What is the best kind of cover letter for Law Enforcement jobs?

2016-07-31T12:55:39-04:00

I have researched different tips and tricks for writing a cover letter and I am at a loss. I have seen ones that can be funny and others that are really professional. I am wondering how to go about doing this as I want to stand out but not lose a potential interview because I was too professional or too much on the lite side. I am in the process of getting one made for a position that I'm applying for next month. Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.

Response by SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM made Jul 31 at 2016 1:01 PM

2016-07-31T13:01:17-04:00

TSgt Steve Waide ,
In an industry such as law enforcement, it can become quite competitive. However the goal is to stand out. I have attached a link of some successful examples. Hope this helps in your pursuit. Be well.
https://www.livecareer.com/cover-letter-examples/emergency-services/police-officer

Best Police Officer Cover Letter Examples | LiveCareer

The competition is fierce and you need to stand out. But, how? View our outstanding Police Officer Cover Letter Examples to see where yours stands.

Response by CPT Chris Loomis made Jul 31 at 2016 1:06 PM

2016-07-31T13:06:56-04:00

Find out what your state's Peace Officers Code of Ethics is, read, and understand it

Then write a cover letter that is short and concise that illustrates your adherence to the Code of Ethics.

If your state doesn't have one look at California's.

Response by CW3 Dylan E. Raymond, PHR made Jul 31 at 2016 1:22 PM

2016-07-31T13:22:12-04:00

Steve I want to be honest with over the last 10+ years as a recruiter I have yet to look at a cover letter. Me personally I want the meat and potatoes to see what you have done and if you have enough experience to do my job. I will give you a perfect example true example of a job that I am recruiting for now. I have a 90 day timeline to have the person in seat from the day I post the job.

So i post for 2 weeks......I have about 700 applicants that have applied. I have to dwindle that down to about 200 to test of which I am doing tomorrow and Tuesday. So I have built questions into the posting so I can easily identify who has experience. You have to have a fair and equitable way of selecting the 200 to test in the event that you are audited.

Now once I receive the results of the people that passed I may have to view 150 or so that is probably who will pass and already have taken and passed. I am hiring around 7 positions. Because I am the expert and know what the Hiring manager want I am trying to make a short list of about 50 people to send to him so that we can schedule face to face interviews. I need to do all of that in a week or so I do not have time to look at cover letters personally it would be nice but I have a client I need to deliver so the new hires can start generating revenue......

So I would say focus more of you effort on the resume vs cover letter maybe 80%/20% because you will pull your hair out trying to zero a cover letter to qualify for an interview. Just my two cents based on real life experience.

Dylan

Response by Capt Gregory Prickett made Jul 31 at 2016 4:52 PM

2016-07-31T16:52:08-04:00

When I was working police applications, cover letters only mattered if you said something really stupid in it. Otherwise they were just glanced at and filed. I don't think that it will matter at most departments.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 31 at 2016 8:42 PM

2016-07-31T20:42:32-04:00

TSgt Steve Waide, I'm going to give you a different perspective than some of the other responses. As a manager that receives resumes from potential candidates, I believe it's the cover letter that really sets a person apart from the others. Though, really funny ones get passed around the office for a laugh, they rarely get brought in for an interview. I'm pasting a link, for a site I like, called "Jobhero". There's a sample cover letter for "Police Officer" that's not overly stuffed shirt. Take a look and as always, keep what you need and throw away the rest. Best of luck to you, Susan
http://www.jobhero.com/police-officer-cover-letter/

Police Officer Cover Letter | JobHero

Police Officers work in law enforcement, protecting the health and safety of their communities and attempting to prevent crimes from occurring. Job duties range from that of beat cops (which include patrolling a regular route, looking for lawbreakers) to those specializing in such fields as dog handling and bomb disposal.

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Aug 1 at 2016 1:17 PM

2016-08-01T13:17:55-04:00

A cover letter is your hook, therefore your cover letter needs to be oriented to that specific job that you want. So research your potential employer and tailor your cover letter to fit the needs of what the employer seeks.

Response by MAJ Seth Goldstein made Aug 2 at 2016 11:51 AM

2016-08-02T11:51:25-04:00

I've worked in LE for almost 20 years and have never seen a cover letter as a requirement for a job.

Response by Connie Redmon made Aug 2 at 2016 12:25 PM

2016-08-02T12:25:06-04:00

As a former Career Development Director and LEN Officer, I would appreciate a letter that tells me what you know about my organization, it's mission, strengths, and the community in which you would be working and then tell me how you will fit in with that organization. As prior military you have a lot going for you - already understand the need for a disciplined and well-trained force that understands teamwork, integrity, and compassion. Hope some of this helps. Best of luck!!

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2016 12:37 PM

2016-08-02T12:37:06-04:00

You didn't mention if you are in a technical field, management field or something else. Speaking as a former recruiter and headhunter, For those who bother to read a cover letter, It's the content of the cover letter, not the theme. You have to be interesting enough and qualified enough for the position you replied to to make them look further. I've been on the Headhunter end and the corporate end and I very rarely ever looked at the cover letter first. In this market a company is probably receiving over a hundred resumes or more for a good paying mid-management position in a competitive field.If I had to make book on how many they actually want to interview, It would be 5-7 tops. After I looked at the qualifications, type of companies they worked for, currently employed, gaps between jobs I would then look at the cover letter to see how it was written, NOT that it would make difference at this point since 90% of my determination has already been made. The day of mass mail outs of resumes is gone. Individual position specific cover letters for those who will read them is key. You should have 4-5 or more online with , let's say Monster type pf job boards and be prepared to customize them for specific jobs.

Response by CPL Mike Marsfelder made Aug 2 at 2016 4:22 PM

2016-08-02T16:22:37-04:00

TSgt, I am a former Army Corporal, and have been in law enforcement for 21 years and am currently a Captain on my department. I have been involved in the hiring and promotional process and the best advice that I can give you is to do whatever you can to stand out from the crowd. Be as professional as you can, and a good cover letter/resume just might tip the scale your way if you are neck and neck with another candidate. Good luck.

Response by Sgt William Straub Jr. made Aug 2 at 2016 4:54 PM

2016-08-02T16:54:24-04:00

While I have been out of the field for quite a while, as I remember upon discharge, I applied to two law enforcement agencies. One for the city in which I lived and the other for the State Police. As I remember, neither required a resume. I got the application packets from both agencies and filled out the required paperwork. From that point it was much like my military time. Hurry up and wait. I think the main reason for the time span is to make sure you really want the position. As an honorably discharged veteran you get an automatic minimum 5 points on whatever testing is done. Above all else, be honest, if you lie it will be found out and immediate disqualification or termination. I was accepted by the State Police before the final testing for my local department. There is written testing, oral testing, physical testing and polygraph. Some local agencies may waive some of these in early stages if they are hiring quickly, but usually not. After hiring, some areas mandate an academy prior to swearing in as an officer but some agencies require the academy within the first year of duty. Be sure this is an occupation you want, it is a great job, but it has dangers, and stress that outside of combat most people will never know. At this time in our country, it has become even more dangerous and stressful.

Response by MAJ David Parr made Aug 2 at 2016 6:35 PM

2016-08-02T18:35:16-04:00

As a Law Enforcement Officer for over 43 years, and having served at the federal, state and local levels, as well as within the military, I would suggest that you first list all of your accomplishments, training courses, and education, especially if you have college hours and a degree. Then use the services of a professional Resume writer (I believe LinkedIn provides this service). Most LE agencies these days require a college degree, or at least 60 sem hours. Submit a DD-295 to a recognized (fully accredited) university, along with copies of your military personnel file, and they will usually award you college credit for those courses, many times it can be up to 60 sem hours. Good luck on your interview. Be sure to dress professionally for the interview. If I can be of any further service, please contact me. Sgt-Inv David Parr, Bexar County, Texas.

Response by SGT Dan Keeler made Aug 2 at 2016 7:54 PM

2016-08-02T19:54:38-04:00

I am a 8-year military veteran and 12 year police veteran, currently as a patrol sergeant. I have sat on several hiring boards for our department, in different roles. My advice is this: the most important thing, use proper grammar and spell-check everything. I would suggest being professional, as a big part of police work is your ability to write clear, concise, professional police reports. If your cover letter is goofy and unprofessional, what will that say about you and your work ethic. Fair or not, the cover letter IS your first impression. What do you want it to say about you?

Response by MSG Don Burt made Aug 2 at 2016 8:14 PM

2016-08-02T20:14:51-04:00

DON'T EVER BE LIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR FUTURE...otherwise, don't waste the company's time and your effort! The Cover Letter should be brief, descriptive in what you do, what you want to do, what you have done... and research the company you're interested in prior to the
interview.

Response by PVT William Bresch made Aug 2 at 2016 11:13 PM

2016-08-02T23:13:36-04:00

TSGT Waide. I found that Honestly is the best Policy. Just be yourself. hey if they like you ,your hired if not, oh well. Although, you could have my problem where,everyone wants you to work and some pay, while others not as well.

Response by LTC Chuck Dietrick made Aug 2 at 2016 11:57 PM

2016-08-02T23:57:21-04:00

It has been my experience that most civilian LEO positions are filled via a civil service selection process (standard application, physical fitness test, screening cognitive exam, background check, polygraph, several oral interviews and a psych exam). Cover letters never enter the process.

Response by COL Michael Freville made Aug 3 at 2016 8:12 AM

2016-08-03T08:12:54-04:00

I am a police psychologist and I would highly suggest you keep it more on the professional side.

Response by CPL Nanette Carvalho made Aug 3 at 2016 10:33 AM

2016-08-03T10:33:32-04:00

Steve, I have to agree with Dylan Raymond, I don't look at cover letters either. I've been in the recruiting realm for over 20 years, I'm a veteran, and a certified HR professional. I believe the best tool is a well written resume. Employers want to know what you bring to the table. The top 1/3 of your resume is the most valuable real estate on the page. It is there you need to capture the attention of the recruiter. Also, do not speak in terms of job duties for each position you've held, but speak (write) in terms of performance. i.e. you did a certain task which resulted in xyz. Employers want to see not just what you did but how well you did it. I am a volunteer with local organization where I mentor veterans on how to prepare their resumes and prepare for interviews. I'll be happy to look over your resume and provide some input. You can reach me at [login to see]
Nanette Carvalho, PHR, SHRM-CP

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made Aug 3 at 2016 10:55 AM

2016-08-03T10:55:17-04:00

As I've posted before, a cover letter is a waste of time in today' job market. Unless the job posting specifically says to submit a cover letter spend your time tweaking your resume to the skills the job requires. If you're dealing with recruiters the only one who sees a cover letter is the screener; if you meet requirements your resume ONLY (without cover letter) gets sent to the recruiter and a cover letter goes into your file, probably never to be read again.

Response by SGT Jason Yago made Aug 3 at 2016 2:32 PM

2016-08-03T14:32:48-04:00

Way more important than a cover letter is your work ethic and character. Both of which can be gleaned from a properly constructed Resume or Curriculum Vitae. If you specialized in a certain difficult field or had extensive training in a unique job specialty a CV is the way to go.

Response by SGM Michele Marsden made Aug 3 at 2016 8:49 PM

2016-08-03T20:49:33-04:00

Present yourself in a professional manner and emphasize briefly your strengths. More than likely you will need to complete and application on line.

Response by CPL Chris Matheny made Aug 7 at 2016 4:01 PM

2016-08-07T16:01:52-04:00

One should never attempt humor or being witty on a resume' or cover letter. Unfortunately words can not show emotion and any number of small words can be misconstrued as something other than the original intent. Hope you got the job.

Response by Capt Christian D. Orr made Aug 8 at 2016 11:39 PM

2016-08-08T23:39:50-04:00

Are you looking at Federal, state, or local L.E. jobs? I was a Federal LEO (CBP and ICE), and though it's been awhile, I don't recall doing a cover letter for either application.

Response by Chris Adcock made Aug 16 at 2016 3:48 PM

2016-08-16T15:48:38-04:00

Tsgt Steve W.,
I am a detective with a law enforcement agency in North Carolina, and I currently oversee the background investigations for our agencies hiring process. The background investigation includes a resume with a cover letter. My advice would be to show professionalism. The reason for this is because you are not only representing your agency but you are also representing the city or town in which you prefer to work in. The public will hold you at a higher level of accountability than a normal civilian. My suggestion would be to describe why you would be an asset to the agency and the community. I tend to hire more prior military servicemen and women because of the professionalism, dedication, and commitment that is instilled in each and every one. Also, not too lengthy but not too short. Bring out the points and facts!! I hope this helps!! If you need anymore advice don't hesitate to ask!!