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Supplement the information in this book with personal information if possible. If you know anyone
who holds a position in which you think you are interested, speak to that person. Ask about working
conditions, special features of the job, and what the person likes most and least about the job. Evaluate
the information in light of your own likes and dislikes and your own priorities. You might learn of low
morale in a specific agency. This information might discourage you from applying, or you might seize
the opportunity for rapid advancement because of turnover at the top. You must evaluate all information
according to what is important to you. (Remember, however, that policies do change, and a condition
described now may not exist by the time you are employed.) If you have no personal contacts in the
agencies that interest you, check your phone book. If the agency has an office in your area, you might be
able to arrange a meeting with an employee who would be willing to answer your questions. Such a person
would undoubtedly be enthusiastic about the specific agency, but if you have prepared your questions
well, you should be able to interpret the answers.
The final and crucial element in choosing your law enforcement career is availability. Positions at the
local, county, and state law enforcement levels open with some frequency. Contact your municipal,
county, or state police and ask for an application. You may receive immediate satisfaction, or you may
be referred to an employment division or a department of personnel or human resources. Do not be
discouraged if you are sent from one department to the next. Follow through. Even divisions that really
want and need you are bound by bureaucracy. Don't let the runaround get you down. When you finally
do reach a responsible party, ask lots of questions. Ask about filing dates, filing fees, exam dates, physical
requirements, probationary periods, working conditions, pay scales, and benefits. All of these will vary
from one local department to another, and you need all this information to choose intelligently and to file
a timely and complete application.
If you are interested in a federal law enforcement position, you might find information at your State
Employment Service. If the announcements you seek are not posted or filed at your State Employment
Service, call, write, or go to a Federal Job Information Center. The most convenient Federal Job
Information Center should be listed in the blue pages of your telephone directory under the heading "U.S.
Government." A telephone call to this number may give you automated information pertinent to your own
area or may direct you to a location at which you can pick up printed materials or conduct a search on a
computer touch screen. Entry-level postal law enforcement openings should be posted on the bulletin
board at your local post office.
One easy and efficient way to get information about federal law enforcement job openings throughout
the country and to get application materials is to call the Career America Connection at 912-757-3000.
This is a toll call, but it is a 24-hour automated service, so you can hold down costs by calling at night or
on the weekend. You will need a touch-tone telephone to utilize the service. Allow yourself at least one-
half hour to search job categories and geographical areas. The system is equipped to record your name
and mailing address so you can be sent announcements and required forms through the mail. If you have
a computer with a modem, you can access the same information from an OPM electronic bulletin board
by dialing 912-757-3100.
A final, excellent source of information about the availability of federal law enforcement positions and
application procedures is the agencies themselves. Call Washington, DC, information at 202-555-1212
and ask for the telephone number of the personnel office of the agency in which you are interested. Calls
to government offices must be made during business hours, so prepare your questions ahead of time to
hold down your phone bill.
