Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

I Live in GA and got a Misdemeanor for possession of Marijuana while I was employed at the time in Loss Prevention. I was experimenting at the time and hung out with the wrong "Friends" I have straigtened out now and now work as a Security Guard and this is the only thing on my record can I still become a Police Officer ?????

You don't say what the disposition of the case was. Were you found guilty or did you plea to misdemeanor marijuana possession?

If you were arrested/cited for a misdemeanor, it is on your arrest record. Whether or not it will disqualify you depends on the agency you apply to.

Moral to the story: Only dummies smoke weed.

You don't say what the disposition of the case was. Were you found guilty or did you plea to misdemeanor marijuana possession?

If you were arrested/cited for a misdemeanor, it is on your arrest record. Whether or not it will disqualify you depends on the agency you apply to.

Moral to the story: Only dummies smoke weed.
EXACTLY what he said.
Going by the letter of the law it will not DQ you. But without a LOT of time between the arrest and the application no department in this state is going to hire you. By "a lot of time" I mean probably 10 years.

Our department wants about 5 or more years between the last time you even tried it, and when you're applying. They won't DQ you for a mis. but just don't get in any more trouble.

You'll be carrying around a large " bruise" on your face every time that you apply. ONLY time and hard work can begin to erase said bruise.

What have you done since your " experimentation to make yourself a better person and how have you bettered your community ?

You'll be carrying around a large " bruise" on your face every time that you apply. ONLY time and hard work can begin to erase said bruise.

What have you done since your " experimentation to make yourself a better person and how have you bettered your community ?


mcsap has a good point. It's hard staying out of trouble in general, but walking the fine line from the day you're born until the day you apply for any law enforcement job is even harder. Stay straight for at least the next 5 years. At least. Get to know people. Talk to people. Do ride-alongs in the next few years. That's what I did. I did ride alongs for 5 years before even applying. But at the same time, I've never been arrested. You're just going to have to work hard if you really want it, bud. Patience is going to have to come into play as well.