Career Guide for New FHP Recruits

CAREER GUIDE FOR FHP RECRUITS:

1. Join FHP.
2. Get paid to attend academy and get certified.
3. Go to your 1st assigned duty station.
4. Ride with a couple good FTO's, and a few that think they are gods that
you won't be able to stand (as with any agency).
5. Learn how to work a crash better than any other agency in the state.
6. Learn how to make traffic arrests, and write traffic tickets.
7. Stop learning...that's all FHP wants you to know...even though they
brag that they have the same enforcement powers as any other
agency (except FWC).
8. Work your 2 year contract so that you don't have to pay back training
costs (around 30 grand).
9. Get paid somewhere between 33-35 grand a year.
10. Realize 33-35 grand a year isn't enough to feed your kids with...work
off duty like your life depends on it...because your life does depend on
it.
11. Get tired of writing crash reports, and tickets, and airplane details (on
an airplane detail...you will write people on an interstate for going 10
over...and you're not allowed to write warnings on details).
12. Start talking to deputies and city officers in the surrounding counties.
13. Realize that most other agencies have a step pay program, but FHP's
hasn't been funded in years...and probably won't ever be again.
14. Get pissed because you write 40 wrecks a month, and over 100 tickets a month, a few minor drug arrests (weed under 20 grams), and some of the other troopers are milking calls, writing 5 tickets a month...and that's it, but you get paid the same, same equipment, and don't even get a pat on the back from your sergeant (there are a few good sergeants, but not that many).
15. Realize that your 2 year contract is nearly at an end...get excited!
16. Apply with a Sheriff's Office, or PD.
17. Get hired.
18. Learn how to be a cop from your FTO...teach your FTO how to work
traffic.
19. Get so excited that you jump up and down in the middle of the street when you TOT your 1st crash to FHP (unless you work for an SO that writes wrecks...then you're screwed...but you will work less wrecks).
20. Get on a step pay plan.
21. Continue to work off duty...cause now you're addicted to that extra check!
22. Go to a variety of calls, instead of Signal 4, Signal 3 over and over.
23. Have a sense of comradery with your squad.
24. Get tired of working the road...transfer to vice, narcs, gangs, marine, detective, robbery...and the list goes on for a long time.
25. Retire at 60 grand a year (higher if you promoted), as opposed to the
33-35 grand a year you would have with FHP...which is ironically what FHP starts paying you at. Something's not right there...

Perfectly stated. Great job.

So do you have to sign 2 year contracts every two years you're with the patrol, or is this only for your 1st 2 years out of the academy?

Also, what are these airplane details that you speak of?

FHP requires you to work a minimum of 2 years, or they will make you pay back training costs. You do not have to sign new contracts after your 1st 2 years. The airplane detail is when several cars hide on the side of the road, an airplane is in the air measuring speeds, and the pilot will guide the hidden patrol cars to the speeders (via radio).

If u really wanna milk the state work for Dept of Corrections to get CO cert leave after u get certified cause they arent going after anyone who quits before 2 years is up. Then attend FHP academy, Do ur 2 years and apply to SO. U will be dual certified and can work overtime on road or jail.

Wow! I could not have explained it any better. Well written!!! My only disagreement.....you can write warnings on airplane details, just dont tell anyone. It is my name at the bottom of that ticket and I personally dont write $160 tickets to people doing 10mph over when there are people out there doing 100+mph. Sell that worthless plane and get us all undercover cars if they want to see some REAL activity!

Yes...you can write the warnings and not tell anybody...just be sure your Sgt. doesn't check your tickets on the weekly like mine did!!

If u really wanna milk the state work for Dept of Corrections to get CO cert leave after u get certified cause they arent going after anyone who quits before 2 years is up. Then attend FHP academy, Do ur 2 years and apply to SO. U will be dual certified and can work overtime on road or jail.

Why would you go to the FHP academy once you are CO certified :?: You can go to the cross over academy, and gain your certification yourself and owe nothing to the state. No two year contract. Then apply at an SO or PD.

If u really wanna milk the state work for Dept of Corrections to get CO cert leave after u get certified cause they arent going after anyone who quits before 2 years is up. Then attend FHP academy, Do ur 2 years and apply to SO. U will be dual certified and can work overtime on road or jail.

Why would you go to the FHP academy once you are CO certified :?: You can go to the cross over academy, and gain your certification yourself and owe nothing to the state. No two year contract. Then apply at an SO or PD.

I think the guy was implying that if you went through the FHP academy, you could not only get paid while you're going through the academy, but you would be letting the state pay your academy costs. If you did it on your own (community college), you're footing the bill yourself.

You for got one. Write Off Duty Cops for 316 violations and piss off the closest backup you ever have cause lord know FHP doesnt have man power to do it.