Considering police work...

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I am an aspie female almost out of high school, and I kind of like the idea of being a cop. My dad is already a fireman. I would need to learn how to drive and be fit first, but I'm still 3 years too young for the academy, so I have time.

The thing is that I've had a bad history with psychologists and stuff. I saw shrinks for years, been on about 20 different psychiatric meds, and I've done almost-overnights at institutions a couple of times for threatening violence and suicide.

As of right now, I'm finishing high school at home and I'm going to be starting a day program soon to help me cope with things. It all sounds really bad, I know. I kind of obsess over wanting to be an actress after watching too much TV in my life, but I only enjoy cop shows so I recently made the connection that's what appeals to me.

One of the reasons why I'm considering this is because my parents won't pay for me to go to college because they don't think I'm ready, but I don't want to get caught up in a job that isn't fulfilling to me. I used to consider staying home for awhile, but just being out of school for 2 weeks, I've realized I could never just be unemployed/not studying and live with my parents.

What do you guys think?

Not to rain on your parade, but the one thing that would concern me about a profession in law enforcement or the military is that because of our sensory issues, a lot of us have a pronounced delay in our reaction time to sensory events. An involuntary hesitation, as our brains process what's happening around us. In that line of work, an impairment like that could get you (or someone else) killed. Just a thought.

Given the media's ghoulish delight in repeatedly connecting AS with violent psychopaths (you'd think Adam Lanza's middle name was Asperger's), a lot of people are convinced that if you have Asperger Syndrome you're just a powderkeg waiting to blow. That being the case, I'm not sure what your chances of landing a job like that would be. I guess you'll just have to check into it. They probably give a psyche eval as a screen to all candidates.

However, that doesn't mean you couldn't get a job in the law enforcement industry without actually carrying a badge. I don't see any of your history disqualifying you from being a dispatcher, and once you're inside the building, you can start looking around to see what else you qualify for that you might find interesting and fulfilling.

The first question you must ask yourself: If you are in a situation where you have to kill another human to defend yourself or another person, are you prepared to pull the trigger?

If you cannot answer yes to that, stop reading and find a new job.

If the answer is yes; continue.

I actually don't know if you would qualify for a police commission or not. First I believe you have to be 21 to be a sworn officer because of federal handgun laws. The interview process is very in depth and they do a very comprehensive background check as well as visits to a psychologist as part of the interview process. You won't be able to hide your past, and if you try, you'll fail out quick.

Learning how to drive is important, but you have to not only learn to drive, but learn to drive code. It's not easy. It's a lot of making quick decisions, every intersection is a choice, can I get through, do I have to push cars (not literally) or is my best option to drive the wrong way on the road. All of this happens in seconds, while a loud horn is blaring.

By coping, what do you mean? Remember, as a cop you will be exposed to some aweful things. You'll see things that you'll never forget. Can you handle that? I'm sure your dad, as a fireman, can relate to that. Can you deal with people fighting you? Threatening you? Trying to pull a fast one on you? Trying to kill you? Are you able to remain aware of your surroundings?

Remember cop shows aren't real life. I'm a fireman and I laugh at Chicago Fire sometimes. We run a handful of working fire calls each year, so far this year we've had 1 bad car accident. They don't show the "smells and bells" calls that you get most of the time. (Fire alarms and odors)

Same with Police; remember, if Olivia Benson gets shot at, the bullets always miss. She's a main character, she doesn't die. In real life, the bullets don't always miss. Same with evidence and stuff, Munch and Stabler can act a reaction to viewing things like child porn, but they are just looking at blank pages or monitor screens. Can you handle the sight of an actual child being raped?

Now all of that said; firefighting is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done, and you take the good with the bad. I've seen guys die in front of me, I've also seen a guy who was dead and we brought back thank us. I wouldn't trade it for the world, but you have to have a tough skin, same with police work.

I would suggest contacting the local PD and seeing if they offer ride alongs or a cadet program.