Alaska State/Wildlife Troopers (Anchorage: to buy, wages, taxes)

[Samanthaball88]

Im in Queensbury Ny. Its by Lake George. 1 hour north from Albany.

[Alaskapat528]

Originally Posted by Samanthaball88

Im in Queensbury Ny. Its by Lake George. 1 hour north from Albany.

My husband use to have a cabin in Andes. I find upstate beautiful but expensive.

[AndreaW]

Originally Posted by Samanthaball88

Hello,

I was hoping someone here could help me. I am from upstate New York and have always been interested in wildlife and law enforcement. I was applying endlessly to jobs in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire etc. They were conservation officer jobs, state trooper jobs, and park ranger jobs- but no one is hiring or it requires state testing and examining. It is extremely hard to get into one of these jobs here. It seems as though I have found a good fit with the Alaska Wildlife Troopers. I applied online and I will be mailing my background packet in tomorrow.

I am mainly wondering what are the odds of getting in? When I applied I said I would do either State or Wildlife but I preferred wildlife.

The process is much different from what I am used to. Usually, you apply- take an entrance exam and score a ridiculously high score even to be looked at- polygraph- background- physical testing- and more. It seems as though with Alaska there is just the application- background- physical testing?

Now, I am willing to move to Alaska in a heartbeat to accept this job. However, I cant afford to fly back and forth for an interview process. What will happen? Will I even be required to do that?

Help is greatly appreciated!! Thanks all!

Hi. My husband is waiting for AST to open the lateral hire. All the questions he has had have been answered thoroughly by the recruiters. Here is the link to their information: Contact Information - Trooper Recruitment They've been very helpful and I'm sure they would answer the questions you have. Also, here is a link to the FAQ page about recruitment: http://www.dps.state.ak.us/ast/recru...itmentfaq.aspx

Good luck!

[Thekingofsting]

Samantha, you somewhat asked my questions also. I'm interested in hearing more about the AST. Mainly interested about the hiring process, because I'm over here in CT with a hiring process of physical exam, written, oral, psych, etc etc. So there is a background and just an interview? Would I only have to take one trip for an interview? and then the academy? I'm more curious about the whole process, because the website did not seem to answer all my questions. Also, how competitive is the AST hiring? Over here in CT it is very difficult to get hired.

Thanks for all the help

[Samanthaball88]

Hey TheKingofsting,

It seems like our area is ridiculous for trying to get into law enforcement. I was going to go for a conservation job in CT a couple years ago. The competition was so high they raised the written test score to 90%.

The same thing has happened in NY and VT. AWT and AST seems like a more fitting job for me anyways so lets just hope its not as hard of a process.

I was reading one other fourm on here and someone said it usually takes 8 tries to get into the academy? Thats crazy!

From what I have learned the AST hiring process starts with the online application (or you can print it and mail it), then the background application, then an interview (i heard some people did this on the phone!), the oral board, and the physical test. So there is no written test from what I gather. Im sure there is probably a polygraph or something as well.

[stiffnecked]

If you really want to get your foot in the door right now apply for a job as a village public safety officer (VPSO) in Alaska. If you can read, write and don't have any felony convictions you could probably get hired on pretty quick.

Village Public Safety Officer Program Home

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

If you really want to get your foot in the door right now apply for a job as a village public safety officer (VPSO) in Alaska. If you can read, write and don't have any felony convictions you could probably get hired on pretty quick.

Village Public Safety Officer Program Home

That is probably some excellent advice.

Another one to look at is the North Slope Borough Police Department. They won't mind if you stick around for 20 years, but they also won't be surprised if you leave at the first opportunity. They run a very professional PD here in Barrow, but you'd almost certainly have to put in some time in a village too (where you might die of shear boredom). As near as I can tell most of the new hires consider it a really great combination of training and getting a foot in the door as far as either Alaska or as a fully qualified police officer.

The VPSO program is equal in some ways, but in several ways does not rise to quite the same level.

[Thekingofsting]

samantha,

Thanks for the response. I had recently went out for a police department in southern CT, and the process took over 10 months, to be turned down at the end after a psychological exam (after talking to countless officers, the pysch exam is pointless). At this point, most departments in CT are hiring under 5.. and with hundreds of applicants going out for it, well you get the point..I also talked to someone who it took 7 tries to get into a department.. and he had lived in that city his whole life!
However, back on topic.. I knew about the background questioniare, I saw that, and then i had heard about the background investigation. An oral board and interview huh? I guess I had a combined oral board/interview here in my city. And the physical test is pretty easy, since over here the mile and a half is 5 minutes less. So that seems to me it is very likely all I would need is one trip? Well at least I hope so, haha.
thanks for the advice stiff and floyd, only problem with that is, I live very far away, and would have to make a salary that I would be able to live on.

[Samanthaball88]

I have a friend who went out for the Ny troopers. Its been 2 years and she still hasnt gotten into the academy. She passed everything with flying colors yet still she isnt getting in. Her background investigator said it could be up to 5 years before she gets a call.

New York sucks anyways with our hiring freeze. I was planning on going to Vermont. (I take my physical test next weekend). They have only a few openings so I dont have high hopes. Im going just to get some experience with the written test and the physical test. We have to do the 1.5 mile run in 14 minutes along with bench press, push ups, sit ups, sit and reach, etc. So I think I should be able to pass Alaska's physical test since they only test run, sit ups, and push ups.

I think two trips will be necessary. Probably one for the physical test then another to get back out there if you get into the police academy. I also heard that Alaska will pay for the cost of moving once you get to the Alaskan boarder. Still costly coming from as far as we do.

I also thank Floyd and Stiff- good advice however were both coming from far locations and it wouldnt be possible to move there without accepting a job that has a livable salary.

[stiffnecked]

The starting pay for a VPSO is around $20 an hour. Most but not all of the village provide housing. Since shopping and stores are almost limited there aren't a lot of places to spend your money. As for the North Slope Borough I think they start around $32 an hour. You have to pay for your own housing except in the village assignments.

The economy is tight all over. Unless you've got years of good experience the competition is gonna be tough.