WBA05

Hi everyone

I've posted an introduction in the welcome inn but will do it quickly here too. My name is Shane, I'm 22 from England. I left high school and did 2 different courses at college, had a 2 or 3 different jobs and I now work in a Call Centre for a Police force here in England. I want to be a Police Officer and have now started thinking about moving to USA for the last 6-12 months. I'm interested in joining the police force in USA and I'm thinking I'd like to move to either Houston, Washington or New York and was wondering if anybody has any advice on how I would do this and advice on about becoming an officer of the law in one of those areas?

Thanks
Shane

fatbrit

Bad news I'm afraid -- you generally need to be a US citizen to join the police in the USA.

WBA05

How would I go about doing that?

fatbrit

Give me any yes answers here:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pulaski_Simplified

WBA05

I can't decide if those questions are serious or not lol

lansbury

One quality of a good police officer is the ability to be self reliant, and have investigative skills. All the information you require is readily available in the numerous threads on this very subject in these forums.

You will see upon doing some research that your chances are very slim to none.

fatbrit

That's it. If they're all no, there's no hope of you living and working in the USA under current legislation.

Pulaski

Emigrating is a serious business, so you'd better believe they're serious. It is very tough to emigrate to the US and several of us developed the Pulaski questions to help the many people who come to this forum looking for an easy way to emigrate to the US. The short answer is that there are no easy ways.

In the absence of any other ways for you, attending a US university to study for a bachelor's degree would at least give you a chance at transitioning into the US workforce, although everything I have read from people who know more than I do about police recruiting say that most police departments hire US citizens, and you usually have to have held a green card for 5 years before you can apply for citizenship ..... and you wouldn't be eligible for a greencard until after you obtain your degree. Allowing time to apply to US colleges, arrange financing, and get a student visa, take the usual minimum 4 years for a degree, and a further 5 years to get citizenship, you are looking at a minimum 10-11 years from now.

The other option you have, if you are single as well as young, is to join an online dating website!

Noorah101

They are.

Rene

Bob

In that case. match.com is probably your best bet, then give it a few years till you become eligible for US citizenship.

Ethelred_the_Unready

Marry an American bird.

cheers

I think you need to consider Canada instead of the US. You would be so much better off and I think it is so much easier to emigrate to there.

UkWinds5353

Gaining citizenship allthough a huge huddle is only one of the problems you'd face.Most cities in America are not hiring police officers or fireman at the moment.In fact it's just the opposite many are laying off city government workers and this is especially true in states that have been hit hardest by the economic down turn.Sorry to be the barrier of bad news but even if it was possible to marry an American and have the right to work in the States, you probably would need to wait out the current hiring freeze before being offered a position.Not to mention you might have to retrain here in the States. Your goal is not impossible but it requires a great deal of time, effort and research. The economy has began to turn around but much of the current hiring is in the private sector not so much in city government jobs. I know a young 23 year guy that has graduated from the police academy school and he might have to move out of state because he can't find a job here.He has been looking for over 7 months.In any case good look to you.

cheers

I just thought of another route and that is joining the US armed forces. I joined the Air Force 3 months after arriving and it was good for me.

My circumstances are different now, being older, so I would rebel at being shouted out and being given orders

fatbrit

The OP is not qualified to join the military. Generally, you need to be a permanent resident or US citizen to qualify.