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INTRODUCTION
Do you want a career in law enforcement? Have you always wanted to be a Police Officer? Do you admire
the unsmiling Secret Service Agents who surround the President and wonder how you might become one
of them? Does the excitement of the Customs Agent uncovering smugglers appeal to you? Or can you
picture yourself as an FBI Agent catching a criminal on the "most wanted" list? All of these, and many
more, are law enforcement officers. A law enforcement position offers an opportunity to serve your
community and to help others. It offers diversity, excitement, and, in most cases, some personal danger.
It also offers career security and growth opportunities.
Which law enforcement position is for you? Different positions have different requirements for
education, experience, medical history, and physical fitness. Some require written exams; others do not.
There are great variations in working conditions, time commitments, travel and relocation requirements,
and the work itself.
If you are at the "career shopping" stage, this book will help you decide whether you want to consider
law enforcement. Once you have decided on law enforcement, this book will help you determine the
specific type of law enforcement work you would like to do and the jurisdiction--local, state, or federal--
in which you would like to do it. If you choose federal law enforcement, it will help you select the agencies
to which you are most suited by interest and ability. This book will also guide you in taking steps to prepare
yourself to qualify for the position of your choice.
In part 3 of this book, you will find representative sample questions for a variety of local, state, and
federal law enforcement examinations. These will give you a foretaste of the exam you might have to take
and will assist you in making an informed choice of the particular law enforcement job for which you have
the best chance. The answer explanations and advice that accompany the correct answer keys can start
you on a path of directed study so you can ace your exam, earn a high position on the competitive list,
and get the job you really want.
