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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]First, find out more about the profession. Talk to some people in law enforcement. Some places have outreach programs like ride along, though I don’t know if these are open to teens. [/quote]

I would highly recommend this strategy. Our son did it and that sealed the deal. The Virginia State Police offer an amazing week long experience in conjunction with the American Legion. I couldn’t find a VSP video on YouTube but Connecticut and Massachusetts both have good ones.

https://valegion.org/programs/youth-cadet-law-enforcement-program/

[quote=Anonymous]If they are academically inclined, get a college degree first. While a degree isn’t necessary to be a cop, it is often a requirement for leadership positions, which are generally safer. Plus, four additional years of maturity and exposure to other experiences can only be a plus.[/quote]

Spot on again. Students DO NOT need to be Criminal Justice majors. Choose a major that interests you. In many departments the starting salary for recruits with college degrees is higher. Many people in command staff positions have graduate degrees in Public Policy.

[quote=Anonymous]We have a family member who is a police officer, and he has found it both rewarding and incredibly emotionally and physically draining. He has seen the worst and best of humanity. Sometimes the job is incredibly boring, like just sitting outside a Walmart on a holiday to dissuade looters, and sometimes he has chased down and wrestled criminals. He has been injured many times, including stabbed. It’s been tough on his wife, who has had to do a lot of childcare on her own as he deals with shifting schedules. It has been tough on his kids, who have a lot of anxiety about his safety. But he’s an action-oriented person who would not be satisfied with a desk job. We’re all just hoping he makes it through the next couple years unharmed, and [b]then he can retire at 45 with a good pension[/b].[/quote]

Think about the bolded part above. Some departments have a minimum retirement age, like 50. Regardless, you can embark on a new career after 25 years with a pension already in hand.[/quote]

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