When did you "know?"

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - When did you "know?"

Posted: 2/19/2006 8:25:33 PM EDT

When did you know you wanted to be a cop? Did you always want to work in law enforcement or did you have another career first? How old were you when you went to the academy? Is it harder to get in when you reach a certain age?

Posted: 2/19/2006 8:56:13 PM EDT

[#1]

No one in my family ever rode motorcycles or was in law enforcement.

In 1957, outside my neighborhood church, a Chicago Police Motorcycle Officer let me sit on his Harley Davidson Police Motorcycle.

From that day, I knew I had to be Police Motorcycle Officer.

I started riding Harley Davidson Motorcycles in 1968.

In 1974, I tried to get a job with 6 law enforcement agencies. No one would hire me. They were looking for minorites back then.

A guy I worked with became a Reserve Officer with the agency I'm with now. I asked him if they needed any more reserve officers.

I started as a reserve officer in 1981, at 32 years old. Finished the academy in 1982. I've een full time since 1982.

I finished Police Motorcycle training in 1985.

They never got a motorcycle to use for duty.

_________________________

Posted: 2/19/2006 9:37:22 PM EDT

[#2]

I am the first LEO in my family for as far back as anyone can tell me. I worked on semis for a few years out of high school and decided that there had to be something better. It took me several years to get hired, not like now at my agency, Well here I am 14 years later a Sgt. on 3-11 patrol shift.

Posted: 2/19/2006 9:47:20 PM EDT

[#3]

I knew I wanted to do it when I was in high school, I then started riding with my local PD, and fell in love with the job. My grandfather was in the Navy and was a Game Warden in NJ, so I guess its kinda in the family. Best thing to do if you wanna get into this line of work, is do it at a young age.

Posted: 2/20/2006 3:00:36 PM EDT

[#4]

Since I was a kid. My father is Asst. Chief Probation Officer for the county I grew up in, so I'd been around police/deputies my whole life. It was very appealing from the get go. In college, I was a student officer for my universities police department, so I got a good inside look at how things ran. I decided that I didn't want to be a street cop, but would rather be a federal officer and eventually do plain clothes protection. It took me years to get the job that I wanted, but alas, I'm here now!!!

Posted: 2/20/2006 3:10:51 PM EDT

[#5]

They didn't have any fire fighter openings.

Posted: 2/20/2006 5:01:47 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
They didn't have any fire fighter openings.

Don't lie, the fire scares you.

I started working at the PD as a non emergency call taker. I transferred back to the jail and have been back here 5 years. I am trying to get hired on the street.

I knew the PD was for me when I wasn't having fun at the fire station anymore.

Posted: 2/20/2006 6:13:46 PM EDT

[#7]

Forever..unfortunately fate can be a bitch...

Posted: 2/20/2006 7:20:03 PM EDT

[#8]

I was an intern for the SFDA's office and we were prosecuting a murder of a young girl. Her "boyfriend" was a meth-using asshole of the highest order. One night he stole a van, raped her, crushed her skull in against the van's jack, wrapped her body in a blanket and left her in a parking lot at SF State.

None of her family came to the trial. It took them 3 or 4 days to even file a missing persons report.

The only people who gave a damn about this girl were the officers and detectives that tracked him down and the prosecutors who put him away. That's when I knew.

Posted: 2/20/2006 7:53:53 PM EDT

[#9]

I first wanted to be a cop when I was in kindergarden. We had some police come visit to talk to us and it just hit me. I had other things I thought about over time, but it was always up there.

Posted: 2/20/2006 9:35:48 PM EDT

[#10]

When I was a 6th grader I met the county Sheriff. IMO he is probably one of the best LEOs this state has ever seen. He put the idea in my head.

About the time I was a sophomore in high school I started really thinking that I would be miserable sitting behind a desk. Found out in short order that I had the mindset to be a cop.

9/11 happened my senior year of high school (though I had put in my app to be a Cadet about 2 weeks before). From that point on I knew I had to be in some part of law enforcement. Then I started as a Cadet and realized being a cop is what I am meant to do.

Won some awards at explorer conferences and things while getting a college degree in chemistry (I know). Upgraded to Reserve, trying to get hired full-time as I will graduate college soon. Every time I go in a bit further, the more I love it.

Posted: 2/22/2006 3:30:20 PM EDT

[#11]

Never thought about it until I was in my late 20's. By then I had done seven years in the USMC, finished my bachelor's degree, and gotten married. I was constantly job hopping, and just wasn't satisfied with any of it (environmental and technical fields). One day, I came home and told my wife I was either going to try this police thing I had been daydreaming about, or go back into the Marine Corps.

You can guess which path she endorsed.

Local LEO now for eight years, currently in the process with a couple federal agencies.

Posted: 2/22/2006 3:52:13 PM EDT

[#12]

My Dad was an elected constable in a Texas county from 1956-1964; I remember riding out with him when I was a wee lad of about 5 or 6. Maybe that's where it started, I don't know...

When I was in college in the late 70s I got the bug when I would ride out with my roommate's older brother who was an Austin, TX PD officer; midnight shift on the east side. What a ride!!!!

I wanted to finish college and work in my profession of commercial art before I started out as a 'law man'. In the mid 80s I started out as a reserve deputy with the county SO where I lived. I got burned out on commercial art and went full-time in '88. I never looked back; I'm now with a very large state agency and looking forward to retirement in a few years.

Posted: 2/22/2006 6:18:46 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Never thought about it until I was in my late 20's. By then I had done seven years in the USMC, finished my bachelor's degree, and gotten married. I was constantly job hopping, and just wasn't satisfied with any of it (environmental and technical fields). One day, I came home and told my wife I was either going to try this police thing I had been daydreaming about, or go back into the Marine Corps.

You can guess which path she endorsed.

Local LEO now for eight years, currently in the process with a couple federal agencies.

Wow, your story especially interests me. I don't have military experience, but I am in a otherwise similar situation.

I have always been interested in LE work and read and watched everything I could about the field when I was a kid. When I went to college, I followed my head intead of my heart and got a degree in advertising and marketing. I have worked in a couple different capacites in the field in the last few years, but it does nothing for me.

No matter what I do, I find myself constantly wanting something more. I know it sounds cliche, but I really want to do something that makes the world a better place. I will never be satisfied with a job that I don't feel really matters in the grand scheme.

Posted: 2/23/2006 1:57:28 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
and it just hit me. I had other things I thought about over time, but it was always up there.

+1

Posted: 2/23/2006 12:03:30 PM EDT

[#15]

..when I decided to get even with all the kids at school who picked on me; revenge, sweet revenge

Posted: 2/23/2006 12:16:48 PM EDT

[#16]

1977, I was five years old and got a toy Sam Browne belt as a birthday present. At the time it was the coolest gift ever. 17 years later I was sworn in. Growing up it was the only thing I really wanted to do.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - When did you "know?"

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