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Cool Security Jobs?
Back in July, the Houston Chronicle in partnership with Yahoo!® hotjobs® printed an article titled HPD offers options for creative career paths (On horseback or under water, officers can train for special assignments). I couldn't find it online so I decided to type it myself (yes, I actually typed the article for y’all).
HPD offers options for creative career paths
On horseback or underwater, officers can train for special assignments
By David Wahome
Employment Correspondent
People who associate police work with danger and stress may not know how
cool and satisfying some police jobs can be. In the Houston Police
Department for instance, cool jobs are found in such programs as Crime
Scene Unit (CSU), Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), canine patrol,
diving and mounted patrol.
Investigating evidence
CSU focuses on crime scene investigation (forensics) and involves recovery
and documentation of trace evidence such as hairs and fibers; ballistics evidence
such as fired bullets, casings and trajectories; analysis of DNA-carrying material;
video and photography; and scenes reconstruction.
HPD senior police officer Mike McCoy has seen an increased interest in crime
scene-investigation work from the public and fellow police officers. He
attributes the interest to television shows such as “CSI Miami” and “CSI New
York” airing on CBS.
“Absolutely, these shows have a big influence. Before these shows cane
about, we never got asked about these jobs,” said McCoy, an HPD recruiter
and a 25-year veteran of the department. “Now we get asked all the time
about the way to become a crime scene investigator.”
Paying attention to details is one of the critical qualities that make some one
an ideal candidate for a crime investigation job. “You have to be a very detailed
oriented person,” McCoy said. Everything has to be done perfectly. No mess-ups.
If the case goes to court you don’t want a guilty person to get off because you
missed some details.”
Specialized weapons
SWAT, which has saving lives as its No. 1 goal, is a specialized unit that
deals with circumstances the average patrol officer isn’t equipped to handle.
“A lot of people are interested in SWAT. Everybody asks me how to become
a SWAT officer, especially the young ex- military guys,” McCoy said. “If you
were a sniper in the military, you would naturally be interested in SWAT
because of the military-type weapons that they use.”
McCoy said SWAT is considered a cool job because officers “have an
opportunity to save lives and make a difference in the community.”
While attention to details is critical in CSU, strength is considered a virtue in
SWAT. “One has to be physically fit to be a SWAT officer. They do a lot of
training and a lot of running,” McCoy said. Background also is important for
this type of work. Those who seem to do better are ex-military people or
former police officers.
Tryouts for SWAT generally are held once a year. Officers must have at least three
years of experience in patrol before they can apply. If accepted, an officer will be
placed on the part-time team while maintaining his current position within the department.
New SWAT team members train with full-time officers one week a month to learn the skill
necessary to do the job. Once on the full-time team, an officer will be trained to become
an assaulter or marksman, depending on the needs of the unit and the officer’s skill level.
Animal partners
HPD’s canine patrol program is known as the K-9 Unit. There currently are 39 teams
in the unit assigned to various sections throughout the police department. Most K-9
teams are assigned to patrol. Others are assigned to explosives and narcotics detection.
Coolness of the K-9 Unit lies in the ability to “help, serve and protect,” McCoy said.
Those who fit best in this role are “people who love animals and enjoy helping others,”
he said. “If you don’t love dogs, why would you go in canine patrol? Dogs and their
handlers become close partners both at home and on the job, because the dogs live
with their handlers and their families.”
The dogs are extremely useful when searching buildings, fields, and parks.
HPD currently uses Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers and a Bloodhound.
To become a K-9 officer one must serve in police patrol for five years before applying to the unit.
Most police officers accepted into K-9 remain for the duration of their careers, as it is a very
satisfying and rewarding career path. Training is conducted by some of the most experienced
and knowledgeable handlers in the country,
Underwater
The Dive Team is responsible for responding to water related scenes encountered by the department.The
primary job of the team is processing underwater crime scenes by searching for and recovering evidence,
vehicles and bodies. The team also performs underwater searches of ships in the Houston Ship Channel
to assist in narcotics trafficking investigations. It also conducts in-water security sweeps of dock areas.
During floods, the team is deployed with its boats to assist in evacuations, and all divers are trained to
respond with the Helicopter Division to conduct aerial rescues utilizing rescue harnesses. Divers must be
certified in advanced scuba diving.
“Adventurous types are the best suited for this job,” McCoy said.
Riding on the job
Good mounted patrol offices love riding horses and must have some horse-riding experience, McCoy said.
“We get a lot of cowboys for this job, but they can’t take the horses home with them since we have to stable them”.
Experience needed
If you are interested in HPD’s cool jobs, one key point to remember is that you must first become a police officer
and have some years of street patrol under your belt, McCoy said. “You have to patrol on the street for 2-5 years
depending on the job. Patrol is the backbone of the department,” he said.
Candidates interested in police work must meet the following requirements.
Have either completed 60 semester hours from an accredited college or university with a 2.0 grade point average
or have military service with an honorable discharge.
Be 21 to 44 years old, but must not have reached their 45th birthday prior to oath of office or certification.
Must be a U.S. citizen and resident of the contiguous United States for a period of time sufficient to conduct a
comprehensive background investigation.
Have no felony or class A misdemeanor convictions. No class B misdemeanor convictions within the past 10 years
preceding the date of application.
Weigh in proportion to height.
Pass all phases of the physical agility test.
Have a valid driver’s and proof of liability insurance.
Have a stable credit history, family background, and employment background.
Previous military personnel must not have been convicted of any court-martial higher than a summary.
Have no more than two moving traffic violations within an 18-month period preceding the date of application.
Driving record should reflect prudence and maturity.
Plenty of opportunities
Which areas within the department have a severe shortage of staff?
“The whole department is short of staff right now, McCoy said. “We are hiring and will be
hiring for a long time to come. If you meet the basic criteria, we will hire you right now.”
Houston is not the only city in need of police officers. Other cities nationwide are hiring, creating
a shortage for candidates. “Everybody wants to increase their department to protect citizens.
We live in a different world now, “McCoy said.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For information on how to apply to become a police officer,
call HPD Human Resources Department at 1-800-252-0473 or 713-308-1800.
Okay, that being said.. What are some cool jobs/posts/gigs/niches that you know of in the SECURITY industry and what are the qualifications... it can be non commission, Level III, Level IV, Guard Dog Training, MEDIC Officer/Healthcare Security & Safety, Telecommunication/Dispatch, Alarm System sales/installation, Security Sales, Locksmith or whatever. It can be a job/post/gig/niche you hope to work, used to work, are currently working, or a cool security job/post/gig/niche you just happen to have heard of... or seen someone else doing, or it can be a different/unusual or odd type of security job that could be perceived as being kind of cool.
HPD offers options for creative career paths
On horseback or underwater, officers can train for special assignments
By David Wahome
Employment Correspondent
People who associate police work with danger and stress may not know how
cool and satisfying some police jobs can be. In the Houston Police
Department for instance, cool jobs are found in such programs as Crime
Scene Unit (CSU), Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), canine patrol,
diving and mounted patrol.
Investigating evidence
CSU focuses on crime scene investigation (forensics) and involves recovery
and documentation of trace evidence such as hairs and fibers; ballistics evidence
such as fired bullets, casings and trajectories; analysis of DNA-carrying material;
video and photography; and scenes reconstruction.
HPD senior police officer Mike McCoy has seen an increased interest in crime
scene-investigation work from the public and fellow police officers. He
attributes the interest to television shows such as “CSI Miami” and “CSI New
York” airing on CBS.
“Absolutely, these shows have a big influence. Before these shows cane
about, we never got asked about these jobs,” said McCoy, an HPD recruiter
and a 25-year veteran of the department. “Now we get asked all the time
about the way to become a crime scene investigator.”
Paying attention to details is one of the critical qualities that make some one
an ideal candidate for a crime investigation job. “You have to be a very detailed
oriented person,” McCoy said. Everything has to be done perfectly. No mess-ups.
If the case goes to court you don’t want a guilty person to get off because you
missed some details.”
Specialized weapons
SWAT, which has saving lives as its No. 1 goal, is a specialized unit that
deals with circumstances the average patrol officer isn’t equipped to handle.
“A lot of people are interested in SWAT. Everybody asks me how to become
a SWAT officer, especially the young ex- military guys,” McCoy said. “If you
were a sniper in the military, you would naturally be interested in SWAT
because of the military-type weapons that they use.”
McCoy said SWAT is considered a cool job because officers “have an
opportunity to save lives and make a difference in the community.”
While attention to details is critical in CSU, strength is considered a virtue in
SWAT. “One has to be physically fit to be a SWAT officer. They do a lot of
training and a lot of running,” McCoy said. Background also is important for
this type of work. Those who seem to do better are ex-military people or
former police officers.
Tryouts for SWAT generally are held once a year. Officers must have at least three
years of experience in patrol before they can apply. If accepted, an officer will be
placed on the part-time team while maintaining his current position within the department.
New SWAT team members train with full-time officers one week a month to learn the skill
necessary to do the job. Once on the full-time team, an officer will be trained to become
an assaulter or marksman, depending on the needs of the unit and the officer’s skill level.
Animal partners
HPD’s canine patrol program is known as the K-9 Unit. There currently are 39 teams
in the unit assigned to various sections throughout the police department. Most K-9
teams are assigned to patrol. Others are assigned to explosives and narcotics detection.
Coolness of the K-9 Unit lies in the ability to “help, serve and protect,” McCoy said.
Those who fit best in this role are “people who love animals and enjoy helping others,”
he said. “If you don’t love dogs, why would you go in canine patrol? Dogs and their
handlers become close partners both at home and on the job, because the dogs live
with their handlers and their families.”
The dogs are extremely useful when searching buildings, fields, and parks.
HPD currently uses Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers and a Bloodhound.
To become a K-9 officer one must serve in police patrol for five years before applying to the unit.
Most police officers accepted into K-9 remain for the duration of their careers, as it is a very
satisfying and rewarding career path. Training is conducted by some of the most experienced
and knowledgeable handlers in the country,
Underwater
The Dive Team is responsible for responding to water related scenes encountered by the department.The
primary job of the team is processing underwater crime scenes by searching for and recovering evidence,
vehicles and bodies. The team also performs underwater searches of ships in the Houston Ship Channel
to assist in narcotics trafficking investigations. It also conducts in-water security sweeps of dock areas.
During floods, the team is deployed with its boats to assist in evacuations, and all divers are trained to
respond with the Helicopter Division to conduct aerial rescues utilizing rescue harnesses. Divers must be
certified in advanced scuba diving.
“Adventurous types are the best suited for this job,” McCoy said.
Riding on the job
Good mounted patrol offices love riding horses and must have some horse-riding experience, McCoy said.
“We get a lot of cowboys for this job, but they can’t take the horses home with them since we have to stable them”.
Experience needed
If you are interested in HPD’s cool jobs, one key point to remember is that you must first become a police officer
and have some years of street patrol under your belt, McCoy said. “You have to patrol on the street for 2-5 years
depending on the job. Patrol is the backbone of the department,” he said.
Candidates interested in police work must meet the following requirements.
Have either completed 60 semester hours from an accredited college or university with a 2.0 grade point average
or have military service with an honorable discharge.
Be 21 to 44 years old, but must not have reached their 45th birthday prior to oath of office or certification.
Must be a U.S. citizen and resident of the contiguous United States for a period of time sufficient to conduct a
comprehensive background investigation.
Have no felony or class A misdemeanor convictions. No class B misdemeanor convictions within the past 10 years
preceding the date of application.
Weigh in proportion to height.
Pass all phases of the physical agility test.
Have a valid driver’s and proof of liability insurance.
Have a stable credit history, family background, and employment background.
Previous military personnel must not have been convicted of any court-martial higher than a summary.
Have no more than two moving traffic violations within an 18-month period preceding the date of application.
Driving record should reflect prudence and maturity.
Plenty of opportunities
Which areas within the department have a severe shortage of staff?
“The whole department is short of staff right now, McCoy said. “We are hiring and will be
hiring for a long time to come. If you meet the basic criteria, we will hire you right now.”
Houston is not the only city in need of police officers. Other cities nationwide are hiring, creating
a shortage for candidates. “Everybody wants to increase their department to protect citizens.
We live in a different world now, “McCoy said.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For information on how to apply to become a police officer,
call HPD Human Resources Department at 1-800-252-0473 or 713-308-1800.
Okay, that being said.. What are some cool jobs/posts/gigs/niches that you know of in the SECURITY industry and what are the qualifications... it can be non commission, Level III, Level IV, Guard Dog Training, MEDIC Officer/Healthcare Security & Safety, Telecommunication/Dispatch, Alarm System sales/installation, Security Sales, Locksmith or whatever. It can be a job/post/gig/niche you hope to work, used to work, are currently working, or a cool security job/post/gig/niche you just happen to have heard of... or seen someone else doing, or it can be a different/unusual or odd type of security job that could be perceived as being kind of cool.
Why THAT's important I'll never know.
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