A question for Middle Tennessee LEOs

[Guest brandon_pitt]

I'm a 24 year old male in pretty good shape, if I do say so. I have 2 years of college and 5 years of work history for the same company. My question to you is, do you know of any depts hiring and if so, do they prefer the applicant take the POST before or do they prefer to put the applicants through the POST? If I go ahead and put myself through, will it really make a difference? I have applied for the Rutherford County Sherriff, Murfreesboro City, Smyrna City, and Metro; all with no luck. Any help would be great. Thanks gents.

[Transplanted Hoosier]

I suggest joining the Sherrif's reserve (if they have one) and get your foot in the door that way. It doesn't mean that you'll get hired right away when they have an opening but at least you'll already be trained.

Just my 2 cents.

[quietguy]

do they prefer the applicant take the POST before or do they prefer to put the applicants through the POST? If I go ahead and put myself through, will it really make a difference?

It has been a few years since I have looked, but I believe that TLETA does not admit students that are not sponsored by a department. The one exception was students actively seeking a degree in Criminal Justice, IIRC.

[DMark]

Check with Cleveland State. They run one of the states's Law Enforcement training academies that meets the requirements of the POST commission.

Law Enforcement Training Academy

My son graduated last September and was sworn-in with the Clarksville PD on 1 Dec. Clarksville sends a recuiter to each class, it saves them several thousand dollars hiring somebody who already has their POST. Be aware that its not a sure thing that you will be hired. In my son's case he was invited to apply at Clarksville and out of the several hundred applications, 186 began the hiring interviews & tests. Only 11 were selected - - - 6 who already had their POST. It would seem that having already attended the academy helped my son get his foot in the door, but two of his academy classmates didn't make it pass the first PT test or written exam. So, your results may be different.

There is also another academy in Jackson, TN but I don't know anything about it.

OH..., One last thing - - - I think my son would say that you'll need to be in VERY GOOD Shape if you attend Cleveland State.

Good Luck!

[Guest brandon_pitt]

Thanks for the info gents.