Law Enforcement and Aviation

[N5139]

Hi guys -

It seems that there are a lot of law enforcement officers that become pilots and vice versa. I was wondering if anyone on this board has experience with what I described, and if they would be willing to offer their insight as to why they left their former career field. I've seen it go both ways, but I'm assuming most on here have left LE for aviation.

Just wanted a different perspective. Personally, I figured that I would regret not knowing what it was like to be a cop, so I was just recently hired by a PD (I start the academy in two months).

Thanks!

 

[avbug]

I didn't leave one for the other, exactly, but I've worked in both. Ideally you can do both at the same time. Your question is more one of personal wants...what do you want to accomplish? If you'd rather get yelled at by abused housewives who assault you as you arrest their husband, get thrown up on by drunk drivers, and called out at all hours of the night to help people handle their own screwed up lives...then law enforcement may be for you.

If you would rather get called out at all hours of the night to interrupt your own screwed up life, get paid peanuts (yet have enough to afford to eat them), marry a drunk housewife who abuses her husband, and throw up in turbulence, the being a pilot for you.

If you want to do both, many positions out there will allow you to do so...the difference is that you do it in uniform.

 

[Xav8tor]

I flew with three guys who went from regional flying to LE. One became a city cop in his hometown mainly for the increased salary and benefits when he got (his wife) pregnant. The second got hired by the FBI as a pilot, but rang the bell during training when he realized he was considered to be an agent first and had to carry a gun. Why he didn't think of that before he went through a grueling 6 month process to get that job I'll never know. Number three ran for sheriff and he won the election! I knew twice as many guys who went the other way, all because they just caught the flying bug, except for one former undercover type who said he "relocated" and got into a completely different career because, well, take a guess.

Avbug's description of the flying career choice is dead on accurate, especially if you're a junior FO at a regional, on reserve 20+ days a month, and commuting 250 miles to base. I never tossed my cookies in turbulence though, but I did from eating the food at some of those nasty places they put us up in on overnights. I guess he didn't want to completely scare you out of aviation because, he left out the part about coming home from a trip after an early release and finding her in the sack with a mainline Captain. Doing both is great advice. If you did, at least you could taser the dude right then and there. Aim about eight inches below the belt - or where it would be if he had one on, then take off running really fast (with the taser).

An even better career option is law, not law enforcement. In about 5 or 6 states you can still sue the guy for what is known as "criminal conversation" (doing the wild thing with someone else's spouse). That way, you could divorce her, take all of his money, and buy your own plane, attract a leggy blonde or two (go for twins), and fly volunteer drug patrols in the _ _ _ to get your LE fix.