No matter how safe a state is, there will always be crime somewhere in the state regardless if it is petty theft or an armed robbery. One way of preventing crime in the state of Massachusetts is to hiring more state troopers. The state police exam in MA along with their entry level requirements is probably one of the toughest in the country.
Who Are Qualified for the MA State Police Exam?
Every state would have its own recruitment process and set of requirements and relevant qualifications, and Massachusetts is no exception. If you are seeking for helpful information on how to apply, then the website you should visit is http://www.mass.gov/eopss/law-enforce-and-cj/law-enforce/msp-recruit-prog/, which contains a detailed overview of the agency, the police force recruitment process, and other essential information such as relevant dates and paperwork to be accomplished. The website is equipped with the right information, most of which are presented in several PDF files to guide you on how to become a respectable police officer.
General Requirements
Qualifications are important and some of the most basic ones included would be: minimum age of 21 and maximum of 35; physical fitness test, medical examination, and psychological analysis; strictly no smoking policy; no previous felony convictions; good moral character; in possession of a high school diploma or General Education Development certificate; citizenship in the United States, particularly in the state of Massachusetts; and possession of a driver’s license valid in the state of Massachusetts, among others. If you satisfy all these requirements, then the next thing to do is to proceed with your application.
Flow of Recruitment
The Mass police exam would follow after the application process, with dates depending on the ones specified by the government agency involved. Passing the Massachusetts state trooper exam means serving in the force as a police officer, but before that you would undergo rigorous training by living at the academy and attending various courses from Monday to Friday for a given period of time which stimulates both your body and your brain to familiarize you with the strenuous life characteristic of police officers. Included in the learning process are credits in criminal law, firearms, ethics, patrol procedures, court procedures, military drills, and the like.
Benefits
After the much dreaded Massachusetts state police exam, waiting for results could be both exciting and nerve wracking, but you could always look forward to the benefits waiting for you once you are recruited as a police officer. The bi-weekly starting salary is currently pegged at $840 and increases as you move up the ranks of the police force. Upward mobility is possible, starting from trooper and moving up to titles such as captain, lieutenant, and sergeant upon successful passing of examinations geared towards promotion. Other benefits would include health and life insurance, tuition fee assistance for those who have not completed college or university yet, around one month of various leave benefits per annum, as well as provisions for necessary equipment and uniform.
Are Online Review Programs Any Good?
The Mass state trooper exam is not a joke, and just like any other state police exams, many organizations and agencies are well aware of this which is why they offer services which cater to those who would want to try their luck in getting recruited. http://passthepoliceexam.com/, for example, offers features such as tips on completing your application form, how to get all the relevant paperwork and prerequisites to make sure that your application materials are complete, getting to know how the recruiters think, and how to possess the qualities necessary for a respectable police officer.
The mentioned features come on top of the simulated tests and timed quizzes which guarantee familiarization with the structure of the Massachusetts state trooper exam itself. For example, you would be given the chance to encounter practice questions from previous exams along with a complete explanation of the answers, making you understand everything better. Key topics are also explained carefully as well as giving you tips on how to successfully ace the test through exercises in problem solving, writing skills, memory optimization, direction and distance judgment, and many more. In the end, the skills you get are applicable to real life situations too.
Do You Need a Criminology Degree?
One common misconception about the Massachusetts state police exam is that one must possess a degree in Criminology in order to be considered for a position, which is not necessarily true because most police agencies regardless of state are equal opportunity employers and open to recruiting people with a minimum qualification equivalent to a high school diploma. In any case, a degree would give one a boost in terms of theoretical knowledge, which would obviously be really helpful for the written exam, but after that remember that everything would be hands on.
Reputable Criminology Programs
Even so, if you really think that a degree in this field is what you really need to succeed, then feel free to check out some of the notable programs found across the state. There are four schools offering Criminology related courses and programs in the state, and these include Suffolk University in Boston (www.suffolk.edu/), University of Massachusetts Boston (www.umb.edu/), Stonehill College (www.stonehill.edu/), and Lasell College (www.lasell.edu/). The university programs on offer would vary from master’s to associate degrees, and tuition fee would cost $23,500 per year on average. There are also plenty of online Criminology degrees offered across all states.
Summary: No, you do not really need a Criminology degree to get a fair chance of being recruited in the police force, although being in possession of one if not a disadvantage either. For more urgent cases of necessary preparation, what is recommendable would be the short and flexible review programs which allow you to study at your own pace and get important and relevant tips that could boost your chances in getting recruited.