Getting Started

I first realized I wanted to spend my time pursuing a career in the criminal justice system in high school when I took a forensic science class. This led me to becoming involved in my local police explorer post and their ride along program. I have now been a police explorer for three years. This program gives you an inside look at the job of police officers and the tasks they perform. I have learned so much and received hours upon hours of free training. This program has put me ahead of many people coming into the police academy or college not knowing very much about the criminal justice system. I believe that the key to starting off toward any career is to become involved in as much as you can handle in your schedule. Building an impressive resume will only help you in the future. Stay active and do community service or school programs. Employers look for this sort of involvement and it can't hurt to get involved. After graduating from high school, I started college at the University of Cincinnati, majoring in criminal justice. I'm now in my second year of school and learned so much. It's amazing how much you can learn in only a few years of college and the major of your choice. I have two more years until I graduate and begin my career in the field of my choice. As of now, I plan to attend the police academy in a year and find a part time police job as I finish my last year of college. I recommend that if you are looking to start a career in law enforcement and you are under the age of 21, you join the police explorers and go to college and get involved. You don't necessarily need to major in criminal justice, but it may help to focus your attention to gaining further knowledge in this field. Good luck and stay out of trouble. If you have any kind of criminal background or extensive traffic history, you might as well start looking for a new career outlook.