genevie

Being VERY theoretical here, but just say a high ranking UK police detective moved to the US (specifically thinking California / New York), would they be able to join the police force without going through the same process as new recruits?

lansbury

Just about all police departments require officers to be US citizens, some accept you if you are eligible to apply for citizenship. To my knowledge only 6 departments take non citizens and most of those are in California, if they still do. Sometime since I last looked.

You would certainly have to go through the training program if you found one who would accept you.

Bob

You could possibly find a short term exchange, but nothing permanent in all likelyhood.

As mentioned, very few places would accept a none US citizen, and usually you would have to be eligible to apply for US citizenship in those places and these days, more likely that you have already applied for it.

I've no idea about other areas, but down this way, they also usually need a bachelors degree in a relevant field, usually law enforcement based for fresh recruits at least.

Anyway, welcome to BE

genevie

Thank you both! It's very theoretical because I haven't even started my degree yet, let alone gotten to the job stage, and I have no way of knowing if I'll ever be in a position to get a green card (e.g. married to an American citizen etc). Just wondering because I do plan on moving to the US at some point if I can, and it would be good if I could find a career that works with that.

Bob

Well the wiki is a good place to look as it explains the most common ways into the US.

As you've already guessed though, it's not easy. But what exactly do you think the US will offer you?

Best find a career doing something that you enjoy and either find niche skills that you can put you towards a way to getting to the US or at least allow you to enjoy life before an opportunity comes along as it's usually a case of a opportunity landing on your lap than anything else tbh.

ian-mstm

I'll tell you the same as I've told others... choose a career because it's something you love doing, and not because you think there might be a US visa in it at some point in the future. If you are intent on getting to the US based on your career, I suggest you ditch the idea of being a police officer and concentrate on becoming a physician.

Ian

lansbury

Quite a few guys have moved over and became cops in the US, but they all had to wait out the years required for citizenship. Become a police officer because it is what you want to do, not because it is a stepping stone to somewhere else. If you do that there is a chance you might be good at the job.

penguinsix

Nearly all police forces are local, at the city level, which means each has their own hiring procedures and requirements. At the state level basic requirements are set, usually involving citizenship.

As to whether you have to restart your career, it would depend on the locality. In a rather famous instance, the police chief of Montgomery County in the Washington DC area, the police chief who dealt with the 'DC Sniper' case that was in headlines around the world, eventually moved to Hawaii and had to re-attend the police academy before getting a job as a patrolmen. Basically went from a very high ranking post back down to a foot beat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Moose

If you are looking for a career that will get you into the USA, I'd have to say being a cop is pretty low down the list. In fact, I wouldn't recommend it. Far too much paperwork and most 'sponsoring' agencies, i.e. the folks that would help you get a visa, are government entities who have basically ZERO interest in bringing in a foreigner to take the job of an American. Add to this an abundance of people looking for jobs, many of them returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan (in fact in my county back in the USA EVERY recent hire for the police for the last two years has been a combat veteran), and you aren't looking at an easy path.

If you are looking for a career to get you into the USA, think STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. There are always folks looking to hire people with these skills and sponsor them for a visa. Even if you are considering being a cop, consider getting an engineering or science-based degree first. A good backup insurance should your plans change later in life.

Good luck.

Xebedee

Ideally, yes - follow your natural abilities (or loves) and become an artist if you love to draw or paint.

I'd absolutely love to run a bookshop but because my choice was purely practical ($$) am playing with gears and cogs all day and can't see that changing until "stop work now".
Gears and cogs put bread on my table; its a means to an end....

kate8kate0

Hi Lansbury, hope you don't mind me asking, my partner is a UK officer. How did these other guys do it? I have actually PM'd you with a question too :

civilservant

He's already answered that. They came in on an Immigrant Visa (or AOS'd to one later) and then waited the requisite years until they were elligable to become a USC. After taking USC they then presumably applied to the relevent forces and were accepted.

It's very unlikley that their experiance in the UK was taken into account in any meaningful way.

kate8kate0

thanks. When you say immigrant visa do you mean employment based visa, don't you need a degree to even get a work visa.? or which? Sorry, what does AOS'd mean?

civilservant

No I mean am immigrant visa. As in a visa that allows you to stay as a Permenant Resident. An employment visa (and the status that follows) is generally only temporary and you must leave (or renew, or change to a different status) at its expiration. It does not gain you citizenship.

An employment visa must be sponsored by the employer and costs many thousands.

If his friends originally entered on an employment visa, and met an married a US citizen, they may have Adjusted Status (AOS'd) based on this. Alternatively they could have been petitioned for a Green Card by their employer. Either way they could then eventually apply for and gain USC- which is what is often required to even apply for a role in a PD.

And yes, generally speaking, employment visas require at least a degree or 12 years relevant work experience.

kate8kate0

cheers mate, ill look into immigrant visas I am doing the L1 (keeping a business open here and opening one in the states) and am hoping Derek can get into police on my L1, or looking into easier route, ie derek into Police!, its a bloody minefield, I will plough on . thanks for your help,

Pulaski

That there may be your answer - do your degree in the US. A student visa should be relatively easy to get and you have a period after graduating to apply for a job - and you'll be "local", which is a huge plus because getting any employer interest when you're overseas is notoriously difficult.
That said, you are still likely to have significant issues with the citizenship requirement, and would likely need another job until enough time had passed to turn a green card into citizenship.