The most common complaint we
hear by aspiring law enforcement officers has to be the one concerning
politics. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” “I’m
not even gonna bother applying. They already know who they want.”
Most of this can be summed up in one word; politics.
The bottom line is that becoming
a law enforcement officer in New Jersey is a difficult, frustrating,
demoralizing, and long task. For most it will be at least a three year
process, and many find it takes even longer then that. During this
period most will complain instead of making themselves a more desirable
applicant. We’ll cover that in a future article, but for now let's
talk about politics.
It seems simple. If politics is
working against you, then you should be taking steps to make politics
work for you. If you believe that it’s “who you know” then why
aren’t you making an effort to also know this “who?”
Before we continue it’s
important to say that the majority of officers on the job today did not
have “hooks” to help them initially land the job. They kept applying
everywhere until they slipped into a position. If they weren't happy
with the job, they continued to apply until they found a home.
Blaming politics is the easiest
out. Yes, there are some who have an “in” if they pass the barrage
of tests. However, there are approximately 2,000 people who go through
New Jersey's police academies each year. That means there are 2,000
openings each year.
If you want to develop contacts
that can help you, then do it. Some become dispatchers to get to know
officers and administrators while others join organizations like the
local first aid squad or fire department. Some make it a point to attend
law enforcement fraternal events like PBA dances or FOP dinners. There
are always officers looking to sell tickets to these things. Getting
involved with local organizations like the Optimist Club, the local Drug
Alliance, or other town entities are great ways to meet local people
active in the community who may be able to return the favor for your
efforts at a later time. The Mayor and council (or committee) of your
town are always looking for people to serve on boards and with
groups. Involving yourself in any of these things is also a great
way to demonstrate your competence and your commitment to your
community.
You can’t just sit back and
blame politics. If it is an obstacle for you then turn it around and
make it an advantage for you.
Finally, when you get to the
interview stage with an agency, there is one question which will always
come up. “What have you done to earn this position or make yourself a
more desirable applicant to us?” How will you answer that? Can you
even answer that question? We’ll talk more about it next time.
NJLawman.com
