Question about my background

[AzLifesaver]

I have a question about my background. I had a felony burglary conviction at one time in my life, but it is now expunged with all of my civil right restored, including the right to own and posess firearms. When I look at police department minimum qualifications, it says "no felony convictions", does that mean ever?, or currently?, Because as of now I no longer have one, and my record reflects "conviction vacated". Does anyone have any insight on this or my chances? Im specifically looking at joining LAPD. The conviction was 14 years ago, since then I have been a productive law abiding citizen. I am currently working as an EMT on a 911 ambulance, serving the community, going into peoples homes and providing life saving care, driving code3 through the city, etc,etc. And before that, I spent 6 years as a fugitive recovery agent. I am also actively envolved with the police and fire dept. volunteering on the crisis response team, and I am volunteering as an intern death investigator at the medical examiners office. I look forward to hearing back from you soon. Here is a list of my qualifications.....Respectfully

National Certified EMT

State Certified EMT

State Licensed Fugitive Recovery Agent

State Licensed Bail Bond Agent

State Licensed Public Notary

CPR Instructor

Community Emergency Response Team Member - Homeland Defense Bureau

Crisis Response Team Member - Police/Fire

Volunteer/Intern - Medical Examiners Office

Memeber IAFF - International Asscociation of Fire Fighters

H.S. Diploma

Certificate of Completion in Forensics Investigation

Associate of Applied Science in Justice Studies

[lax854]

from what i know you are out of luck....felony conviction means youre done

[TX-LEO]

I would have to say it would DQ you in my city.

[Johninaustin]

No dice. It's not the dept you have to be concerned over, it's the state licensing board. No way in hell will they certify you with a previous felony conviction, expunged or not.

For that matter, as soon as the ME finds out about it you are toast as well. Same rules apply to death investigators.

I'm flat out amazed you are allowed to work EMS. Didn't they do any background on you at all? :confused:

[AzLifesaver]

No dice. It's not the dept you have to be concerned over, it's the state licensing board. No way in hell will they certify you with a previous felony conviction, expunged or not.

For that matter, as soon as the ME finds out about it you are toast as well. Same rules apply to death investigators.

I'm flat out amazed you are allowed to work EMS. Didn't they do any background on you at all? :confused:

Like I said if you read carefully "johninaustin", It was "expunged", meaning I am no longer a convicted felon, and my state record reflects that and shows conviction has been vacated and I am released from all penalties arising from that. I did disclose my past when I was certified as a state and national EMT, and I did disclose it at the medical examiners office because I am forthcoming and honest, even though I wasn't required to do so, because I am NOT convicted. I have also spoken with the California POST board and they said they would look at it on a case by case basis because it is expunged. If it wasn't than I would be denied. I was just inquiring to see if any officer's had any direct info pertaining to this matter, or any experience with background stuff. Thanks for the vote of confidence though.

[Curt581]

Like I said if you read carefully "johninaustin", It was "expunged", meaning I am no longer a convicted felon, and my state record reflects that and shows conviction has been vacated and I am released from all penalties arising from that.

First, can the sarcasm or your time here will be astonishingly short.

Second, expungement doesn't cover ALL records. Police arrest records don't get erased.

Third, Expungement does NOT mean that it's as if the entire incident never happened.

Fourth, being denied a job is NOT a penalty.

Fifth, even in the odd instance that it wouldn't auto-disqualify, you'd be competing against people who don't have such a history. Many will have even more impressive qualifications than you've got.

I did disclose my past when I was certified as a state and national EMT, and I did disclose it at the medical examiners office because I am forthcoming and honest, even though I wasn't required to do so, because I am NOT convicted.

Actually, the correct phrase would be: "I am not convicted anymore".

I have also spoken with the California POST board and they said they would look at it on a case by case basis because it is expunged. If it wasn't than I would be denied.

That means you wouldn't be automatically rejected from being licensed by the POST board. That's a FAR cry from being approved for hire by an agency.

To say your efforts will be "uphill" doesn't begin to cover it. More like "up-sheer-cliff-face".

My advice? Apply at the Fire Department.

Thanks for the vote of confidence though.

Anytime.

[Johninaustin]

Like I said if you read carefully "johninaustin", It was "expunged", meaning I am no longer a convicted felon, and my state record reflects that and shows conviction has been vacated and I am released from all penalties arising from that. I did disclose my past when I was certified as a state and national EMT, and I did disclose it at the medical examiners office because I am forthcoming and honest, even though I wasn't required to do so, because I am NOT convicted. I have also spoken with the California POST board and they said they would look at it on a case by case basis because it is expunged. If it wasn't than I would be denied. I was just inquiring to see if any officer's had any direct info pertaining to this matter, or any experience with background stuff. Thanks for the vote of confidence though.

I love these guys. Ask questions but have all the answers already. Call us when you actually get hired as a police officer. BTW: You WERE convicted.

Here's a question for your POST contact. Ask them how many felony convictions (Expunged, dipped in chocolate, whatever.) that they HAVE approved. I'll bet you can count them on the fingers of one hand if there are any at all. :rolleyes:

[Curt581]

I love these guys. Ask questions but have all the answers already.

They just wanted to see if WE knew. You know, like a test.

[DeltaV]

Regardless of what your record says, you will have to disclose the arrest/conviction and explain yourself during a background investigation. Then you have to take a polygraph exam that will tell whether or not you really did disclose everything. So yes, the department will find out about it and nobody is going to hire someone who committed burglary in the past.

Honestly, your qualifications aren't anything special either. The whole "fugitive recovery" and bail bonds thing will actually hurt you A LOT. Police agencies avoid hiring these people like the plague. It's good that you have an associate's degree, but there are lots of other applicants with either military experience or four year college degrees.

[SnapShawt]

The felony conviction (expunged, fine, but you WERE convicted and yes you ARE required to disclose this on a LAW ENFORCEMENT application - little different than other jobs) does you in.

That aside, the fugitive recovery/bail bonds gig would get you booted from my agency and many others I know of as well. We steer very clear of people who have done that. It's NOT a good "mark".

[mcsap]

Our app ( and MANY others ) ask ..." were you ever arrested and or convicted of a Misdemeanor or a Felony ?" . It doesn't care if it was expunged or if you were found guilty but later won an appeal and was found not guilty. It asks were you ever arrested/convicted ?

And the answer in your case is YES. To say anything else will start the stopwatch clicking away until they find that you were arrested because once an entery is made on your criminal history ( only available to LE agencies) , it is never erased. It will say things like " nolle prossed " , " not guilty " , charges withdrawn " , " expunged" or " guilty".

No one in any private sector job can find out of your arrest via a background check but I assure you that any backgound checking police officer CAN.

And if they have ANY reason to believe that you lied about an arrest...you are finished.

[AzLifesaver]

Thanks for the info, I have always been honest and forth coming about my past, even in the private sector where I do not have to disclose it and I have learned honesty is respected and a good policy. I absolutely plan on disclosing my expungement on my background. I know most departments on the west coast where I live have a discretionary policy and hire people that had drug use/experiment(which I never have), and misdemeanors. I am just hoping that they(Los Angeles Police Dept.) will take into great consideration in my hiring process my past. I know you cannot own or posess a firearm as a convicted felon, and I CAN. I had my arrest record pulled at the state repository, and it shows my arrest with "charges dismissed/conviction vacated" next to it. I will disclose that, and I will admit it on my polygraph.

[retdetsgt]

I guess it depends on the state. In Oregon, we don't polygraph applicants and an expunged conviction is that, expunged. You can legally say you were never convicted. Otherwise an expungment means nothing.

But I can't speak for every state.