Make a Difference with a Law Enforcement Job

If you’re interested in a job where you can make a difference in your community, why not consider a career in law enforcement? You can help clean up the streets as a patrol officer, figure out who committed crimes as a criminal investigator, help keep travel safe as a TSA agent, get former criminals back on the right track as a parole officer, and more. You don’t have to stay within your neighborhood, either. With a career in law enforcement, you can work with the FBI or CIA or even become a member of the secret service and protect the president.

Education

The first step to a career in law enforcement is to get an education. For most, this means going through your state or city police academy program, but it depends on the specific law enforcement field that interests you. You can also go to a technical school or liberal arts college to get a degree in a related field. Generally, the higher your level of education, the more likely you are to qualify for a job or promotion, so even if your field of choice only requires a police academy training program, it makes sense to go back to school to get a degree.

Finding a Job

Some cities and townships have experienced budget cuts, which makes it more difficult to find a job as a police officer. Look for areas where crime rate is high if you’re having problems finding a job, as this often indicates that their department is understaffed and looking for people.

Don’t forget that you can use your degree to work in security! If you can’t find a job in your desired branch of law enforcement right away, you can often find a job working for an amusement park, shopping center, factory, or another facility that needs to be guarded. These jobs generally don’t pay as well, but they look great on a resume and can be a stepping stone to a better job in law enforcement.

Want to learn more about working in law enforcement? Check out the JobMonkey law enforcement job guide and law enforcement job board.