How to Find a Law Enforcement Job in Tennessee
Becoming a law enforcement official requires hard work and a willingness to put life and limb on the line for the sake of others. The Tennessee Department of Public Safety determines the minimum qualifications to serve as a police officer at the state level in Tennessee. Those looking to seek employment as a law enforcement officer in Tennessee should have ample opportunity to do so, especially in larger areas like Memphis and Nashville where more officers are needed.
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Instructions
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Ensure that you can meet all of the minimum education and other requirements to become an officer in Tennessee. As a minimum, you must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or GED. In larger cities like Memphis and Nashville, though, you must have completed 60 credit hours (two years) of post-secondary education. Obtaining a degree in an area such as police science, psychology or criminology can help you gain employment. The same is true if you wish to work as a state patrolman.
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Complete an application with the law enforcement agency in whichever community you intend to work. In Nashville and Memphis, the process is nearly identical to how you seek employment with the Tennessee Highway Patrol. After you submit your application, you will be required to take a pre-employment test to determine your suitability to work as a police officer. When that has been determined, you also have to pass a physical fitness test and psychological and medical evaluations while going through an extensive interview process, background check and police academy training. The entire process for these agencies can take months and even an entire year to complete.
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Consider a career with the Tennessee Special Investigations Bureau, an agency similar to the FBI at the national level. The bureau has three primary functions: serving as a criminal investigative agency, enforcing discipline within the Department of Public Safety and serving as the Tennessee Highway Patrol's Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT), investigating car wrecks and reconstructing the accident scenes to determine who is at fault.
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Seek positions with smaller communities. Working as an officer in a smaller community can give you some of the experience you need to later work for the state or one of the larger city police departments. You can find positions with the smaller police departments by checking local papers, conducting Internet job board searches and by directly contacting the government offices of the communities of interest to you.
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