Criminal Justice

The hiring process for a career in criminal justice starts with filling out an application and submitting it. Depending on the agency there may be testing, interviews, physical tests, medical exams, polygraphs and psychological exams. After all of these steps have been completed the best candidates will be selected by the selection board. It is advised to apply to as many agencies as possible to give yourself the best chance of getting hired.
 
Transcript: "What's the hiring process like for someone interested in a career in criminal justice? First and foremost, let me tell you, it's not quick and it's not easy. It takes time. But like any other job, it's going to start out with filling out an application, typically online and submitting that. Depending on the agency, if it's state, local, county, federal, their hiring processes may be a little bit different. But typically, once you submit that application, you may go through some sort of testing process. And that's just another way of looking for who are the best candidates. Once you get done with the testing process, then you go through several steps of an interview. Those could be one or two rounds of interviews. Some agencies, it could be three or four. It just all depends. And then you actually may go through some sort of physical testing, where you have to push ups and sit ups and running or some type of physical agility battery. There'll probably be a medical exam, because they want to make sure that you're healthy enough for the position. And then you'll probably go through some sort of polygraph and then some sort of psychological exam. These are all the steps that are going to be involved in wanting to get the best of the best to get into our profession. Then once that is done, there may be another round of interviews, or it'll just be, they will provide the best top five or 10 candidates to the selection board, and then they will make their selection. But I would say, give it your best, apply for as many agencies that you want to work for and just try to do everything you can to set yourself up to be the best candidate for that position."

Make sure you're doing it for the right reasons, research what law enforcement really entails, prepare yourself by getting experience and/or an education, get in good physical condition, and get involved in training programs to give you better ability to deal with the stresses of the industry.
 
Transcript: "So what advice would I give somebody that's kind of wanting to start a career in law enforcement? It's a broad question, but I think I would start off with make sure you're doing it for the right reasons. Research what this profession really entails and make sure that it's what you want to get into. There's a lot of people that have joined law enforcement for the wrong reasons. And unfortunately, that casts a shadow over those of us that are out here trying to bring honor to this profession. And so we want to make sure that you're here for the right reasons. Then to prepare yourself, I would encourage either get some kind of experience before you join, whether it be military or even going to college. If you go to college, don't get a degree in criminal justice. Everybody has those. Do something that's going to make yourself stand out and is going to give you something not only to fall back on, but just help diversify yourself as an officer. Maybe that's management or economics, something that's going to make give you a unique perspective. And then train. Get yourself in good physical condition. You know, get good at working out and and get involved in defensive tactics or some kind of hands on training program. It'll just give you better ability to deal with the stresses of this industry. Hopefully that kind of answers your question for you."

It can be beneficial to use technology such as firearm detection software and gunshot detection software in order to more quickly respond to active shooter events. However, it is also important to focus on the human aspect of training, prevention and education in order to prevent these types of events and effectively respond to them.
 
Transcript: "So using technology to help prevent or deal with active shooters, it's a good question. I think that it's definitely beneficial, whether it be firearm detection software or gunshot detection software, all of those things are tools that we can use to speed up or aid our response to an active shooter event and possibly allow us to locate the shooter even faster. But where I get a little wary on that is the over-reliance on that technology. We still have to really focus on the human aspect of training and prevention and education in order to not only prevent these types of events but be able to effectively respond to it. So I think as long as there's a good balance of integrating the technology with the human response of training, I think it can only be beneficial to preventing or reducing the effect of these kind of events."

It's important to balance sales and marketing with education and information when attending conferences and events. You should focus on educating attendees on how your product can help them solve their problems, rather than just trying to pitch them on it. This way, they will be more likely to understand and see the value in your product.
 
Transcript: "How do you balance the need for sales and marketing with the desire to educate and inform attendees at conferences and events? Great question. But I'd like to say these are intertwined because you're never going to be able to sell something without educating them. And you need to educate them on it in order to sell. So when I go to these conferences, my mindset is not always to sell something to them. Because individuals walk through the exhibit halls and they know everybody is there to try to sell their product. And while that's important, and yes, but I think it's all about educating them on what you can do and how you can help them. And if they see that you're willing to do that and not just try to pitch your product to them versus try to help them solve a problem. And if you're able to equate that as to how your product will help them solve that issue, that goes a long way than just trying to say, hey, buy my product because it'll do this, this and this. Versus hey, are you having an issue with X? Or what's your turnaround time with this? Engage them and say, well, by the way, our product can actually help with that. So I think it all comes down to how you lead and begin the conversation. But for me, it's all about educating and then that can lead to potential sales."

Shadowing the special agent in charge helped shape my leadership style by making me aware of how they handled certain situations, and I made a mental note to not emulate their behavior. This allowed me to pick and choose from their example to help me become a better leader.
 
Transcript: "How did shadowing the special agent in charge shape your leadership style? Great question. I think one thing that's really important is when you're going to shadow somebody, you need to have a goal in mind. You know, these individuals are your mentors and you're going to learn from them. And one of the things that I learned specifically from the special agent in charge and other senior executives that I shadowed was not only how I would handle things, but specifically how they handle things and I would not do that. I learned a lot from them on how to do things, but I also learned a lot on, you know, the way they dealt with people or the way they talk to somebody. And I took that as, hey, that's something that I would never do. And I made a mental note of don't treat people like that because that's not the way they want to be treated or the way they handle the situation with this police chief or with this other executive didn't turn out well for them. So note to self, don't do that. Don't emulate them in that aspect of it. We're never going to get everything right all the time. And I think one thing when you're mentoring and following somebody is you're going to learn good and bad things from them. And you just need to pick and choose what you want to use in your own tool, toolbox to help you become the better leader."

It is important to learn from mentors and supervisors while also staying true to your own values and leadership styles. You should take the time to try different methods and see what works for each situation, and always make sure that you feel comfortable with the way you handled it.
 
Transcript: "How do you balance learning from your mentors while also staying true to your own leadership styles and values? Great question. And this is one thing that I've talked before how I've learned a lot from mentors and supervisors and other leaders in the organization with ATF and Motorola and Evidence IQ and the Department of Energy. I've learned from each of them both good and bad, stuff that I would emulate and I would definitely incorporate their leadership style. But then also I've learned a lot of things and I've said I will not handle it that way. I won't treat somebody this way or the way that they did. And I think that's a great way that you're able to, you have to stay true to your own is if you have a mentor, they may not do everything right. They have their own style that they're going to do and that they're going to use. But that doesn't mean that you have to basically mirror and be a little mini me of them and do everything that they did in the exact way that they did. Because that does nothing for you. That doesn't show who you are as a real person. That doesn't allow you to grow. All you're doing is emulating what this one person did and you're just a mirror image of it. So you need to take what are your values, your leadership styles, how you're going to work with people, and you're going to have to try a lot of different things and see what works. Each situation is going to be a little different. There's no cookie cutter leadership style. That one thing is going to work for every situation. So you have to do trial and error. But the biggest thing is stay true to yourself. Make sure what you're doing that you're not going to feel bad for the way you handled it or did a situation."