background check

[Unregistered]

I AM PROCESSING WITH L.A.P.D AND I HAVE MY BACKGROUND INTERVIEW IN A WEEK. WELL, AFTER MY FIRST ORAL INTERVIEW I WAS TOLD I PASSED IT SO I WAS GIVEN A PRELIMINARY BACKGROUND INTERVIEW THAT LASTED ONLY A FEW MINUTES- I WAS ASKED "WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE DRUNK?"--- WELL, I SAID "A MONTH AGO"---WHICH IS THE TRUTH, HOWEVER, I WON'T BE 21 YEARS OLD UNTIL JANUARY 2002. DID I SCREW UP HERE-- BY TELLING THE TRUTH?? ITS AGAINST THE LAW FOR ME TO EVEN CONSUME ANY ALCOHOL SINCE I'M ONLY 20 1/2. WILL THIS HURT ME IN THE PROCESS?? HOW DO I MAKE THIS O.K? THANKS.

[realpolice]

Hmmm...that's a tricky one. It all depends on the attitudes of the people interviewing you. Did they ask you "Why you were drinking" or anything like that? If they do a follow up with you, you may want to elaborate as to getting drunk is not a normal thing with you (if that's true). Good luck.

[lprocter]

Police aren't stupid. They know people drink under age. Saying that you were never drunk will probably have made them suspicious. From my limited work with police, they prefer honesty. They don't want someone who's going to lie and cheat. It's bad for the department and the public. Besides, it's well known that many police officers are alcoholics. They may get drunk every night. Police cheifs don't care what you do at home, but they expect you to be sober when you're working. Since it seems like you don't regularly get drunk, you should be fine. Don't worry about it.

[Byu]

..........for once, lol!

Anyways, It is always best to be honest when interviewing for a job, ESPECIALLY in Law Enforcement. Wouldn't you rather not get a job because you were honest than get one because you lied? I think that you will be fine.

[FOP900]

Hey Byu, I have several friends in the NYPD applicant investigation section here, and what they foremost want to see is honesty. If you had answered "never" i think that would have opened the door for some more questioning, although I'm suprised that they didn't ask you "How often do you get drunk?"
Lying is the basis for many applicants getting ****-canned, even for minor statements.

[Byu]

Depending on requirements of the LAPD (which I haven't a clue about), because he did tell the truth, I don't think that this incident will keep him from being hired. My point was just that if he doesn't get the job for being honest its still better than getting it from lying. And besides, these are cops your dealing with...lol...they will eventually find out the truth, so I say just be honest in the first place and make it easy on them and on yourself.

Its great to see ya back FOP!!!!

Byu

P.S. Reminds me of this guy who applied here a couple of months ago....He was asked if he had ever smoked marijuana...he said yes. He was asked if he still smoked marijuana...he answered yes, but only on special occasions...So his next question was...Would you consider getting hired on with the PD a special occasion....Needless to say, he was not hired.....lol...but at the very least he was honest!

[lprocter]

Byu's right. I mean, even if they don't find out you lied, imagine the guilt that will go with it. I believe that it would likely stay in your mind for a long while.

But that doesn't matter, because you're not lying, now are you?