hiring

[indsmom]

I have a question about being hired with a mood disorder. I have a friend who is diagnosed with bipolar, she is stable and medicated and would like to become a police officer. does she even have a chance? she is going to apply anyways, but I am not wanting her to get her hopes up or quit her job if she gets a "conditional offer" before they do the medical (I am assuming they will see 2 hospitalizations and medications in her records, right?)

[Jay7376]

Unfortunantly you (I mean "your friend") would not have much of a chance getting hired.

[Kimble]

I have a friend who is diagnosed with bipolar, she is stable and medicated and would like to become a police officer. does she even have a chance?

No, with a bipolar diagnosis, "she" would not be eligible for hire as a LEO.

[indsmom]

thanks guys, and they will find this out BEFORE offering any kind of conditional offer, right? hard as it is to believe, it's actually not me. I'm a nursing student with mental problems of my own, I'm sure! just not diagnosed yet! like I said, my main concern is I don't want her to quit her job or anything, and there's nothing I can say to disuade her from going through this process.

[tomahawk134]

...

[Kimble]

thanks guys, and they will find this out BEFORE offering any kind of conditional offer, right?

No, not necessarily. With many departments, applicants get a written test, and if they pass take a physical fitness test, and if they pass have one or more interviews. Then, generally speaking, they receive a conditional offer.

It is usually not until after the conditional offer (though this will vary from one department's process to another) that the background investigation, psychological eval, polygraph, medical exam, etc. are scheduled. My bet is during the psych eval or background investigation, this owuld come up, and this person would be disqualified, if not sooner.

[indsmom]

ok, so when she gets a "conditional offer" that wouldn't be when she quits her job, right? that just means they say "well, now we're going to do the physical and the background and if that all checks out then we will hire you" right? because she's already done everything through the oral interview. sorry to keep asking, I don't really know the process. once a conditional offer is in place that just means they will offer a job after everything else checks out, which is when they would go into records and see her hospitalizations, etc.

[Kimble]

ok, so when she gets a "conditional offer" that wouldn't be when she quits her job, right? that just means they say "well, now we're going to do the physical and the background and if that all checks out then we will hire you" right? because she's already done everything through the oral interview. sorry to keep asking, I don't really know the process. once a conditional offer is in place that just means they will offer a job after everything else checks out, which is when they would go into records and see her hospitalizations, etc.

Hey, if you don't ask, how will you know the answer?

No, one should not quit their current job when they have a conditional offer. I have one myself with a PD, and haven't said a word to my employers because at this point, nothing is final.

A conditional offer is just that: you meet the conditions, you get a final offer. If you don't meet the conditions, the offer is rescinded. Also, even after a final offer is made, one should be aware that, while rare, budget cuts and such can cause academy classes to be delayed or cancelled, in which case a final offer may be rescinded or postponed.

Long story short, don't quit your job until you get the final offer.

[mcsap]

She may be " stable and medicated " but what if she doesn't take her meds or becomes unstable ?

We CANNOT take such a risk with a person who has the authority to make life and death decisions.

[indsmom]

I agree, I'm not asking if it's ok, what I am asking is will these hospitalizations come up in her background investigation. again, this is not me, I do not want my friend to become a cop, I think it is a BAD IDEA, I just want to make sure it doesn't happen.

[Whitebear]

dont worry they will ask her about her medical condition and it will come out. she will not be a cop with bipolar disorder

[mcsap]

I agree, I'm not asking if it's ok, what I am asking is will these hospitalizations come up in her background investigation. again, this is not me, I do not want my friend to become a cop, I think it is a BAD IDEA, I just want to make sure it doesn't happen.

ANY medical history will be questioned and examined. She is STILL bipolar and is on meds to try to control it. There is NO way on God's green earth that any kind of Law Enforcement Agency would take such a risk to employ someone in her condition.