Joining Military to Become a Police Officer?

Hey there, I aspire to be a police officer after graduating high school. I've heard that the military can provide good training for this field. Which branch could best help me reach this goal?

To become a police officer, gaining law enforcement experience is definitely very beneficial, and serving in the military can certainly provide this. Either the Army or Air Force could be appropriate choices depending on your specific interests, as both have specific military occupational specialties (MOS) that focus on law enforcement and security.

In the Army, the MOS for Military Police (31B) is quite popular. Duties include day-to-day law enforcement similar to civilian police officers, as well as military operations in war zones.

The Air Force offers Security Forces (3P0X1) as their equivalent of police officers. This specialty focuses on nuclear and conventional security techniques, maintain rule of law on Air Force installations and deploy across the world as force protection.

Both branches provide excellent training in law enforcement and can give you a strong foundation for a career as a police officer. In addition to the training and experience, serving in the military also provides certain benefits when applying for police officer roles, as some police departments give preference to veterans.

However, consider your options and think about what kind of law enforcement experience you are interested in. Remember, being in military police or security forces will likely mean deployment at some point, which is something to take into account. Ultimately, your choice should be guided not only by your career goal of becoming of a police officer, but also by what military service and branch is the best fit for you as an individual. Consulting recruitment officers from both branches – or even considering branches like the Navy or Coast Guard – will help you make the most informed decision.