Posted: 2/25/2025 1:45:04 AM EDT
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Am a current 1st year student in law school and I’m getting good grades but running into an issue of not being very sure I want to pursue being a lawyer as a career anymore. Currently I am basically attending law school for free so I have no real debt concerns now or going forward with my degree. Was hoping someone here who has worked within the Texas DPS or similar state agencies could give me insight as to whether there is value in going ahead and finishing my law degree to pursue law enforcement as a career (I would want to do Texas DPS/state trooper route for sure as opposed to city police agency) or if I may be better served in just doing the trooper academy without finishing the JD. Appreciate any input. |
Arguing on the internet is like running in the Special Olympics, even if you win, you're still r-------.
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Originally Posted By TexasBrushHunter: Am a current 1st year student in law school and I’m getting good grades but running into an issue of not being very sure I want to pursue being a lawyer as a career anymore. Currently I am basically attending law school for free so I have no real debt concerns now or going forward with my degree. Was hoping someone here who has worked within the Texas DPS or similar state agencies could give me insight as to whether there is value in going ahead and finishing my law degree to pursue law enforcement as a career (I would want to do Texas DPS/state trooper route for sure as opposed to city police agency) or if I may be better served in just doing the trooper academy without finishing the JD. Appreciate any input. Finish your JD so you have options. There was always a small chance that you get injured or have some other issue getting through the Academy or making it through field training. You’re looking at a few years on the road as a Trooper before you would be eligible to move into CID where your JD would be more useful. Not that those years on the road as trooper won’t be useful, they are just two different types of “education.” |
| The degree won't help you on the street. Only common sense will help you there. Where the degree is good is if you want to move up to command ranks later in your career. It also looks good at hiring time for many agencies. My 2c after a 30 + year career on patrol. |
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Originally Posted By HCM3156: Finish your JD so you have options. There was always a small chance that you get injured or have some other issue getting through the Academy or making it through field training. You’re looking at a few years on the road as a Trooper before you would be eligible to move into CID where your JD would be more useful. Not that those years on the road as trooper won’t be useful, they are just two different types of “education.” FPNI. Finish the degree. If for nothing else just to have the options. |
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Originally Posted By HCM3156: Finish your JD so you have options. There was always a small chance that you get injured or have some other issue getting through the Academy or making it through field training. You’re looking at a few years on the road as a Trooper before you would be eligible to move into CID where your JD would be more useful. Not that those years on the road as trooper won’t be useful, they are just two different types of “education.” This. I would also not rule out going Fed. Great jobs and they love law degrees. |
Every normal man, at times, must be tempted to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Originally Posted By TexasBrushHunter: Am a current 1st year student in law school and I'm getting good grades but running into an issue of not being very sure I want to pursue being a lawyer as a career anymore. Currently I am basically attending law school for free so I have no real debt concerns now or going forward with my degree. Was hoping someone here who has worked within the Texas DPS or similar state agencies could give me insight as to whether there is value in going ahead and finishing my law degree to pursue law enforcement as a career (I would want to do Texas DPS/state trooper route for sure as opposed to city police agency) or if I may be better served in just doing the trooper academy without finishing the JD. Appreciate any input.  . I work at a large agency and we have a lot of officers that become lawyers and they never stay on the street. They promote or they quit and go into private practice. DPS is pretty much all patrol work. Doing that after obtaining a law degree will make your head explode.
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if you can get a JD for free, you would be stupid to drop out to be come a cop. There will always be cop jobs of all types waiting. The better ones will be happy to take someone with a law degree. You blow out your back, or tear up your knee after two weeks on the job and cant get back to full duty, you will wish you had that JD in your back pocket. And there is also the possibility you dont like being a cop after you actually do it for a while. It aint like TV... 27 years in LE and I wish I had done something like law school before I got on the job. I have several coworkers with JDs and they all have some kind of side gig that makes extra money for minimal work. |
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Here's another way to look at it. In MA and NH, each PD typically assigns one officer as the department's prosecutor. It sure would not hurt if that prosecutor also had a JD!! I can't speak for what is done in any other state, but a JD could be put to good use in any department that I can think of. Go for it and get your JD! |
NRA Firearms Instructor
Moved to NH!
Moved to NH!
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Originally Posted By ThatGuy91K: Just curious why you are so set on DPS? What's the appeal? Like the opportunity to end up in a rural setting easier and just the benefits that come from working for the state. Notions of eventually trying to move into CID/apply for a ranger slot also appeal to me. At least in my community perceptions of state troopers and the training associated seems to be more positive than for city police. I could be off mark but it has just been something that always has interested me. |
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Originally Posted By TexasBrushHunter: Like the opportunity to end up in a rural setting easier and just the benefits that come from working for the state. Notions of eventually trying to move into CID/apply for a ranger slot also appeal to me. At least in my community perceptions of state troopers and the training associated seems to be more positive than for city police. I could be off mark but it has just been something that always has interested me. Originally Posted By TexasBrushHunter: Originally Posted By ThatGuy91K: Just curious why you are so set on DPS? What's the appeal? Like the opportunity to end up in a rural setting easier and just the benefits that come from working for the state. Notions of eventually trying to move into CID/apply for a ranger slot also appeal to me. At least in my community perceptions of state troopers and the training associated seems to be more positive than for city police. I could be off mark but it has just been something that always has interested me. You do know that the average Trooper is just a ticket writer/crash investigator. Once they're smart enough to figure that out then they can be an illustrious Ranger. |
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Originally Posted By HCM3156: Finish your JD so you have options. There was always a small chance that you get injured or have some other issue getting through the Academy or making it through field training. You’re looking at a few years on the road as a Trooper before you would be eligible to move into CID where your JD would be more useful. Not that those years on the road as trooper won’t be useful, they are just two different types of “education.” ^^^ Always better to have something to fall back upon, esp if you are disabled on duty or fired for some reason. |
I don’t like making plans for the day. Because then the word "premeditated" gets thrown around in the courtroom.
