LEO career advice

[Tym87]

Ultimately I want to be a LEO and a detective. Would you say being an officer vs being enlisted in the military is any advantage on a resume? I have a BA degree in an unrelated field but I'm working on an MBA while I'm in. Would this also help/hurt a Leo resume?

I've spoke with a few detectives and swat guys and it's all over the place in terms of advice

[grouchyjarhead]

Any kind of military service in the US helps as many tests give veterans extra points. Our civil service test gave vets an additional 10 points, so I ended up being over the maximum score and in the top 5.

Any kind of degree can help as well depending on the department. Some even offer incentive pay for advanced degrees.

[Balaclava]

I think any military service + a degree looks very very good on a LEO resume. Enlisted or knighted.

[Tym87]

Would you say being knighted has any distinct advantages? Maybe for federal?

[Balaclava]

Would you say being knighted has any distinct advantages? Maybe for federal?

Possibly, you can play up the leadership aspect. But if you're already enlisted with military experience then you have to weigh the time and effort it'll take you to become an officer VS directly going for your goal of LEO. Others may have a different opinion but I would say the effort and loss of time isn't worth the slight edge you may or may not get from being an officer.

[Tym87]

Would you say being knighted has any distinct advantages? Maybe for federal?

Possibly, you can play up the leadership aspect. But if you're already enlisted with military experience then you have to weigh the time and effort it'll take you to become an officer VS directly going for your goal of LEO. Others may have a different opinion but I would say the effort and loss of time isn't worth the slight edge you may or may not get from being an officer.

This is exactly what I'm facing! I already started the process and training, but I think it would be better if I just went the LEO route so I don't waste the next 5-6 years.

[Balaclava]

Would you say being knighted has any distinct advantages? Maybe for federal?

Possibly, you can play up the leadership aspect. But if you're already enlisted with military experience then you have to weigh the time and effort it'll take you to become an officer VS directly going for your goal of LEO. Others may have a different opinion but I would say the effort and loss of time isn't worth the slight edge you may or may not get from being an officer.

This is exactly what I'm facing! I already started the process and training, but I think it would be better if I just went the LEO route so I don't waste the next 5-6 years.

You're already enlisted no? You've basically got that "military" box ticked off in my opinion. If it were me I would focus more on acing any entrance exams, written tests, PT tests. Read police exam study guides, find out what you'll be asked during the interviews and prep, prep, prep.

[Green2Blue]

IMHO...

Military experience will always give you an edge, but it won't make or break you. I know plenty of cops without it that are great. I also know plenty of military vets that wouldn't make very good cops.

Don't worry about having an unrelated degree. Just having a degree is typically good enough. I have a degree in exercise science, and if I could go back and get a different one I would. But I'd get it in something useful, it sure as hell wouldn't be in Criminal Justice.

[CannonballRun]

I was enlisted and got my bachelors degree in CJ while in the military, and I worked in LE while in the military. While I applied with several local agencies and got a couple offers, I ultimately went the federal LE route. Whichever side of LE you go with, I have always found having both the military and education boxes checked has served me well. I've know far more prior enlisted people in my LE career, but I've worked with many prior officers as well. For whatever reason though, I find many of the prior officers tend to gravitate towards the FBI as far as the federal side goes, at least based on my observations. Regarding what you major in, I say just go with what you can stomach studying for several years without quitting. However, if you happen to have a propensity for accounting, computers, engineering, or something else unrelated but that could possibly lead to another career if LE doesn't work out, then by all means pick up a degree that has some additional usefulness. For me though, I just wanted to finish a degree, any degree, and CJ actually interested me, so that's what I went with.

[J-Madd]

Regarding what you major in, I say just go with what you can stomach studying for several years without quitting.

I should hang this on my office door for all my students to see. Very sound advice.