Get the beat p1 - Military Transition - Military Times EDGE

Dominic Dinisio always admired the life of a cop, which he witnessed close up from an early age. “I remember how much my father loved going to work every day. Most people dread going to their jobs, but I saw how much my father loved it.

“That’s what sparked my interest,” said the Army veteran, who wrapped up a four-year stint in uniform in February 2005. He last served as a squad leader at the 3rd Ranger Battalion at Fort Benning, Ga. Now he’s a detective in the Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland.

It took Dinisio, 32, less than half a year to make the transition from Army sergeant to civilian police officer. It isn’t the easiest application process — physical exam, written test, background check — but veterans may have an edge as many police departments are actively seeking former servicemen and women, regardless of military specialty.

Minimum requirements

To be considered for a municipal police job, applicants typically must be at least 21 years old and a U.S. citizen and never have been convicted of a felony. Most departments also require about 60 college credit hours, or the equivalent of two years of college. Some colleges offer classes in criminal justice. Coursework in human behavior, legal issues and computer issues also buff up a résumé.

In many jurisdictions, former military personnel can count their time in service toward these degree requirements. In Boise, Idaho, previous service as an E-4 or above can substitute for half of the 64 credits required to sign on. The city of Chicago will accept four years of military service in place of 60 credits, or one year of active duty in place of 30 credits.

The hiring process

Get over these hurdles and you can begin the hiring process proper, which typically includes a fitness test, a written test and a panel interview. There may be a psychological evaluation and a polygraph along the way.

Dinisio’s best advice: Be yourself, especially when it comes to the panel interview.

“It’s a lot easier than the military boards, where you are sitting in front of a bunch of first sergeants and sergeant majors,” he said. “They want to see what kind of person you are, whether you are someone who can be trusted.”

Be yourself, but be prepared, too. “When you do come in for your initial interview, you want to have all your documents available,” said Detective Barbara Cojocar, a recruiter in the Raleigh (N.C.) Police Department. “It shows that you did your homework.”

The physical test ought to be familiar for those who have served. And there probably won’t be any surprises: Most police departments will tell you in advance what they expect. Cojocar recommends training to the level of the Cooper Institute physical assessment (www.cooperinstitute.org), a standard commonly used by police recruiters.

That leaves the written test. The South Dakota Law Enforcement written exam is a representative example. It has 100 multiple-choice questions focusing on memory and observation, judgment, reasoning, reading comprehension and math.

There are numerous options for studying. Textbooks such as McGraw-Hill’s “Police Officer Exams” and Barron’s “Police Officer Exam” offer in-depth treatments with questions and examples from past tests. Some jurisdictions offer online study guides. Or for about $20, aspiring police officers can buy jurisdiction-specific guides online, such as the New York City police officer practice exams available at www.learnx.com.

Investigate your options

Prepping for the written exam is important, but it’s not the only area in which a little planning goes a long way. Some cities are hiring, others are not, and it takes some research to make an informed choice.

Police work varies, too: Urban law enforcement and suburban cop life are different animals. The best strategy here is direct inquiry. Most police officers will share what they know, especially to a comrade fresh out of uniform.

Being ex-military, “you get instant respect,” Dinisio said of his job-search process.

If you can land the job, you’ll earn a respectable wage. The 2008-2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook reports patrol officers had median annual earnings of $47,460 in May 2006; median annual earnings of police and detective supervisors were $69,310; and the median annual earnings of detectives and criminal investigators were $58,260.

The jobs are stable, there’s room for advancement, and you continue to enjoy the close camaraderie others have to leave behind when they join the civilian work force.

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Common pitfalls to avoid

Raleigh (N.C.) Police Detective Barbara Cojocar describes ways to avoid common stumbling blocks on the path to becoming a police officer.

• Change your thinking: Get your head in civilian mode before the interview. The situational judgment needed for police work can be different than the judgment needed in a war zone.

• Look for advancement: Don’t consider just the entry-level job. “You want to know how large the police department is. What kind of career mobility do you have? If you like the hometown feel, there is nothing wrong with that, but be mindful that they might have only one or two lieutenants in their department, so if you want to be a lieutenant, you may have to wait.” Don’t overlook specialty areas such as school resource officer, drug enforcement or crime prevention.

• Don’t dawdle: “The application process does take a while. They should begin their search six months prior to getting out.”