Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Hello, I am applying for my local police department. In 2006 I had a hit and run that was lowered to a city ordinance. I am sure I will be asked about this in the interview so I was just curious as to what I should say. I was driving home and it was raining I turned the corner and hit the car on the side. They followed me home and called the cops. I got a hit and run that was lowered to a city ordinance. No breathalyzer was given and I did not go to jail. Will the panel pull the police report and read it? I also had 2 dui both misdemeanor when I was 21 and 24. I know its a long shot but I am going to apply anyways. I am just curious as what I should say for the city ordinance.

Thanks,
Brandon

All I can tell you is we fired a guy with about 15 years on doing a hit and run like that. We also don't hire anyone with more than one DUI and that has to be over 5 years prior.

I'm curious why you added that you weren't given a breath test. Were you worried that you would be?

Yes, they will pull the police reports from all the crimes you have been charged with. (Both DWIs and the Hit and Run.)

How old are you now?

Your record shows a very high number of poor decisions. This will make your ability to get hired by a police department very near to zero. If you want to apply, feel free, but I would find a new career path if I were you.

McNulty, I said I wasnt given a test because in the report it said something like I was slurring my words. I cant remember the whole report. It may help me if they do read it because I wasnt convicted of a dui then and they cant prove if I was over the limit or not. This is just what I think I could be wrong though on if it helps me or not.

Citicop, I am 29 now. I was 24 the last and final time I got in trouble. If it helps any I was young and single. Now I have an associates degree and married two years with 3 kids 11 years, 17 months, and 1 month (one is a stepdaughter).

I am hoping if I get an interview they will see I have changed for the better. I got my owi at 21 city ordinance at 23, and 2nd owi at 24. Will these still be on my record even though I went through diversion? Thank you all for replying if anyone else wants to reply I would be happy to read.

You were still an adult when you made those "poor" descisions so it is irrelevant if you are now married and educated. I am sure you have matured and changed. It still doesnt change your past history and with 2 DUI's and a Hit and Run your chances of landing a Law Enforcement job is slim if any chance. It never hurts to apply but you need to realize it is a VERY competitive proffession and you will be up against people with degrees, military experience and no criminal records.

You committed the hit and run because you were drunk and didn't want to get another DUI. It happens all the time. You're dealing with cops. Whether or not you were charged, convicted, or the charge was reduced, we still have been around long enough to figure out what happened. Luckily landing a police job isn't like a trial, so you don't need proof beyond a reasonable doubt to prove something or pass someone over. No matter what it was reduced to, you still committed a hit and run. AND you have two DUIs. The bigger issue here is obviously an alcohol problem, and I don't know of any agency that would hire you with your background.

You committed the hit and run because you were drunk and didn't want to get another DUI. It happens all the time. You're dealing with cops. Whether or not you were charged, convicted, or the charge was reduced, we still have been around long enough to figure out what happened. Luckily landing a police job isn't like a trial, so you don't need proof beyond a reasonable doubt to prove something or pass someone over. No matter what it was reduced to, you still committed a hit and run. AND you have two DUIs. The bigger issue here is obviously an alcohol problem, and I don't know of any agency that would hire you with your background.
Nor do I.

I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you. If you do get hired look in the sky because pigs will be flying.

With it being 5 years ago will that help me any?

With it being 5 years ago will that help me any?

Maybe a little, but not enough to make it likely to get a job in this field, IMHO.

In my state, the third DWI conviction is a felony. So if you were intoxicated while driving and fled the scene of an accident in order to avoid a criminal charge (which would be a felony here) that is going to be readily apparent.

Even with the time, the pattern of poor decision making and clear problems you have/had with alcohol will probably prevent you from working in a sworn Law Enforcement position.

Even if we assume this would not automatically disqualify you, the hiring process is competitive. So what positives do you bring to the table to counter this negative on your record? Most of your competition will not have issues like this. So given the choice between you and someone with a degree/military experience/prior law enforcement experience with no problematic history of alcohol use and possible felony behavior, why would the department choose you?

I'm not trying to be harsh, but that's an important question you need to consider. If you've turned things around, then that's fantastic, and I'm sure that you'll find a career in which you can make a difference and be happy.

But I don't think that career is in Law Enforcement.

Thanks Citicop. You are not being harsh thanks for your replies. The leaving the scene came before my second DUI if that helps any. Some positives are me not drinking anymore, I now have a degree, and I've matured. I am going to apply. If I don't get it I have a good job now just don't like it. Thanks again for your replies.

I said I wasnt given a test because in the report it said something like I was slurring my words. I cant remember the whole report. It may help me if they do read it because I wasnt convicted of a dui then and they cant prove if I was over the limit or not.

So in other words when you left the scene you were probably drunk then too. Two DUIs plus a hit & run where alcohol was likely involved = a snowball's chance in he** with my agency or pretty much any agency with any type of credibility. Seek other employment.

I checked my court records and it showed the DUI's were dismissed will this help me out any? I know the arrests are still there but hoping with it being dismissed it will help me some. Thank you again to all the cops who have replied.

I checked my court records and it showed the DUI's were dismissed will this help me out any? I know the arrests are still there but hoping with it being dismissed it will help me some. Thank you again to all the cops who have replied.

No. It won't help at all. The thing that is killing your chances is your decisions to drive drunk in the first place. The fact that you've been arrested for it twice, and most likely have had another accident attributable to it, even tho it did not lead to an arrest, shows that you have a record of making extremely bad decisions and breaking the law. It does not matter one bit what the legal system did AFTER your arrest. Just because charges were dismissed does NOT mean you did not commit that crime, and that's what law enforcement agencies will look at. And we all know that if you've been caught TWICE, and almost caught a third time, then you have probably driven drunk at least DOZENS if not HUNDREDS of times where you did NOT get caught.

Your track record, even tho it may have been 5 year or more ago, is just too horrible. For example, imagine you do get hired as a LEO, and you make a DUI arrest. When the person takes it to court, and their lawyer looks thru the public records and finds out you have a track record of at least 2 DUI's yourself, with one more that is likely, you will have IMMEDIATELY lost credibility in court and from then on, ANY and EVERY DUI arrest you make will be not prosecuted by the state's attorneys. What agency wants to take on that liability, or waste their money training an officer who can't make a certain type of case or arrest?

People here have told you time and time again that you do not stand ANY chance at becoming a law enforcement officer in any agency that they know of, and I'm here to reiterate that and tell you again, you stand absolutely ZERO chance of becoming a LEO anywhere near me or anywhere that I've ever heard of. It is time for you to man up, stop trying to legitimize your past in an effort to save your future, and come up with a different plan for your life, because Law Enforcement is NOT in your future.

Just becuase you "changed" does not mean your past issues are forgiven or forgotton.

mods, if you want you can lock this thread. Thanks for all the replies. I have changed for the best, but if I cant get hired it was my mistake. I am taking responsibility for my actions. I did the mistakes and I have to live with them.

I have a hard time believing that DUIs were "dismissed." Maybe they were retired or plead down in a plea bargain agreement, but it's not common for any DUI to get dismissed.

I went through diversion. My records say dissmissed. Maybe they weren't I was just going off what I read.

Judicial diversion = charge may be dismissed after completion of the diversion program (similar to probation). That makes more sense. Though I've never seen a DUI charge allowed judicial diversion in my neck of the woods. That's fairly lucky option where you are.

Oregon has a program for diversion for first offensive DUI's. For employment purposes, the record still exists though. And if you get another within 5 years, the first one can be resurrected.

I did diversion for the first then title 12 deferral for the second. Are these the same? Also i already completed both years ago. If they wanted to could they bring it back up saying I shouldn't have been allowed to do it twice?