# How do you become a small-town cop in America? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 29, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515 "2008-01-29T22:12:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/1 "2008-01-29T22:12:03Z")
The small-town cop is a cliche in films, both American and elsewhere, but particularly in America. But how do people become small-town cops? I know that Sheriffs are elected, but if I were in One-horse-dorp, Arizona (or wherever) and wanted to be a policeman, what would I have to do? ---
**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/2 "2008-01-29T22:21:40Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] The small-town cop is a cliche in films, both American and elsewhere, but particularly in America. But how do people become small-town cops? I know that Sheriffs are elected, but if I were in One-horse-dorp, Arizona (or wherever) and wanted to be a policeman, what would I have to do? [/QUOTE] Uh… apply at the police dept for a job? If it’s a sheriff’s dept it gets more complicated depending on where you live: > **[Sheriffs in the United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriffs_in_the_United_States)** > > Sheriffs in the United States are the chiefs of law enforcement of a county. A sheriff is usually either elected by the populace or appointed by an elected body. > Sheriffs' offices are typically tasked with operating jails, security at courthouses and county buildings, protection of judges and juries, preventing breaches of the peace, and coordinating with city police departments. Sheriff's offices may also be responsible for security at public events and areas. > A sheriff's subordinate officers ... But it’s a job. Not sure if deputies need to go to a police academy or not, but I’m sure it can’t hurt. Either way you just have to apply to work there and get hired. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/3 "2008-01-29T22:22:21Z")
Not all sheriffs are elected, but a lot are. Every state runs a Police Academy, which is used to train police officers for cities and municipalities that don’t have the resources for their own dedicated academy. Once you graduate, you apply to nearby departments for a job. I imagine the academy itself keeps tabs on which small departments are currently recruiting. ETA: According to my friend Lou the Cop (seriously), in some states, you must apply for and be accepted by a department before being allowed to go to the academy. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/4 "2008-01-29T22:32:33Z")
The all-powerful County Commissioner marries your sister and then makes you sheriff ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/5 "2008-01-29T22:32:47Z")
[QUOTE=friedo] \ETA: According to my friend Lou the Cop (seriously), in some states, you must apply for and be accepted by a department before being allowed to go to the academy. [/QUOTE] That seems rather counterproductive. If a department accepts an individual that doesn’t make it through the academy, they have to wait until the next round of graduates in order to fill the original slot. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/6 "2008-01-29T22:34:37Z")
Wasn’t Barney Andy’s cousin? ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/7 "2008-01-30T02:31:35Z")
Just for a different slice of “America”… small town cops in Canada are generally members of the RCMP, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who service communities who don’t have the population for a dedicated local police force. I live in the municipality of Langford, which is served by Westshore RCMP, but Victoria itself has Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay and Esquimalt Police forces. There’s talk of amalgamation. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/8 "2008-01-30T02:43:57Z")
[QUOTE=Savannah] Just for a different slice of “America”… small town cops in Canada are generally members of the RCMP, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who service communities who don’t have the population for a dedicated local police force. [/QUOTE] Similarly, many small towns and unincorporated areas in the US may contract with state or county police departments instead of forming their own. For example, in the burbs north of New York City, some villages and towns have their own police departments, and others use the Westchester County police. Unlike Canada, the US has no national police force \at least, _not that we know of_\ for enforcing local or state laws. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/9 "2008-01-30T03:17:50Z")
My brother made an ingenious move when he was a college sophomore struggling for money at LSU (Louisiana State University). Like many large universities, they have their own real police departments. He made friends with the officers, got accepted into the academy while in college and became a police officer and ended up the head of the canine unit. He just graduated after 6.5 years but he both got paid and his college was paid for along the way. He wants to try something new now but that is roughly how many officers to be do it. Rural areas are usually covered by at least three police departments: State Troopers, County/Parish Deputies and local police. They usually try not to step on each others shoes much but they are all state law enforcement officers and can fill in if there is an immediate gap. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/10 "2008-01-30T03:23:44Z")
It’s also common for small towns & suburbs to ‘poach’ cops from larger metro areas. The larger areas have bigger departments, and can assign new cops to work with experienced ones for the first few years. They get exposed to a lot more different situations than in a small town, and have an experienced cop there with them. After a few years, the young cop is now experienced & read to meet most situations on his own. So about that time, they may consider switching to a job at a small town. Perhaps they are ready for the quieter shift of a small town. And the small town pay may be better (especially given that many small towns will have a lower cost of living). And often, about then the cop has young children, and may prefer them to grow up in a quiet small town atmosphere. So larger metro police departments are pretty used to losing some of their officers after a few years. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/11 "2008-01-30T06:14:29Z")
In Pennsylvania, all law enforcement officers must have or obtain certification in accordance with the standard established for minimum training, also known by the enabling legislation: Act 120. Get it at a community college which offers it, or one of the training academies, but you have to complete the training within a certain time of hire. One officer towns are joining with others behind the concept of regional policing out here in the boonies. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/12 "2008-01-30T06:20:23Z")
I’ve been wanting to ask this question, but as it relates to microtowns that are just speedtraps, where most revenue comes from speeding tickets, and the vast majority of the municipal budget is for traffic enforcement - places like Waldo, Florida and Linndale, Ohio. Do police officers that work there really feel satisfaction in their jobs? Would those towns be prepared if they experienced any crime that was more severe than driving two miles per hour over the posted limit? ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-become-a-small-town-cop-in-america/435515/13 "2008-01-30T06:40:30Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] I’ve been wanting to ask this question, but as it relates to microtowns that are just speedtraps, where most revenue comes from speeding tickets, and the vast majority of the municipal budget is for traffic enforcement - places like Waldo, Florida and Linndale, Ohio. Do police officers that work there really feel satisfaction in their jobs? Would those towns be prepared if they experienced any crime that was more severe than driving two miles per hour over the posted limit? [/QUOTE] The small town of Choteau, MT that my wife grew up in had 3 cops, if I recall correctly. Mostly what they did was respond to domestics and try to keep the kids in line. Not sure how they had gotten the jobs, of course.