5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW Before Becoming A POLICE OFFICER 

I got hired by the department I currently work for because of appearance. It was narrowed down to me and another person. They showed up to the panel interview with a polo shirt and jeans and shirt not tucked in. The one I beat out had more experience but how I presented myself made the difference.

2 things to know before becoming a cop. -The fire academy is shorter -Fighting fires is way more fun than babysitting adults.

Get in shape stay in shape forever lol Never stop training take judo, jujitsu and a striking or combat art. Never stop training with your firearms.

Here are the 5 tips: 1. Wise Choices 2. Education 3. Physical Fitness 4. Paper Work 5. Appearance

ANOTHER TIP! If you are applying for a police department, make sure you print copies of your applications just in case!

And THEY WILL CALL ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY For references. Either on the phone or in person. Do not think that they won't. They will clearly do a FULL background.

I’ve wanted to be a cop since I was 7 and I’m a sophomore and looking how so thankyou for the tips

Perfect timing, I just got home from taking my county’s police test

I had to drop academy because I broke ribs during physical restraining training. For everyone out there wanting to wear the uniform.. Work out not to be stronger than the others but to become stronger from yourselves now. Martial arts are a hugeeeee plus. You learn how to deal with certain situations and solidify your body for those situations

I’m the cop that eats what seems like 87 donuts per second

about the wise choises thing....a man once told me, you gotta do what you gotta do so you can do what you want to do

Great video. Always make the right choice. Think it through and go beyond the immediate moment. Never be impulsive.

As someone who’s going through the process, DO NOT 1. Lie 2. Cheat 3. Steal Being a LEO is about integrity at its base, if you lie cheat or steal, your foundation of integrity has been demolished and you will definitely not be a choice candidate. Be honest. It’s better to be honest about an F up than lie and get caught. It shows you’ve matured despite making a mistake previously.

also military experience is preferable to many law enforcement agencies. the military prepares you for a lot of the different requirements police departments have, from appearance and physical fitness, to weapons training and discipline.

Always wondered what it would be like to become a Police Officer because it seems like a Great career and just want to say Thank You for sharing this great Video Content and Thank You for Your Service along with the other People becoming Police Officers

NICK great video! I have no idea what I’m trying to do with my life. I just started my sophomore year of college after thinking I want to be a college engineer but I seriously don’t know now. Either way your advice is great! and the video is edited well.

NOD SQUAD REPRESENT I can’t wait to get into the academy I even added swimming laps into my workouts now, no more lifting

Just took my police entry exam today and found out I had passed. Let’s get it!

Thank you so much for the advice! I had a charge expunged do so I think I’m good and going to join the police force right after highschool.

I’m already a police officer but I’m just watching this to be smartER

All of these were true especially about paper works. I applied for the position of patrolman (not U.S.) and passed all the necessary test such as physical agility test, physical and medical exam and pyschiatric and psychological exams. We were ready to go to training school last month but was abrupt due to covid19.

I'm currently in contact with an investigator for the Academy and I told her straight up that I was starting this 6 months before the date I want to apply for. She was all for it lol! I would also like to point out that prior service members should have a complete copy of their Military Service Record ready to go or make a SF180 Request and have your records sent to the investigator directly. That could take months alone and if you're not ready, it may preclude you from the academy.

Hey Nick! I was wondering if you could do a video like this for police dispatchers. I’m in the hiring process for quite a few agencies right now and not that many people do videos about becoming a dispatcher. I’d appreciate it! Keep up the good work.

My grandfather was a police officer back in the 70s and I am considering applying to eventually become a police investigator (detective.) I wish I could start working as an investigator first but becoming an officer would be beneficial overall.

Very true and helpful Video. Best Nick

I’m a sophomore in my town junior college, my initial plans were to become a probation officer. Now that I have 1 semester left unit I graduate I changed my mind to becoming a police officer.

Thankyou for all you do, thank you to all first responders. I'm thinking of becoming either a paramedic or a cop in the future after I finish my AA in criminal justice and my EMT basic certification. I'm also intrested in swat medic or cross training different first responder work.

PLEASE make sure you make several copies of your application and background packet. A lot of agencies work together and compare applications if an applicant applies to several departments. That being said make sure its all Honest and it all matches on all applications!

Awesome video. Just applied for state trooper. Thanks for the information. NOD SQUAD

Thank you for this information it was definitely informative.

Great video. I love the officers on the book cover are Seattle Police. S-Town representing!

Great video. These tips help the average kid that doesn't have a clue. I can see why you have many subs. Keep doing what you're doing...

Thanks Nick, very interesting.

Thanks Nick! Im taking a 100 question multiple choice test Jan 25th. And the physical on the 26th. Crossing my fingers. Ive been hitting the gym. Lets go babyyyy!

Thank you for the tips nick.

LOVE your videos

Im female and 15 and wanted to be a cop since I was 8. Thanks for giving female dressing tips too!

I love your videos 😄👍🏼👍🏼 Greetings from Germany :)

Thanks very much for the video!! The real problem here is that I'm from Italy, so I will need to do lots of stuff to obtain the second citizenship...

Up here in Canada, you can take a course in community college called Police Foundations. It's not required, but it's a huge asset.

Jiu Jitsu is life haha I been training for 10 years now, I always thought of being a Police officer. Might have to look into it.

Hi Officer Nick Off Duty Thank you for your service & great helpful video content

This is really helpful, I really want to become a law-enforcement officer

I am one of the applicants with the Durant Police Department in Southeastern Oklahoma. After the Physical Agility Test then the applicant is required to go down to Durant PD headquarters to take What's called the POST test.

you sir are the man

Good point on the education part. I was part of the computer science bachelor program. A great school but I didn't manage to finish it. I basically failed. Then I started the academy but with only a high school degree. Listen to him. A bachelor degree will really help you jump quickly on ranks if you have ambition and want to be someone in life. Lucky for me (I don't know about other countries) but the police academy in my country also has a university where you can have the chance of becoming an Officer with an important rank. I am almost on my first year as a Police Officer and this job really changes you (in a good way).

I got tips 1, 2, 4, and 5 down but I definitely need to work at being physically fit. I’m not bad or super out of shape but definitely not up to Police standards. The thought that I can spend the next several months or year to improve myself in that category sounds pretty thrilling, plus it’ll really let me know if the police field is something I really want to get into.

This is a great video and really good advice. For the appearance pretty much any one that has served in the military, as myself US Army, knows what you're talking about. I do have a question about something that you didn't mention. How about someone that has a low credit score or bad credit? I did some financial mistakes when I was younger and my credit is not perfect, will that disqualify me or slow down my process?

I'm bout to turn 12 and I told my parents I wanted to be a cop and then since my cousin works in law enforcement he literally wants me to be a cop and now I'm looking at vids, so far it looks cool!

I finally on my path to becoming an officer. Took me like 2 years cause of alot past problems. I fought hard for it!

Currently hitting the gym (always will), and in school for criminal justice.

Great video. love it. im in police academy in sweden

Awesome advice.

i'm 16, i study this field of study and i'm from czech republic. i wanna be a police officer since kindergarten lol. thank you for doing this video, really helped me!

22 with a current major in Psychology. Planning on taking a security guard job and finishing my AA degree. :) But we all know things don't always go according to plan xD Security will still be a good paying job.

Education options... Even during the law enforcement career... 1. Consider a junior college or community college. Why pay for the first two years of a four year college/university at that rate; when one can pay considerably less? 2. Online schools. From the most difficult such as MIT (yes that MIT) to ones such as Biola and countless others. MIT can be free, or at a very trivial cost, such as getting books and/or cost to print transcript. Just a few classes from a school such as MIT guarantees one a lifetime career; the employer will come to you instead of the other way around. 3. Consider items such as computer certification.

Thank you very helpful ☺️.

Currently in my final year of Police Foundations! Already applying for jobs so they can scoop me up right out of school, hopefully! So excited for what's in store. This is my dream career.

I'm turning 17 this year and needed advice and whatever I could find for my favorite and hopefully my soon to be full time job as a police officer

Maybe visiting your local agency and speaking to a training unit or doing a ride a long ? Talk to cops on the beat and asking them what “the job” as we call it in the UK is all about, the good, the bad and the ugly..

This video helps thank you

Thanks good video Nick I have wanted to be a cop my whole life . This video really helped

great video sir

I've been thinking about policing especially since I grew up with my dad being one and know many of his friends who are police officers-it's always seemed like an interesting career to me. I'm currently doing a chemistry degree and considering a forensic science one, which if I did become a police officer, could allow me to work with forensics (in Canada forensic scientists are police officers-aside from the RCMP). However, I have a hearing loss which I imagine would immediately disqualify me-even though I grew up wearing hearing aids and have always excelled in English courses-and people I know either forgetting that I have the hearing loss or not even realizing unless if they see my hearing aids. I know that the police department that I want to work for has regulations on uncorrected vision and hearing, but they also have regulations on CORRECTED vision, so I don't see why they wouldn't consider corrected hearing-but I could be wrong.

Thank you brother for the tips wish me luck I’m going to join the police officer I hope I can make it I live in Houston. Please wish me look. Amazing tips brother. Thank you again. Peace ✌️

I’m 20 and have a clean record… I’ll turn 21 in November this year hopefully everything goes well for me

Thx so much my brother

2 years too late but I am 19 years old and wanting to become a policeman in a small town in a town where I used to go to college and is fairly close to home so thank you for the advice although I have a few more years until I am 21 years old but I am the first in my family to want to be police officer

I'm 14 and when I can I am going to protect my city, and help the citizens.

Nick just wondering if you are going back to the Miami Police Department I love the vlogs you were doing I know the job is serious but you were putting the fun stuff about the job too

I love the police dream Job🏁

graduated the academy back in the Spring of 2019. Been on the street ever since.

I'm Self Sponsoring myself through the Police Academy.... I start in a few more weeks; In January 2022... The Academy I'm attending is 12 weeks at a Community College here in Tennessee....!!

So for the appearance, just watch re-runs of Miami Vice and dress like Crockett and Tubs.

Would being in the national guard or a security guard be a plus in anyway during the hiring process like for consideration.

Hey man I am only 11 you're why I am becoming law enforcement

I'm planning on it in a few years, but since 13 I've wanted to become a soldier in the US Army.

I’m in high school and I’m more into the business side but being a cop sounds fun it has the things I like to do but I don’t know what route I want to pick after school

I have a question, I went to take my live screen fingerprints for California Corrections. I'm going, to be honest with you, and would like some advice. In 2013, I applied for a cleaning agency, that agency cleaned the sheriff's buildings. Even though I did not apply through the sheriff's agency, they to took my fingerprints to work there. The problem was that I forgot to mention it on my PHS form, do you think they will find out? They fired me from that job because I wasn't working the way they want me to, but it was 7 years ago.

Well, i guess i need to start learning how to do a bun. Yes i know, its sad that i dont know how to do that but ive never done it before, manly because i dont really put my hair up.😂

Becoming a Police officer is my dream career.... Im going to be 24 soon; But I have applied to departments, and not get chosen due to so much competition. This is why I have decided to just self sponsor myself through a 9 Week Police Academy at a nearby Community College here in Tennessee in January 2020.... I can't wait to get POST Certified.... "p.s: This particular academy doesn't even count their obstacle course to graduate" !

Will a neglected driving ticket almost 2 years ago effect me getting a job? I’ve joined the army reserves since and had a clean record

Active Duty Army here. About to be chaptered for failure PT test, but the only reason why I failed is because I've injured my knee. Hoping to get a honorable discharge, but that's in my commanders hand. I've always been interested in Law enforcement because I want to make a positive impact within the community. I'm not out yet and they havent told me my date when I'm getting out, but what's the process?

Hey Nick or any officer reading this comment. What type of eating diets and work out plan would you recommend for becoming an officer? I plan on going into the military and I’m wondering if that will help my chances in the hiring process

Does anyone know if background checks at police departments check non moving violations along with the moving violations? I’m 20 years old and have had two moving violations back in 2018 for a stop sign and speeding 5 over. I’ve also had two window tint violations that I payed off, I eventually just removed them.

I’m 18 I plan to go get an associates degree

I have a similar audience on my channel so I shared this on my community page.

So I’m currently a Federal C/O at the max security pen and I’m hoping this position will greatly improve my chances to eventually move to patrol on the streets you would think right? That’s my end goal is patrol for the city or maybe highway/state Patrol officer

I want to start preparing to apply to my local agency and I am terrified lol I have a fairly clean record; light drug usage but I haven’t touched anything in at least ten years. No felonies convicted or not. Haven’t had a ticket in over 12 years. I’m a CCW holder so the government trusts me enough to carry a concealed weapon. It’s still scary though. A few family members have DUIs so I’m hoping that doesn’t hurt me.

I have a medical condition called "convergance insufficiency" where my eyes hurt when I look at things up close too long, meaning I'm limited in the amount of the time that I can study. Is it possible for me to still become LEO? Do I need to go to college to be somewhat succesful as LEO?

I kinda have long hair (like almost reaching down to the end of my neck) so in terms of appearance is that ok? Also great video

You forgot to mention your social media, as someone who has done backgrounds for a PD, social media is just as important as those references you mention.

Hey what is the background music used? Much love from the UK

I’m 6’3 250 and I’m in grade 12. I have a purple belt in jiu jitsu and have been wrestling in high school for 2 years. I also do muay tai and kickboxing. I’m pretty quick, but I just wanted to know if pull ups are something you need to do? cause I’ve always sucked at them. Another thing, I have quite a bit of tattoos, what’s the rules with them? If there are any

Growing up I made sure to avoid certain people so that I could keep clean and keep my options open. The thing that gets me is, while other people didn't care too much and did all kinds of stupid stuff and got into trouble, they were able to get police jobs with no problem on their first try. Meanwhile I can't seem to catch a break.

To be honest here I'm worried about my future I don't know what to take like what job to take. Should i continue to college? What should i do to up my learning skills? like i have a bunch of problems mainly on memorizing things and more. So do you have any tips on how i can find a perfect job or on how i can just secure my future? Hear me out though im only 13.. so I'm kind of bad at explaining things

Fire fighter,police, private security, security guard any one will work as long as I can get into something like this it's just the only way I can see my future going I don't have a lot of brains so I figured this line of work would be best for me something that you don't need college for

I begin academy in 13 days, I am excited, physically I’m getting there I’ve lost about 27 pounds in 2months and I’m eating correctly and feeling better so I believe I will do well👌🏽 just continuing to work on running and core strength the next 2 weeks until it becomes easy ... 30 more pounds and I’ll be at my military dream weight goal as well 💪🏽

IMPORTANT QUESTION! So I want to become a police officer in Chicago but I also want to make movies. If I were to become a cop would it be a problem if I still pursued my film career on the side? I ask because I wonder if I were to play a bad guy for example or write a screenplay that was controversial if that would ruin my police career. I don’t know if I’ll ever make a living off movies but I know I can make a living as a police officer please let me know!!!

I'm planning on being a police officer when I'm older (I'm currently 14) and one of the electives in highschool is criminal justice so I'm taking that.