[Petertherock]

Some of you know that I applied to the Florida Highway Patrol. I just got my packet and testing information the other day. Unfortunately I will not be able to take the exam because Florida has maximum weight standards which I do not yet meet. I am working on getting into shape and I am pretty confident I would have passed the physical agilities test but I will not be able to lose 30+ pounds by February 28th which is when the exam is.

I am not giving up though...I am going to work on getting into shape and see about getting onto a department here in Maine in the mean time...we don't have maximum weight standards but the physical test is more strict. Florida is basically an obstacle course with only a .25 mile run total while Maine has a Push-up, Sit-up and 1.5 mile run which for my age bracket I must do in 13m 36 seconds. I figure if I can get so I can pass the Maine test the Florida test will be a breeze. If nothing else they have a 100 hour course through the academy in Maine that allows you to work as a reserve officer with full police powers and a lot of departments either hire reserves to cover full time shifts or for beach patrol during the summers. This would give me some experience and a foot in the door.

I am disappointed I won't be able to make the move down to Florida this summer but I still have a goal to get down there within the next 5 years if not sooner. This also gives me time to get some more classes taken towards my criminal justice degree which will help with getting a job too.

So, I am disappointed but I am not giving up. It's just a temporary set back. The biggest thing is to get my weight down and get in good shape so I can pass not only the test but also the academy too.

[SANDYHAIR]

Good Luck you can do it. Hit the gym daily. maybe try weight watchers .Right now there no fee to join .

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by Petertherock

Some of you know that I applied to the Florida Highway Patrol. I just got my packet and testing information the other day. Unfortunately I will not be able to take the exam because Florida has maximum weight standards which I do not yet meet. I am working on getting into shape and I am pretty confident I would have passed the physical agilities test but I will not be able to lose 30+ pounds by February 28th which is when the exam is.

I am not giving up though...I am going to work on getting into shape and see about getting onto a department here in Maine in the mean time...we don't have maximum weight standards but the physical test is more strict. Florida is basically an obstacle course with only a .25 mile run total while Maine has a Push-up, Sit-up and 1.5 mile run which for my age bracket I must do in 13m 36 seconds. I figure if I can get so I can pass the Maine test the Florida test will be a breeze. If nothing else they have a 100 hour course through the academy in Maine that allows you to work as a reserve officer with full police powers and a lot of departments either hire reserves to cover full time shifts or for beach patrol during the summers. This would give me some experience and a foot in the door.

I am disappointed I won't be able to make the move down to Florida this summer but I still have a goal to get down there within the next 5 years if not sooner. This also gives me time to get some more classes taken towards my criminal justice degree which will help with getting a job too.

So, I am disappointed but I am not giving up. It's just a temporary set back. The biggest thing is to get my weight down and get in good shape so I can pass not only the test but also the academy too.

Hey...don't lose hope! It's a great goal, and it will happen. Best of luck to you!

[Petertherock]

Maybe it's a good thing I didn't take the test for the FHP...

Florida Highway Patrol Faces Uncertain Future: Top News Stories at Officer.com

The fourth option is to do away with the FHP completely.

The recommendation to possibly do away with the FHP has Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford up in arms.

Rutherford said with the budget cuts he has to make he couldn't understand why the state would consider having local police pick up the slack if the FHP went away.

"Here he is with one of the options is to do away with the Florida Highway Patrol and put that responsibility on me, and then when I increase revenue to cover that additional responsibility he wants to paint me the bad guy. I am furious about that," Rutherford said.

The four recommendations came from a government agency in Tallahassee that looks at state programs in search of money-saving changes.

The FHP has a $217 million budget.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by Petertherock

Maybe it's a good thing I didn't take the test for the FHP...

Florida Highway Patrol Faces Uncertain Future: Top News Stories at Officer.com

The fourth option is to do away with the FHP completely.

The recommendation to possibly do away with the FHP has Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford up in arms.

Rutherford said with the budget cuts he has to make he couldn't understand why the state would consider having local police pick up the slack if the FHP went away.

"Here he is with one of the options is to do away with the Florida Highway Patrol and put that responsibility on me, and then when I increase revenue to cover that additional responsibility he wants to paint me the bad guy. I am furious about that," Rutherford said.

The four recommendations came from a government agency in Tallahassee that looks at state programs in search of money-saving changes.

The FHP has a $217 million budget.

have you check the county jobs?

[Petertherock]

I have but it seems like most county sheriffs dept. want you to put yourself through the academy and unlike the Highway patrol they won't pay you while attending the academy. I can tell you that I don't think I will ever be in a position where I could just take 6 months off from work without any income while attending an academy. I am thinking about either putting in for Maine State police or a local police force here in Maine and going through the academy up here and then being able to lateral transfer to Florida. I realize you still have to go through a "transitional academy" when you move but it's only a few weeks compared to 6 months.

In the mean time and this is completely off topic but I went to the Maine Republican caucus today and unlike Florida we had sense enough to vote overwhelmingly for the only Republican in the field Mitt Romney. Romney took 54% of the vote statewide and over 70% in our town. I was also elected as a delegate to the Republican State Convention in May so that should be fun!