Quoted: Im willing to be the youngest most inexperienced runt in my DEA graduating class thats still a little naive and it might take me 2 or three years to catch up with the rest the special agents. But Id rather spend 21-25 in the DEA getting my feet wet to Federal LE and the world in general; instead of spending 21-30 "building a resume" by chasing small town wife beaters and people with warrants for speeding tickets. Many of you will be angry at me for taking shortcuts in my professional development but im willing to make up for that with hard work and dedication in my dream job!

The more you ramble, the more comfort I see in the fact that those who do the hiring at these dream jobs you talk of probably aren't willing to let you be the most inexperienced, naive, gung ho special agent the world ever saw.

Seriously dude, you sound tailor made for a stint in the service.Make sure to pick something hard where they will "apprecriate" your initiative and motivation and remember to remind them how damn good you are regularly.Make sure to constantly refer to your bachelor degree as well and how you should be a leader already, too.

Holy shit, sentance structure and paragraphs!!!! What a novel idea. I'm so proud of me.

well much to your shigrin im planning on bypassing military and local law enforcement if i can, not because i dont greatly respect or admire it, but because i think that i can get where i eventually want to go without it. Many of you gave your time and hard work to military or law enforcement thinking that this was the only way to advance you life when you may have been able to do what you wanted much sooner by understanding your desires and really attempting to accomplish them. You seem to be bitter against me because ill soon have a degree and i have high aspirations in whatever i do. If thats making you envious then you envy something you should have yourself. I shouldnt be the only one whos fighting tooth and nail to have their dream and willing to do it as soon as possible.  Its kinda like being envious at your neighbor for having a bushel of apples that he climbed a tree for while you spend all your time crafting a ladder you dont need!
Besides, bachelors degrees in criminal justice come a dime a dozen now days and theyre really only worth the paper theyre printed on so far as education goes. I believe that my degree was very general and wont give me any specific skills that will go toward my career. It really just shows that i have the tenacity to complete a long term goal.

It sounds like you dislike the guys you served with in the military who had degrees aspirations!

It has more to do with the experience of "paying your dues" rather than us being jealous of you.  When you talked of joining the Marines you instantly wanted to be an NCO.  Do you know the makeup of a platoon...or a fireteam for that matter?  Would you want to follow someone into battle that is fresh out of SOI?  You cannot expect to start at the top of the ladder.  I wish you best of luck in your job hunt but I think that you will find that many if not all LE agencies are going to look at your lack of experience rather than your motivation.

-BJohnson

Quoted: well much to your shigrin im planning on bypassing military and local law enforcement if i can, not because i dont greatly respect or admire it, but because i think that i can get where i eventually want to go without it. Many of you gave your time and hard work to military or law enforcement thinking that this was the only way to advance you life when you may have been able to do what you wanted much sooner by understanding your desires and really attempting to accomplish them. You seem to be bitter against me because ill soon have a degree and i have high aspirations in whatever i do. If thats making you envious then you envy something you should have yourself. I shouldnt be the only one whos fighting tooth and nail to have their dream and willing to do it as soon as possible.  Its kinda like being envious at your neighbor for having a bushel of apples that he climbed a tree for while you spend all your time crafting a ladder you dont need! Besides, bachelors degrees in criminal justice come a dime a dozen now days and theyre really only worth the paper theyre printed on so far as education goes. I believe that my degree was very general and wont give me any specific skills that will go toward my career. It really just shows that i have the tenacity to complete a long term goal. It sounds like you dislike the guys you served with in the military who had degrees aspirations!

Trust me, no envy here. Just an amusing thread I stayed out of til I couldn't help it. Just to clear up any of your ideas on me, I'll have my bachelor's a couple months before you, am on track to start the academy for the state agency that I've had as a goal  since leaving the military three weeks after graduation, and already had a two year degree upon entering the military. But thanks for playing anyway

I agree with you on the degree, that is mostly just a way of showing you can finish what you start. Much of it will have as much real world application as the price of eggs in China.

I honestly hope things come together for you, if you are as persistent with your career as you are hard headed with this you should be successful.There is a reason though so many are recommending the typical "military/college/ small agency" routine. It works. With my own situation, having an active duty hitch in the Army as well as NG time including a deployment to a war zone, and about to have a bachelor's degree, it pretty much felt like they were recruiting me instead of me trying to convince them to give me a shot.

But hey, keep thinkin' outside the box and when it works, you can come tell us "I told you so."

lol, yeah i was looking at www.usajobs.gov earlier and im thinking that i might have to work as an 1811 federal investigatior in the Bureau of land management or government accountability or postal service for 2 or three years before i can get a transfer into DEA. I will do this if i have to because its still faster than going into the military for 4 years and possibly getting shot, IED'ed, stoned, ect. or going into local law enforcement for 10 years before becoming competitive. I would imagine that there arent too many people kicking down the door to become "bureau of land management federal investigators" so i might hire on there to get my security clearance and investigator training and then as soon as im out of the federal schooling apply DEA. Its a dirty trick but if it works i really dont care.

Still, 2-5 yrs. investigating pyramid scheme mail fraud, or whatever the hell the Bureau of Land Management investigates is going to SUCK alot. But i guess thats the only way i can get my dream job and definately prove im willing to do what it takes to get hired.

Quoted: I found that last post to be very intersting and well timed. I went down to South Padre Island Tx last week for spring break and i was able to talk to 2 border patroll agents for about half and hour. I told them that several local officers moaned about how cool their BP buddies jobs were and the BP agents said "Dont go into BP it sucks". Then they back stepped on that statement and asked if i had a voice recorder. After lifting my shirt and swearing that i wasnt a reporter we talked and this is the gist of what i got. They hate the politics- theyre restricted to what they can do and what policys that they are allowed to enforce. They also said that theyre patrol was a boring one and that not much happens. They mentioned that they used to have cool toys but now: the full auto was taken away from their M4's, they only have pistol resistand body armor, and their boats never work because they dont have adequate mechanics to keep them running. Apparently they have their own boats but use the coast guards docks and this was where they were coming from when i talked to them. They got a call from their supervisor during our conversation and they were complaining about how their boat had lost power steering or something and it almost hit something when they were docking. They did say that they had cool night vision. They mentioned that all the good border patrol work was in new mexico and that border patrol will hire anyone with a pulse that can complete sentences, they mentioned that it didnt even require a college degree. They also said that they both wanted out and one had applied to the DEA but decided not to go at the last minute because he didnt want to travel. He also mentioned that other federal agencys really didnt want to hire from BP ranks because they already have a hard time keeping agents. He said that if he wanted to go into another agency hed be better off quiting BP and then applying around so the other agencys wouldnt feel that theyre poaching BP agents. The best advice that he gave me was that i should go to www.usjobs.gov and apply for any job that was an 1811 which is a federal investigator. He said that once im certified i can pretty much go to any agency i want. He said apply for every 1811 job and take the fist one you get wether its for the postal service, FDA, FBI, ect. and go to Georgia for my federal training and then when i graduate it i will be much more competitive for other jobs. He said that if i tried this somebody is bound to hire me regardless of GPA and that DEA wouldnt deny me a job just because my GPA is a few tenths of a point off. If they like me Im in. Also i want to clarify that im not looking just to go kick doors down and shoot bad guys, everybody is making me sound like an action junky, im not a psychotic adrenelanin feind. I just want to fight narcotics trafficking and sales on a national level and that will inherintely require some risk and im willing to accept that risk. I never look forward to violence or conflict, i always try to find a way around it, 99% of the time Im successfull, 1% of the time im not but then Im prepared for it and willing to do what it takes to resolve it. If Quakers ran all of the dangerous criminals out of a job somehow and i had to chase pasifists around all day i might not have as many cool stories to tell my grandchildren when im old but i will be just as happy doing my job!

That sucks.  Sounds like those guys are really unhappy.  I won't blow sunshine up your ass, they're are downsides.  These guys seem to be getting the worst of it.  I hate sounding like a mouthpiece for anyone, but I really enjoy the patrol.  Could be that I have a better station than most.  Hey, we have full auto, including our newest batch.  They have been known to hand out acogs here as well.  

As far as politics goes, as someone else posted and I'm sure you are aware, they exist everywhere.  There places worst than others though.  As far as other agencies, I can only go by what I've seen at my station.  It's not as prevalant as before, but they do seem to go for PA's.  The Secret Service use to be one of the biggest, but not lately.  That's cool, who wants that  gig.  DEA still loves us among others.  You do seem disenchanted by the whole thing though, so I would stick with your gut and go for something else.  Not a rip on you by any means, just one of them things.  

Good luck with your future endeavers.  

Are you going to be that impatient DEA agent that we read about in 5 years making the largest bust in the history of that agency?  

Only to have it thrown out because of some shortcuts and sloppy work or violating someones rights.   And at the expense of others blood?  

The ends don't always justify the means.

You are focused, that is good.  However you have no plan.  Thus failing to plan, is planning to fail.  You have just failed in your first tactical mission.  

I'm not one to crap on someones dream.  People have done that to me  I've always dug in and tried to evaluate how to get to where I wanted to be.  It's worked well and I've had some setbacks along the way.  I did listen to those who have been there and done that.  

You are trying to get hired by an agency that has thousands of applications from serious operators, and scarce skills.  My point is, while not impossible.  Just more difficult.

Other's have given you good information.  You don't want to listen.  Thinking outside the box is also a good thing.

I hear that NASA has an opening.   Not real competitive.  

They are looking for a door gunner for the space shuttle.
The Rocks, bottles, and IED's aren't going to be much of a threat up there.   Well maybe the rocks/asteroids.

You have been all over the board trying to figure out a way to "shortcut" the system.   This reminds me of the dopers that spend all of their creative energy trying to come up with ingenious ways of hiding their stash.   If they spent half that energy on "normal" activities they would be very productive.

I'm sorry if I sound a little harsh or have been rude.   The door gunner was pretty absurd.   But that's how these posts seem to be going.  

Go back and read your original post and then your follow up posts.  
Come back and tell us if this is how you wish to be seen.

Seriously I would look at the AIR Marshall's.  Travel bunches, meet hot flight attendants, and if you are unlucky,   get to shoot a terrorist between the eyes.  Pay is good and if you keep you nose clean you can always transfer.    (Waiting for the morale horror stories)    Focus on the positives no matter where you land.  Do good work and be professional.  No one can take that away from you.

Reputation goes along way in this business.

hmm, for the purposes of this board and what im trying to learn it does seem like ive screwed myself a little. Im trying to be honest and i might be a little too forward in making my points. But what im trying to get at is this:

I know what i want to do and i think im ready for that, if it turns out that im not ready then i want  to find out sooner than later.

I want to get into that job in the quickest most effecient way possible, im not really trying to cut corners but if i can get trained for 1811 and transfer into the agency i want in 2 yrs then why would it be logical to spend 5-10 yrs in military or LE.

If yalls only suggestions are for long term avenues then im willing to look at them but im still going to try a more direct route first.

If anyone knows anything about 1811 hiring requirements, openings, ect. and has tips or advice on this then let me know. I think this is my best option for what i want to do.

Keeping the experience thing in mind i also want to run another question past yall...  Ive heard that sometimes the DEA looks for inexperienced guys straight from college or other avenues to do undercover investigative work because they dont walk, talk, think, ect. like well seasoned police officers. If i go military and law enforcement for years, the experience may shape my personality into something that would stand apart from most criminals. I can spot a cop in a restaruant by the way he walks, speaks to people, his attitudes, opinions ect. Could it be possible that the DEA doesnt want these attributes in a young guy like me. Im sure they would rather have a clean slate to work with, right? Just a thought, let me know what yall think!

Thanks, Jason

oh and to answer highdraglowspeed's question, i dont plan on being the kind of guy to take risks and endanger other people. I tend to be focused and patient when i believe its necessary.  My end goal will be to catch bad guys and ensure that they get put away. Cutting corners would prevent criminal convictions and this is the exact opposite of my goal.

You were also correct in stating that i dont have a plan. Thats why im here talking to yall. You stated that im failing to plan and that im cutting corners and trying to do it the easy way instead of the hard way like drug dealers who should have just gotten a job to begin with. Well i dont believe that i should make getting a DEA job more difficult than it has to be. If i can get hired without lots of military then why not? Youre correct in stating that Im looking for a nontraditional means of getting hired in a short time period and if it works then my plan will have succeeded. I might not choose the plan that you want me to, mine might be shorter or more focused, but its still going to suit my best interest.  I plan on establishing a plan soon and working towards it.

If you think im failing to plan then youre flat wrong, im planning right now but im just doing it in a non traditional way thats not easily accepted by the guys who earned it the hard way. I hope that the DEA wants people like me who think outside the box, but are still willing to take direction and advice. Because if they dont want people like me then the agencys probabaly not what i need and this will be my biggest heartbreak yet. Imagine spending all your life trying to get to heaven only to find out that you cant make it,... or worse, finding out that what you've worked so hard for isnt really what you thought it would be. What if heaven was completely different than what you expected?

I also serve as a kind of freelance CI in a few local areas. Im not going to call myself a snitch or a paid informant because i dont go out and actively look for drugs; but if i hear of someone in the area thats making a name for themselves ill go snoop around and if it looks promising ill let the authorities know. Ive been doing this since junior year high school as a hobby of sorts and ive helped LE make some pretty substantial busts. Just last Saturday in south padre for spring break i was peeing in a McDonalds bathroom when a 19-20 yr old Hispanic male came in and asked if anyone wanted some "fire". I inquired and he actually produced 2 dime sacs out of his pocket of what looked like decent red hair Mexican marijuana. i told him that my wallet was in the car(i drive a truck) and that since i just made it on the island i would like to stock up for the week. i told him that i needed about $50 worth and the dumbass said that he would have to go to his jeep for that much. I asked him where he parked and he was also dumb enough to tell me. After that i went and grabbed my 2 way radios from the truck and gave one to the officer outside who was working security, I went across the block out of eyesight and took my time describing the suspect, jeep, and weed. They ended up getting a little over two ounces on the kid and they said they would keep an eye out for his buddies during the week, in the end i thought that it turned out pretty well. My main concern was not getting spotted talking to the officer and the walkie talkies worked well in that respect.

Oh boy, I’ve heard of Gun Show SEALs, but never McDonalds bathroom DEA Agents, looks like we coined a new phrase.

Finally id like to address an underlying issue with this post about experience and maturity, I know what job i want to do and im going to find the quickest way to do it even if many of you took the long route of military or local law enforcement to get there. Just becasue most people had to work in a jail or work in a small PD before they went federal, doesent mean that yall have to make me do that too for life to be fair. Im going to try to take short cuts and half ass my career development to sneak into the DEA at 21. If i get there under prepared to cope with the sight of dead bodies, if i dont have a grasp of how to play politics with my co workers, if i dont have ten years of LE experience to break my spirit and make me think that im too small to make a large difference, THEN THATS FINE! Im willing to be the youngest most inexperienced runt in my DEA graduating class thats still a little naive and it might take me 2 or three years to catch up with the rest the special agents. But Id rather spend 21-25 in the DEA getting my feet wet to Federal LE and the world in general; instead of spending 21-30 "building a resume" by chasing small town wife beaters and people with warrants for speeding tickets. Many of you will be angry at me for taking shortcuts in my professional development but im willing to make up for that with hard work and dedication in my dream job!

I’m not angry about anyone succeeding, even if they do take ‘shortcuts’. What you don’t understand that a lot about these jobs you so desire (INCLUDING the hiring process) boils down to ‘hurry up and wait’. There aren’t many shortcuts, unless your dad/mom happens to be a member of congress. You could apply today, and not get so much as a “thanks for applying, your application has been filed, we will contact you if your skills meet our needs…” letter for a year and a half. I also find it amusing that you are insulting the ‘small town’ police officers, when you don’t even know if you would past the entry tests and get selected to work with a local department. Even local police jobs are very competitive and hard to come by.

well much to your shigrin im planning on bypassing military and local law enforcement if i can, not because i dont greatly respect or admire it, but because i think that i can get where i eventually want to go without it. Many of you gave your time and hard work to military or law enforcement thinking that this was the only way to advance you life when you may have been able to do what you wanted much sooner by understanding your desires and really attempting to accomplish them. You seem to be bitter against me because ill soon have a degree and i have high aspirations in whatever i do. If thats making you envious then you envy something you should have yourself. I shouldnt be the only one whos fighting tooth and nail to have their dream and willing to do it as soon as possible. Its kinda like being envious at your neighbor for having a bushel of apples that he climbed a tree for while you spend all your time crafting a ladder you dont need! Besides, bachelors degrees in criminal justice come a dime a dozen now days and theyre really only worth the paper theyre printed on so far as education goes. I believe that my degree was very general and wont give me any specific skills that will go toward my career. It really just shows that i have the tenacity to complete a long term goal.

Listening is also an important skill of a law enforcement officer. Seems like you are a little too defensive here and not willing to listen to folks that may have ‘been there, done that’. Afterall, why should anyone here be envious of you? Not trying to be a jerk, but we’re the ones on the front lines with the badges and the guns locking up the bad guys. All you are at this point is a wannabe be with ‘high aspirations’. But there's still hope for you, we all started out as wannabes at some point.

Also, I’m sure many folks here have BAs, MAs and beyond. You really should not be bragging about a <3.0 GPA and don't even have your degree yet. You really have no idea who you’re talking to and what type of experience they may have.

I wish you the best of luck, but right now all you got on your side is big talk, and you’re trying to enter a very competitive field. My advice is get off ARFcom, stop bugging the locals cops/agents you ‘happen across’ in your adventures, and stop your one man civilian crusade against drugs. Instead, focus your energy on speaking with recruiters (LE or Mil, whichever you prefer) and start applying to everything that sounds interesting. Or do like others have said and apply to Mil or (shudder) local LE, or go back to school and make yourself more marketable. Those are the only ways you're going to make any progress. There is no way you're going to fulfill your dreams by sitting at your computer telling us how much you have a hard on for busting dope dealers and trying to convince us that you'll make the bestest agent ever.

I can't believe I wasted my time reading this thread.  

You will not find a shortcut to experience gained through years of blood, sweat and tears.

If you do - everyone else will know and you will be despised.

Join a service, any service, and prove through your actions, words, and deeds that you have what it takes to be a leader of your fellow man and woman.

Understand sacrifice.

Understand commitment.

Check your attitude at the door.

I read your last 2 posts.   Much better reading,  more balanced.

Again.  I'm not one to destroy anyones dreams.   I've just seen many solid individuals try only to get on the " hurry up and wait" treadmill.   Just trying to help you get some focus.  And a dose of reality.

Remember this saying:   I've worked my whole life to become an overnight success.    

Each and every day you  may want to do something that helps you get closer to your goal.    Hint,  more cops get into trouble off duty than while working.   Stop playing Police.   Study, apply and talk to the recruiters.   Then repeat as neccessary.    Do what they tell you to do to prepare.

I know a couple of DEA agents.   One went in as a green bean out of college.  He had a bunch of things going for him right off the bat.    I know another who spent 10 years as a street cop.  He had a bunch of things going for him.   Each have different strengths and weaknesses.   Both fine individuals.

http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=40911276&AVSDM=2006%2D03%2D17+14%3A31%3A06&Logo=0&q=1811&FedEmp=N&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&FedPub=Y&SUBMIT1.x=58&SUBMIT1.y=13

to those of you who are still reading this and open minded, am i eligable for this? what about the other 1811 jobs that are on www.usajobs.gov?

Quoted: http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=40911276&AVSDM=2006%2D03%2D17+14%3A31%3A06&Logo=0&q=1811&FedEmp=N&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&FedPub=Y&SUBMIT1.x=58&SUBMIT1.y=13 to those of you who are still reading this and open minded, am i eligable for this? what about the other 1811 jobs that are on www.usajobs.gov?

That actually looks like an interesting job.  So did you start writing yet?

Quoted: http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=40911276&AVSDM=2006%2D03%2D17+14%3A31%3A06&Logo=0&q=1811&FedEmp=N&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&FedPub=Y&SUBMIT1.x=58&SUBMIT1.y=13 to those of you who are still reading this and open minded, am i eligable for this? what about the other 1811 jobs that are on www.usajobs.gov?

The requirements are listed in the job posting, only YOU can answer if you meet the qualifications or not.

What did I just say, start applying to EVERYTHING that sounds interesting to you. The worst thing that can happen is you get rejected and you can try again later. Rejection never killed anyone.

We can't hold your hand through this, you need to do your own homework and apply, apply, apply. Noone here is going to sift through USAjobs.gov and pick out the perfect job for you.

Join the Marines.

lol hkocher actually has a good point, im sure that im eligable for this job just by reading the description so i guess i should be more specific in my questions. whis ones for all the marbles...

Can i apply to some of these jobs that require a degree knowing that im going to be finished with school in a few months or do i have to wait untill im done. And if i apply and get denied for lack of qualification (not enough education, experience ect.) how long do i have to wait before i can apply again?

a year is a long time when youre an impatient 20 yr old!

additionally, i got the number of a houston FBI agent from a friend of my stepdad and he left me a voice message today stating that he might have some time to talk to me tomorrow about what to do to get hired, but he also said he was going out of town for a few months very soon so im going to try to take him out to lunch tomorrow before i miss the boat.

after i talk to him im going to try to call a DEA agent ive also been trying to get a hold of for a while. right now im basically just trying to run down all of my leads and talk to people that have already been in my shoes.

oh yeah, the marine recruiter called me again today while i was taking a test and i didnt call him back, i was really thinking about military a few weeks ago but now that i found out about 1811 i feel like im cheating on him! im going to go in to his office tomorrow and tell him honestly what i have on my plate and that i need to exhaust these leads before i can settle down and make a 4-5 year commitment.

The US Army has some very good jobs open right now with some very good bennies.
Take a good look at the Army...

I too can't believe I read this thing through.  Thought I might have some insight for you until I read your first post.  Then I had to go on just to see how bad everyone tore you up.

HK, simply put, you are way out of line.  You need to back it down a whole bunch.  

My recommendation is you enlist in the Marines with a recruiter who does not know you.  Don't ask questions; just sign up.  The Corps will square you away.  Try not to get yourself or anyone else hurt when you get to the sandbox.

After you have matured and decided that you are not as tough as you think, then give police work a try.  Hopefully you will change a whole bunch and then you'll be marketable to the FEDS.  

Just to give you an idea of the competition out there... a coworker of mine (12 years) and fellow EST member is trying to get into the DEA.  He was UC in narcotics for five years, got shot in the line of duty, has hundreds of SWAT entries under his belt and is just plain an all around good street cop.  He's still trying.

Print this quote and put it where you'll see it often.

"All men dream...but not equally.  Those who dream at night in the dark recesses of their minds wake to the light of day to find it was merely their vanity.  But those who dream by the light of day are dangerous men for they make act  out their dreams with open eyes to make them reality."

It will soon be time to go to work.  Dream with your eyes open!

GOD Speed

I read through most of this thread and skimmed the rest, but I do not believe this option has been mentioned.
GET YOUR MASTERS DEGREE. A Bacherlor's is the new high school education. Almost everyone gets one and they're not good for much. There are literally hundreds of thousands of LEOs both at the local and federal level with bachelor's degrees in Criminal Justice, Sociology, Law, etc. These people comprise the "muscle" of the law enforcement community. Nothing wrong with muscle, just there are plenty of ex-military/SF that you have to compete with, many of whom are very good at what they do and far more experienced than you.

Getting a law degree, for example, is a great way to giving you an edge over many other applicants. Even if you're breaking down doors and do nothing with your degree, you have that extra knowledge of what will stick in court and what won't get past a public defendant. Believe me, there aren't too many legal eagles who can be effective with an M4.

Another option is becoming a firefighter or an EMT (and if you're good enough, a paramedic : ). It's a great way to get into that "emergency" mindset, allows you to take real responsibility, and teaches you how to lead and follow to get the job done. I'll be the first to admit it's probably not on the same level as the military, but it's probably about as close as you can get without being sent to Iraq.

Gain experience in something other than law enforcement. Try working for a legal office and learn what goes on behind the scenes to put a criminal behind bars. If you want to go to the DEA, see if there is some way you can work at a chemistry lab and learn what goes into making drugs and how to identify it.

What it comes down to, right now, you are a dime a dozen. Motivation and personal experiences a resume do not make. You seem like a nice guy and although your writing could use a bit of work (ask anyone in the law enforcement or emergency response field, documentation is god), you're on the right track, just not far enough along it. Make yourself unique and stand out.  Learn some true leadership skills and have the documented experience to prove you are effective. There are plenty of former-military, former-cop types applying for a FLEA position, why compete against them when you can go around them?

I'll ask around.

Are you willing to relocate?

I know some agents who get a heads-up about upcoming opportunities.

ETA: "Sometimes, a degree don't mean shit" experienced agent in my office. Caneau's comments are pretty dead-on. I'll be going for my master's beginning in the fall, and I'm earning practical real experience in the meantime.

Removed, you obviously don't want the advice you asked for.

An anology for you:

I live in Kansas, and we have the powerball lottery.  I'm going to win this mother if it kills me.  

A. I must first buy the ticket
B. The ticket must have the right numbers on it.
C. Gotta make money in the mean time (because if I don't I'll be in a world of doo doo) I'm going to win though because it's my destiny.

lol "im going to win this mother if it kills me" i like your optimism and desperate grasp for something remote, if theres justice in the world im sure youll win it someday, youre probabaly more deserving that 90% of the morons that get it anyway.

I also play the texas lotto but only when it exceeds 50 million, i call it my "pay a bunch of retired SEALS to go on a Pakistan/Bin Lladen hunting trip because the american government it to worried about stepping on political toes scheme" Who knows i might even tag along, but first i need to get a little experience under my belt.

Also i think im going to sit down at my parents house this weekend as i defrost from shooting range saturday, and apply to every damn 1811 job that doesnt require a PHD or previous experience as 007. And who knows, i like giraffe's and alligators, and tackling little kids who cut in line after screaming "freeze, federal zoo investigator!!"

Quoted: An anology for you: I live in Kansas, and we have the powerball lottery.  I'm going to win this mother if it kills me.   A. I must first buy the ticket B. The ticket must have the right numbers on it. C. Gotta make money in the mean time (because if I don't I'll be in a world of doo doo) I'm going to win though because it's my destiny.

I think that you missed this part of the post.

whatever, dont lie bjohnson, you may call that example an analogy but you and i both know that you still play the powerball lottery every day in kansas hoping to win it big, im mean after all...
It IS YOUR DESTINY!

But back to the subject, I talked to a Houston FBI agent today that is a friend of a friend of the family for about half an hour and he had some very informative things to say. He told me that my best bet was to apply for every federal investigator position that i could find and hope that i got hired on somewhere/anywhere and that while i was doing this i should be in a large city police department training academy. Then if i get hired great, im straight in; and if i dont then i still have a good job on a larger well respected police department that may lead to a federal job a few years down the road.

And i dont know why but somehow im rooting for BJohnson and his lottery dream, I just have this feeling like youre going to win it big. Tell you what, give me the address to your PD and ill even buy you a ticket and mail it to you as a sign of good faith. If you win ill even let you split up the winnings among the department.

Oh yeah I also asked the FBI guy why we havent managed to catch Bin Lamen yet (he works on some sort of counter intellegence team, he didnt offer too much info and i didnt want to ask) and he basically said that its all local tribal people in the pakistani mountains where he resides. He said that if they tried to put 20 arab speaking arab americans in any of those areas they would just sort of "disappear". Kinda sounds to me like we have already tried that idea huh?

Quoted: whatever, dont lie bjohnson, you may call that example an analogy but you and i both know that you still play the powerball lottery every day in kansas hoping to win it big, im mean after all... It IS YOUR DESTINY!

When I wil Ill start my own agency and you can be the chief!

He told me that my best bet was to apply for every federal investigator position that i could find and hope that i got hired on somewhere/anywhere and that while i was doing this i should be in a large city police department training academy. Then if i get hired great, im straight in; and if i dont then i still have a good job on a larger well respected police department that may lead to a federal job a few years down the road.

I dont know if it is the same in TX, but here you can pay your way through the academy...if you can afford 4 months without compensation.  If you can afford it I would strongly suggest that.  It would definatly give you something that most(if not all) entry level applicant would not have.

Again, I am rooting for you that your dream will come true.  It would be great to start your dream career at 20.  I am only 23 and have just started mine...but as far as I understand, the average age for local law enforcement hiring is the mid 20s(I have no idea what federal is), so like many are suggesting for you (and both of which helped in my case) a degree is great and military experience is definatly a plus.

-BJohnson

4 pages and still going.

yeps! what can i say im and intersting kind of guy! seriously though, right now im looking at spending all of saturday afternoon and sun getting federal applications to fill out for when july comes; and im probabally going to go to work for Houston PD in august. theyre conducting a heavy hiring campaign right now so im sure that my overzealous wanting to kick doors in ass shouldnt have too much trouble getting past the psych eval!

if anyone has advice till then im still open to suggestions though.

Thanks! Jason

Suggestions...finish your degree, stay in shape, stay out of trouble, and most of all, relax.
You can also take an EMT-B class, I know certain departments require or recommend it, and it looks good on a resume.

Where the hell do I start with this crap...

Let me tell a little about my career choice.  When I turned 21 I tested with CHP.  Didn't make it.  I decided it was for the best due to the fact that I didn't feel ready for that much responsibility.

Two years later, I joined the USAF as a cop.  I couldn't have made a better choice.  Okay, maybe a 4 year hitch instead of 6.  Anyway, I am SSgt(NCO) and I am28.  My military career had it's ups and downs but most importantly, I gained valuable experience in how to actually deal with people.  College won't teach you that.  I now have LE experience, combat experience(Iraq) and plenty of paitence to deal with dumbass BS.

You scare the crap out of me.  I hope you grow up before any dept issues a badge/gun/handcuffs to you.  If you were my troop in the field, I wouldn't let you out of my sight, hero.  You have a lot to learn about officer safety if you go charging into domestics and performing drug bust by yourself.  I am sure most of the civie-cops here will agree that they don't roll to domestics by themselves.  LVMPD just lost a Sgt at a domestic.

Turn off the MovieChannel, take a cold shower and go join the military.  You need the reality check and start at the bottom please.

Sorry to be harsh but, it might save your life.

ANIMUS, Out.

I agree with Animus.

Here's my 2 cents. An often overlooked Criminal Justice Field is Corrections. Not for everybody, but it is a foot in the door. Federal Bureau of Prisons pays pretty good and is a stepping stone into other Fed jobs. State Corrections is also good. The single biggest thing about Corrections is it teaches you to deal with idiots WITHOUT a gun on your side. You have to COMMUNICATE with the bad guys and you have to THINK! My freind your carreer choice is admirable, but right now you are dangerous. You have a way over inflated estimation of your worth. Thousands of people each year graduate from college with degrees in all sorts of fields that want to go into Criminal Justice fields. Take what you can get and get in the system. Learn something about people.

Remember the movie Colors and the joke Robert Duvall told:

Young bull says to the old bull, let's run down the hill and fuck one of them cows,
Old bull says no, let's walk down and fuck 'em all.

I speak from experience on Corrections, have been in the field for 10 years, Sgt for 5 of that and
9 1/2 yrs Tactical Unit. I've seen cocky little kids come and go. They all think they are big, bad, and tough. Few are. Keep an open mind and listen to the experience of the guys and girls on here.
The military is a good idea as well. Use your degree and get a comission if you can, if nothing else it's more money, but you'll also be expected to lead and then you can prove if you've got leadership qualities.

Again, just my opinions.

Your a young bull ..............
Invisiblesoul

.

get your masters degree...

Maybe they should just give him the masters degree.  Because he already knows everything.

man i havent posted in almost two weeks and people are still on here hating on me.

By the way its good to hear from you Matt. I need to call you tonight and tell you about the really stupid thing i did a few days ago.

And about the career plan, i signed up for a "mini mester" and all of my summer school classes so if things go as planned i should be graduating august 5 with a BA in CJ. I will be 21 (birthday may 25) and done with a BA in exactly 3 years. Ive been ready to finish school and start my life for a long time and its finally almost here! Im going to start applying for all the federal agencies that require a bachelors at the end of july. Im actually kind of looking forward to going into houston Pd. Ive accepted that DEA is my destiny and as long as my desire for it doesnt change Ill do it eventually and i have plenty of time. Two or three years of patrol work as a young guy would be fun and when the excitment wears off ill go federal; unless they want me right away and thats fine too.

Quoted: Im actually kind of looking forward to going into houston Pd. Ive accepted that DEA is my destiny and as long as my desire for it doesnt change Ill do it eventually and i have plenty of time. Two or three years of patrol work as a young guy would be fun and when the excitment wears off ill go federal; unless they want me right away and thats fine too.

You still don't get it do you! Kind of looking forward to it? You treat it as beneath you! When the excitement wears off...The excitement better never wear off. Sounds like you think you can decide when you'll "go federal."

Dude, you couldn't buy a clue at K-Mart if they were on blue light special.

Quoted: man i havent posted in almost two weeks and people are still on here hating on me. Ive been ready to finish school and start my life for a long time and its finally almost here!

You really are slow aren't you?

Lots of older people who have the benefit of hindsight (and decades of experiance)and you still sounds like a child crying about people picking on you, just because they don't buy into you idea of what to do.

You haven't even started on your 'life'. Maybe when you get a job and finish probation and a one year review and  earn a promotion then you are have a life. (Much less pay your own bills for several years.)

But with your attitude about doing a job while it's "fun and exciting" your boss will pick up on that the first week and then we will hear about how your boss just dosen't know how smart you are and how no body listens to you and changes the operations based on your ideas.

Unless you wake up and grow up you are in for several HARD years ahead of you. Just don't get married and take make someone miserable with you.

Quoted: man i havent posted in almost two weeks and people are still on here hating on me.

Your right,  I'm sorry.   That was pretty mean.  

Ok this thread is going nowhere and all you people are doing now is bashing on me for being young and inexperienced. You act like at 20 im supposed to be the most gung ho person in the world about the lowest entry level position that i can find and willing to be a mindless drone for as long as i can to prove myself.

I just freaking said that im excited to go into HPD and do patrol for a few years! What else do you need to read into, i was not vague! Ive said before that i would like to do patrol but i wanted to make sure that it would be long term beneficial. After months of research and questioning to LE professionals ive decided on my best career plan and at this point im not really looking for advice from you guys yet YOU CONTINUE TO BASH MY ASPIRATIONS, MY OPTIONS, AND MY MATURITY! If you dont have anything positive to say or you just want to bash on how young and naive i am (this is un-necessary since i have admitted to this several times) then get the hell off of my post or im going to ask the moderator to lock this thread.

Ive never heard so much negativity or hostility from professionals to those entering a feild in all of my life!

Look partner, the reason people are "bashing your aspirations" on here is because you seem to represent a sizable chunk of the 20-somethings going into law enforcement - all ambition and no real, documentable experience. Many people who have worked in emergency response in one form or another have seen people like you (or been people like you) and have come to the conclusion that its an attitude  which simply does not work.
Being a police officer, agent, firefighter, EMT, paramedic, whatever it is, takes discipline, patience, talent, and persistence. Many of us have spent countless hours in classrooms, training, doing paperwork, attending meetings, running through checklists, only for a few moments of true excitement. If you don't have the right mindset and expect pure excitement from Day 1, you'll either burn out very fast and start neglecting your duties, or you will screw up at the worst possible moment. Nobody's saying you have to be a mindless drone, but any sort of job of this nature can be described as "countless hours of mindnumbing boredom peppered with moments of controlled chaos"

Now, you might be the most responsible, down-to-earth person anyone on this board has met. A vast majority of people who posted here have no idea of who you are outside of this message board. The reason why people have a negative opinion of you is because to us, you seem as though you have accomplished something before you even started it. You mention that you're going to go into the Houston Police and do patrol for a few years. That's great, but first you have to get into the academy and graduate. Don't get ahead of yourself is all we're saying.

Think of it this way, working in an emergency or enforcement field is like driving. Few (reasonable) parents buy their kid a brand new Corvette ZO6 for his 16th birthday. Why? Because the kid will run it into a tree or another car, destroying the vehicle and possibly hurting someone else in the process. Instead, parents buy their kids a Honda Civic with side impact airbags so that when the kid does crash, it's slower, safer car. In two or three years, the kid can move up to something with a V6 or if they're lucky, a Mustang. Finally, after years of driving and saving enough money, the kid can buy himself a Corvette. At this point, he has mastered smaller, easier to manage vehicles that driving the Corvette is a breeze.

It's not that we don't like you or want to bash your aspirations. It's not that we're saying you can never work our jobs or be our partners. We've never met you so we can't judge your maturity in person, and believe me, maybe with the exception of a few holier-than-thou on here, we want to see you succeed. All we're saying is, nobody on here wants to be in the passanger's seat of that Corvette when we pull out of your parent's driveway on your 16th birthday.

Stay safe and good luck with your career.

i must  say that i whole heartedly agree with your entire post, and i can understand how the opinions and views of others like me would have made many experienced professionals on this board perjudiced against young guys like me and quick to stereotype or "profile".

You are also correct in stating that the only real thing i have going for me is ambition and aspirations! I dont have any real world experience like you have to rely upon. My resume is rather thin and wimpy. With that in mind im going to go into law enforcement with the only real asset that i have in my corner: aspirations, ambitions, and faith in myself. If i dont have any of these things then im pretty much screwed before i start. And if anyone wants to downplay these attributes then they pretty much want to SCREW ME before i start. I didnt post on this board to get peoples opinions on whether i would make it or not becuase frankly i dont care who's rooting for me to succeed or not. Im the only one who can truly know wether im going to make it and i dont need my success questioned by others before i start. I know im young, naive, unexperienced, eager for action ect. But im sure that all of you were once these things when you started too and it hurts me most of all to think that my mentors may one day be my tormentors because im human and displayed the same attributes that they once did.

So from now on if you have a usefull tidbit of career advice for me like how to get hired into federal law enforcement, how to lie so my crazy tinfoil wearin ass will pass the psych eval at a local PD, who i should network with in the first few years to gain experience, ect. then i welcome and prize your adivice, but if you have something negative to say or you would like to state the obvious like im young or stupid then i would like quote the rest of my young friends when i say:


STOP HATIN YO!

Quoted: i must  say that i whole heartedly agree with your entire post, and i can understand how the opinions and views of others like me would have made many experienced professionals on this board perjudiced against young guys like me and quick to stereotype or "profile". You are also correct in stating that the only real thing i have going for me is ambition and aspirations! I dont have any real world experience like you have to rely upon. My resume is rather thin and wimpy. With that in mind im going to go into law enforcement with the only real asset that i have in my corner: aspirations, ambitions, and faith in myself. If i dont have any of these things then im pretty much screwed before i start. And if anyone wants to downplay these attributes then they pretty much want to SCREW ME before i start. I didnt post on this board to get peoples opinions on whether i would make it or not becuase frankly i dont care who's rooting for me to succeed or not. Im the only one who can truly know wether im going to make it and i dont need my success questioned by others before i start. I know im young, naive, unexperienced, eager for action ect. But im sure that all of you were once these things when you started too and it hurts me most of all to think that my mentors may one day be my tormentors because im human and displayed the same attributes that they once did. So from now on if you have a usefull tidbit of career advice for me like how to get hired into federal law enforcement, how to lie so my crazy tinfoil wearin ass will pass the psych eval at a local PD, who i should network with in the first few years to gain experience, ect. then i welcome and prize your adivice, but if you have something negative to say or you would like to state the obvious like im young or stupid then i would like quote the rest of my young friends when i say: STOP HATIN YO!

That shows education and maturity right there.

I don't think that anyone wants to "SCREW YOU".    I believe that you asked for advice, and idea's.   Many have been where you are and are now where you WANT TO BE.   They have shown you the PATH.  With that said you can choose to take the ROAD LESS TRAVELED.   You may end up in the same or better place than you could have imagined.

And YO I don't think anyones hatin.
Reality is sometime a hard pill to swallow.

Please prove us all wrong.    When you do you can make a mint writing a guide on how to get hired in law enforcemnet the "easy way".

Houston would be an awsome place to cut your teeth.  

Again I'm not "Rootin"  for anyone.  

I just remember how hard it was trying to get that first break.  That's why I keep comming back.

Also note that cop humor can seem a little harsh or off.  So be a Rhino and have thick skin.  Also considering becoming  a willow.  Whooosha

An Oak Tree is big and Strong.  A willow is Flexible.  When a big heavy snow comes the Oak, being big and strong and all that doesn't give and the weight of the snow breaks the branches.

The Willow on the other hand is flexible and when the weight of the snow gets too heavy it bends and the snow slides on off.    

Now which one are you going to be?
(inspired from verbal judo)

im glad that you threw that verbal judo part in at the end, i was worried that maybe they sent you to too many sensitivity or anger management classes!

I can picture you with a group of guys in sitting in a circle of undersized desks repeating "woosha"

just kidding!

well heres to me keeping up with my school work and graduating august 5. all yall are invited to my party, im trying to develop safe 12 gauge loads that use airsoft BB's going under 350 fps. hopefully it will be a night of live fire gunfights, then drinking (which sadly i dont do!) and cheap strippers!

Quoted: im glad that you threw that verbal judo part in at the end, i was worried that maybe they sent you to too many sensitivity or anger management classes! I can picture you with a group of guys in sitting in a circle of undersized desks repeating "woosha" just kidding! well heres to me keeping up with my school work and graduating august 5. all yall are invited to my party, im trying to develop safe 12 gauge loads that use airsoft BB's going under 350 fps. hopefully it will be a night of live fire gunfights, then drinking (which sadly i dont do!) and cheap strippers!

I'd skip the 12ga loads you don't want to end up in jail graduation night, and spend the money on better strippers and cab rides for the drunks.

Quoted: im glad that you threw that verbal judo part in at the end, i was worried that maybe they sent you to too many sensitivity or anger management classes! I can picture you with a group of guys in sitting in a circle of undersized desks repeating "woosha" just kidding! well heres to me keeping up with my school work and graduating august 5. all yall are invited to my party, im trying to develop safe 12 gauge loads that use airsoft BB's going under 350 fps. hopefully it will be a night of live fire gunfights, then drinking (which sadly i dont do!) and cheap strippers!

WTF???

Quoted: Ok so Im not ready to start robbing banks yet but Im not finding any other job opportunities that look exciting or promising. I’ve wanted to go into the DEA since I was about 10 years old and now it’s not looking too promising. I’m 20 and a senior at Sam Houston state university. I’m trying to get a bachelors in criminal justice in 3 years and transition into federal law enforcement. I have a 2.91 GPA, im physically fit, have a good head on my shoulders and have an intense interest in law enforcement. ive spoken to federal agents in the last year and ive heard the same thing from all of them. Basically after 9/11 federal agencies got excited and hired way more agents than they need and this combined with a general lack of escalation in the war on terror domestically, combined with strained budgets due to foreign war, economy, ect ect. has basically led to almost every federal agency issuing a hiring freeze. I spoke with a friend of a dea agent in the houston area(pasadena) and he said that they’re under a 10 yr projected hiring freeze and the agents that are 10 yrs from retirement were asked to take their pension now or be put on city patrol work. the guys that are in it now are being moved around and basically the whole program is being drastically minimized. Ive looked into DSS, ATF, DEA, Marshalls, ect. and it really looks like no one is hiring except for border patrol which i REALLY dont want to do. They seem to be under funded undermanned demoralized and generally under prepared for an escalating fight against human smugglers and highly sophisticated drug smugglers. Ill kick down a crack house door with an AR and 5 well trained guys but im not going to stop 5 Mexican hummers with mounted machine guns when i have a pistol and a 4 wheeler. I really want to get into some kind of specialized law enforcement organization and i truly believe that i have the ability but im not finding anything available. ive heard that since the narcotics task forces in texas were disbanded and reorganized under DPS theres hundreds of highly experienced narcotics officers that are totally unemployed. With the large numbers of people out there with bachelors degrees and experience as police officers on local departments i dont feel that local law enforcement would do anything to strengthen my resume or make me more competitive. At this point ive started looking seriously at the military. I have spent probably 10-15 hrs speaking to my local army recruiting station about the possibility of doing a 3 yr contract as army officer second lieutenant infantry. right now i just feel like im young and  ready to give of myself anywhere that im needed and im open to going to war for my country, swat, narcotics, private security or contracting overseas but im not finding any agencies depts or companies that are interested in hiring straight out of college. right now im considering taking a few months after graduation in July to try to learn Spanish or Arabic with a private instructor. if this idea doesn’t make me more competitive im probably going to have to sign a contract with the marines or army and even then there’s not a guarantee that i will get the infantry position i request. on top of that im not sure that being an officer is the job that i think it is, i really dont want to be a supervisor that rides a desk. Any help or advice that you might be able to give would be greatly appreciated, im trying to talk to federal agents, army or marine infantry officers, private contractor personnel, or higher echelon people at police depts that may have openings for investigative personnel in the next few years.

Army CID is 'hiring' so to speak.... Anyone E-4 or above (which you would be vis-a-vis your degree)...