[Razgrizo]

Hello,

This is my first time posting. I always wanted to help my community in any ways I can. Not just my community but nationwide (to protect and save someone's life). I always wanted to join the U.S. Air Force to become a pilot or a full-pledge California Highway Patrol Officer but a lot of things come up. With the crime environment raising more than within past years, act of terrorism domestic and international. My family is worried about me as I am the only son. I met someone that I want to be with in the future and soon or later, having a family and being a full-pledge officer or man in the military is not an easy thing to do.

So I decided to go to college and obtain my bachelor's (maybe master). My main job is mostly going to be on and off oversea (Japan). At the same time, I also want to obtain a certification as an NRA Firearms Instructor. Having time to spare within between, I find joining the Reserve sounds like a good idea, to get the experience and benefit of becoming an officer part-time. I don't really care about the compensation, as long as I'm doing work for the community, that is all it matters the most to me, but I'm still curious if this job is right for me... Questions...

Just like the military, there is a year commitment to the job. Is there a commitment to the LASD Reserve? Or can I just quit anytime (not that I'm going to)?

Since 20 hours per month is the minimum, usually how many hours do most reserve officers put in each month?

If there is a chance that I have to re-locate oversea (regular job), how will that effect my job as a reserve officer?

I have a lot of questions but I'm still trying to think of what to ask...

[ask80]

i'd say give it a shot. it's a long process though. you'll have to wait maybe 6 months for the process and about less than a year for the academy. so you give up some nights and some weekends for school. so make sure you're prepared for that.

20 hours is the minimum. the reserves i know put in about 30-40 hours a month. you can request a leave of absence but it has to be approved by the command staff.

[Razgrizo]

Since this is a volunteer/reserve program, is there a year commitment to my job? At most is 5+ year. Or is it a thing where I can leave anytime if I don't like it.

[Scott]

Razgrizo, on Apr 9 2007, 05:46 PM, said:

Since this is a volunteer/reserve program, is there a year commitment to my job? At most is 5+ year. Or is it a thing where I can leave anytime if I don't like it.

There is no minimum commitment...it's not like the military.

[Razgrizo]

I think this is false information but one of the explorer cadet who was at my college said Reserve Deputies also get paid a compensation, is this true or false?

Also, comparison between the Full-Time and Part-Time deputies, is there a difference between the uniform? (shirt, pants, color, etc,.)

[Scott]

Razgrizo, on Apr 30 2007, 07:35 PM, said:

I think this is false information but one of the explorer cadet who was at my college said Reserve Deputies also get paid a compensation, is this true or false?

Also, comparison between the Full-Time and Part-Time deputies, is there a difference between the uniform? (shirt, pants, color, etc,.)

Reserves can get paid for certain assignments, but for the most part, this is a volunteer position.

There is no difference in the uniform.

[Razgrizo]

Hey Scott, I got a quick question for you. As of now, I'm planning to join Torrance PD as a Police Cadet. My goal, once I graduate from a 4-year university, I want to be able to complete the Reserve Academy after I graduate. I'm planning to stay an extra year at city college for my AA. So it would be another 3 years.

Question:

When is it a good time to start applying? Should I apply now since the process takes awhile (selection, background check, etc,.)

Or until my junior or senior year?


Thanks!

[Cbromiley]

Razgrizo, on Aug 1 2007, 11:00 PM, said:

Hey Scott, I got a quick question for you. As of now, I'm planning to join Torrance PD as a Police Cadet. My goal, once I graduate from a 4-year university, I want to be able to complete the Reserve Academy after I graduate. I'm planning to stay an extra year at city college for my AA. So it would be another 3 years.

Question:

When is it a good time to start applying? Should I apply now since the process takes awhile (selection, background check, etc,.)

Or until my junior or senior year?
Thanks!

I'll jump in there and see if I can answer your questions...

Although you want to get a head start, there are disadvantages to getting started too early. Your background, polygraph and medical tests all have expiration dates, so if you start too early and get those done, you'll likely have to re-test if those items expire. I would say that starting 9 months to 1 year prior to the date you would like to start the academy is a good bet.

Chris

[Scott]

Chris is right. All I'd add is that remember everything you do -- especially between now and your application -- is going to be scrutinized. So don't do anything even remotely controversial or illegal, because the couple of years before application are the ones they look at as the most representative of who you are as an applicant.

Good luck!

[Razgrizo]

That's good to know about the expiration dates...Thanks for the advice guys!

[agia]

You may also find in the future that you'll like your reserve duty so much, you'll make the switch to go full time (as I did 18 years ago). Good luck to you from San Diego.

Tony