Hi yall, I’m an aspiring street cop and a freshman on the west coast. I’ve always been interested in law enforcement having come from a law enforcement family. I know this part of the country isn’t exactly the most competitive in the world (nobody wants to be a California cop for obvious reasons), but I want to begin preparing myself as a candidate now. Aside from physical fitness and work history, what can I do if there’s a specific department I want to work at? I’ve talked about this with my father who works In law enforcement and spent his career doing similar things to what I hope to do. It was always guns, dope, stolen cars, and warrants on patrol and investigative stuff/task forces from there on out. I’ve realized how much the job has changed along with the requirements, so lots of the things that helped him get hired have changed or don’t matter as much. I was hoping to get some insight from some younger guys on what it takes to get hired, thanks in advance!
What can I do as a college student to make myself a better candidate?
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Keep your background clean and you’ll be fine.
And I don’t just mean your record, I mean actually conduct yourself above reproach. Stay away from drugs, don’t drink and drive, associate yourself with good, value-oriented people.
Getting hired in LE in 2025 requires a relatively clean background and a heart rate—that’s about it.
No particular order:
Military (reserves), volunteer service, ride alongs, leadership experience, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, already work for the county/city, have recommendations from current officers, physical fitness, intelligence, speak a 2nd language (to include ASL), be a desirable gender race or religion, prior EMT firefighter or paramedic, be a lateral officer from somewhere else, attend department functions, obtain relevant certificates, have life experience
Be a good person, get a job and do well in school. Don’t forget to have fun in college. It’s a small part of your life but don’t spend all your time preparing to go to work everyday.
Take courses in English and learn how to write well. You can be a street cop if you’re a poor writer, but you won’t go much further without some ability to articulate.
Personally I have seen college degrees, internships, volunteer EMS/Fire, but most importantly knowing people which will go a long way.