becoming a police officer
 

Hello everyone, I am hoping to marry my US girlfriend in a couple years time, once I get my green card will it hard to become a police officer, I know certain departments will hire foreigners on a green card, basically what I'm asking is how hard is it to become a cop, especially with a green card? I am specifically looking to join the chicago police department, what are my chances of being selected? Also during my background check and all that, will they have access to british NHS medical records?

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Most police departments require US citizenship. As far as NHS medical records, they very likely don't have access to them any more than they have access to US health records but may require you to provide them to be considered for the position.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Thanks mate, as far as i'm concerned you just need a green card to join the chicago police department, I'm just worried as i have heard it is very hard to join these days! I'm hoping to maybe study law or CJ while out in america.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

From their own website, you do have to be a US citizen, and a resident of Chicago, and have to sit an exam.

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Ma...gust-2013/CPD/

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Yep, every position I've seen, you need to be a citizen.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

You'll be competing against people with 4 year batchelors degrees or those recently left the military, both of which are very desirable to PDs.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

About time that myth was put to rest. There are several States and numerous departments that either don't require people to be a citizen, or a citizen when recruited.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

In fact service as a reserve officer will count more.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

That's not the official chicago police department website, on the official chicago police department website it says you only need a green card.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Well so far some of you guys have just been saying I need to be a US citizen, which is incorrect. But if I was to study at a college and be in peak physical condition hopefully I'd stand a chance.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Suspect that study in US college of the correct course would be the best way, useful reading here.

http://work.chron.com/chicago-police...ions-1012.html

as it says, green card is acceptable, and not as in the original link I posted, college course says, 'an accredited course'

Re: becoming a police officer
 

My daughter is a Sheriff's Deputy.
There is a hell of a lot more to this than 'being fit' and having some form of criminal justice qualification.

Competition for jobs is fierce. You would need to attend a law enforcement training academy utilized by the agency you hope to recruit you. Simply completing the course is no guarantee of a position at the conclusion.
Ideally, you should be sponsored by the agency, who then pay for the training - best way to accomplish that is to work in a civilian capacity - and then progress to a policing role.

Just to add a little perspective - around 10% of successful academy trainees are offered a job by a police agency within 3 months of finishing the course - so you need to be a stand-out to get selected.

Also worthy of note - there were 11 ex-military trainees in my daughter's class - 6 dropped out before completion and none of them got offers at the end of it (all now employed in prison/jail roles apparently) - being an ex-soldier does not correlate with being a good cop, it would seem.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

The local lady police women would not be described as 'Fit' using which every definition of the term being considered.

Military Police would help.

Apparently there is one Police Officer locally ex UK, I think he is a GC Holder, runs a Barbers on his days off.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

True, but realistically, in a big city. It's not going to happen.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

That like most things in the US depends where you are. In Oregon, for one, you get hired as an officer by a department and then sent to the academy. You can't go to the academy without a job.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

How do you know that?

Unless people apply they have no chance of being accepted, and there is no way any of us can say how many have and were not accepted. What I can say from the departments I know they will always take the best candidates who meet their recruiting criteria. With the one caveat, being a reserve officer, with a good recommendation, will put you above the other candidates.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Thanks everyone, I am still looking at what state to relocate to in the US. I have heard the LAPD are never on a recruitment freeze, however I have heard they are also just as a hard to get into than the chicago pd. I am planning on getting my GED when over there, and studying at a college, and working... Does anyone know how the background check will go if I am from a foreign country?

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Because politicians don't like explaining to voters why when they have hundreds of applicants for a position that johnny foreigner got it, even if they had a greencard.

I know for a fact that's what happens locally, unless the person has previous niche skills within the police force before moving to the US. Just being a bobby won't generally do it.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

How good are your shooting skills?

Re: becoming a police officer
 

So every department in your area reports who they have hired do they. I doubt you know the background of people hired this year. I most certainly do not ask our Chief or Sheriff if they have given a job to a foreigner, and I doubt anyone else does. Repeat it enough times Bob and someone might even believe you.

Well I never said being a UK officer will guarantee a job, but what was stated was being a non citizen will exclude a person. That most certainly isn't the case everywhere. Having previous police experience is a string to your bow. If you can use that to get a reserve position you have made yourself a very desirable candidate.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Before applying to become a police officer, I will try and get a job either as a reserve officer with maybe a smaller department, or a security guard, preferably a reserve officer of course. Hopefully this can make me a more desirable candidate.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Why the hell would you want to join a corrupt police dept. I work with the police on a day to day basis and have friends who used to be in the Chicago PD you would be better off in a local municipality of sheriff dept.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Federal law requires you to be a us citizen as I am waiting till I get my citizenship to join the sheriffs dept where I am

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Begs the question what the Feds have to do with this.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Just seeing CPD offer $65k after 18 months as the UK equivalent to a constable (who makes 18K GBP basic + overtime).

That's insanely high, unless somehow American cops are infinitely more educated than UK plod (which has a very low academic entrance requirement) I fail to see the justification for such a high wage after only 18 months.

I guess most of that is bloody money, given how violent Chicago is.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

That's because they keep being shot and killed (honest to god, I bet you that is the reason).

Re: becoming a police officer
 

No one has a chance of becoming CPD officer unless you are connected to someone.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

You could put a freedom of information request in to find out?

Re: becoming a police officer
 

It's just what I want! I've wanted to become a cop for a while, and wanted to live in chicago for a while... so they both sort of go together.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

So every single cop in chicago was 'connected to someone' before they became a cop?

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Chicago is a historically very corrupt city, so wouldn't surprise me that a significant number of positions (especially desirable ones) are filled due to connections.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Would you like to cite the Federal law that applies to sheriff and other police departments, as opposed to Federal officers. Most of the States have a law which gives the eligibility for a police officer in that State, and the officers are State not Federally certified. Colorado comes to mind as one of the few States which has no citizenship requirement for police officers.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

If my application to the CPD goes to shit I'm packing my bags and heading to colorado ;)

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Jimmy your looking at 4 years before you can even apply then if successfully accepted a year long application process then maybe you get through police work is not like it is on tv but if you really want to be a cop choose a nice municipality there you can make a difference but if you just wanna carry a gun and shoot someone then lapd might be for you

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Stand corrected I know that when I applied to the sheriffs office It was clearly printed federal law but if I am wrong I am wrong

Re: becoming a police officer
 

I'm still young, I probably won't be applying for another 4-6 years anyway, first and foremost is getting the green card...

Re: becoming a police officer
 

I know you have mentioned a couple of times in your posts about their ability (CPD) to do a background check on your UK background, is there something that may be of concern there? If so, this (whatever it may be) may hinder you actual visa application. Just because you a married to a USC does not guarantee you a path to permanent residency.

If this is not the case, and there are no major "skeletons in the closet" then all you need do is ensure you keep your nose clean until then!

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Well I experimented with marijuana around the age of 15, also I got into a bit of trouble at secondary school. The marijuana use is on my UK NHS medical records, I've never used any hard drugs, or been arrested... well accept from the time when I was like 14 I got taken home by the police for drinking a can of coke in a shop without paying, but I was never actually arrested just told off and taken home, I got no criminal record, no charges ever pressed against me or anything like that.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Colorado it is.

Re: becoming a police officer
 

Well I do not have a criminal record. I don't think my application will be ****ed if I am honest that i used marijuana like maybe once or twice at the age of 15?