Becoming a LEO

General General Discussion
21

For anyone who is considering becoming a Reserve Officer, there are a couple of things I recommend that you seriously look into. These differ between agencies and jurisdictions:

(1) Will they cover any medical expenses for LOD injuries? If so, how much? You might have to use your medical insurance from your regular job as a suppliment - wis this allowed? In some cases, you may have to buy into any additional medical or personal injury insurance because the jurisdiction will not budget any such coverage for “mere volunteers”. The PBA is a good source of this type of additional cover.

(2) Are you going to be able to handle an lost wages due to LOD injuries?

(3) Are you covered from any legal liability whileon duty (as long as you do your duty within SOP)?

(4) What are the initial expenses that you will have to incur? Until recently, I’ve had to pay for everything I used on duty. The only item I have not had to pay for so far is the traffic vest and a long-sleeved khaki shirt. I’ve even had to buy my own radio (which is no longer in use since we switched to the 800 mHz system).

(5) Will you be able to carry a handgun under the badge? This has nothing to do with the 2nd Amendment orbeing able to carry anywhere and everything to do with Officer Safety. Even as a Volunteer I have run across at least a half-dozen felons who I have had dealings with on duty while off-duty. If you are serving your local community, the chances of this occuring is very good.

IN ADDITION:
Any politics within the office will and does affect you in some manner. My suggestion is that you establish yourself as a stand-up guy and maintain your Intergrity no matter what. In the 8-plus years I have been with this agency, I have butted heads with the different “good ol’ boy networks” at different times.

A couple of those whose individuals who I have had words with have even called for my resignation. People don’t like to be called out when they are doing something wrong and most of them will respond very negatively. If you have proven yourself to be a highly reliable and ethical person, these types of actions will rarely hold any water.

Whichever route you take, I wish you much luck. Just keep in mind why you are doing it in the first place and it should help you get through the crappy days. :smiley:

22

Down here (Florida), there are no more “reserve” standards. Every LEO must be certified by the state. So most “reserve” officers are either retired, or LEO’s who worked a period of time and then moved on to something else. “Reserve” status lets you keep your state certification as you receive the manditory retraining like a full time LEO. With that in mind, it would be a big commitment without the pay. I know you are not doing it for the money, and i understand and congradulate you on that. It’s just alot of cost outlay with no return.

I plan on staying reserve when I retire, in a short 6 years. You are able to work “when you can” as opposed to being scheduled.

IMHO, it’s a worthwhile endevor as long as you are aware of the cost outlay of not being certified as a full time LEO from the start.

Also, this changes from state to state. There seems to be no “standard.” you’re milage may vary.

Good Luck. Red

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24

Yes, I understand your wife’s what if’s. I believe it was well covered by others in this thread. I will add that I will sometimes function in a reserve fashion with other smaller LE and EMS departments, and even though I am covered by worker’s comp, I do carry an accident supplement through AFLAC.

25

I went from reserve deputy to full time deputy to part time police officer.

Did a lot of criminal defense in my early legal days, got tired of the 8 million versions of “I didn’t do NOTHIN,” after 9/11 knew I would feel much better in any uniform, did basic law enforcement training in 2005 after failing it in 2004 just because I was so out of shape, and very very glad I did it and knowing what I know now, would have done it looooong ago. Reserves in this state have to go to the same training as everybody else, but once you’re on the force, you’re in the same uniform as everybody else.

It took two years of reserve deputy service before they finally (1) believed that yes I really did want to do this full time and would work my law practice around it and (2) the county commissioners funded some more slots. Then after three months the State Bar advised me of a law that prevented deputy sheriffs from privately practicing law. The Sheriff himself went and pulled strings on my behalf, to no avail. I had to go be a municipal officer, part time, actually seasonal, in a resort town where the happening time is May to August.

I’d go back to being a reserve deputy in a minute, given the chance. Since we have a big county with four (now five) deputies per shift to cover it all, they were glad of the company when I was there. Also it helps to have a humble attitude that you’ll be a rookie for many years if you’re not full time, and you’ll get to do a lot of the junior deputy stuff, like picked to go in a singlewide to help lift out a three-day-dead body. You get respect by doing your thing without complaining, and you also get respect if you shoot well at qualification. People still say they miss me, and that means a whole, whole lot.

At least in this state, you have to keep up the same in-service, and serve at least 96 hours a year. You will likely have to provide your own hardware, but that means you get to pick the most suitable for you. I’m the only officer I know of that gets to carry a 1911. Just bought qual ammo today, and was glad to get it at any price.

So NoBody, I think I can tell from your posts that you should do it if you at all can. I’m spouse-free and child-free so I get to do whatever I want, haaaa!