Plenty of kids says they want to be a cop when they grow up. Some of them do end up at Police Training Academy, but many drift off into different careers because they are not sure being a cop is right for them.
Not everyone is suited to the life of a cop. At street level, it can be dangerous, and once you progress up the career ladder, you are likely to end up strangled in red tape, sat at a desk dealing with admin. Luckily, there are other career options related to law enforcement that might be of interest.
Here are five careers you may not have thought of, so take a look to see if any of them appeal.
Private Detective
Private detectives sometimes catch a lot of bad press. The public assumes private investigators do very little apart from tracking down missing pets and inheritance beneficiaries, but there is a lot more to the job than that. Once you have a license to operate, you are free to specialize in any area you like, but catching cheating spouses and tracking down kids in custody disputes is pretty rewarding.
Crime Scene Specialist
Thanks to the popularity of shows like CSI, the interest in crime scene careers has exploded in the last ten years. Millions of kids now want a career as blood spatters analyst or forensic firearms specialist. A background in science is essential, but with crime scene cleanup or crime scene forensic officers in significant demand, this is a growth area.
Bounty Hunter
Reality TV shows such as Dog the Bounty Hunter have made this career relatively high profile. Your job is to trace people who have skipped bail. You need to be a tough individual to do the job effectively since life as a bail bondsman is dangerous at times. However, with the right team watching your back, you can look forward to an exciting and profitable career as a bounty hunter.
Game Warden
Game Wardens protect wildlife and enforce wildlife laws. You need to be comfortable working in the Great Outdoors if you want a career as a game warden since you will be expected to spend a lot of time patrolling remote areas. Your job will be to protect endangered species of wildlife, track poachers, manage local wildlife, and deal with accidents and rescue operations. If a case goes to court, your services will be invaluable.
Road Traffic Accident Investigator
Road traffic accidents occur on a daily basis. Some are minor, but others involve a severe loss of life. Since it isn’t always apparent as to who was at fault in an accident, your job will be to investigate the scene of the crash to determine what happened. The majority of road traffic accident investigators are already cops, but there are training courses for those without a relevant police background.
This is just a small sample of careers – if none of them appeal, speak to a careers advisor for more suggestions.
