Full Careers

Former Police Officer Needs, A Little Community Advice About A Career Change or Return?

In 2004 at the age of 22 I was hired as a recruit for the Prince George’s County Police Department in the state of Maryland. After graduating from their 29 week academy, I only did five actual months police field work. My Sgt. gave me a sit down talk, and told me I was a good kid, but I just was not ready yet, after two incidents on calls when I froze up during my FTO period. So I resign. I went back to school, and now I’m studying to work in the electrician field. I graduate February of 2009. Prior to joining the academy I did go to college and my major was criminal justice, I found out there really isn’t too much to do with that major. Anyways I’m about to turn 26, and the taste of being a police officer, has came back into mouth. I now know I just was not ready yet, and want to give it a shot again. The funny thing about being a police officer was that I loved it, and hated too. I will graduate from school next year, because I want that major under my belt. But I’ve been thinking of a possible return in 2009, or 2010 when I’m 27or 28. I’m definitely not going back to PGPD, but most likely Howard, or Anne Arundel County. What are your thoughts should I attempt an return? Or stay in the electrician field? (they do make pretty good money)

Public Comments

1. Go to Law enforcement! Think about it is your job boring do you want to stay like that for the rest of your life? electrician? Be a cop we need more cops now days. im sure your family would love to see you as a cop again.
2. I think you should do what your heart tells you. We need good police officers. Sounds like you fit the bill. Good luck to you.
3. To be brutaly honest, stay away from police work. Some people just don't have the personality or apptitude to be able to handle the stress of the job. Being 22 or 28 has nothing to do with it. Departments put a lot of time and money into training you during the FTO program, if the problem was something that could have been fixed then they would have spent the extra time and training and fixed it. If for nothing else to protect their investment. Think about it, they spent 6 months paying you a salary and benefits and equipment and at the end of that time they thought they were better off cutting thier losses and getting rid of you. "Freezing up" isn't the kind of reaction to stress that can be trained out of you. Sorry man, even though you may want to be a cop you don't have what it takes. Stay out of the field before you get yourself of someone else killed.
4. Have you considered the possibility of becoming a probation officer? You'd still be working in the criminal justice field, the money's not bad, and we don't get into nearly as many "OH, #$%*!" situations as police officers do...
5. There are other careers in law enforcement, but they may "freeze" you in other ways. Can you handle working with kids who have been abused and abandoned all their lives? The money is what motivates many cops to stay. But you seem to have a knack for things that require more thinking, and the ability to learn and excel in an analytical trade. Maybe that is why you like the job as an electrician. You know, an electronics engineer is not hurting, and is not exposed to situations that would leave him hating his job. The job of a cop is more like that of a secretary, or temporary employee. They stand long hours in construction sites, write reports, try to break up disputes between relatives and neighbors, direct traffic, stang guard here and there, and a lot of monotonous stuff that is nonsense for a person with more analytical abilities. I'd look into other fields that involve physics, electronics, math and general analytical duties...