Need advice regarding my past for upcoming interview

[Integrity]

I've applied for a position with a local department and so far have done quite well in the application process.

I've applied, written the exam, done the POPAT, had an interview and now I'm on to the next stage...the assessment center.

Right from the start I knew that a poly/CVSA is part of the procedure so I've been totally honest and have disclosed all the good stuff and no so good stuff.

My one and only black mark happened about 5 years ago when I was caught for lying to the insurance company regarding a claim I had. You see, I had a vehicle that was causing me problems...I said in general conversation at a party that it would be really nice if my vehicle went missing so I wouldn't have to worry about it. A person there said he'd steal it for me. I said fill you boots...it's all yours. Well, 2 days later it was gone. I never talked to the person after that and I'm 100% sure he took it....my comments were not serious...just complaining chit-chat. I never planned it or really wanted it to happen. Well, it did. I was given a receipt from a car parts place for an item that I didn't own that I claimed was on the vehicle. Well, it turned out the insurance company was already watching that shop and that's why it was investigated. I hired a lawyer when the police raided the shop...wanted to confess..was told not to...told to wait for the insurance company to make the first move...they did...I went to court and pled guilty with an appology....got a $500 fine and no record or charges.

I disclosed that info on my original application and since then I've been invited to write exams, take tests and have an interview. The assessment center is $1200 that the department is paying for. The Sergeant who is in charge of hiring says that he keeps coming back to my application for some reason...the insurance thing tells him 'no' but he says other things are telling him 'yes' (about me as a potential candidate). So, he said he will move me to the next level and let an independant 3rd party interview me to see what they think.

The insurance thing was the worst thing I have ever done. It was a case of a good person making a bad choice. I have forgiven myself and accept what I did. I've learned a lot about myself and have no plans of repeating anything like that ever again. I let myself down and my family down and have a lot of personal growth experience to pass along to someone who may be on the same path as I was. The problem is, I've done so many good things in my life that this one thing has muddied the waters for me.

My question is....

When talking to the interviewer at the assessment center, what would be considered an important thing to let them know about myself regarding this incident? I'd rather touch on things that will help my case instead of hurt it as long as it doesn't involve lying by omission or sugar-coating things. But at the same time, I don't want to talk about the incident in a way that's going to hurt my chances.

Any advice? Thank you in advance and sorry for the long write-up.

[acreature]

Insurance Fraud is a big no-no... Felony.

I would say you don't have a chance in hell. And not disclosing it would be worse.

[acreature]

BTW, have you disclosed this to your insurance company and reimbursed them> Have you advised the PD that did the investigation. so they can close the case?

You have forgiven yourself, great.... But wat about the others involved, money lost, manpower wasted, etc etc?

[acreature]

^disregard my second post............... hit a nerve, and I was guilty of skimming a nerve rattling post.

[Integrity]

^disregard my second post............... hit a nerve, and I was guilty of skimming a nerve rattling post.

...paid a $500 fine...paid the insurance company $2300 for their investigation...

If I didn't have a chance, I would have been DQ'd from the start. You see, I told the department about this when I applied. They questioned me about it and yet are still deciding to spend $1200 on me to go to the assessment center.

It was 5 years ago...case is closed as far as the insurance company and police are concerned.

[acreature]

Any felony is an Auto-DQ here.

[Integrity]

...thing is, I wasn't charged criminally. I was charged under the Motor Vehicle Act for filing a false insurance claim. The Motor Vehicle Act is the same act that contains all other offences....speeding..red lights...stop signs....

anyway...

[acreature]

Insurance Fraud is a Felony. Based on where you are, Felonies usually last a lifetime; meaning they can charge at any time.

Understanding you did it, and have forgiven yourself.

My concern would be your willingness to maybe fudge a report to suit the needs of a case.

This isn't drinking a beer underage or tokin' a bong once or twice when you were a teenager.

[samseed101]

How can fraud fall under the same law / catagory as a moving or civil violation? What state is this in? I would have to look this up because it doesn't seem right.

[Nole795]

I have to agree with the others, your incident with your vehicle would be a DQ at the police department(s) I worked for and with. What you did is pretty serious and a severe blow to your integrity.

My questions is this: Did you report the vehicle as stolen? Most insurance companies won't reimburse a claimant without a case number. If you did, then you filed a false police report, which is another strike in your file.

I understand this is not the news you want to hear. Unfortunately there are some barriers that once you cross, you can't go back and correct then expect a chance to become a law enforcement officer.

[txinvestigator1]

My dept would not have hired you. We not not hire you as a guard at my company.

[Integrity]

I'm in Canada...we only have one insurance company for the whole province. There wasn't a fraud committed because no payment for the vehicle was ever received by myself. Yes, I filed a claim with them and it was false. I was very lucky that I was only charged under the MVA and not the Criminal Code of Canada.

I think this is the same thing that's going to happen at the 2nd interview...it's going to get off topic. Fact is, I admitted what I did to the staff development section in my original cover letter to them. You see, no one can just go apply for a job at departments in this city. You have to apply to be allowed to apply....drop off a cover letter and resume...then if it looks good, they give you 30 pages of questions (integrity and work history). After reviewing that, if they still see potential in you, they offer to let you write the exam. If you pass the exam you do the POPAT. If you pass the POPAT you get a face to face interview with the head of Staff Development. If he likes you, he decides if he likes you enough to send you to the Assessment Center.

Agree with it or not, I've passed everything up to this point. I'm in the top 10 for a position as a police officer. The assessment center interview and testing is part of the process that gets reported back to staff development. They wouldn't spend the money on me to send me there if they weren't serious.

So back to my original question, what advice does anyone have to help me present my insurance incident in a way that is honest, forthright and sincere while at the same time not elaborating on it in a way that's going to harm my chances. If I can keep it 'short and sweet' I think it would be the best. I'm sure they would want me to show remorse, acceptance and take responsibility for my actions as well as demonstrate what I learned from the issue....

Please help me!

[Integrity]

http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/I/96231_01.htm

My case fell under Section 42. Just some Canadian info fyi!

[acreature]

......what advice does anyone have to help me present my insurance incident in a way that is honest, forthright and sincere ............

You answered your own question.

[Valor55]

The insurance thing was the worst thing I have ever done. It was a case of a good person making a bad choice. I have forgiven myself and accept what I did. I've learned a lot about myself and have no plans of repeating anything like that ever again. I let myself down and my family down and have a lot of personal growth experience to pass along to someone who may be on the same path as I was. The problem is, I've done so many good things in my life that this one thing has muddied the waters for me.

That's exactly what you need to say. If it were an automatic disqualifier you would have been DQ'd already. So it's not automatic. However it's a huge problem that they are going to look at very closely. The kind of attitude you expressed in the above quoted paragraph is a good start.