Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

I applied at one police department to become a police officer, made it thru most of the process but had one bad review from one previous employer. They told them I had been terminated for using my employee discount improperly, although I really quit the job because of the manager, it still hurt my chances in this particular department. I would like to apply at another department and just not use that employer as a reference, is that possible or will the new department know that I had already applied at the first department? Any advice or help would be appreciated.

First, yes, departments talk to each other and it can fairly easily be determined if you applied elsewhere (it's even a question you have to answer in your background questionnaire). With that said...


I applied at one police department to become a police officer, made it thru most of the process but had one bad review from one previous employer. They told them I had been terminated for using my employee discount improperly, although I really quit the job because of the manager, it still hurt my chances in this particular department.

There more to the story than you're sharing here regarding the portion in bold. Companies don't make a habit of making stuff up to tell others during a background investigation, as they open themselves up to litigation and being sued if they do. In your mind, you may not have liked your boss, but I'm guessing there's some truth (that you're not sharing with us, and likely didn't share with the department you applied to) to the story about employ discount misuse.

Care to be a bit more forthcoming with what happened?

I would like to apply at another department and just not use that employer as a reference, is that possible or will the new department know that I had already applied at the first department? Any advice or help would be appreciated.

That would be a bad idea. You're not applying for a part time job at Lowe's or Burger King. You can't just leave stuff off your application and act like that period of your life never happened.

If the agency you're applying to doesn't find out from the agency you were rejected by, they'll find out through other means. When that happens, and it will, you'll be summarily rejected for failure to disclose the information.

Police departments see failure to fully disclose ALL pertinent job history as being much worse than just having a firing or dispute with a former employer

Be totally honest and up front and let the chips fall where they may. To do otherwise is to prove yourself to be a liar.

The only other thing I am willing to put out there is that I am a young woman and he was a somewhat older man and if I had the money I might try to take some action on the way I was treated and the things that were done, but I don't so I quit and tried to move on.

You asked for our opinions, we gave them to you. What you do with them is up to you.

Disclose as much or as little as you wish. :rolleyes:

Just be prepared when the "Sorry" letter comes.

The only other thing I am willing to put out there is that I am a young woman and he was a somewhat older man and if I had the money I might try to take some action on the way I was treated and the things that were done, but I don't so I quit and tried to move on.

If we don't know the whole story, it makes it a bit difficult to give you any worthwhile advice.

Just be prepared when the "Sorry" letter comes.

Which is exactly what happened before. Some people never learn, which is why they say, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." :rolleyes:

Absolutely we share! Assume that we can find out everything about you so prepare good explanations for everything you are not proud of. More importantly, don't do anything else that you would not like your mother to hear about. Not fair, is it?