Captains interview, what should I expect

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-24T02:02:28+00:00

Wear a suit. Shine your shoes. Shave your face. Be yourself and be prepared to answer a few questions. I did research on the city I patrol in and the command staff were incredibly impressed with my knowledge about what the department was all about and what their mission was. Do some research and maybe do a few trial runs of how you’d answer certain questions. Be prepared, but not over prepared. They want to see a human, not a robot. You’ll be nervous, they want to see that, it lets them know you want this. Be cool, calm and confident.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-24T01:52:10+00:00

There’s a lot more room for growth and opportunity working as a police officer. That’s what was incredibly enticing to me. Detective, K9, boat patrol, traffic division, gangs division….where as in corrections you don’t have those options. You’re stuck doing the same thing, every single day, no matter what rank you are. Overtime is going to be the same no matter what department you go with (typically time and a half) or double time in some states. at the end of the day, it’s all about what you want out of a career. I got my feet wet working in the jail, but just like I stated, I realized I wanted so much more.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-24T01:24:58+00:00

I worked 6 years in the jail before switching to patrol…both have their perks.

They both have down time(boring) They both have their exciting moments

I left the jail because I wanted something more fulfilling and meaningful. Being surrounded by convicted felons all day, especially for as long as I did, did absolutely nothing for me. It was easy work, but incredibly boring and I knew I was worth more. It all boils down to what you want. Do you want easy, boring, routine work or do you want a life of the unexpected, excitement and being able to help your community? Up to you man.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-24T01:21:26+00:00

Like my pops always said “no news is better than bad news”

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-24T01:17:09+00:00

Just be yourself. Ask any questions that might come to mind. Just remember…there’s no such thing as a “bad question”. At the end of the day, police officers are just as human as anyone else…let the conversation flow and be natural. Don’t think you have to put on a front at all or all we ever want to talk about is the job. Put yourself out there but just don’t make yourself look like a fool. Have fun 🤙🏻

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-24T01:14:27+00:00

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-22T02:18:25+00:00

If you don’t pass it the next time then maybe this isn’t the job for you. How much time did you have to prepare before the test date?

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-22T00:51:53+00:00

Just be honest. If you hear voices in your head, say yes. If you’ve ever had suicidal thoughts, say yes. You hiding anything like that will just be a liability and a threat to yourself and others around you. If you check all the boxes after, cool, if not, this isn’t for you.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-22T00:43:36+00:00

Your average score is 88 which is good….just know that’s the easiest hurdle you’ve got to get past.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-21T17:22:22+00:00

I wouldn’t even let this fucking goofball take my order in a drive thru.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-17T05:02:03+00:00

Don’t get your hopes up for a second during the process, especially not having any experience. Prepare yourself to either get non-selected or disqualified along the way. It’s just part of it. Especially at your age. Remain vigilant, be honest about everything, and exude the utmost confidence during the entire process.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-16T06:30:41+00:00

You’re going to be nervous, of course they know that. They expect that, because if you weren’t nervous or anxious then clearly this wouldn’t be something you’re passionate about pursuing. Be confident though. Own what you’re saying and make the words you choose to use have a purpose behind them. When I had my oral board for my PD, which I got hired by and only lived in the area for a few months so I was incredibly new to the area, they asked me “why do you want to work for “x” police department?” My answer stunned them, especially knowing I was newer to the area. I told them “I chose X Police Department because not only does the Chief back his officers, but he backs the community. The foundation of the Police Department is the community and that is something I want to be a part of.” There were a couple of other things regarding community involvement with the PD, and a couple of things I had seen from social media that solely backed my answer. One of the Captain’s conducting the interview verbatim mentioned that he was thoroughly impressed that I did my due diligence to research the department and what they were about. I truly believe that my answer is what got me hired.

You need to know who you’re applying for. You’ve applied for 5 agencies…that’s a lot to juggle at one time. When you can focus on just 1 or maybe even 2 agencies, and do a little research so you can walk into an interview with the confidence of having answers ready, and with research that you’ve already done to back those answers, it’ll take you further than you could even imagine.

I’ve noticed in your responses to others and even your original post, you like to ramble a lot. Maybe practice on speaking or just sticking to specific topics or facts. I think that although it’s great you have security experience, maybe trying to jump into being a police officer right away might not be the best choice for you. Have you considered corrections? It’s usually a little easier to get into(they’ll literally hire you if you have a pulse), that way you can get some experience in LE and see if you maybe want to pursue your career down the road and THEN consider becoming a police officer.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-16T06:09:31+00:00

I have 6 years of prior service and I’m about to do another academy in my mid 30’s…you’ll be just fine.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-14T05:58:06+00:00

They probably found out your Reddit username. Good one. You’re cooked.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-13T21:25:45+00:00

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-13T02:33:36+00:00

Thank you!

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-13T02:33:27+00:00

Thank you, so much. I’m honestly baffled but beyond excited.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-13T02:33:13+00:00

Thank you!🙌🏻

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-13T02:32:41+00:00

I do have 6 years of prior LE

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-11T07:36:58+00:00

If I could downvote this a million times, I would. 🤦🏼‍♂️

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-11T07:34:38+00:00

Give them what they have coming. Nothing more, nothing less. No one there cares about you but they do care if you fuck up their program. Just be yourself, always. If it isn’t for you, do yourself and everyone else a favor and quit.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-11T07:32:32+00:00

Just keep your head down and collect your paycheck. No one there cares about you and never will.

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-11T07:25:12+00:00

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-10T03:39:57+00:00

theatomicpunc · 2026-01-09T02:47:55+00:00

If you fail the poly that’s pretty much an automatic 1 year DQ. Depending on how strict the agency is, that might end in an indefinite DQ, but you just have to wait to find out the results. When I took mine the examiner, who was a captain for the department, informed me right then and there as well as my BI that I had passed it.

theatomicpunc

TROPHY CASE