Career Question

[97snake]

I have a question. I am a college graduate and in 2 weeks I'll have my law degree. I'm working in a Superior Court next year here in NJ which is a one year job by statute. After that I'm considering switching over to a career in law enforcement. I would really like to stay in my county in NJ so here is my question.

I have a friend who just became an officer and he he basically got his job though his "connections" with other officers/officials. I have another friend who is in his 30's (w/ only a highschool degree) and had no connections. He had to work a few years in slums to get a job around here. Seeing as I have no connections and the salaries in most of the towns aorund where I live are very high (patrolmen max out at mid 80's-110K w/o overtime) do you think I stand any chance of getting a job w/o having to work in a slum first? Basically my biggest concern is that I have no connections.

I appreciate any info/opinions anyone may share.

 

[Lawman85]

If you really want to do the job then you will start where ever you need to. I'm not sure how L.E. is in N.J. Down here your "connections" don't really help. Everyone has to go through the same process and if they fail one section, then they are out. The only time the connections work is if you make it all the way to the end, which you are basically hired then anyway...

 

[FordSVTFan]

I have a question. I am a college graduate and in 2 weeks I'll have my law degree. I'm working in a Superior Court next year here in NJ which is a one year job by statute. After that I'm considering switching over to a career in law enforcement. I would really like to stay in my county in NJ so here is my question.

I have a friend who just became an officer and he he basically got his job though his "connections" with other officers/officials. I have another friend who is in his 30's (w/ only a highschool degree) and had no connections. He had to work a few years in slums to get a job around here. Seeing as I have no connections and the salaries in most of the towns aorund where I live are very high (patrolmen max out at mid 80's-110K w/o overtime) do you think I stand any chance of getting a job w/o having to work in a slum first? Basically my biggest concern is that I have no connections.

I appreciate any info/opinions anyone may share.

I am from NJ. My brother is a partner at a large firm in Middlesex County. My friends wife is a Superior Court Judge in Middlesex too.

What county are you looking at?

With the Law Degree you should look at the FBI.

I have quite a few connections in NJ still.

 

[97snake]

I live in Monroe Twp. which is in Middlesex County. I would like to stay in the Monmouth/ Middlesex area.

I'll be clerking in Ocean County next year.

I've been thinking about using the law degree to "get my foot in the door" for a career in law enforcement for about a year now- weighing my options. I haven't exactly decided yet if I want to focus on state or federal employment. However, I am under the impression that I would have less of a choice about where I work/live if I choose the federal route so the state route seems more appealing to me.

 

[FordSVTFan]

I live in Monroe Twp. which is in Middlesex County. I would like to stay in the Monmouth/ Middlesex area.

I'll be clerking in Ocean County next year.

I've been thinking about using the law degree to "get my foot in the door" for a career in law enforcement for about a year now- weighing my options. I haven't exactly decided yet if I want to focus on state or federal employment. However, I am under the impression that I would have less of a choice about where I work/live if I choose the federal route so the state route seems more appealing to me.

I am a Federal L.E.O. and you initially have less of a choice of where your duty location is. But after the initial three years you have more of a choice. Also depending on which agency you go with you will get more of a choice. Also since the NY area is one of the big duty locations for new agents, you have a good chance of getting NYC or Newark.

I used to live in Monmouth, my cousin is a Det Sgt in a dept in Monmouth.

A really good option for you would be to try and get a job as an investigator/detective with the Prosecutors office. It pays well and no uniform.

The problem is that Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex Counties are hard to get police jobs. They usually have long waiting lists since they pay well and have lower crime areas then Camden, Essex, Union, etc.

I used to work as a Sheriff's officer on the warrant squad and loved it, but there is no place better than being Federal.

Consider, ICE, ATF, DEA, FBI, TIGTA, IRS, etc. Many different fields of investigation with many different work locations.

Plus an 1811/agent at top pay will make well over $100K. Depending on where you start, you will reach top pay within 3-5 yrs.

Good Luck

 

[97snake]

Thank you so much. That was exactly the information I needed. I plan on researching most of the agencies you lisited. THANKS !

 

[FordSVTFan]

If you have specific questions let me know as I have been with two of those agencies and trying for a third as I type.