credit

[MarineMp]

me and my roomate are wondering why Police departments do a credit check.. i can think of a few good reasons but does anyone know why for sure?

[scott715us]

Responsibility.

If you can't even pay your own bills or irresponsible about paying for vehicles, house, taxes, etc. who's to say you can be counted on with the important responsibilities as an officer.

[MarineMp]

under federal law is it illegal to disqualify someone based on personal finances.... As long as they are not involved in legal action against them for bad credit

[retdetsgt]

Scott's hit it on the head. If you have bad credit because of something catastrophic, that will be looked at. But if it's because you chose to live beyond your means, that's a different story.

Cops with money problems also make administrators nervous. I think you can understand why.....

[MarineMp]

thanks, hiring practices are always murky.. I told my roomate that they look into your credit in the application process, and he didnt believe that it was legal to disqualify someone based on their credit history.

[retdetsgt]

under federal law is it illegal to disqualify someone based on personal finances.... As long as they are not involved in legal action against them for bad credit

Can you quote that? We do it all the time. You can be disqualified from a lot of things for bad credit.

[MarineMp]

It wasn't a statement, but a question. I thought that a credit report could be used as a guide, but could not be used as a sole means of disqualification. Basically, if an individual was suffering from bad credit for poor choices they made years ago, and had been current in their responsiblities in the more recent history, they should be ok. In other words, you can't discriminate against an applicant for their personal financial situation. You can merely state that it suggests that they are responsible or not, and honest/trustworthy or not. Am I right?

The Roommate.

[scott715us]

Even if there is a federal law prohibiting a LE agency from diqualifying strictly on the basis of credit, if they really don't want to hire you, they can literally find another reason or simply hire a candidate who has less baggage.

Even if they didn't hire you because of credit history alone, I think you would have a hard time trying to prove it. ;)

[txinvestigator1]

There is no law prohibiting an employer from disqualifying a person for information learned in a credit report.

The FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) makes the background check an Investigative Consumer Report. There are laws regulating the info and how it is reported and handled, and if negative action is taken based on a ICR a disclosure is required.

[steelcityk9cop]

Some departments will argue that poor financial choices can lead to corruption issues as well as irresponsibility.

[slim202cop]

Point blank:

Someone with bad credit CANNOT be trusted around large sums of money. As a police officer, you'll come across large amounts of money, esp. when you arrest drug dealers.

[sgtbear111]

The negatives, the risks that appear, and linger -

Bad credit can DQ an LEO applicant for exactly the same reasons the military will DQ higher security clearances. Credit is a measure of trust, responsibility, keeping promises and accepting obligations.

Will you loan money today, to the guy who stiffed you last month for a fifty dollar weekend loan? If the guy is into you for several thousand, would you want him carrying a loaded rifle behind you?

If someone cannot keep a promise about money and/or evades payment; how far can we trust their other promises, contracts, and stated obligations to some things less tangible? (1) like their oath of enlistment in the Armed Services, or (2) acceptance of a military officer's commission, or (3) sworn law enforcement officer's commission, or (4) as an Officer of the Courts, giving sworn testimony in Court where the stakes are high.

Continued bad credit is only an indicator?......or is it also documented behavior?

Consider: bad credit is seen as a liability because spies and informants are motivated by a number of things - MONEY is just one. Once a person accepts money or something, anything, from the bad guys, the bad guys own that person for life. A handfull of small bills is cheap.

Consider: someone who is overspent and "has access to things" was just offered enough money to avoid the re-possession of the toys: the new Hummer, the wife's Lexus, the boat, the jet-ski, snowmobile, the big screen TV, now to pay the consumer credit interest off, buy the kids a horse, maybe even pay off the mortgage forclosure, and "wow" raise their spending limits to a new high. All that is asked for ...."just a simple small harmless favor for a friend....after all who would know?".....

Consider: who the benefactor may be, or the undisclosed "friend" is - an eccentric billionaire like on TV? drug cartel? outlaw motorcycle gang? terrorist? hostile foreign power? They look for and exploit personal weaknesses in certain employees with "access". They approach with a solution, and if the person can be compromised, they buy them for as little as possible. After they 'own' their source they can pay little or nothing.

Consider: the damage done in loss of security and risked lives. Can this person be trusted handling sensitive documents, evidence or people's property or cash? The benefactor approaches with some money and an order, not a request "....our friends want something to disappear before the trial".

Consider: the benefactor's next requests for "a lot more effort" will have some teeth in it, no money just do it or else.....from threats of telling the employer, or real disfigurement or death - threats extending to family, beyond the people already betrayed.

Consider: the history of convicted spies that did it for money, then got caught. They were overspent and in a financial hole. They earned life in prison, or the long jump on a rope, in some countries, for 'chump change' from their new masters. Their masters / benefactors just dispose of them <sound of flushing toilet> when they are no longer useful.

Consider: turncoats are no less deadly when they betray the security of law enforcement operations. The corporate world takes similar security screeing measures to protect their R & D, patents, proprietary information systems, etc.

There are lots of applicants for most good jobs; why bother with one with a higher risk, considering all the negative possibilities out there? It breaks a tie in someone elses' favor.

You are likely none of these things, but the employer may cease interest in getting to know you better....the last they say is "send in the next applicant as you leave".

Consider: (1) continued bad credit, (2) shifting blame elsewhere, (3) finding sanctuary in the law to avoid obligations

Also, passing a security screening investigation is not some kind of right.

Consider: (1) paying what is owed (2) making written agreements with creditors for payment (3) changing spending habits (4) raising the credit score from where you put it (5) keep paper records of your progress, payments, and all correspondence.

When asked, tell the prospective employer of your old problem, and more about your progress. They may want to know more about you, keep the other applicants waiting in the hall, and invite you to return.

Good luck.

[mcsap]

Point blank:

Someone with bad credit CANNOT be trusted around large sums of money. As a police officer, you'll come across large amounts of money, esp. when you arrest drug dealers.

Thanks for saving me the typing

[MarineMp]

[QUOTE=sgtbear111]The negatives, the risks that appear, and linger -

Bad credit can DQ an LEO applicant for exactly the same reasons the military will DQ higher security clearances. Credit is a measure of trust,

speaking of security clearences , i have a top secret, will that help a bit when it comes to getting hired? or do they take there own route and get a new clearence for me ?

[sgtbear111]

The discussion began as a what-if, not directed to any person. I pointed out the negative implications/sterotypes that bad credit opens up. Very often questions here are put up as "someone I know has this problem" where it is actually the writer's problem, that they step away from by naming "a friend" etc. If I drifted that way incorrectly, apologies.

A DoD clearance is a plus, but will not replace the police BI.
Again, good luck.