"Extras"

[wannabe fuzz]

So my story is that after 16 years of pulling wrenches as a Heavy Duty mechanic, I want to do something new. I am now 30 years old, with 1 college diploma and 1 college certificate (all relavent to my trade). I have sent in my application to my local PD, but would like to continue educating myself with some "extra" courses that may help me stand out from the other applicants. Some courses I am considering, that have some relevance to policing (some may be a stretch).

1) EMR (Emergercy Medical Responder) (AKA, glorified first aider, approx 100 hour course, plus 100 hours home study)
2) Various criminal justice, law, policing courses avilable through distance learning (I still need to work)
3) Child car seat installer/inspector certification (came up with this when my wife took her vehicle to the local health unit to get inspected after we installed it and it was an officer who inspected it, also thought it would be good to have as our first is due in 1 week)
4) Anger management (not that I have anger issues, just to see things from another perspective)

I would like to know if any of the officers on this board feel some or any of these would be relevant to thier day to day duties, or would I be wasting my time/money.

Thanks.

[Tango5]

So my story is that after 16 years of pulling wrenches as a Heavy Duty mechanic, I want to do something new. I am now 30 years old, with 1 college diploma and 1 college certificate (all relavent to my trade). I have sent in my application to my local PD, but would like to continue educating myself with some "extra" courses that may help me stand out from the other applicants. Some courses I am considering, that have some relevance to policing (some may be a stretch).

1) EMR (Emergercy Medical Responder) (AKA, glorified first aider, approx 100 hour course, plus 100 hours home study)
2) Various criminal justice, law, policing courses avilable through distance learning (I still need to work)
3) Child car seat installer/inspector certification (came up with this when my wife took her vehicle to the local health unit to get inspected after we installed it and it was an officer who inspected it, also thought it would be good to have as our first is due in 1 week)
4) Anger management (not that I have anger issues, just to see things from another perspective)

I would like to know if any of the officers on this board feel some or any of these would be relevant to thier day to day duties, or would I be wasting my time/money.

Thanks.

Anger Managment, perhaps.
- can possibly help you to deal with angry people, I would consider this a self-benefit, nothing that would make yourself more competitive.

The rest... Don't waist your $$

[Jim Street]

So my story is that after 16 years of pulling wrenches as a Heavy Duty mechanic, I want to do something new. I am now 30 years old, with 1 college diploma and 1 college certificate (all relavent to my trade). I have sent in my application to my local PD, but would like to continue educating myself with some "extra" courses that may help me stand out from the other applicants. Some courses I am considering, that have some relevance to policing (some may be a stretch).

1) EMR (Emergercy Medical Responder) (AKA, glorified first aider, approx 100 hour course, plus 100 hours home study)
2) Various criminal justice, law, policing courses avilable through distance learning (I still need to work)
3) Child car seat installer/inspector certification (came up with this when my wife took her vehicle to the local health unit to get inspected after we installed it and it was an officer who inspected it, also thought it would be good to have as our first is due in 1 week)
4) Anger management (not that I have anger issues, just to see things from another perspective)

I would like to know if any of the officers on this board feel some or any of these would be relevant to thier day to day duties, or would I be wasting my time/money.

Thanks.

Some agencies may require a first aid course.

If something interests you, take it to "continue education"

Honestly, most of those courses would be a waste of money.

[scairns]

Have you considered Commercial Vehicle Enforcement? They seem to always be hiring and with a strong mechanical background you would be a good candidate.

[wannabe fuzz]

I had considered Commercial Enforcement, and even had the paperwork filled out. After talking to a couple of guys I knew at the local scale, I changed my mind. Crawling under a tractor/trailer full of snow/salt/cow s%it is exactly what I am looking to get away from.

I do have Standard First Aid/CPR C/AED.

Thanks for the input folks. Anything you WOULD recommend??

[Tango5]

I had considered Commercial Enforcement, and even had the paperwork filled out. After talking to a couple of guys I knew at the local scale, I changed my mind. Crawling under a tractor/trailer full of snow/salt/cow s%it is exactly what I am looking to get away from.

I do have Standard First Aid/CPR C/AED.

Thanks for the input folks. Anything you WOULD recommend??

You are 30 years old with 16 years in mechanical trade....
Just apply and don't waist $$

[TwE@k]

I would say throw your hat in the ring and see what happens. If you get on you will be taught all you need to know from the legal side of things (and most of the courses you are looking at taking would probably be reimbursable). If not then get some feed back from the Officers going through your package and see what you need to work on. Best of luck to you

[GoodWitness]

If you have extra time and there is a course that truly interests you, then that is the one you should pursue. It would look far better on you when asked why you were taking a specific course to say "I've always wanted to know more about subject X" or "learning about subject Y will help me to..." than to say you figured it would be useful getting a job in policing.

A good example, in my humble non-policing opinion, is the car-seat thing, if the reason is something along the lines of "a lot of people in our neighbourhood - including us - are starting their families and I figured it would be a good idea to make sure that all our car seats are installed properly - I was reading that up to 80% of car seats aren't installed safely." I think it would show that you like to learn how to do new things properly, to help others in your community to keep their families safe, and are willing to put in some effort to do so.

Just my 2 cents.

[Tango5]

If you have extra time and there is a course that truly interests you, then that is the one you should pursue. It would look far better on you when asked why you were taking a specific course to say "I've always wanted to know more about subject X" or "learning about subject Y will help me to..." than to say you figured it would be useful getting a job in policing.

A good example, in my humble non-policing opinion, is the car-seat thing, if the reason is something along the lines of "a lot of people in our neighbourhood - including us - are starting their families and I figured it would be a good idea to make sure that all our car seats are installed properly - I was reading that up to 80% of car seats aren't installed safely." I think it would show that you like to learn how to do new things properly, to help others in your community to keep their families safe, and are willing to put in some effort to do so.

Just my 2 cents.

You are right but taking to consideration the choices and the assumption that the choices presented are of some interest to the poster, the Anger Managment would make sense.
That is for both, personal interest and prospective LE employment.

[GoodWitness]

If you have extra time and there is a course that truly interests you, then that is the one you should pursue. It would look far better on you when asked why you were taking a specific course to say "I've always wanted to know more about subject X" or "learning about subject Y will help me to..." than to say you figured it would be useful getting a job in policing.

A good example, in my humble non-policing opinion, is the car-seat thing, if the reason is something along the lines of "a lot of people in our neighbourhood - including us - are starting their families and I figured it would be a good idea to make sure that all our car seats are installed properly - I was reading that up to 80% of car seats aren't installed safely." I think it would show that you like to learn how to do new things properly, to help others in your community to keep their families safe, and are willing to put in some effort to do so.

Just my 2 cents.

You are right but taking to consideration the choices and the assumption that the choices presented are of some interest to the poster, the Anger Managment would make sense.
That is for both, personal interest and prospective LE employment.

Agreed, and for the same type of reasons. It's all about the articulation, right?
*edited to add:
Although I think an anger management course sounds a lot more "self-help" oriented and might lead to more questions than other choices.

[wannabe fuzz]

Thanks for the input folks. I think the anger management and the car seat installer certification are something I will persue for sure. One is taught at the local college Continuing Studies so no problem there for a Sat or few evenings. The car seat installer will also give me the option of helping out at the car seat clinics like the one my wife took our to this week, so I can keep up on the skills I would be taught.

[Tango5]

The - EMR (Emergercy Medical Responder)
You will never really use it as the time fades the knowledge.

First, you need to recertify every so often so to take it just to have an edge in LE app is kind of senseless.
For your own benefit - maybe
Second, the service you will apply to will most likely have their own courses to take.

The - Law studies, it can help in theory but in practice not so much. Cops are not Lawyers.

The - Anger Managment, I guess it's self explanatory. LE personnel deals with Anger all the time.

The - Seat Installer, beside own benefit you will not apply the knowledge on road as liability is grater then the skill.

[red_coat]

wannabefuzz, I'm sure you are old enough to take advice with a grain of salt, however please take into consideration who is giving you advice in this thread. The only person who gave advice, and who is a police officer in this thread is Jim.

FYI.

[Tango5]

GoodWitness and I commented and voiced our own, Non-Police opinions between eachother.

[Jim Street]

We know, but he did ask the "officers".