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Applying to the Forensics Department?

Jitrew

Ok, I'm only going into my second year of university but I am just looking around for answers so I know what to do when I graduate.

What I want to know is, do I have to become a Garda first and then apply to become a SOCO/CSI? - same goes for PSNI...
That is my preferred area of work. Actually, theres nothing else I want to do!

If I do have to become a Garda, how long would it be until I can apply for a CSI position?

Also, next year I will be going into placement and I know my uni will give me guidance on this but I want as much experience as I can get. I'm reeally keen!
So, any advice on getting work experience would be very appreciated.

Thanks in advance

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C-J

Jitrew wrote: »

Ok, I'm only going into my second year of university but I am just looking around for answers so I know what to do when I graduate.

What I want to know is, do I have to become a Garda first and then apply to become a SOCO/CSI? - same goes for PSNI...
That is my preferred area of work. Actually, theres nothing else I want to do!

If I do have to become a Garda, how long would it be until I can apply for a CSI position?

Also, next year I will be going into placement and I know my uni will give me guidance on this but I want as much experience as I can get. I'm reeally keen!
So, any advice on getting work experience would be very appreciated.

Thanks in advance

I really don't know where to start as regards your post i'm still trying to digest it! Hang on, if you 'do HAVE to become a garda'. . . Do you have ANY idea the sort of passion that exists in this forum for ags, any one of us would absolutely kill to be a garda and you see it as merely 'work experience'?.... If I were you I'd remain in university, do some living, because you obviously need a little more time in the university of life. Read the faqs at the top of the page as regards your 'csi dream' it might bring ya back down to earth with a wallop.

thelongwait

Jitrew wrote: »

Ok, I'm only going into my second year of university but I am just looking around for answers so I know what to do when I graduate.

What I want to know is, do I have to become a Garda first and then apply to become a SOCO/CSI? - same goes for PSNI...
That is my preferred area of work. Actually, theres nothing else I want to do!

If I do have to become a Garda, how long would it be until I can apply for a CSI position?

Also, next year I will be going into placement and I know my uni will give me guidance on this but I want as much experience as I can get. I'm reeally keen!
So, any advice on getting work experience would be very appreciated.

Thanks in advance

if you apply in the recruitment drive thats coming up it could be a year or more before you get in, thats assuming you do get in. once you do get in you have to be a regular garda fo 2 or 3 years before you can apply for any specialized department.

Dont assume just because your in university that you would have no trouble getting in to ags. the recruitment process is not easy and is designed to weed out the people who dont have a real interest in being a garda.
Im not saying you wouldnt get in, its just alot of people tend to under estimate the process.

Geri Boyle

C-J can we go a tad easier on the OP who has come to the forum looking for advice? He may not be passionate about becoming a Garda but he seems pretty passionate about becoming what it is he wants to be in life, and I think we can all relate to that.
OP, yes you do have to become a member of AGS first and serve as an uniformed member for 3 years before you can apply for available positions in CSI or any other section. As for work experience in AGS, I cant help you there.. maybe a serving member could shed some more light on it? As was already mentioned it is not easy to get into AGS and once you do you are not guaranteed to be accepted into CSI so you need to be aware of that before you make any big decisions. Best of luck with it.

C-J

Blue Belle wrote: »

C-J can we go a tad easier on the OP who has come to the forum looking for advice? He may not be passionate about becoming a Garda but he seems pretty passionate about becoming what it is he wants to be in life, and I think we can all relate to that.
OP, yes you do have to become a member of AGS first and serve as an uniformed member for 3 years before you can apply for available positions in CSI or any other section. As for work experience in AGS, I cant help you there.. maybe a serving member could shed some more light on it? As was already mentioned it is not easy to get into AGS and once you do you are not guaranteed to be accepted into CSI so you need to be aware of that before you make any big decisions. Best of luck with it.

ya sure. I'm normally not a hot head but i'm just so passionate about what i do & what i will be doing in ags, complacency riles me up. Good luck in applying or whatever path you decide to take

Shield

From a PSNI point of view, take a look at this link and it should hopefully answer all your questions.

Jitrew wrote: »

Ok, I'm only going into my second year of university but I am just looking around for answers so I know what to do when I graduate.

What I want to know is, do I have to become a Garda first and then apply to become a SOCO/CSI? - same goes for PSNI...
That is my preferred area of work. Actually, theres nothing else I want to do!

If I do have to become a Garda, how long would it be until I can apply for a CSI position?

Also, next year I will be going into placement and I know my uni will give me guidance on this but I want as much experience as I can get. I'm reeally keen!
So, any advice on getting work experience would be very appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Jitrew

C-J wrote: »

I really don't know where to start as regards your post i'm still trying to digest it! Hang on, if you 'do HAVE to become a garda'. . . Do you have ANY idea the sort of passion that exists in this forum for ags, any one of us would absolutely kill to be a garda and you see it as merely 'work experience'?.... If I were you I'd remain in university, do some living, because you obviously need a little more time in the university of life. Read the faqs at the top of the page as regards your 'csi dream' it might bring ya back down to earth with a wallop.

Ok, I did not say I thought becoming a garda was 'mere work experience' as you put it. And when I asked about having to become a garda..did I once give the impression that I didn't WANT to do that? No. I just want to know what I will have to do in the future. ok, I admit that I don't want to be a garda for the rest of my life as my passion is in forensic science. Whereas I can see yours is being a part of the garda. But thats YOU not me.

And when I say work experience...I meant things I can do throughout the years as I study. Like working in labs, not the garda.

Also how DARE you say this is a 'csi dream' I know I have far to go and my feet are firmly on the ground thank you very much. I know it will be nothing like the show csi.
As i said above this is MY passion, I haven't just thought, "oh that looks like a bitta craic!" I am constantly reading up about forensics and techniques. I have read several books from pathologists, doctors and casestudys etc. To get a feel for how it is in the real world - I do this out of enjoyment by the way, not because I feel I have to.
You don't know me, all I was looking for is a little advice. Not your rudeness.

C-J

Jitrew wrote: »

Ok, I did not say I thought becoming a garda was 'mere work experience' as you put it. And when I asked about having to become a garda..did I once give the impression that I didn't WANT to do that? No. I just want to know what I will have to do in the future. ok, I admit that I don't want to be a garda for the rest of my life as my passion is in forensic science. Whereas I can see yours is being a part of the garda. But thats YOU not me.

And when I say work experience...I meant things I can do throughout the years as I study. Like working in labs, not the garda.

Also how DARE you say this is a 'csi dream' I know I have far to go and my feet are firmly on the ground thank you very much. I know it will be nothing like the show csi.
As i said above this is MY passion, I haven't just thought, "oh that looks like a bitta craic!" I am constantly reading up about forensics and techniques. I have read several books from pathologists, doctors and casestudys etc. To get a feel for how it is in the real world - I do this out of enjoyment by the way, not because I feel I have to.
You don't know me, all I was looking for is a little advice. Not your rudeness.

I apologise for my rash response, it's just the frustration of waiting for so long. I didn't mean it to be a personal attack, i know what it's like to be in uni and considering your options, i'm hoping to use my chosen path of study to my advantage in ags also and fully understand where you're coming from. My outburst does not reflect my character whatsoever, in fact i'm so laid back i'm nearly horizontal, but that doesn't excuse my behaviour. Ignore my initial post + i hope you find the answers that you're looking for. The opportunities for progression in ags are substantial, particularly in your chosen area of expertise.

unattendedbag

OP there is really two areas that could be of interest to you. The first is the forensic science service in the UK or the Forensic science Laboratory in Ireland. (Privately run in the UK and public sector in Ireland.) I seen an advertisment on publicjobs.ie for a lab technician back in 2008 for the forensic science laboratory so I guess they recruit through there. It was a standard analytical chemist post, so they were just looking for a science degree and preferably some experience in a lab. standard advert for a lab job. A degree in Forensic science would really help you here.

The 2nd option, and i think this is what you are refering to, is an operational crime scene examiner or SOCO as they are refered to in the UK. Currently in Ireland they only recruit from within AGS so as the above posts said, you would have to join and complete your probationery period before applying for a specialist position. However I believe there was at least one civilian recruited by the Garda Technical Bureau as a photographer in the past (I think i read about it on the old Garda website). In the UK however it seems that a lot of the police forces are hiring civilian's for specialised roles such as examining crime scenes, computers, and other technical/complicated jobs. Now they may reform recruitment for An Garda Siochana and start to do the same as the UK but dont hold your breath as it doesnt look like its going to happen anytime soon. Get your degree and then look at your options. You may be able to walk into the job you want in the UK or US.

shakin

well you must do 3 years operational, mainstream policing before you cn join a specialist service.

Tbh i think its a long shot joining the gardai for a niche section, with no offence intyended, there is no guarantee you will get it. Now i dont know, but i can imagine positions dont pop up too often.

Is it any harm asking what your doing at the moment?

I know about 3 years ago, sligo It started running a forensics science course (2 years i think) i think its the only one in the country, my oint is that unfortuneately its not a widely available sector afaik.

good luck regardless, if your a trainee garda this time next year you will be lucky.

genericguy

unattendedbag wrote: »

OP there is really two areas that could be of interest to you. The first is the forensic science service in the UK or the Forensic science Laboratory in Ireland. (Privately run in the UK and public sector in Ireland.) I seen an advertisment on publicjobs.ie for a lab technician back in 2008 for the forensic science laboratory so I guess they recruit through there. It was a standard analytical chemist post, so they were just looking for a science degree and preferably some experience in a lab. standard advert for a lab job. A degree in Forensic science would really help you here.

as far as forensics in ireland is concerned, to work in the crime lab, even though the jobs are advertised with degrees as a minimum - for the position of forensic scientist, education to doctoral level is essential. that means 8-10 years of university. technician positions generally require a minimum of a masters. the degree course in forensic science is not of much advantage over any other scientific degree, it's more the experience you'd have from any job involving biological/chemical analysis that would stand to you.

sources: 2 of my friends are in the lab. For a long time I considered this as a career and went through university etc, but have decided in the past year that I'd rather be a garda than a scientist.

eru123

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_47hQMrArWc

alroorla

Geri Boyle wrote: »

OP, yes you do have to become a member of AGS first and serve as an uniformed member for 3 years before you can apply for available positions in CSI or any other section. As for work experience in AGS, I cant help you there.. maybe a serving member could shed some more light on it? As was already mentioned it is not easy to get into AGS and once you do you are not guaranteed to be accepted into CSI so you need to be aware of that before you make any big decisions. Best of luck with it.

Not sure if this thread is still followed, but I'm in a similar situation that the OP was in. I'm about to finish a masters in Forensic Science and I'm really interested in working in the forensic department of AGS. Is the protocol mentioned above still used or has it changed in the last 8 years?

mariemoon

alroorla wrote: »

Not sure if this thread is still followed, but I'm in a similar situation that the OP was in. I'm about to finish a masters in Forensic Science and I'm really interested in working in the forensic department of AGS. Is the protocol mentioned above still used or has it changed in the last 8 years?

I am in the same situation. I didn't apply for the garda last summer because I am in my final year in Forensics and Environmental chemistry.
I don't see myself working in a lab. I would love to became a Forensic Officer.
I was wondering if are they going to recruit again next year>?

Ciano1997

mariemoon wrote: »

I am in the same situation. I didn't apply for the garda last summer because I am in my final year in Forensics and Environmental chemistry.
I don't see myself working in a lab. I would love to became a Forensic Officer.
I was wondering if are they going to recruit again next year>?

With the new budget, I've noticed that there'll be another 800 officers recruited. I'll be applying again hopefully 3rd time lucky