| Chapter 6 |
| Promotions |
| ...the best opportunity |
Before you join any police department, you should make yourself
familiar with the department's promotion process. If you end up making
a career out of police work, you want to give yourself the best
opportunity to advance in the ranks.
familiar with the department's promotion process. If you end up making
a career out of police work, you want to give yourself the best
opportunity to advance in the ranks.
| …the rank structure |
Most departments use military rank designations: corporal; sergeant;
lieutenant; captain; major; lieutenant colonel; colonel. The chief's rank
may be designated by four stars, and his or her deputy may be three
stars. Rank designations among departments vary. Some may have
various sergeant ranks, and the chief may wear a colonel's insignia.
However, the sergeant and lieutenant ranks are relatively universal in
the rank structure. The sergeant is the first line of supervision, and
the lieutenant is the first line of management.
lieutenant; captain; major; lieutenant colonel; colonel. The chief's rank
may be designated by four stars, and his or her deputy may be three
stars. Rank designations among departments vary. Some may have
various sergeant ranks, and the chief may wear a colonel's insignia.
However, the sergeant and lieutenant ranks are relatively universal in
the rank structure. The sergeant is the first line of supervision, and
the lieutenant is the first line of management.
| …trash it |
In your search for a department, you want to make certain you join a
department that gives you a fair opportunity for promotion. At some
point in every department's rank structure, promotion becomes a purely
political process. You want a department with a civil service promotion
process which gets you as far up the rank structure as possible. Most
departments should include the rank of lieutenant under civil service. If
the department you're looking at doesn't, trash it, and go on to the next
one.
department that gives you a fair opportunity for promotion. At some
point in every department's rank structure, promotion becomes a purely
political process. You want a department with a civil service promotion
process which gets you as far up the rank structure as possible. Most
departments should include the rank of lieutenant under civil service. If
the department you're looking at doesn't, trash it, and go on to the next
one.
| …process for promotions |
While most departments list requirements for promotion, they probably
won't describe the process for promotions. Before applying to a
department, you should contact the civil service commission in that
jurisdiction to learn the process for the department's promotional
examinations. For example, a civil service examination should be
required for promotion to sergeant and lieutenant before higher
appointed positions are made by the police chief. Normally, the higher
ranks of a police department are appointed positions drawn from the
highest civil service rank, and those appointed serve at the pleasure of
the police chief. Your main concern should be your ability to
competitively aspire to the highest civil service rank.
won't describe the process for promotions. Before applying to a
department, you should contact the civil service commission in that
jurisdiction to learn the process for the department's promotional
examinations. For example, a civil service examination should be
required for promotion to sergeant and lieutenant before higher
appointed positions are made by the police chief. Normally, the higher
ranks of a police department are appointed positions drawn from the
highest civil service rank, and those appointed serve at the pleasure of
the police chief. Your main concern should be your ability to
competitively aspire to the highest civil service rank.
| …a chink in the civil service armor |
There is sometimes a chink in the civil service armor. Civil service
promotional examinations are pretty straight forward to a point. The
examination usually consists of a written examination followed by an
oral interview. You need to know the weight given to each portion of
the examination. Obviously, 20% written and 80% oral should send up
a red flag. Secondly, you need to know what, if any, restrictions apply
to the Police Chief when selecting candidates from the final scored civil
service list.
promotional examinations are pretty straight forward to a point. The
examination usually consists of a written examination followed by an
oral interview. You need to know the weight given to each portion of
the examination. Obviously, 20% written and 80% oral should send up
a red flag. Secondly, you need to know what, if any, restrictions apply
to the Police Chief when selecting candidates from the final scored civil
service list.
| …two examples |
Let's take two examples: The Police Chief has a list of 80 candidates
eligible for promotion to sergeant. Candidates are listed 1 through 80
based on their combined written and oral scores. Sounds like an easy
task for the Chief. Not so fast. This Chief has no restrictions, and the
Mayor's driver is number 80. Do you think the Chief will promote the
Mayor's driver over higher scoring candidates? You better believe it.
eligible for promotion to sergeant. Candidates are listed 1 through 80
based on their combined written and oral scores. Sounds like an easy
task for the Chief. Not so fast. This Chief has no restrictions, and the
Mayor's driver is number 80. Do you think the Chief will promote the
Mayor's driver over higher scoring candidates? You better believe it.
Second example: This Chief also has a list of 80 candidates, but this
Chief is restricted on how he or she can choose promotions from the
list. This Chief cannot skip more than four candidates in numerical
order without going back to promote one he or she previously skipped.
In other words, unless the Chief promotes at least 75 other people from
the list, the Mayor's driver is out of luck this time around.
Chief is restricted on how he or she can choose promotions from the
list. This Chief cannot skip more than four candidates in numerical
order without going back to promote one he or she previously skipped.
In other words, unless the Chief promotes at least 75 other people from
the list, the Mayor's driver is out of luck this time around.
| …it's just the way it is |
It doesn't sound fair, does it? Well, it's just the way it is. Police
Departments are government entities, and politics are politics. Any
system that can be corrupted will be corrupted. Your task is to identify
a department that has as many safeguards as possible in place. If
you're a person who's already well connected in local politics, or, if
you're an obsequious person who excels in the back stabbing art of
politics, a fair civil service process could be a hindrance to you.
However, if you're a competitive individual, with an arcane belief in
merit, you want to choose a department that has a relatively fair
process for advancement.
Departments are government entities, and politics are politics. Any
system that can be corrupted will be corrupted. Your task is to identify
a department that has as many safeguards as possible in place. If
you're a person who's already well connected in local politics, or, if
you're an obsequious person who excels in the back stabbing art of
politics, a fair civil service process could be a hindrance to you.
However, if you're a competitive individual, with an arcane belief in
merit, you want to choose a department that has a relatively fair
process for advancement.
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| Becoming a Police Officer An Insider's Guide to a Career in Law Enforcement |
| Career Guide for the New Police Officer |
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