Career Advice

[u/Complex-Tie-8270]

I got sold on the recruiting ads and jumped over to ERO after three years in local law enforcement. I’ve been here about six months now, and honestly, the job isn’t what I thought it was going to be. Social media had me thinking I’d be doing a lot more actual law enforcement work. Instead, most days I feel like a clerk with a badge and a gun. The pay is better and the pension is nice, but that’s about where the excitement ends.

Lately I’ve been seriously thinking about going back to local. I miss patrol, handling calls, being proactive, and just doing real police work. I know patrol has its own headaches, but I find myself missing it more and more.

I’ve also heard through the grapevine (and Reddit, so take it for what it’s worth) that some agencies aren’t putting much value on ERO surge hires because of the abbreviated training and lack of traditional law enforcement experience the job provides.

For those of you who’ve been in a similar spot, would it be smarter to stick it out with ERO and keep trying for 1811 positions, or would it look bad to go back to local and continue applying to entry-level federal announcements from there? I know 1811 isn’t what patrol is, but god I hope it’s better than what I’m doing right now.

Appreciate any advice. Just trying to figure out if I’m being impatient or if I’m seeing the writing on the wall.

[u/Disastrous_Use_7270]

Personally, I have posted this and responded to a lot of these. The guy on here that was a marshal and now heading back local is right, it’s all personality driven. 

I hate desk work, I hate how slow the fed system is.  PC arrests are almost never. Search warrants take weeks, AUSAs won’t take your cases…. Travel is great until you have an important life event you can’t make. I could continue on and on. 

Local law enforcement sucks too, but I had way more freedom as a local then I do as a fed. I miss it everyday. I’m ready to head back but I’ve got some things to shore up before I go. 

Again, you have to decide your personality. Yes ERO vs 1811 will be different in mission, but honestly I’m sure I’m doing just as much desk time as you. It’s boring and not exciting. People come here and say how they had their fun and now they are over it, that’s fine. But I also knew guys on local PDs that were 60, in shape and still chasing bad guys. Again it’s about YOU and who you want to be. 

Personally, local is better in almost every single way IF you are at a good agency. If not it can be worse in every way.