Comp Sci or Law Enforcement (Police)

a_lifters_life · 07-06-2009, 06:42 AM

Well, I'm going into my junior year of college now. Degree: Information Systems.

Lately, I've been really pondering the idea of what I want to do in life. I've worked 40 hour per week jobs for the past 5 or 6 summers and have worked sometimes during the school year. In both parts of the year: Info System / Comp Sci work.

Anyways, lately I've been wondering if I should become a cop. I love the TV show, I cant picture myself sitting in front of a desk for 40 hours a week in front of a computer. I picture myself outside. I am both mentally and psychically strong.

Could anyone chime in on their experience with either of these specialties (comp sci/info system or law enforcement

olice) ?

SapphireNoir10 · 07-06-2009, 06:46 AM

Desk work I tried and hated, so now Im going to study to do teaching. Its something I always dreamed of doing ,so I say follow your heart and be a cop.

COtuner · 07-06-2009, 06:46 AM

Both are valuable, cops won't be outsourced

denise_14 · 07-06-2009, 06:58 AM

stick to your passion. i just quit my job even though i have only stayed here for three months because i realized that i'm not happy with what i do. every day is a dragging feeling. my resignation is effective by the end of the month and i swear that i won't go for any other job again just to have a job, if you get what i mean. good luck ^_^

Dubb · 07-06-2009, 07:19 AM

No matter what you choose you're headed on the right path with that degree. My suggestion is to become a cop and once you get some experience possibly move onto a Federal agency. ICE, FBI, etc and join a computer forensic team or another department.

lavenderdove · 07-06-2009, 07:35 AM

Sadly, lots of overtime is the norm in computers, so you more likely will be sitting behind a desk for 50-70 hours a week.

And many jobs are indeed getting offshored in IT, so there are not as many, and the pay is not as good as it used to be.

If you are a physically active person who likes to move around, i vote for cop. You have lots of different career paths there, and it would suit you better.

_Asti_ · 07-06-2009, 09:44 AM

Well, for the most part, policing is shift work. Nights, evenings, holidays, overtime, etc. Whereas IT may be strictly M-F, 8-5 kinda thing.

My guy is in the hiring pool for our regional police, it took two years of being in the interview process to even get into the hiring pool, where he could sit for another year even. It took quite some time to get in because our city is the worst for hiring [typically only hire about 12-15 a year MAX..] and its a long process here in Canada for it.
It would be something to start researching now, getting in your community involvement [volunteering] gaining some experiencing, keeping yourself in great physical shape, and working towards it as a goal.

retired1 · 07-06-2009, 12:04 PM

I was in IT for over 25 years. Servers don't know what time it is and act up at any time of the day or night.

Now.. The downside of both career fields.

IT - Clueless users and supervisors. Long hours. Shift work. Overtime which you most likely will not get paid for as you'll be salaried. You MAY get compensated with time off, but don't hold your breath, especially if your shop is short handed. You'll constantly live in fear of your job being outsourced to an overseas outfit that works at a fraction of the cost.

Law Enforcement - Politics politics politics. Constant oversight and second guessing by the public who haven't a clue as to what the job entails. Getting puked on by drunks. Shift work. Long hours. TONS of paperwork. Getting yelled at just because you are a cop.

However, law enforcement can be one of the most rewarding jobs on the face of the planet. I have several friends who are cops and I worked closely with law enforcement agencies while in the military. Everyone I've spoken with wouldn't have traded jobs for the world.

07-06-2009, 06:42 AM	#1
a_lifters_life Offline Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Gender: Male Age: 21 Posts: 637	Comp Sci or Law Enforcement (Police) Well, I'm going into my junior year of college now. Degree: Information Systems. Lately, I've been really pondering the idea of what I want to do in life. I've worked 40 hour per week jobs for the past 5 or 6 summers and have worked sometimes during the school year. In both parts of the year: Info System / Comp Sci work. Anyways, lately I've been wondering if I should become a cop. I love the TV show, I cant picture myself sitting in front of a desk for 40 hours a week in front of a computer. I picture myself outside. I am both mentally and psychically strong. Could anyone chime in on their experience with either of these specialties (comp sci/info system or law enforcementolice) ?

07-06-2009, 06:58 AM	#4
denise_14 Offline Gold Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: somewhere here... Gender: Female Posts: 569	stick to your passion. i just quit my job even though i have only stayed here for three months because i realized that i'm not happy with what i do. every day is a dragging feeling. my resignation is effective by the end of the month and i swear that i won't go for any other job again just to have a job, if you get what i mean. good luck ^_^ __________________ Absence does for love what the wind does for flame: it extinguishes the weak and feeds the strong...

07-06-2009, 07:19 AM	#5
Dubb Offline Gold Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Gender: Male Age: 30 Posts: 914	No matter what you choose you're headed on the right path with that degree. My suggestion is to become a cop and once you get some experience possibly move onto a Federal agency. ICE, FBI, etc and join a computer forensic team or another department. __________________ Originally Posted by ConfusedDater She doesn't know this but that turned me on-lol

07-06-2009, 09:44 AM	#7
_Asti_ Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 3,315	Well, for the most part, policing is shift work. Nights, evenings, holidays, overtime, etc. Whereas IT may be strictly M-F, 8-5 kinda thing. My guy is in the hiring pool for our regional police, it took two years of being in the interview process to even get into the hiring pool, where he could sit for another year even. It took quite some time to get in because our city is the worst for hiring [typically only hire about 12-15 a year MAX..] and its a long process here in Canada for it. It would be something to start researching now, getting in your community involvement [volunteering] gaining some experiencing, keeping yourself in great physical shape, and working towards it as a goal. __________________ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 04.30.11 __________________ I guess there's so much more I have to learn But if you're here with me I know which way to turn You always give me somewhere, Somewhere I can learn You make it real for me ___________________

07-06-2009, 12:04 PM	#8
retired1 Offline Gold Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Where my hat is Gender: Male Age: 50 Posts: 572	I was in IT for over 25 years. Servers don't know what time it is and act up at any time of the day or night. Now.. The downside of both career fields. IT - Clueless users and supervisors. Long hours. Shift work. Overtime which you most likely will not get paid for as you'll be salaried. You MAY get compensated with time off, but don't hold your breath, especially if your shop is short handed. You'll constantly live in fear of your job being outsourced to an overseas outfit that works at a fraction of the cost. Law Enforcement - Politics politics politics. Constant oversight and second guessing by the public who haven't a clue as to what the job entails. Getting puked on by drunks. Shift work. Long hours. TONS of paperwork. Getting yelled at just because you are a cop. However, law enforcement can be one of the most rewarding jobs on the face of the planet. I have several friends who are cops and I worked closely with law enforcement agencies while in the military. Everyone I've spoken with wouldn't have traded jobs for the world. __________________ I drank WHAT?!!! -- Socrates

07-06-2009, 06:46 AM	#2
SapphireNoir10 Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: UK Gender: Female Age: 20 Posts: 5,819	Desk work I tried and hated, so now Im going to study to do teaching. Its something I always dreamed of doing ,so I say follow your heart and be a cop.

07-06-2009, 06:46 AM	#3
COtuner Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Gender: Female Posts: 4,051	Both are valuable, cops won't be outsourced

07-06-2009, 07:35 AM	#6
lavenderdove Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 3,436	Sadly, lots of overtime is the norm in computers, so you more likely will be sitting behind a desk for 50-70 hours a week. And many jobs are indeed getting offshored in IT, so there are not as many, and the pay is not as good as it used to be. If you are a physically active person who likes to move around, i vote for cop. You have lots of different career paths there, and it would suit you better.