| Subject: 21 and counting |
Author:
Dave Arnold
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 11:49:28 11/01/02 Fri
In reply to:
Concerned Observer
's message, "21 years old?" on 15:23:37 10/31/02 Thu
Actually, until the national age limit for being an adult was lowered to 18 in about 1973-1974, you were a juvenile without any rights until you reached the age of 21. That's how I remember it anyway. When they lowered the limit, you had voting rights, liquor buying rights, etc.
Like today, I communicated with cops all over the country in my teens, though not as many as today. Everyone I ever talked to (in the late 60s, early 70's) would say "when you reach 21...". Therefore, I would assume 21 was the magic number nationwide as U-Haul had stated.
Because of this, I had planned to begin my police career after HS by being a dispatcher. Then suddenly, things changed. And that change was the definition of adult versus juvenile.
In 1974, I was sworn in as a police officer at age 18 and entered the academy. I was the youngest officer in the state as far as we knew. The ONLY privilege I did not have at that age was the ability to buy my weapon. My mother had to make the purchase of the weapon as well as my ammo. It was legal for me to carry, I just couldn't purchase it.
As I remember it, my state had no clue how to handle the age limit change. At the time I was sworn in, my chief was a very modern-thinking gentleman and because he knew me from my cadet work with the department, had no problem swearing me in and entering me in the academy.
Unfortunately, two weeks or a month after that, he left. The LT was appointed acting chief had no clue I was in the academy. When informed, he went ballistic (because of my age) but there was nothing he could do. He had to accept the fact since the state POST had accepted my entry. Oh, he could have canned me but there was no cause and it would have been age discrimination.
Finally, a new chief was appointed and he was the worst thing that could have happened to the department, including me. He was even more upset that an 18 year-old was in the department and at the academy. (This was LONG before you could just run down to the local Jr. College and go through the academy - you had to have a department sponsorship and carry a badge and ID from that dept.). In any event, he made things very rough for me until I finally went and found a friendlier place to work and finish out the academy.
Bottom line is, until the national age limit was changed, an 18 year-old could not carry a gun and therefore could not become a police officer. The way things have evolved for police work in this country, 1962 was very different from 1972, 72 very different from 82, etc. You can't compare your "hire age" 10 years ago with the way things were in the 1970s.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 