Move to Mesa?

[Drvngcrzy]

I have been thinking about going into law enforcement after I graduate in August this summer and I have been considering moving to Arizona. Can anyone help me with the cost of living?

I make about 38k while still in school in Ohio and live fine, vacation where and when I want. How much is needed to have a decent sized condo or house in the Mesa area? Their police dept is hiring around 50k. Is that enough to live comfortably? How is the housing market there?

Is there any nice local diving in that area?

Any other info would be great.

Thanks!

 

[booth22]

I'd look at other departments if you're moving out here- Mesa has issues right now, lack of a property tax is one of them- and all city employees including police and fire just took a 2% pay reduction. It's not going to get any better anytime soon either.

 

[RAWalker]

Other than what was stated above:
Mesa is one of the towns that has been hit hard by the housing slump and foreclosure crisis. Home values have plummeted in some nice areas that will definately turn around with the economy. If you have the time and money to deal with purchasing a foreclosure home it is a great time to be a buyer just don't get in over your head and add to the problem.

 

[Kangy]

I pretty much agree with the above two posters. Although I don't live in Mesa, I'm a tad south of there in Queen Creek but work in Mesa. Commute isn't bad, about 20 minutes. If you can buy, right now is the time to do it. Don't waste your time or money trying to rent a place in Mesa when the economy finally turns back around you'll be wishing you would of purchased and own. As for the law enforcement, look into Gilbert, on that note though I wouldn't want to live in Gilbert. I'd look into Queen Creek if I were you, this place is exploding right now with left over new builds that the buyer backed out of after construction started are easily found for equal to or less than an older foreclosed home.
Not to sure about the status of the Gilbert PD. My father in law is an officer for them, I'll ask him how they are doing. He also commutes from QC to Gilbert.
For the living comfortably off 50k really depends on what your "standard of living" is. Are you single, married, have kids? If your single, have a reasonable mortgage, and have a decent amount of common sense then you'll be just fine with that income. Really depends on how you manage it. Anyways that's off topic.

 

[SCUBAholicEd]

Well I'm a local retired law enforcement officer and I can tell you that any local PD or SO will be a fine career op. As for the housing situation, for you as a new move in you can't beet it. The only people that are upset are those who bought at the peek. They really got hit with the drop in prices. But for buyers now, they are getting deals of a life time. 50k will do you just fine.
Word of advice, you need to test for all the local depts not just one. Police and Fire testing brings hundreds of people testing and alot of it is luck. ie one oral board may like you and the next won't it is like ice skating or diving. You can do a good job, but that particulare board just didn't like you.
If you want to pm me for spacifics, that would be fine.

 

[ffhamm]

If you haven't been a homeowner for a while, HUD has a great program for Police,fire and Teachers, You can get homes is certain areas for half price if you live there for a year. Get a job, bid on a house, live there until you get used to the area, after 3 years move.

Like stated above, test everywhere. Get a job, get POST certified, and lateral. The cops in the valley can move around quite a bit until they find their fit.

Ed stated a big part of getting a job is luck, Not sure I buy into that, it helps, but if you are prepared and spend time in the system you will get the job you want. Networking helps. Move to the area you want to work and 'do your time'.

I work for Fire in the valley and the game is the same. Only harder.(more applicants, less jobs) Who wants to be a cop anyway. All they do is go around looking for trouble.

 

[SCUBAholicEd]

The luck factor is this.
In the physical test, either you can or can't run the mile and half and do the push ups and sit up in time. Thats all you, the written test, you pass or you don't. There are usually 7 steps in the testing. On the oral boards you are judged by the board. Hey some may like you and some may not it is LUCK. you have NO control. Back in the day when I tested I failed an oral board. I also passed several more. I also sat on several. It is subjective like judging ice skating or diving. If you have 5 spots and 20 applicants, 5 can be knocked out because they didn't dress in the right color of tie or their hair style wasn't right, their manerisims weren't proper. That is how you trim it down. But in the end if there are still 5 spots and 10 good applicants (which is usually the case in PD and FD testing) IT IS SIMPLY THE LUCK FACTOR. That is why you test with several depts. A good recruit WILL get picked up by some one. Don't put all your hopes and dreams in one shot. I know ALOT of guys that it took 5 even 10 trys before they got on.