Stuck in a career bind....need help.

[rapidarp]

You've probably read posts like these before but now it's my turn. I am stuck in a career bind; trying to decide between two different things. Law Enforcement and Computer Network Security/Admin.

I've been into computers since I was 8 years old. I grew up around them so I was always interested in them. Through high school, I tinkered and I tinkered. My senior year, I had a CISCO 1&2 prep class which was awesome. I had a great time setting up networks and stuff. Then when high school ended.....I sort of lost track of my computer days because I was busy trying to follow other leads in life.

Now back during my....early Junior year in high school, my friend talked me into joining this program at our local police department. I was told we were going to be used for like security at school dances and events and stuff like that. It ended up being a program for kids who were interested in Law Enforcement. I, at the time, had no real interest to become a cop. But as the years progressed, I learned a lot about the job and became good at it. Then I started wanting to be a cop. That's all I wanted to do. Sure, I played videogames on the side and tinkered a bit with computer stuff but I wanted to be a cop.

Now, I'm stuck in a bind. I've recently tried getting back into computers. I got hooked on the Information Systems Security bit. Just yesterday, I visited a nearby ITT Tech campus and spoke with a rep about the school and the ISS degree. The school was nice and I'm interested in going there.

Now the question I'm stuck on is....do I be a cop or continue my network security studies? In other words, do I make less money and have lots of fun or make more money and have less fun?

It's like....I don't want to just abondon my computer knowledge and I don't want to abandon my investment with law enforcement (gear and stuff). I could combine the two because there is a thing here in California called the High Tech Crimes Task Force....but in the pics, all the cops that work there are like 45+ years old. It bugs me really. I just don't know what I should do.


Any thoughts or advice?

[ZeratulsAvenger]

Well since so many people change careers in their later ages, I would say go with the one you liked more, assuming the money was still enough to live off of You can always change if you find a new interest in the other job, or you decide it wasnt what you thought it would be.

[bailey]

you can make more money in the computer security field
you can have more excitement and fun in law enforcement.

which would you prefer ?

[rapidarp]

I'd like a blend of the two but that's not gonna happen. I've had some major fun in my years as a volunteer with the cops. I'm not sure how to manage this though. It's a hard decision to make.

[amk1369]

it sounds cheezy, but its the only advice ive ever been given......


follow your heart.

[kram 2.0]

You said you already invested in both the fields - to what extent did you invest in it? Really, depends on what you really desire. I'd hate to see you go into a field where you'd be unhappy with the everyday job. Talk it over with some friends and stuff - I'd say there's no definite "better" here.

kram

[jong2k4]

Law enforcement is stressful, but usually pretty rewarding as I hear it. A friend of mine from the theatre recently (last year) got a job as a cop, and he looooooves it. There's a lot of institutional pride in knowing that you're on the front lines enforcing The Side of Good in the Battle of Good and Evil.

You'll also get free coffee at the local diner.

Computer security probably pays well and can probably be exciting in its own way.... but why decide now? What I would do is pursue a career in law enforcement and continue to study information security on the side, as a hobby kind of (not like night classes and hours of homework, just a class here and there) and work it into your law enforcement job. Research the available careers that combine law enforcement and information security, I'm sure that not all of the positions are full of 45+ folks.

[el_novato]

Why couldn't you blend the two? Maybe a in Computer Forensics? Something like in CSI? The IRS maybe? Or even the FBI and CIA...Although you may not get as much action as a regular law enforcement officer, it's a blended smoothie of the 2 careers. Just a thought

e.n.

[colecifer]

I would just go with what you have more fun with. I think that is the most important part of a job. I would much rather have the most fun job ever and not get payed that well then say a huge salary but doing some tedious work like working at the DMV you have to deal with people that are pissed about waiting in such a huge line you do basically the same thing with each person but just enter different things into a computer and you do it basically all day because that place is always busy.

So what i'm trying to say is do what makes you happy. As long as you make enough money to live decent it shouldn't matter which pays more.

[Spartan]

When you look at the big picture, what you have invested in each so far is nothing (not to demean it by any means). It sounds like you are fairly young and you are trying to decide on a career path that you may well follow for the rest of your life. You have the rest of your life to live with this choice so you should choose something that you will enjoy doing everyday. Neither is a get rich quick career and with both money will increase over time.

As for blending the two, who says you can't? As a cop you could have a side business that deals with computers. As a comp tech you can still be a volunteer officer with the Department.

-Spartan

[rapidarp]

Thanks for all the replies.

My best bet would probably be to go into the Network Security bit and be a volunteer officer on the side. I mean, I'd love to go full time in law enforcement but there are several things keeping me from doing that. But I won't go into that. Again, thanks for all the advice. I really appreciate it.

RapidArp

[Markoman01027]

Major in a Computer field and Minor in Law Enforcement. That way if you decide to become a police officer or anything in the law enforcement field, you will have knowledge in computers and have something to fall back on(law enforcement degree)

it's like a 1+1=2 deal ..Even if you went with becoming a cop, you still have valuable information on computers for the rest of your life.

Just follow your heart. That is the best way.

[mbossman2]

Originally Posted by rapidarp I'd like a blend of the two but that's not gonna happen. I've had some major fun in my years as a volunteer with the cops. I'm not sure how to manage this though. It's a hard decision to make.

why not? your current department may not have such a slot but I know that other departments and agencied DO...

Leverage one of your contacts and have them hook u up with a local Federal Attorney, FBI, SS, US Marshall, Treasury department, IRS (ugh) contact...

you may also find that one of the above may even pick up some of the costs of training.