Can police officers move jobs between departments or states?

Recruits want to know if police officers, corrections officers, and other certified officers can easily move jobs between departments, jurisdictions, or even from one state to another. The idea seems simple enough. Plenty of people can find another position in their chosen field in the private sector with relative ease.

Can a police officer lateral transfer from one agency to another?

Police recruiters are often asked about the possibility of lateral transfers from one agency to another. Recruits want to know if police officers, corrections officers, and other certified officers can easily move jobs between departments, jurisdictions, or even from one state to another. The idea seems simple enough.

Is it easy to transfer to a new police department?

Moving to a new department is somewhat easier in state, if only because you won’t have to get recertified. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be a seamless transfer. There are about 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States as of 2019, and each department has its own set of rules and policies.

Can I get a police officer certification in another state?

Just because you’re eligible to be certified in one state, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can get certified in another. You’ll probably have to receive more training and pass that state’s officer certification exam to be eligible to work.

Can a fired police officer be allowed to work again?

” If the box is checked yes, the academy – officially the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission – opens its own examination of why the officer was fired or forced to resign and whether they should be allowed to work again. Similar systems exist to varying degrees in most states.