTC has a rule which I believe mandates that all certificate holders get a full time police job within 3 years of getting the certificate or it expires. I could be wrong on the time limit but I see a situation where many/most of these certificates expire without any use. As CS starts to disappear, and huge pools of candidates are available, I see the pay/benefits of this profession taking further falls.


If the pool gets too big, I can see the 3 year expiration going away. That's what happened in PA; too many people dropping thousands of dollars on academy training that they never got a chance to use despite their best efforts to get hired before the certification expired. Now, the academy never expires. Upon graduation, you take the state certification test, which is good for two years. If you don't get hired within that time, you just take the test again. If the curriculum is extended during a time after your test expires, you do have to take the extra hours before you can take the test again, but only the new stuff; not the whole academy. It'll be hard for MA to convince people to take an academy that only has about a 1% chance of paying off before it expires, so I can see it going to the way of PA and having permanent certification (with mandatory updates, of course).

Question about the 3 year mandate though: Does getting hired count if it's a campus job? That is, let's say I go to a FT academy, then get hired full time by a college that does SSPO. Is my certification still good after 3 years if I want to go to a town? Or does it only count if I get hired by a town or UMass?


----------



## pahapoika

Believe you have to do your in-service with mptc at least every two years to stay qualified. 

Could be wrong but that's what's required of Reserve intermittent


----------



## Edmizer1

PG1911 said:


> If the pool gets too big, I can see the 3 year expiration going away. That's what happened in PA; too many people dropping thousands of dollars on academy training that they never got a chance to use despite their best efforts to get hired before the certification expired. Now, the academy never expires. Upon graduation, you take the state certification test, which is good for two years. If you don't get hired within that time, you just take the test again. If the curriculum is extended during a time after your test expires, you do have to take the extra hours before you can take the test again, but only the new stuff; not the whole academy. It'll be hard for MA to convince people to take an academy that only has about a 1% chance of paying off before it expires, so I can see it going to the way of PA and having permanent certification (with mandatory updates, of course).
> 
> Question about the 3 year mandate though: Does getting hired count if it's a campus job? That is, let's say I go to a FT academy, then get hired full time by a college that does SSPO. Is my certification still good after 3 years if I want to go to a town? Or does it only count if I get hired by a town or UMass?


My understanding is that you now have to get a job that is equivalent with your level of certification or you will expire. If you work part-time then you will still expire. I'm not sure about FT campus but what I read was you must have FT municipal or it is no good. I was a FT campus cop with a FT academy for 7 years before I went FT municipal. If this rule was in place when I wanted to make the move it may have stopped me. I like the post about PA, they had the same issue and had to change the rule, I see that happening in MA.

I'm not sure if going to in-service cuts it any more. I do know of guys that were out for one reason or another going to in-service each year to make sure they stayed certified but I have not seen that tactic in many years.


----------

