Need a good job? Become a police officer

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - Whether the economy is in high gear or a slow meltdown, the need for law-enforcement officers is always strong _ making it a hot job for the coming year and beyond.

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Various agencies, from the Florida Highway Patrol to those representing South Florida's cities and counties, say they are always hiring and willing to train.

Overall, 70,000 new police jobs will be needed through 2016, or an increase of 11 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Although police work doesn't require a college degree, and agencies are willing to pay for training, police say it's always hard to find people _ in part because of the detailed pre-employment background check. As part of the process, detectives may interview family, friends and acquaintances to make sure the applicant is clean.

At the FHP, training lasts 28 to 30 weeks at an academy in the Tallahassee area, said Capt. George Crotta, background investigator coordinator for the Florida Highway Patrol.

FHP expects to have 45 to 50 recruits in the January class. The following class will begin in August, Crotta said.

In fact, the agency averages 100 to 110 new troopers a year and now has more than 100 vacancies _ including 24 in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, and eight in Broward.

"We're accepting online applications all the time," Crotta said. "When we bring them in, they walk in earning the salary and benefits."

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The starting salary for trooper trainees is about $32,000 a year, and once they complete training, they are bumped up to almost $34,000 a year. Troopers also earn an extra "area adjustment" of $416 extra per month in Miami-Dade or Broward, and $666 extra per month in Monroe County, he said.

In addition to salary, overtime is readily available, said Lt. Pat Santangelo, an FHP spokesman in Miami-Dade.

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"In a recession, when most businesses are cutting back or laying off, in South Florida not only are you guaranteed a paycheck with the Highway Patrol, but you also have the opportunity to earn extra money at will," said Lt. Pat Santangelo, an FHP spokesman in Miami-Dade.

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Though the salaries at the Highway Patrol lag those at county or municipal agencies, Santangelo said retirement benefits are solid, and the job is secure.

Qualifications are U.S. citizenship, age 19 or older, a high school diploma or GED, plus one of the following: one year of prior law enforcement experience, two years of continuous active military service, 30 semester hours at a college or university or two years of work experience dealing with the public, Crotta said.

You don't even have to be a resident of Florida.

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But you do have to undergo a polygraph, psychological evaluation, a background check, drug screening and fingerprint check.

The agency is looking for recruits who are mature, self-motivated and self-disciplined.

"Part of our responsibility as a trooper is to respond to an area," Crotta said. "We need someone competent and able to handle a situation and go out there and function."

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A trooper's primary role is traffic enforcement and seizure of contraband and drugs, he said. The trooper is assigned to an area or zone and is then responsible for responding to crashes, assisting with vehicles and taking proactive enforcement by running a radar detail or speed enforcement.

"They are trying to catch people doing things they shouldn't be doing _ the reckless drivers, DUI, aggressive drivers," Crotta said.

The pros are freedom and independence. The cons: in high-volume areas such as South Florida, crashes and emergencies predominate and "the pace does get a little rough," he said.

Other agencies are also hiring law enforcement officers and providing training.

Miami-Dade County Police Department recruits are all trained at the department's training bureau for 10 months, said Detective Rebeca Perez. The department did not have a figure readily available for how many jobs will be open in 2009.

Before someone can apply, he must pass a criminal justice basic abilities test, a swim test and a physical fitness test.

Then, after he applies for the job, the city invites the candidate for an interview with several people. That interview is scored, and combined with a test score from the criminal justice test, which then places the candidate on an eligibility roster. Then he undergoes a polygraph, psychological and medical exam, and a background check.

Once hired, the person trains for five months at Broward College, followed by three months of additional training, Sousa said.

In Fort Lauderdale, trainees are paid a starting salary of $47,257, which rises over five years to more than $70,000.

The disadvantages include working nights and holidays, plus the constant potential for danger.

'I've never left my house saying, 'I am going to get shot today,' or 'I'm going to shoot somebody,'" said Sousa, 29. "We know it's a reality of the job, but it's not a thought that crosses our minds."

He said the job is best for those who like to interact with the public, are flexible, have common sense and are open-minded. "Your greatest weapon isn't your gun," Sousa said. "It's your mind."

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© 2008, The Miami Herald.