Is anyone on here a police officer OR married to one?

Couturegrl

Couturegrl

Addicted to Tiffany's
O.G.
Apr 24, 2006
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#1
My SO has recently started to think about *possibly* taking the written test to begin the police recruitment process.

I would love to hear feedback from anyone on here who is a police officer, or (maybe more helpful to me) married/dating one...

I think that he would be a great police officer, but we are still not sure. He is planning on going on a ride-along to see if he likes it or not.

Thanks so much!!:heart:
 
#2
Couturegrl said:
My SO has recently started to think about *possibly* taking the written test to begin the police recruitment process.

I would love to hear feedback from anyone on here who is a police officer, or (maybe more helpful to me) married/dating one...

I think that he would be a great police officer, but we are still not sure. He is planning on going on a ride-along to see if he likes it or not.

Thanks so much!!:heart:
Click to expand...

I am not a cop, but almost became one. Now, im in the private investigation sector.

Almost all the guys I have dated have been cops or federal agents. Im just a cop magnet. LMAO Now Im married to a military guy!

Anyways, I have a very different outlook on cops then some, just because of my experiences. I think they have an awesome, but tough job. And im just very found of cops and tend to surrond myself with them (friends and boyfriends).

I know it can be tougher on the family members too, esp spouses

Spouses have to realize the stress their cop spouse is under....the crap they deal w/ on the street which can take an emotional and physical toll on some....and the politics of the job....yep, lots of politics.

Also the hours area not always "family friendly". Then there is the aspect of always being afraid that your spouse will be harmed or killed.

On the other hand, there is the pride you feel when being married to someone who is sworn to protect and serve. And seeing them in their uniform LOL and hearing all the stories they have to tell!

I say he should apply and if he gets selected - that is awesome. If later on he hates the job, or finds it just isnt working out for him and your family, he can quite. But at least it will be something he pursued and tried!!

 
#3
My brother is, is that close enough?

This is a hard one....it is a very noble thing to be a police officer. But it is very hard and honestly a 'hardening' job.

I did see my brother change quite a bit over the years, becoming more and more distrustful of people, more isolated and introverted. Gone, I thought, was the laughing, outgoing brother I always knew.

It sadded me and even angered me. Over the last few years we had a series of family crisis... my mom almost died, my dad had a stroke, and my nephew had a car accident in which the passenger died and my nephew had a severe brian injury. Not only was he in a comma for about 2 weeks, but we worried when and if he survived would he be charged with vehicular manslaughter (no drugs or drinking was involved, but reckless driving on rainy roads)...anyway through all these trials, I was dismayed by my family's reactions...from hysteria to denials to finger pointing to greed to scary apathy, basically very ugly things all around me...who were these people I thought I knew? All except my brother. Together we were the calm, the caring, the reasonable. United we handled more than we every could have alone. With respect and a new appreciation we watched each other handle things...me the medical end and him the legal stuff. As proud and reassured I was by him, I saw mirrored in his eyes.

Over the long nights and lots of talks he explained that he had to learn to shut down his emotions or else he could never cope with everything he saw everyday and he had to expect the worse, all the time, because the first time he let his guard down, even at a traffic stop, was the time he could get shot. But he also told me heart warming stories about people he helped, how he felt he made a difference. I could see how it had changed him, but not all for the worse, as I assumed before.

Sorry this turned out so long...my point is I learned although he did change, he was still my loving brother and through it all he would always be there when I needed him, even when others failed me. I learned that the courage and strength he had learned through being a police officer was a pretty good thing.

So expect him change, it is inevitable, but different isn't always worse, just different.
 
#4
I dated a guy who went through all the tests, the interviews, and the meetings and such. He never made it in, his letter of rejection told him it was because there were too many applicants and not enough spots, so, although I have no advice on what it's like to know a cop / be with a cop I do have advice on the process!

Straight up, you should NEVER lie, even if it's not during the polygraph. My ex's parents drank a lot and as a result all of their underage kids were allowed to drink. That never came up in the polygraph, but, it did during the medical examination. The doctor asked if he drank and asked if he was 21 or not (he was not). Then he asked why he thought it was ok for the underage to drink, and my ex gave a pretty good reason (and it was true) that he only really drank for special occasions and he didn't see anything wrong with it as long as he, nor was anyone else, driving afterwards, and, that he was not recreationally drinking, it was to celebrate an event.

I would say that if your SO is overweight that he should loose the weight before applying. You can only appy once a year and my sisters ex applied last year. He's 250 and he does not carry the weight well. He did not get asked back for an interview, something that they ask for in no time after the written test. After each process you are contacted pretty fast to meet again / do something in the process again. You'd never go over a week without knowing information as to the next time you're supposed to meet someone / do something. There were also, as I remember 2 times when he had to go running with a group who was applying as well and keep up with everyone.

The process is pretty quick, it took my ex when he applied in Sept all the way to Dec to his final interview. It's just long to weed out all the people they don't want in the force and to get rid of the people who can't / they don't want in there.

Hope I was some help! GL to him!
 
#6
it is one of the most honorable things that you can do IMO. The world needs police officers that are strong, responsible, and dedicated. Where would we be without them

(question mark should go there, but the key fell off my laptop)

I say encourage him, and be ready for the lifestyle.
 
#7
digby723 said:
I dated a guy who went through all the tests, the interviews, and the meetings and such. He never made it in, his letter of rejection told him it was because there were too many applicants and not enough spots, so, although I have no advice on what it's like to know a cop / be with a cop I do have advice on the process!

Straight up, you should NEVER lie, even if it's not during the polygraph. My ex's parents drank a lot and as a result all of their underage kids were allowed to drink. That never came up in the polygraph, but, it did during the medical examination. The doctor asked if he drank and asked if he was 21 or not (he was not). Then he asked why he thought it was ok for the underage to drink, and my ex gave a pretty good reason (and it was true) that he only really drank for special occasions and he didn't see anything wrong with it as long as he, nor was anyone else, driving afterwards, and, that he was not recreationally drinking, it was to celebrate an event.

I would say that if your SO is overweight that he should loose the weight before applying. You can only appy once a year and my sisters ex applied last year. He's 250 and he does not carry the weight well. He did not get asked back for an interview, something that they ask for in no time after the written test. After each process you are contacted pretty fast to meet again / do something in the process again. You'd never go over a week without knowing information as to the next time you're supposed to meet someone / do something. There were also, as I remember 2 times when he had to go running with a group who was applying as well and keep up with everyone.

The process is pretty quick, it took my ex when he applied in Sept all the way to Dec to his final interview. It's just long to weed out all the people they don't want in the force and to get rid of the people who can't / they don't want in there.

Hope I was some help! GL to him!
Click to expand...

Remember the requirements are different for every state, maybe even city, I am not sure.

I know here in CA, my brother had to have a BA in law enforcement before he could attend the academy, but in WA, there is no requirement for a degree. I am sure if your SO is seriously intrested he has already looked into all the requirements in AZ :smile:
 
#8
I am a Deputy Sheriff, so I thought I'd offer you a little insight.

My challenges with this career are that I'm a married mother. I was working second shift and NEVER saw my family. It was awful. I then transferred to third shift which means I work while they sleep and then I sleep when they are awake....still not the greatest, but I do see them in the afternoons and evenings, so I'm much happier on this shift. I work every holiday, so be prepared for that! Being a police officer is very physically and emotionally demanding. We see things that others can't even imagine, so you will definitely see a change in him. I think we have more of a "hardness" to us because we have to.

Depending on where you live this whole testing process could take several years. It isn't a test that you take and are hired within a few months. There are steps to the whole process and he has to make it through each step and come out on top.
There is a huge demand for police officers, therefore, everyone is wanting to become one, so the selection process is very tough to get through.

I wish him luck...if it's something he REALLY wants to do then he should go for it. If it's something he just KINDA wants to do then he will burn out quick. I hope this helped a bit.
 
#13
I live in a neighborhood where a lot of police officers , state troopers and retired police officers live. All of these people are wonderful. They will do anything to help you and all have a happy family life. The friends I have met have never complained about anything job related conderning their husbands being police officers but then again we live in a pretty safe town in my mind, it is not a major city and high crime area so I think it would be very different if you are working in a large city. My one friend's husband just retired about 2 years ago and her son just graduated police academy last year, that was pretty cool. My son has a DARE program at school and the police officers who do it are awesome, they are so involved with the kids and activities they sponsor outside the school. I think it is a wonderful career but it does take a special person to do it.
 
#14
Exactly...it DOES take a very special person to do it......my hubby to be has a lot of cop friends also, and we live in an appt. complex were all the other police officers of the town live. We are all friends, and one big family. My hubby loves his job. :yes:
 
#15
My DH has been trying to get in as an officer, there are always TONS of applicants for just a few positions. I wanted to be one once upon a time, right now I'm a dispatcher and finishing up my bachelors to be a probation officer.

My suggestion is that honesty is the best policy, you must tell them every dumb thing you've done, cause believe me, they'll find it in the background. I know my state (OR) doesn't do polygraphs, but a lot of states do. I had a friend make it all the way through and then fail the poly, which sucked cause it was nervousness that made him fail it.

As others have mentioned too, being in a relationship with an officer is hard, they have high divorce rates. As a teen i remember my dad never being home on holidays cause he was out patrolling...
 
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