When you made your decision to become a police officer, you made a decision to change your life. And when you turned in your application, you took your first step in a grueling process towards achieving your goal. Next in the gauntlet: the police written exam. The first hurtle. The first cold sweat in a long line of cold sweats. Now's ...

My last Law Enforcement Career Expert column for PoliceLink.com covered ten tips for mastering the police oral board. This column covers how to answer the questions themselves. While I can’t give you the exact wording that will work for you, understanding why certain questions are asked, and how to formulate the answer that fits you, is the key to getting hired ...

Your lifelong dream has been to become a police officer. But you're still not exactly sure about how to make that dream a reality. Ten Steps to Joining the Force is a comprehensive guide detailing the path you should follow - from picking a law enforcement specialty to going through the academy and completing field training - to realize your dream. ...

A career as a police officer is like no other. Ask any cop and they’ll tell you that it’s a way of life and they wouldn’t want to do anything else. But do you really know what it takes to set yourself apart from the other candidates in the exceedingly fierce competition for your coveted law enforcement positions? PoliceLink has pulled ...

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers are the third most in-demand profession in the Homeland Security sector. There is projected need for 265,000 officers by the end of 2014; but that is not to say that some states have a higher need than others. The following is a guide to help you navigate, state by state, the law enforcement employment gauntlet. h4. ...

Preparation for judgment/situational test questions on the police written test may seem daunting, but in reality, you need to capture only one thing -- the mindset of a police officer. Thinking like a police officer is not simple, yet the elements that make up a police officers mindset are simple, straightforward and support effective, correct actions and decisions in situational dilemmas. ...

Many people have a preconceived notion of law enforcement based on the sensational scenes shown on the news or at the movies. But what is it really like to be a street cop? Or a federal agent? Or a conservation officer? There are hundreds of career paths within law enforcement and all are done for the love of it – not ...

It is a good idea to practice your oral board answers, but what tools can you use to do that - and what tools give you an edge? A video camera is a great tool. You need to see how you look to other people. What better way is there to get a good look at yourself? How about standing in ...

Oral boards are the key to getting hired. As a police academy manager and former police chief, I have seen countless applicants bomb their oral hiring board when they were otherwise good candidates. Like many other things in life, proper preparation can make the difference. This article will suggest ten tips to increase your chances for success. *1) Do your research.* ...

Not every U.S. city is created equal, and so when it comes time for a police officer to choose a department, there can be a lot to consider. Understanding the overall health and standard of living in a city can make a big difference during one's career. A high starting salary can be a major reason for signing on, but will ...

Twelve years ago I got my first departmental email address and thought it was the coolest and most comprehensive electronic communication tool that I would ever use or need. I also assumed it was completely private, belonged only to me and that when I hit “delete” it went away forever. For an oldster who was born prior to 1960, I’ve learned ...

My goal in posting this information is to help those reading these lines to realize the dream they have about becoming a Law Enforcement Officer. I do not claim to be an expert, but after thirty years on the job I believe that at least some of the ideas and suggestions I'm passing along may be helpful in your quest. I've ...

You don’t really want to be a cop, do you? Fighting crime, saving lives, big guns, fast cars, a cool uniform, hot calls; that stuff’s not for you. The hours are long, the gratitude is short-lived, and there may occasionally be people trying to kill you when you’re just trying to make a living and do a little good. Take some ...

Will you fit in? Are you old enough? Are you too old? Do you have a criminal record? Understand the basic requirements of joining a department here with: p((. • Basic eligibility requirements p((. • Reasons to join p((. • Benefits overview p((. • Law Enforcement vs. Civilian Comparison *+Basic Eligibility Requirements+* Eligibility requirement can vary from department to department. You ...

_Excerpted from the bestselling book - Confessions of a "Hardass" - An insider's advice on passing your law enforcement pre-employment interview._ When a law enforcement or corrections agency interviews you, what is really happening is that they are deciding how well you fit in with the people, the mission and the daily work environment of the organization. Each agency has aspirations ...

After riding with your FTO for a few weeks you’ll be cut loose on your own. In larger departments you may have a partner, but usually you will be riding solo. Here are some tips to get a solid footing in your new career. See The List >>> [gate] [page] 10. Most situations will not be how they were described in ...

You’ve finally been cut loose and your FTO is no longer breathing down your back. But you’re still a rookie. Here are some tips that will help you get through your first year: p((. • Ways to Avoid the Top 10 rookie mistakes p((. • What to expect your first few weeks *+Ways to Avoid the Top 10 rookie mistakes+* After ...

The image you present in your Police Oral Board Interview is one of the most important elements to consider in any preparations you undertake. The most positive image to present is one that displays character traits that are universally perceived as positive. Bringing a powerful combination of accepted positive images to your interview is a sure way to make a winning ...

It’s a New Year and you want to fulfill your dream of landing that cop job. Now that the initial flurry of silly New Year’s Resolutions have fallen by the wayside, let’s get serious. In order to help you on that quest, this Cop Career Counselor column is geared towards helping you shape your New Year’s resolutions towards that goal. Around ...

A polygraph exam is often a “make or break” part of the police testing process, but it’s often difficult to prepare for and even understand. As Richard Nixon said “I don’t know anything about lie detectors other than they scare the hell out of people!” Polygraph testing is used far more in government pre-employment processes than in the private sector. In ...