I am considering the pros and cons of a career change. Police academy or CDL school? I have good credit reports, no DMV violations, good health, no criminal record, high school grad, and over the age of 21. That qualifies me for trucking and law enforcement work. Starting police pay in CT is about $45,000. First year trucker's pay looks to be about $30,000 with a big national company. Getting in to a company CDL school is a lot easier than qualifying for police academy. They are both dangerous professions.

I guess you guys are biased toward trucking, but what do you think?

I'm leaving a career in Law Enforcement for trucking if that helps. Law Enforcement is now too politically correct and the bad guys get more rights than the victims. We have the same problem as the troops in Iraq; we have to play by several tomes of rules but the enemy doesn't.

You have to determine whether you are a people person or an equipment person. Police deal with people and confrontation every day. They make court appearances and work as part of a team.

Truck drivers, on the other hand, function on their own. They should be introverted, independent, reserved and not needing a lot of social interaction. They should be able to handle boredom and stay focused for extended periods of time.

I would have to say choose what makes you happy, really think it over, all the stresses in each job; write them down even and cross out the ones you wouldn't want to deal with or check the ones you don't mind. basically write all the pro's and con's, score it, then choose. Thats how I did it, and I am happy for the time being, have money in the bank (nothing to spend it on), and investing in an IRA for my future retirement.

I would go with the police. I been driving bout 20 yrs And the last few years I have begun to absolutly HATE it I been laid off for the last couple months trying to decide IF I want to get back in it.I don't have the brains or education to do anything else.That is only my opinion. You're gonna have mental stress in just about every job. But with a cop, at least you;ll be home and have a chance for REAL advancement,also the RESPECT of most of the human race. Plus the chicks REALLY dig a dude in uniform

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I would try to become an officer,since its more difficult to get there.You always can become a truck driver later.In NYC pay for cops suck(about 30/1st year),and I dont need to tell You how dangerous it is here.CT especially if its a rural area looks like paradise.
Choose what You like and GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

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The pay is excellent for State Trooper up here in Alaska if you wouldn't mind of 3 months daylight 9 months darkness, hot beautiful summers and sometimes really cold winters. The pay starting out for where I live is $3900.00/mo; I don't know anything about city cops, I don't have any respect for them either....the ones up here just have to pass some entry level exam. Most of them are overweight....tell me how you are going to chase someone down when you are overweight and lack the cardio strength for a foot chase. Don't say shoot them, I to believe this, but with todays politics the criminal will sue if he lives or his family will sue the police department and you will go to jail most of the time unless he was shooting at you even then its still questionable what would happen to you. But anyways...the troopers up here go thru a 6 month paid training school in Sitka, Alaska then are assigned a partner for a year and then given their own car.

If you ever want to be a cop, go for it now, you can probably drive truck later and you would be building a state pension in most locations. You need to be able to pass a more demanding physical to be a policeman, and that's usually easier when you are younger. Personally, I like the county deputies, the state police are more elite, and harder to get into, locals, well, I don't want to go there, but they can be decent. Both trucking and police work contribute to society, I can't picture our country getting along without either.

There is a lot of advice in this thread, plenty to weigh and consider. I''d find someone that has done both and talk to them about it.

Good luck to you.

AJ

I was a funeral motor officer for the Sheriff's department here in AZ for 4 years, and even though the pay was somewhat good, and I loved my job I still had to deal with the lack of respect. Starting out here in the Phx area is $35K, which isn't bad. My family was always scared that I might get shot by a gang member or in a serious accident. I had two fellow officers shot and killed in the line of duty and one lost his leg in a serious accident. After talking to my family and looking at the good and bad about being an officer, I decided to try trucking and if it's not what I want I can always go back to being an officer, which will be easy since I was already one.

I would say try being an officer first and if you don't think it's for you then try trucking. The need for Officers are in high demand here in AZ as I'm sure across the US. Good luck at what ever you decide.

As an ex-police officer.
I would say it depends on what you like the best. I would rather make less money doing something i like than make more money doing something i hate.

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