Advice--Current Troopers Only Please

Greetings FHP Troopers,

I applied for the Florida Highway Patrol several months ago and after a grueling process filled with a battery of tests (physical, polygraph, psychological, medical, etc), I've been accepted! (you're all probably laughing at me for even getting in the process in the first place :lol: )

The only thing is all of the negativity surrounding the FHP has now caused me to sit back and think. I attended a Criminal Justice fair where I spoke to several troopers from the NYSP, Connecticut SP, Vermont State Police and Rhode Island State police. They are all hiring and encouraged me to stay up North and go through their process.

My question is this: Should I take an already guaranteed job as a State Trooper with Florida (even though morale and pay are hopelessly low--remember, I'm only 21 years old--this is only a stepping stone for a Federal Job (FBI/Secret Service)), or should I go for the gold and apply with a more reputable and higher paying agency like Connecticut, Rhode Island or New York?

I've received the following replies on other boards:


Tough decision.

My opinion -- for whatever it's worth, and I'm not in LE yet, just a career-changer who's been trying to get in for a while -- is the old "bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" theory. IOW...you have an academy offer. If you turn it down and hold out (as I did for CT and a few others) you might be kicking yourself (as I am) if they don't come through (as they didn't).

I'm from NY state and I'd go with NYSP in a heartbeat, except I'm over their age limit. I'd much prefer the Northeast, but I think it's more competitive up here than down there. The others you mention all seem like top notch agencies (though I don't know too much about RI).

I've thought about FHP and other FL agencies, but I also run up against some other questions: Would I really like living in Florida? (Maybe, except for the hurricanes). Do I want an LE job badly enough to live there? (Well...hmmm).

Since you're 21 and have a lot of years ahead of you, the "stepping stone" idea does make some sense. Remember, though, that stepping stones sometimes end up being destinations, so you want to consider carefully what FHP would be like for the long haul.

I don't know if any of this musing will help you with your decision, and I certainly don't presume to have all the answers to career planning. I hope someone more knowledgeable than I will check in with their own thoughts and experiences.

Good luck!
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EE




Stepping stone for what? IF it's to go Federal, suck it up and put the years in. If it's for another state agency, do you really want to go through 52 weeks of academy training?




Be happy at 21 you got a job in LE. You might not get one in the NE and then what will you do? Why would you go through all those tests for a job you don't want? Believe me there is no perfect agency. Everyone will agree with me. Every where you go will have one problem or another. The key is how you act in that agency. If you like what you are doing, you can put up with all the BS (and there is A LOT in LE).

Good luck,
SecretNY


Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Please only current troopers reply to this thread--I could care less what civilians or family members of other law enforcement agencies think of FHP--I need to hear it from the horse's mouth so to speak.

Thanks in advance.

Like some current Troopers I work with we are planning our escape. The recent budget slap is just the final icing. Granted, budgets anywhere will put a dampen on morale. However since FHP's morale was already below the water line well....
If you are looking to go federal, get your degree. Most agencies will not allow you a glimpse without it. If you read the "Who can apply" section of most postings on the Fed Job site, you will see that a degree counts towards your selection as much if not more in cases than any experience, further the only experience that really counts with the Fed, is time in grade GS9,11,etc.
Having been a city cop or trooper or whatever may help you in filling out the KSA's and the time you spend will be as advantageous as you make it. Getting that degree will push you so much farther over towards being hired.
I finished my bachelors last summer, and am in the process with a few agencies with three letter abbriviations. Just waiting for the calls to continue processing. Believe me I will not give leaving the Highway & Patrol a second thought as I pass out the door.
The ONLY good thing is that FHP pays for your academy training and gives you a salary as well. You will have to give two years back but if you desire to do something with more satisfaction in LE work do the time and then get out :!:

FHP is so out of whack. There is no continuity between troops or even districts. The supervisors are some of the worse I have ever seen. Believe me I have seen a few. I was in the military, and was an NCO, Ive also worked in the private sector . If any company or military unit worked like these supervisors it would go under.
For example, you have a Lieutenant in Orlando that prides himself on how many troopers he has written up. Nice leadership skills buddy!

So to ansewr your question, it will all depend on how much crap you would be willing to put up with to get that "experience".

Like some current Troopers I work with we are planning our escape. The recent budget slap is just the final icing. Granted, budgets anywhere will put a dampen on morale. However since FHP's morale was already below the water line well....
If you are looking to go federal, get your degree. Most agencies will not allow you a glimpse without it. If you read the "Who can apply" section of most postings on the Fed Job site, you will see that a degree counts towards your selection as much if not more in cases than any experience, further the only experience that really counts with the Fed, is time in grade GS9,11,etc.
Having been a city cop or trooper or whatever may help you in filling out the KSA's and the time you spend will be as advantageous as you make it. Getting that degree will push you so much farther over towards being hired.
I finished my bachelors last summer, and am in the process with a few agencies with three letter abbriviations. Just waiting for the calls to continue processing. Believe me I will not give leaving the Highway & Patrol a second thought as I pass out the door.
The ONLY good thing is that FHP pays for your academy training and gives you a salary as well. You will have to give two years back but if you desire to do something with more satisfaction in LE work do the time and then get out :!:

FHP is so out of whack. There is no continuity between troops or even districts. The supervisors are some of the worse I have ever seen. Believe me I have seen a few. I was in the military, and was an NCO, Ive also worked in the private sector . If any company or military unit worked like these supervisors it would go under.
For example, you have a Lieutenant in Orlando that prides himself on how many troopers he has written up. Nice leadership skills buddy!

So to ansewr your question, it will all depend on how much crap you would be willing to put up with to get that "experience".

Worded perfectly. I didn't accept the job offer with another state because I thought that state was out whack, then I come to FL. Holy crap! If you wrote down all the things that could possibly be wrong with a state agency you would have the FHP. I could never imagine how MESSED up an agency could be. I tell people I am a cop, not a trooper because Im completely ashamed to work for FHP. I should have applied in the federal sector straight out of college instead of wasting my life here at FHP. Now I know why people (including some troopers that are now FHP SGTs) asked me why I came to FHP when I had them as FTOs. They knew then there was no future for me here. Im just shocked they are still here.