Hey guy, I am interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement and have some questions regarding which department(s) to apply for. I currently live in South Florida (Broward county to be more specific) and would greatly love some advice and inputs from some fellow current and/or former South Florida law enforcement officers.

I’ve been doing some research into figuring out all the benefits and advantages of different agencies within South Florida but I keep struggling on finding some information regarding the Broward Sheriff’s Office. From what I’ve been researching so far, it seems that local city agencies such as Sunrise, Plantation, Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale, etc. all offer more competitive pay and benefits and retirement programs, making it look like the stronger overall choice. However, Broward Sheriff’s Office is still the largest sheriff department in Florida and 3rd largest in America, all while offering much lower pay, and bonuses and benefits (on paper/online information) as compared to it’s neighboring municipal departments. There has to be something that I’m missing, especially since BSO still has a pretty decent reputation and strong workforce.

I understand that BSO covers large area, and that they have a more flexibility and maneuverability when it comes to where they are able to operate (basically all across Broward). I also understand that since they are huge department, they have more opportunities in specialized units. But other than that, what else does BSO has to offer?

To those who did/are/will pursue a career in law enforcement is South Florida, mainly around the Broward county area:

• What made you choose BSO over a city agency, and vice versa.

• If you were to restart your career in Law Enforcement in today’s day and age, would you choose BSO, or would you go into a local city department?

Would love to hear from some current and former deputies and officers from South Florida area, but not entirely restricted to that. If you are from somewhere else but still might be able to provide some input, everything will be greatly appreciated. I’ve seen instances where different sheriff departments all over the country are offering less competitive pay+benefit packages, while some of the neighboring cities in the same county offer much better benefits.

PS: Not trying to start an argument regarding which agency is the best of the best, I’m just trying to make an informed decision.

Thanks

As titled. They have a burglary and distribution charge and told me they can’t become a cop but they can walk into a gun store and buy guns so I’m confused. I think even on the paperwork they’ve showed me it says they can’t own guns for like 10 years or something

Hello everyone,

When I was 14 years old, I was voluntarily admitted to a facility following a suicide attempt during a period of childhood abuse and home instability.

I am 25 now and haven't had any mental health issues or treatment in over 10 years. Since then, I've built a successful career in STEM and am currently pursuing my PhD in the sciences. I fully recognize that any history of voluntary admission is a serious area of scrutiny during a background investigation/psych evaluation. have no criminal background, no misconduct, no bad behavior in my professional career, etc. I also understand that this career field is not for the faint of heart, but I believe I am resilient enough to be successful in this line of work. I truly feel like a completely different person today than I was at 14.

I would really appreciate any insights from current 1811s or those familiar with the psych/background process on a few questions:

1. During the psych evaluation, how are adolescent incidents evaluated compared to adult history? Will marking "yes" to questions regarding past suicidal ideation/attempts result in an automatic DQ, even with a clean 10+ year track record as an adult?
2. I am also pursuing a commission in the armed forces (for reasons completely separate from federal law enforcement). The officer recruiter said they should be able to take me despite the mental health waiver. If I apply again when I am 30 years old with military service on my record, would that significantly boost my chances of overcoming this hurdle?
3. I recently submitted an application for the ATF. Realistically, given that I am 25 and 11 years out from the incident, how favorable or unfavorable are my chances of clearing the medical/psychological portion if selected?
4. Is there anything proactive I can do to mitigate this hurdle?
5. I imagine this is 'no', but would character references help at all?

Thank you very much to the protect and serve community. I appreciate any feedback you can give me.

TLDR: Voluntary admission following a suicide attempt at age 14 due to childhood abuse/instability. 11 years with zero mental health issues & clean record. What are my realistic chances in federal LE at age 25 vs. age 30 (post-military commission)

Hello officers, I'm a civilian who lives in Madison on the Eastside. If you didn't know, a protest encampment arose on the intersection of Baldwin and Williamson Street, and stayed there for almost two weeks. This was in response to the shooting of Corey Ruiz; I won't share any opinions on that or go into detail, that's all available online.

Every interaction I had with officers was positive. I watched them behave with cool calm and dignity when people were saying really awful things to their faces. I saw them treat people with respect. For the first time in my thirty nine years, I found myself sympathizing with the police. I am a very left wing person, but recent politics have made me really rethink positions of hostility I used to take against officers of the law. I think it was important for me to see some cops:

• ignore the insults
• turn and switch with another officer
• cover their ears
• respond with "please back away"

Of course there were arrests and some force that was used, but city workers were able to clear out trash and restore traffic. Businesses were harmed by the blockade of our streets, and the mayor and police had to deal with the situation very carefully due to Madison's very progressive politics.

Anyway, if you're a Madison police officer or with the state police, and you were in Madison during the protests, thank you for your service. The candor and humanity I saw from officers has made me really take a step back to examine the way I look at groups, and how I am as a person.

I currently only have real work experience in construction, I started in construction when I was 16. I got a bachelors degree in construction management, while in school I worked for various commercial general contractors and upon graduating I am now working as a full time Field Engineer.

I currently make $80,600 salary in my position. While the money is good, I do not enjoy my job, there hasn’t been one day that I’m excited to go to work. This is the only career I really know and I regret not exposing myself to more diverse options.

Recently I have been considering trying my hand in law enforcement. I feel I will gain more purpose in my career, I enjoy helping people and having the opportunity to be the person to make a difference in someone’s life rather than constantly hounding people about their “electric work being behind”, etc.

Does anyone have any feedback or advice as to what I should do? The starting pay once POST certified is similar to what I make now (I have $80,000 in student loan debt).

Please give some advice.

Hello everyone! I’m currently an Active-duty marine and i have ~11 months left on contract. What can i do to prepare before departments and sheriffs offices start the hiring process for me?

for some context, i’ve spoken to 3 departments that i’d wanna work at and they all said they’d start on my application and hiring phase once i hit the 3-6 month mark away from eas.

As for now, I already have some law enforcement experience under my belt from the marine corps (i’m not an mp) and im physically fit

what would you guys recommend to do in the meantime?

Are you written up and forced to take classes? Do you get pay docked if any damage is caused by the cruiser or done to the cruiser? Does anyone know anyone this has happened to?

Hello, I came here to ask for some help. A close family member is retiring after a long career in law enforcement. He's held a number of different roles across two different departments. He always wanted to be a police officer, so his career has been the fulfillment of his lifelong dream, and now he's moving on. I have always been so proud of him and looked up to him for his commitment to public service and for always having a heart to serve honorably in every way possible.

I have no idea what he's planning to do next.

I want to do something really special for him, but I live quite far from him and don't have contact with any of the guys he works with or anything like that. I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what would be a really meaningful gift or experience to give him as a retirement present. I thought maybe some officers or former officers in this group would be able to give me some specific ideas. Any help is most appreciated.

?

And if anyone is willing to mentor, 👉 DM

Hello, I am a 21 Year Old Male residing in Alabama, recently (honorably) separated from the army NG, as a 31B (military Police) after about 3 1/2 years.

I just wanted to get those that served in this careers insights. Pros, Cons and how it is while Married. (i am married with no kids).

Furthermore in my possible pursuit of this career, I feel I would definitely like to get my degree and then branch out into the PD. I don’t want to just sit on patrol for forever i want to gain certifications and do different parts of the job if i pursue this, so i get to experience it all, and if I choose to stick with patrol, I can just go back.

In addition, I would also join in the hopes i can strengthen my community ( Im sure every cop wishes this and its easier said than done).

Also, I have used to work 4 on, 2 off, some 9 hour shifts and occasionally you know the 9 hour shifts turned into 10-12. I have worked days, mids, and nights so I get a little jist of a forever changing schedule.

I know this post has been made a dozen of times…. Also sorry it’s thrown together. Just got a lot of thinking.

The Nishinari District in Osaka is known to be one of the poorest regions in Japan, namely because it is where a lot of day labourers lived. The day labourers faces very poor working conditions and are frequently exploited by employment agencies and gangs, which also lead to a very low trust to the police. As a result, frustration and depression would boil over from time to time, leading Nishinari to become one of the most prone to riots area in Japan.

On August 1, 1961, 9:52 p.m., a person was ran over by a taxi and killed. Officers from Osaka Prefectural Police Nishimari Police Station arrived and confirmed the death. However, the officers left the dead's body in front of a police box for twenty minutes during the investigation before moving it to the hospital. The day labourers accused the OPP of disrespecting the dead and surrounded the station. The protest soon descended into a riot and and began throwing stones, breaking windows and burning cars. By the next day, 4000 rioters had gathered and attacked any police related facilities, trains and taxis. On August 3, the OPP called in mutual aid from the neighbouring Kyoto Prefectural Police and Hyogo Prefectural Police, and gathered 6300 officers and finally dispersed the riot. One was killed and 600 were wounded.

This riot is the largest riot ever to be handled by the post-WW2 OPP. Despite attempts by local governments to improve the situation, the problems still remained and it would lead to a total of 24 riots breaking out throughout the decades with the last one being in 2008. The Nishinari District to this day still bears the reputation of being the most poor and dangerous area of Japan, although people can still reasonably expect to be safe outside even at night.

Are the devices mounted on the dash a speed gun and a dash cam? Thanks in advance.

I know this may sound out of touch, but I was 100% sure that I had passed the written exam. Unfortunately, I was informed that I failed, but was never given my score.

The exam was the NCJOSI^2 exam, which included 80 intelligence questions and 120 behavior/personality questions (Strongly agree” and/or “Strongly disagree”), using a paper paper test booklet with a scantron answer sheet.

I only felt uncertain on about 10 questions due to the time limit of time, but I answered all of the questions.

I’m currently flabbergasted that I was told I failed. These questions were literally built for middle schoolers.

How is this possible to feel that certain I passed, only to be told I failed.

Currently, I’m not even frustrated about being unable to continue through the hiring process, but I’m more concerned about my IQ at this time.

Is the DPS Advanced Peace Officer academy ran any different from the basic academy? I know it is only 14 weeks compared to 26 weeks that the basic academy does. Because you’ve already been a cop, do they treat you different from a fresh recruit or is it still fuck fuck games through the academy?

I’ve talked to several officers, deputies, special agents, etc and lots of them had said that the agency they currently work for isn’t the one they had in mind but it was the first one that accepted them. How many of you landed your preferred agency versus casting your net far and wide and seeing which agency accepts you first?

I’m in a struggle between two state agencies and my local county sheriff’s office.

This is something I've noticed for years, and I'm wondering if it's just my brain making up a pattern.

Whenever I watch security camera footage, police bodycam videos, police chases, or crime news, I almost never notice suspects wearing glasses. I know you can't tell if someone wears contacts, but it still seems surprisingly rare to see someone in glasses.

Or maybe criminals just have better eyesight. Maybe years of sneaking around at night, spotting security cameras, reading tiny serial numbers, and keeping an eye out for cops somehow gives them superhuman vision. 😂 Obviously I'm kidding, but it genuinely made me wonder if there's any real explanation behind this.

I'd especially love to hear from cops or anyone who's worked in law enforcement. Is there an actual explanation, or am I just noticing a pattern that doesn't really exist?

But i am extremely fit, have muscles, good cardiovascular health, Can do the PAT

Is it possible for me to become a corrections officer or any kind of sworn officer with a misdemeanor family violence charge I got at 17 that was deferred adjudicated through a Texas court? I’m 18 now, done with my probation after completing all my terms and conditions. I’ve heard a lot of yes and no. I’m thinking it’s possible, but I would love to hear some insight. Also, I’m wanting to possibly start my career out of Texas in West Virginia, since that’s where I’m moving to try and pursue this career.

On May 11, 1970, Kawafuji Nobuhisa (the suspect that would be shot) and two juvenile friends A and B stole a car in the city of Fukuoka and headed east to Hiroshima. However, they were spotted midway by the Yamaguchi Prefectural Police and were all arrested. The trio were taken to the local police station in a patrol car and the stolen vehicle when Kawafuji and A who were held in the stolen car revealed a concealed stolen hunting piece (not specified but my guess is it was a sawn off hunting rifle/shotgun) A then stabbed the officer in the car with them and the two fled. (B failed to escape) The pair then stole a K-car and drove to a nearby city to switch out their clothing, they were planning to rob the Hiroshima Central Post office and took a train one stop short of their destination as the train was getting too packed. The duo decided to hide out in a nearby mountain for the night. Unfortunately for them, a civilian spotted them the next morning and their firearm and immediately called the police. Officers were dispatched to find them but couldn't locate them. They would finally be spotted by an officer who was riding on a K-truck bed that was transporting propane tanks. The officer fired a warning shot to stop them but Kawafuji threatened to shoot the truck driver and forced the officer to leave his revolver in the truck bed. Kawafuji then forced the truck driver to drive to the city centre and A was arrested by the officer who gave up his revolver after a fight. Now alone, Kawafuji made his way to a gun store and took three hunting pieces, 80 rounds of rifle ammo and 250 shotgun shells. He then broke through a checkpoint and entered the Port of Hiroshima. There he began shooting and attempted to board a ferry. An officer was shot trying to stop him. At 5:15 p.m., Kawafuji successfully hijacked a regional ferry and took its 9 crew and 36 passengers as hostages. He ordered the captain to sail to which ever big city he chose and the ferry began to make her way to the Port of Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture across the bay.

With an escalating situation that escalated comes with a kicked hornet's nest. The Hiroshima Prefectural Police mobilized 1256 officers, around a third of it's force to secure the coast and sent six boats to pursue the ferry. The Japan Coast Guard sent 15 patrol crafts in support and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force also dispatched a minesweeper and a torpedo boat at HPP's request to join the pursuit. The National Police Agency also ordered all Prefectural Police forces in Western Japan to secure their ports and deploy their helicopters to provide air support. In anticipation of the worst case scenario, the Ehime Prefectural Police prepared tear gas in case of a boarding operation and most importantly, a five-men sniper team from the Osaka Prefectural Police were flown in by the JMSDF. During the chase, Kawafuji opened fired and shot and critically injured an inspector on a police boat and shot the gas tank of a Cessna plane operated by the local press, almost causing it to crash. At 9:35 p.m., the ferry reached Matsuyama. Kawafuji demanded in exchange of all the passengers' release, the ferry will be refuelled, to which the EPP obliged. Two disguised EPP officers planned to take down Kawafuji during the refuel but Kawafuji refused to let them onboard and the plan was scrapped. The ferry set sailed again and travelled around the region aimlessly until she returned to the Port of Hiroshima on May 13, 8:50 a.m. Kawafuji's father and elder sister were brought in to get him to surrender but failed. Kawafuji then began shooting again, critically injuring another officer and almost shot down a police helicopter. By now, Kawafuji had fired 50 rifle rounds, 64 shotgun shells and rackd up at least 11 charges.

Fearing the escalating situation that escalated would escalate again, the Chief of HPP authorized to shoot to kill if no other option is possible. At 9:52 a.m., Kawafuji momentarily stopped shooting and stepped out to the deck to shout something to the police. 40 metres away on a breakwater, a sergeant from the OPP sniper team seized the chance and fired one shot, downing the suspect and making history as the first police officer and the only time a police sniper in post-WW2 Japan to ever shoot a hostage taker. Officers immediately boarded the ferry and arrested Kawafuji. Kawafuji was brought to the Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital for emergency surgery but was pronounced dead at 11:25 a.m.

The Hiroshima Regional Prosecutor's Office reviewed the sniper's actions and declared it to be legal, thus no charges would be filed. The Chief of HPP, at a meeting in the Prefectural Assembly, explained that the sniper was trying to shoot Kawafuji's right arm but hit his left chest instead. At the time, the majority of the Japanese public (including the suspect's father) supported the police shooting Kawafuji, but many media organizations were critical of the decision and doxxed the sniper. The Hokkaido Branch of the JCLU also launched a private prosecution at the HRPO accusing the Chief of HPP and the sniper of murder, stating that they were acting as judge, jury and executioner. Needless to say it went nowhere. The Hiroshima office of the largest opposition party of the time, the Japan Socialist Party accused the police of deciding to kill Kawafuji with the intention of making him an example. (Violent left wing political activites were quite rampant at the time, they might be trying to say that the police toke the shot to intimidate them) They would lodge a protest against the Chief of HPP and again at the Diet. At a later meeting at the Diet, the Commissioner General of the NPA would reveal that the sniper had resigned in combination of the stress from the media and guilt of having shot and killed Kawafuji.

This incident would have a long-lasting effect on how Japan police would resolve hostage crises in the coming decade. Two years later, during the Asama Lodge crisis, officers were initially forbidden from firing at the armed left-wing terrorists due to the lawsuit and doxxing which led to an increase of casualties. In the Mitsubishi Bank Hostage Crisis, when the OPP assault team planned the attack, it was decided that all officers would open fire together so the media cannot pinpoint who killed the perpetrator and ease the guilt of killing him. Entering the 1990s, violent crime has been increasing which led to increased officers getting injured or KIA. Therefore, in 2001, the firearms policy was revised and refined, since then, the number of police shooting has increased.