Earning the "Rookie" title.

So you’ve waited your entire life to hear those magically degrading words, “Damn Rook!” The only problem is you have no idea how to make yourself competitive enough to actually earn the title of Rookie. And do not underestimate the amount of competition there is in the hiring process for almost every police agency in the nation. Truth is there are sometimes hundreds of applicants applying for a single opening, and the larger the agency the more applicants there are. For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has seen record numbers of applicants for fewer and fewer vacancies in recent years. While daunting, it is not impossible to get to the “you’re hired” part of the process, you simply have to be flexible and realistic about your options and learn a few facts about what your potential employer is looking for.

Honesty and Integrity
More than any other personal attribute, honesty and integrity are held above all by every police department. Why? You ask. Being a Police Officer carries a ton of personal responsibility. You must be able to work autonomously and always with the utmost integrity. Not only will you be faced with extremely complicated situations, but you will be offered everything from sex, to drugs, to money for a little help out of a citation or arrest. Without personal integrity you become a liability to the department, your fellow officers and a danger to yourself and the community you serve. Being honest enough to fess-up to a mistake is a measure of integrity, and lying on an application or in an interview about your past will disqualify you from hiring process.
So how does a police department measure your integrity? The answer: a background check. How can you prepare? Get all your finances in order, check your credit history, your criminal history, your drug history (if you have a drug history your chances of getting hired diminish greatly, by the way), and inform your friends and relatives about your decision to pursue a career in law enforcement. The last thing you want to have happen is an unexpected questioning of your pasts. Know all and write it all down on your application, the good and the bad. Remember, everyone makes poor decisions from time to time, police officers are no different. Being honest enough to fess up to a mistake is a measure of integrity, and lying on an application or in an interview about your past will disqualify you from the hiring process.

Poise, Confidence and Self-Control
If you do make it past the initial background investigation and interview you will face a board and Chief interview of some kind. The questions emulate an interrogation of sorts, ranging from controversial, to confrontational, and downright abrasive all in rapid-fire form. Keep in mind that what you go through in your interviews is nothing compared to what you’ll face in the academy, if you’re not already certified, or in the street. The job itself ranges from very calm and routine to extremely chaotic back to calm and routine, and your next call cannot be affected by your last. Keep that in mind when you interview.
How you prepare: dress well (suit, tie, matching shoes and belt), relax and control the pace of the questions by thinking about your answers, forming an opinion and then answering the question directly with brevity. Keep in mind that your answer is not as important as how you answer. You do not want to appear arrogant, but you must stick to your opinion. Right or wrong, you will be questioned.

Physical Fitness
This one is simple and straight forward, if you cannot run, do push-ups and sit-ups then wait to apply until you can. Find out what the requirements for the local departments are and train for them.

Keep the aforementioned in mind, learn the history of the department, and a little about the city you’re applying for, including the socioeconomic background, and you’ll have a decent shot at hearing “Hey, Rook” uttered in your direction. With all that said, don’t get discouraged if you don’t land the first job you apply for, most cops don’t.

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