Worse in MN.
applied for a spot last year, don't know how many applied, bit they only allowed 600 to test... for one ANTICIPATED opening later in the year.

Come to ND. For less than 2k, you can go to the only academy in ND and become eligible to become licensed as a police officer in ND. We have a ton of openings right now and not enough people to fill them.

If you have no experience, you may have to work for a year or two in a small department before you can get on at a larger agency.

When I got out if the USAF in 1998, I took a police officer position in a small town for $6.87/hr ($205 take home a week) and no health insurance.  My wife got her teaching degree done and basically we switched wages and we managed.  I got my foot in the door. I made connections and joined a much larger department and I make a fuck ton more than that.

My advice is to shotgun your applications to every place you can, low paying, high paying, just get your foot in the door.  Keep applying, do not stop!  Don't ever give up!  Apply time after time!  Sign up for ride alongs (*which we have a citizens police academy here that lets you do ride alongs).  

I won't lie, I gave up before trying to get on the force in south Florida. I tried 5-6 times to get on with BSO and about a dozen other agencies. I then joined the USAF for six years.  You might need to relocate seriously if the odds are really bad. But don't quit!

Which departments are hiring?

 

Houston PD cant even fill up an academy class now. They are offering a 5k sign on bonus. Too many oil & gas related jobs in this area that pay 30+ / hr starting out. We are probably about a thousand officers short now and its only getting worse.

HPD needs to learn from NYPD, if you pay them they will come.

Small departments around my area in NC typically fill full time positions from the part-time/reserve officers. Basically a person has to be hired part-time/reserve and wait for the next position to come open, which may be several years. Though it will only help you with other smaller departments which operate in a similar fashion, if a part-time/reserve there doesn't want to move up to full time. Large departments don't consider part-time even averaging 30 hours a week as experience, only full time counts. So that is a double edged sword.

Some places love military service, or college degrees, or volunteer work in the community, etc. Try to see what a department is seeking and if you have the relevant background, make sure it stands out in your application packet.

NC is a self sponsor state, and the community college BLET programs are usually almost full, but there is only a small number of actual jobs out there now. When I went through BLET years back, if you graduated BLET, had a 2 or 4 year degree, clean criminal history, and a pulse, they would almost compete against other departments to hire you. I keep expecting in another few years it will turn around again.

Off the top of my head, Beulah, Harvey, most any department out west. Shoot me a pm if your looking for work. Maybe I can help find something for you.

Come to Texas. Dallas PD is always hiring. And don't believe everything you hear about DPD. Yeah, there's idiots leading idiots, but it's the 10th largest agency in the country. Last I heard they're 538 +/- bodies short. My nephew tested in March and starst the academy in July. However, you have to have your shit together. DPD just doesn't hire anyone. My opinion, the ones that bitch about DPD are lazy mouth-breathers, that's my they leave and go to suburban departments.