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I think I want to be a cop.
Lackadaisical
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I'm a college dropout. I'm 6 foot 2, I weigh 385 pounds. And I've never really had any kind of exercise regimen in my life. Obviously I need to lose weight. I forgot to mention that I'm in California, I'm sure that effects how I do this. I just, like four days ago, went cold turkey from WoW and smoking, and I don't even want a cigarette. But I have trouble stopping myself from going to mcdonalds and buying too much food.
Is there some kind of criteria to see if I even qualify to be one? I have no "record" and aside from one fix-it ticket I've never even had a speeding ticket. I'm also currently on two different anti-depressants that are showing promise. This is what i'm shady on, I haven't always had perfect mental health, is it possible for me to become one?
Is there some kind of criteria to see if I even qualify to be one? I have no "record" and aside from one fix-it ticket I've never even had a speeding ticket. I'm also currently on two different anti-depressants that are showing promise. This is what i'm shady on, I haven't always had perfect mental health, is it possible for me to become one?
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Don't go to McDonalds.
I believe many departments require a BA, some still just need GEDs. Looking up information for your location would be the thing to do.
How many units do you have? I think many departments require something like 60 units. That's going to be mostly your nicer cities. There's still plenty that don't require college. You also need to lose a LOT of weight. You'll generally need to be able to haul yourself over a 6 foot flat wood wall to get into most places. Most do not have any starting weight requirements but post their physical exams online for you to know what you need to do. Since you say you've never exercised much I'm assuming you don't have much muscle. You should plan on dropping your weight down to at least under 260 to be able to pass the entrance tests.
The mental health thing is very likely to keep you out of a lot of departments, especially with the reduced workforce.
It sounds like you want to turn your whole life around instantly, and that will never work. Small steps, small goals, as you hit each one you'll feel better about yourself and want to keep going. A large goal like 'Become a police officer' or 'be skinny' as impossible as 'fly to the moon'. You'd have to learn how to build a rocket, gather the pieces, build it, etc. You get my point.
After college, a friend of mine moved back to California, where he went into the police academy unsponsored. He graduated the academy and spent close to two years looking for police work before he gave up.
Yeah, this. I'm in Colorado, but from what I hear cops are getting let go everywhere. My friend graduated academy two years ago, got a job for a year and was laid off with budget cuts. He's been looking ever since.
He, too, had to lose quite a bit of weight. But he busted his ass off and got through the physical requirements. I think it's a bit useless, as once you make it through the fitness tests, you are never tested again (at least not here.) But whatever.
Becoming an officer right now seems to be difficult.
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It's surprisingly difficult to become a police officer. There are very few openings most of the time and the ones that are available are generally given to soldiers returning from the military. That was the case in 2005 when I was trying to become a police officer after getting a four year degree in criminology with a minor in psychology and being in the best shape of my life, while coming in at around the top 10% of applicants on the physical evaluation test.
Just something to think about. If you're serious about losing the weight and turning your life around, you might want to consider the military thread as well.
Then one night you'll gun down your drill sargent after one too many gomer pile cracks.
Once you pass that and get hired you go to the academy.
Wow, that's... where do you live? After living in a city for three years I can walk 1.5 miles about that fast.
OP, I'd def. talk to someone in recruiting/hiring at your local department, particularly about the mental health thing. If for no other reason than I have no idea how those anti-depressants will show up on a drug test, which practically every department requires.
Those are only the entrance tests, not the final academy tests. They vary quite a bit per department. Many only require a run and an obstacle course.
This, and the comment above are both right.
The physical and written test get your foot in the door, and you'd need to come in at the top 10% just to get a callback for the interviews, and if you pass those (and they're intimidating, it's you in a room with some higher ranking officers and usually the chief or captain) you get the polygraph and a final interview.
The academy is usually about three months of a light version of basic training, coupled with police investigation and procedure classes that you'll need to ace.
On the plus side, it gives you time to get in shape. Start applying now, 'cause it'll be a long way before anything happens. Plenty of time to get in shape.