They say that on the average, people change careers about four times in their working lifetime. I'm not sure which career I'm on right now, but I'm looking into a new one: policing.
I'm not familiar with how much education and training other states require to be a cop, but here in Minnesota, it's pretty elaborate. You have to be a US citizen, of course, and have a valid driver's license. You must pass an extensive background investigation, physical, psychological evaluation, and written exam. You cannot have been convicted of a felony or any narcotics or controlled substance violation. You must be First Responder certified. And because Minnesota doesn't have a police academy like some other states, you must have at least a two-year degree in law enforcement. (Though most departments now require a minimum of a Bachelor's degree.)
So what does all this mean? Well, I was in the middle of my Master's in technical communication and looked into the above requirements. One of the things I discovered was a person with a Bachelor's degree in anything can complete eight law enforcement courses plus a 300-hour practical applications course, and receive an academic certificate that makes one eligible to take the state test.
So I enrolled in Introduction to Criminal Justice, Police Operations, Juvenile Justice, Legal Issues in Law Enforcement ... you get the picture. And in May I started the practical course. Everything builds up to that class. It was 8 to 5, Monday through Friday and in 8½ weeks, I learned how to shoot a handgun, an AR-15 (my favorite), and a shotgun. I was maced (it burns!), learned defensive tactics, drove a police car, and practiced building searches. I carried a blue replica of the Glock 9mm we used on the range and drew it on suspects in simulated situations.
There was instruction in in-progress crime response, low- and high-risk traffic stops, accident and crime scene investigation, fingerprinting and booking, domestic abuse and crisis intervention, report writing, and courtroom testimony. I know how to use a retractable baton, perform field sobriety tests, handcuff, and can tell you when the use of deadly force is justified. Forty-seven students and I paid about three grand each for tuition, books, uniforms, and equipment. Some gave up their day jobs, hoping to land employment quickly; others took a leave of absence to pull off the schedule. It was tiring and sometimes frustrating, but all of us passed the course and are now competing for a few jobs. We wish each other luck - but not too much.
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