2008 Woodie Awards
Job opportunities at public safety fair
Kristin McKenzie
Issue date: 10/8/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Representatives from 11 surrounding police departments recruited potential employees at Brookhaven College on Sept. 25 and 26 in S Building lobby. The U.S. Army, Allied Health Professionals, Irving Police Department and various fire and paramedic employees discussed available jobs and salaries with Brookhaven students.
Police departments from Farmers Branch, Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Lewisville, Plano, Richardson, Sachse and University Park were present at the event. The Dallas County Sheriff's Department, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas Independent School District Police and the Dallas County Hospital District Police Department also participated.
According to the brochures handed out at the tables, to apply to be a police officer in any of these cities the minimum age is 21 with the exception of the city of Richardson where they allow persons of 20 years and 180 days old.
The brochures also list qualifications such as citizenship, driver's license, high school diploma or General Education Diploma in most cases. The DISD Police prefer college credit hours, whereas Richardson expects 60 college credit hours if one has a GED.
In Fort Worth, the brochures state they require 12 college-credit hours and University Park asks for 45 college-credit hours. Some police departments require a minimum grade-point average as well.
They do not accept convicted felons, but people convicted of misdemeanors may be accepted depending on the case.
They also perform extensive background checks, polygraph, physical and psychological exams.
Dan Birbeck, sergeant for the Dallas County Hospital District, is a public safety awareness instructor.
"I wanted to do my part for the community and give back in some way," he said. "Having the ability to help when people need you the most is my favorite part of the job."
Gloria Ramirez, Fort Worth police officer, said she wanted to show other women of Hispanic descent not to be subordinate and to work and support themselves.
"I grew up watching all men, brothers, fathers and uncles working while the women didn't," Ramirez said. "I just wanted to set an example for women out there who think they cannot become an officer of the law; if I can do it so can they. There are many great opportunities with our police force and the diversity is amazing."
Both Birbeck and Ramirez said the main difficulty in their job was working through the training, but the rewards were worth it.
Police departments from Farmers Branch, Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Lewisville, Plano, Richardson, Sachse and University Park were present at the event. The Dallas County Sheriff's Department, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas Independent School District Police and the Dallas County Hospital District Police Department also participated.
According to the brochures handed out at the tables, to apply to be a police officer in any of these cities the minimum age is 21 with the exception of the city of Richardson where they allow persons of 20 years and 180 days old.
The brochures also list qualifications such as citizenship, driver's license, high school diploma or General Education Diploma in most cases. The DISD Police prefer college credit hours, whereas Richardson expects 60 college credit hours if one has a GED.
In Fort Worth, the brochures state they require 12 college-credit hours and University Park asks for 45 college-credit hours. Some police departments require a minimum grade-point average as well.
They do not accept convicted felons, but people convicted of misdemeanors may be accepted depending on the case.
They also perform extensive background checks, polygraph, physical and psychological exams.
Dan Birbeck, sergeant for the Dallas County Hospital District, is a public safety awareness instructor.
"I wanted to do my part for the community and give back in some way," he said. "Having the ability to help when people need you the most is my favorite part of the job."
Gloria Ramirez, Fort Worth police officer, said she wanted to show other women of Hispanic descent not to be subordinate and to work and support themselves.
"I grew up watching all men, brothers, fathers and uncles working while the women didn't," Ramirez said. "I just wanted to set an example for women out there who think they cannot become an officer of the law; if I can do it so can they. There are many great opportunities with our police force and the diversity is amazing."
Both Birbeck and Ramirez said the main difficulty in their job was working through the training, but the rewards were worth it.
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