How Good Were your backgrounds?

[$superman$]

just curious
my background isnt exactly stellar to say the least but I'm sure alot of the non LEO's on here hoping to get hired are curious about the current/past LEO's backgrounds on the forums.
So if it's too personal, I apologize but if some of you weren't perfect teenagers like many of us but still managed to get hired, please feel free to share
thanks!

[Legoate]

Depends on what you mean by 'stellar'. Every department has different standards- however most are quite similar. There are things that can be overlooked completely, some that will raise eyebrows and may delay you being hired by departments, and others that will flat-out DQ you from every agency forever.

Although there are things that just can't be overlooked EVER, there are issues in a person's background that fade with time.

One hot button item locally is DUI. There isn't an icecubes chance in hell that you will get hired with a recent DUI. However, if you had a DUI 10 years ago, there is a good chance that it could be overlooked as long as there were no other issues.

Each person is looked at as a whole- the sum off all issues (positive and negative) in their background. Then someone in the department makes the ultimate decision as to the hiring of that person. In my department it is done by a Deputy Chief with advisement from the Background Sergeant.

Maybe if you were more specific, people could help give you and educated guess at your chances.

[retdetsgt]

By the time I applied, I was 25 and served nearly 6 years in the Army. I had an MIP (alcohol) when I was 17. I had several run ins with the local W. Texas police of various depts, but never arrested other than the MIP. I suspect had I not gone in the Army, I would have gotten into more trouble and probably wouldn't have been a great candidate. The Army kept me under their thumb until I could mature.....

[mcsap]

No arrests.

No drugs.

Yes I did drink underage but it was perhaps 3 times. And in the military while on base, they didn't care if you were under 21.

Two tickets that I went to court with and they were dismissed if I didn't get any more for 60 days ( I didn't).
Speeding and misuse of a plate. ( I was test riding a used motorcycle from a dealer and he left the former owners tag on it. I took it out and went to a NEW development with NO homes built yet and was doing 45. A nearby officer running radar zinged me for 45/25 in a residential area. ( but there were no houses on the whole street !)

Had 4 yrs in the military. Had been out for 3 yrs. Did work steady but with various employers. Was in good shape , had decent references , knew NOBODY to " get me in" and scored well enough that I was one of three that were hired from a pool of 60 applicants.

[$superman$]

Depends on what you mean by 'stellar'. Every department has different standards- however most are quite similar. There are things that can be overlooked completely, some that will raise eyebrows and may delay you being hired by departments, and others that will flat-out DQ you from every agency forever.

Although there are things that just can't be overlooked EVER, there are issues in a person's background that fade with time.

One hot button item locally is DUI. There isn't an icecubes chance in hell that you will get hired with a recent DUI. However, if you had a DUI 10 years ago, there is a good chance that it could be overlooked as long as there were no other issues.

Each person is looked at as a whole- the sum off all issues (positive and negative) in their background. Then someone in the department makes the ultimate decision as to the hiring of that person. In my department it is done by a Deputy Chief with advisement from the Background Sergeant.

Maybe if you were more specific, people could help give you and educated guess at your chances.

I appreciate the info, but ive pretty much gotten all the answers i needed in that regard in the hiring section.
I made this thread just to give the non-LEO's a chance to see that maybe while many of the LEO's had great backgrounds there may be a few with discrepencies

[Citicop]

No arrests.

No drugs.

No underage drinking.

Several speeding tickets/accidents.

One or two instances of undetected teenage tomfoolery that I was honest about when asked.

Citicop.

[Johninaustin]

No arrests, no drug history, no alcohol offenses, no police involvement at all. No accidents, good credit, 2nd language. At the time, one semester short of a bachelor's degree.

Joined the army at 18 and stayed until I was 29. Was still a reservist when I applied, engaged, no divorces or child support issues. No medical issues beyond corrective lenses.

The only blemish I had was a speeding ticket in El Dorado KS 7 years prior to applying.

[Creeker]

No arrests.

No drugs.

No underage drinking.

A few speeding tickets/accidents.

Some pilfered soda's from my Granddad's soda machine while I was restocking it as a teenager. I 'fessed to that.

Drove a junked car on the public highway for about 100 yards around my Grandads garage to get from his back lot to the front. It was a '68 MG rustbucket. I was 15 and learning how to drive a stick shift. I had a SC drivers permit, but I was in PA.

Got into a dispute with my then Fiance when I found her in a drunken stupor and near blacked out. No blows, but she didn't want me to stay in her Apt to make sure she woke up... which resolved itself when she finally passed out. Nowadays, I suspect I could have gone for CDV when she was screaming at me if the law had been called. (We ended up breaking up shortly thereafter, just to clear that up... )

[mobrien316]

The detective who did my background never learned that I have a cave beneath my house from which I sortie into the night to fight crime.

[Creeker]

The detective who did my background never learned that I have a cave beneath my house from which I sortie into the night to fight crime.

BTW, the Commish called, your light is on the fritz... :p

Tell Robin to losen his tights...

[Samuel]

I made this thread just to give the non-LEO's a chance to see that maybe while many of the LEO's had great backgrounds there may be a few with discrepencies

:rolleyes: yeah, to all you borderline scumbags out there trying to be cops - there's always the chance that you'll slip through the cracks... :rolleyes:

[Aussie George]

I made this thread just to give the non-LEO's a chance to see that maybe while many of the LEO's had great backgrounds there may be a few with discrepencies

This thread is in the Ask A Cop section. Only LEO's can answer.

[Aussie George]

My name is Ben Dover, I molested a dead horse.

Also arrested for mopery - exposing myself to a blind person.

(if you have seen Fletch and Revenge of the Nerds you will know what I am talking about:p)

As for what I REALLY did...well that is between me and my personal file. Some traffic matters is just about the lot of it though...just about. ;)

[$superman$]

This thread is in the Ask A Cop section. Only LEO's can answer.

yes..
but non-LEO's can read it ;)

[Aussie George]

yes..
but non-LEO's can read it ;)

good point.

In all honesty I had little to hide, but I did have a bit of traffic history (see motorbike thread). I had to plead my case. Time was my friend as all the matters were a few years old at the time I applied.