| If you have always wanted to work in the law | | | | be performing at your highest levels in all areas in |
| enforcement field, you might consider a career as | | | | order to pass. Military boot camp may be tough |
| a state trooper. While every state has a different | | | | but some candidates feel that this training is just |
| process for hiring, there are a few general things | | | | as intense, and perhaps even a little harder. |
| to consider when deciding whether a career as a | | | | 3)Being a state trooper is a mentally challenging |
| state trooper is right for you: | | | | and emotionally demanding job and you should be |
| 1)State troopers do not work 9 to 5 jobs like | | | | prepared to deal with the stress. For many people |
| most of us. Crimes don't occur on schedule and | | | | the stress is something that is hard to leave |
| our law enforcement officers are expected to | | | | behind at the end of the day. |
| work when they are needed. Standard shifts for | | | | This may take a giant toll on your personal and |
| state troopers are often 12 hours or more, and | | | | family life, and even marriages will sometimes |
| many agencies require these officers to work | | | | suffer. If you understand and prepare yourself for |
| swing or alternating shifts. | | | | this at the beginning, it will help. Anyone working in |
| If you work in an investigative capacity, you have | | | | law enforcement can tell you that you will see a |
| to go whenever and wherever the crime | | | | number of troubling, unsettling and unpleasant |
| happens. One of the things that make law | | | | things. |
| enforcement careers so interesting and exciting is | | | | This is not television or the movies. You are now |
| that this is one job where you REALLY do not | | | | dealing with reality and real people and emotions |
| know what to expect. However, this also is the | | | | and it is extremely difficult to do. You will see |
| reason that these jobs include a very | | | | people perpetrate crimes against innocent victims, |
| unpredictable schedule. | | | | and you will encounter people who are not happy |
| 2)The process for becoming a state trooper is | | | | to see you. |
| arduous and involved, which is as it should be. This | | | | Of course, this is counterbalanced by the fact |
| should not present a problem as long as you are | | | | that you will have the opportunity every single |
| willing to soldier through it. You will have to go | | | | day to make a positive impact in someone's life. |
| through exhaustive background checks, reference | | | | This is one of the great joys for many who |
| checks, psychological interviews and testing, | | | | choose law enforcement careers. |
| fingerprinting and some applicants may undergo lie | | | | So if you are ready to experience such joy, I |
| detector tests. | | | | encourage you to look into the state trooper |
| This is all in addition to meeting physical | | | | career. You can get more information by visiting |
| requirements and also passing academy tests, | | | | websites that cover the career in more detail. |
| including testing on the firing range. From the time | | | | Note: You are free to reprint or republish this |
| you apply, it will be several months before you | | | | article. The only condition is that the Resource |
| would ever actually get the job. | | | | Box should be included and the links are clickable. |
| The academy training is tough and you have to | | | | |