LEOS

[SHOdded]

Shortstaffing hits even the military, just ask the youngsters who died in wars having barely turned 18.

[RichieRich1042]

Thanks man I appreciate it.  I knew I wanted this job when I was 4 years old (it was either this or a mechanic but my parents said no).  Here's something crazy for you to think about when it comes to the pay: I lived and worked in a Northern NJ County (for those in the know, it's Hudson and I'm a born and raised Jersey City kid).  I got on this job being paid a WHOPPING $20,000/year! Now you may think that works out to about a little under $10/hour.  In that same time, I had to pay weekly for union dues, pension, taxes, medical/dental, secondary health, oh and here is the "generous" gift our agency gave us for equipment: 1 ID card, 1 shield, 1 hat device, 1 box of ammo and a good luck for the next 25 years.  I had to buy uniforms, boots, both leather and nylon duty gear, gun, baton, cuffs, spray, etc....everything else!  How about that!? I left my job a while ago.  With switch over the river, I would only take a $2,000 pay cut to start but more OT to balance it out.

[BOT_ROCKET]

The academy in Nebraska for everyone except Omaha, Lincoln, and State Patrol is 13 weeks. Then you go to do your department specific field training for as long as they like. Most of the department training is just riding 2up for a few weeks after learning policies so they can feel you out to make sure you're not a psycho. I was lucky to get 8 weeks at my current department because we weren't too short on bodies (granted, I'm also solo all night, unlike the other guys that can count on having other officers around). Now, we're stretched so thin there are guys getting signed off on after just enough field training to learn the street names. Oh, we do have a mandatory 20 hours per year of continued education, so... Lets see, thats usually 1 hour for pistol qual, and 19 hours of whatever fluff they can send us to for free.

Oh boy... I need to get out of this thread. you others talking about how much training you get is making me feel more and more disgruntled.

Omaha and Lincoln get closer to 19 weeks, and State Patrol I think is the only one closer to 30.

[RichieRich1042]

Don't feel too disgruntled Bot...it isn't much better own our side of the fence either haha

I worked a solo car too on both day and night shift.  The only time I had a partner was for details and if I was working plainclothes that day.  When I first got on the job in 2009, my old dept was short staffed at around 300 MOS, when I left in 2015, they had about 180 MOS.  Guys can't wait to jump ship.  One guy even, graduated the academy on a Friday, went straight to the Admin building , handed in his letter of resignation effective immediately because on Monday he started with a new agency.

[BOT_ROCKET]

Don't feel too disgruntled Bot...it isn't much better own our side of the fence either haha

I worked a solo car too on both day and night shift.  The only time I had a partner was for details and if I was working plainclothes that day.  When I first got on the job in 2009, my old dept was short staffed at around 300 MOS, when I left in 2015, they had about 180 MOS.  Guys can't wait to jump ship.  One guy even, graduated the academy on a Friday, went straight to the Admin building , handed in his letter of resignation effective immediately because on Monday he started with a new agency.

By solo, I mean I'm the only one on shift. If I need help, I have to pull from other agencies.