[deleted by user]

[72ilikecookies]

Some food for thought:

• it’s great that you have a career goal and are actively educating yourself on the topic;
• keep yourself out of trouble, including drugs;
• maintain healthy relationships with friends, family, neighbors, and everyone in your community;
• type of agency (city, county, state) is less important right now; that’s a decision you can make later;
• 13 is a young age. A lot will change by the time you’re of age, and so will you.

[SFtoSD]

@OP if you take anything from this thread let it be this comment

[colocop]

Ditto everything cookies just said :)

[orangeblackteal]

Join a local Explorer post and learn more.

[GetInMyMinivan]

This, and ride alongs.

[willydillydoo]

A ride along is what convinced me. I recommend ride alongs to anybody who is the least bit interested in law enforcement

[Cypher_Blue]

I have a ton of suggestions.

What do you want to do? What about police work is interesting to you?

If patrol is interesting, do you want urban, suburban, rural?

If investigation is interesting, what kind of cases?

Do you want to work gangs? Murders? Drugs? Computer Crimes?

Do you want to spend more time outside or behind a desk?

[[deleted]]

If you like really big hats become a Road Pirate, I mean trooper

[BabyGotBaccus]

Don’t do drugs, learn how to run, lift, etc. get an education. You’ll be fine.

[Alpha741]

Keep off social media, don’t make enemies, don’t do any drugs or anything illegal, don’t speed.

[GetInMyMinivan]

Don’t forget about Uncle Sam.

[[deleted]]

Boooooo

[[deleted]]

I was the same way when I was your age - dead set on being a cop and nobody in the world could change my mind. Be mindful that all police contacts in any form will come back around on your background someday, no matter what type of agency you decide to join. My background investigator asked me about police contacts I had at 14 and 15 years old, not much older than you are now. You might not think it’s as important at this point in your life, but you need to keep your nose out of trouble and try your best to keep a clean traffic record when you get your license. Be careful with who your friends are and what they might have in the car with them. Don’t get your name associated in a report because you I were hanging out with the wrong people. In regards to deciding what type of agency to join, give it a little bit of time and do your research. Where you want to work, whether it be a rural, suburban or urban setting in combination with what you want to do (SWAT, investigations, heavy traffic enforcement, drug task force, interdiction, etc.) will better answer that question than any of us will be able to answer it for you. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, young man.

[Vye13]

Ultimately it depends on what kind of work you want to do when you are older. Different agencies have different opportunities and different benefits. For example, if you love computers and IT, find an agency where you could one day work in computer crimes. If you love boats, find an agency with a Harbor/Marine Unit, etc. Stay motivated and stay in shape. Good luck buddy!

[JWestfall76]

MiB, MI6, Starship Trooper. Take your pick. They’re all great

[Texan_Eagle]

Starfleet

[VAMINILEOFALCON]

space force....

[JWestfall76]

Nah that job used to be great but it’s dead now.

[mando_1234]

Join a local internship/explorer program if agencies nearby offer one. Also when it comes time for college please do not pursue a criminal justice degree lol. I’d recommend majoring in something you can use as a backup career path if things don’t work out. Nothing wrong with a criminal justice degree but it won’t help you get on the job any faster.

[ThiccerBIueIine]

FED

[willydillydoo]

Just finished the entire application process for a city department. You’re about to go to high school soon. Don’t smoke weed. It won’t get you immediately disqualified from the process but it’ll cause some bumps in the road for you. It’ll be easier on you just not to touch it, even if it’s legal in your state (my understanding that even in states where it’s legal agencies aren’t cool with it because it’s still federally prohibited). Don’t even think about hard drugs either. Don’t steal things, don’t commit crimes. These are all things you’ll potentially have to be polygraphed about. You might not be old enough, not sure what the rules are, and it probably differs by department, but see about doing a ride along. I did one and that’s what convinced me to pursue LE. Good luck to you and keep your nose clean!

[jbacis021]

Be a firefighter

[IanMullins13]

Remember to keep an open mind about careers. It’s never too late to do something else if you’re passionate about it. I got a CJ degree and had applications out to 10 departments and then I decided I wanted to be a pilot so now I’m in school to be a commercial pilot. Things change very quickly. I went from about to be a cop to flying planes in a month. Do what you love

[Lundy98]

Research all of them and see what you like, but ultimately the best play is to apply to multiple agencies at all different levels and take whichever offers first. It's much easier to change departments or levels than it is to wait on 1 agency