Have I ruined my chance to become a cop? Considering a CJ major

[mrgoodcat1]

I was arrested when I was 16 years old for disturbing the peace, in my possesion I had a digital pocket scale. The scale was used to assure I was not being ripped off when I purchased MJ. The only reason I had it was because my friends older brother was a dealer.

I got in a fist fight (defending myself entirely) then was arrested for fighting in public because I didnt want to tell the cops what happened (didnt want to get beat up for snitching, was very small at the time)

Im now 18, and my lifestyle has changed completely. I am into bodybuilding and dont smoke MJ anymore. I have never used any other drugs. I dont go out partying in college, because I dont enjoy it.

I think I would be fit to be a cop because of my personaility. I enjoy helping people, I am loyal to the death to my friends (in this situation it would mean other cops on my force) and would die for them if they were in danger, I am very physically fit (near elite level of fitness for my age) and know I will be extremely fit come time of graduation

I am interested in pursuing a CJ major, because it seems nothing else feels right for me. Have I ruined my chance of becoming a LEO or DEA or FBI? Can the cops see that I was arrested with a scale in my possesion? I am NOT intending to lie but I do not think they would ask everything in my pockets when I was arrested and disturbing the peace charge has nothing to do w dealing

Thanks in advance.. and if I have ruined my chance (keep in mind I plan on graduating with a good GPA in criminal justice, I intend on doing internships with my local PD, and will be well built) what are other careers similiar I could consider? I was thinking the military but my mother is against it to the point where she cant sleep at night if I mention it, yet somehow she would not mind me being a cop.

[Roger Dat]

Of course I am assuming but if your carrying a scale then your not just a guy who experiemented with marijuana. If you used regularly then your out.

[mrgoodcat1]

Of course I am assuming but if your carrying a scale then your not just a guy who experiemented with marijuana. If you used regularly then your out.

I was just getting involved into it, after i got arrested my parents cracked down big time on me (as any parents should) and I got out of that lifestyle and into the weightlifting (fixed the skinny problem lol)

I dont think I smoked 10 times.

[retdetsgt]

I was just getting involved into it, after i got arrested my parents cracked down big time on me (as any parents should) and I got out of that lifestyle and into the weightlifting (fixed the skinny problem lol)

I dont think I smoked 10 times.

Wait a minute.... You smoked it less than 10 times, but you were concerned enough to go buy a scale? The truck I fell of off came through at night, but not last night.....

[Roger Dat]

[Ispbear]

I was just getting involved into it, after i got arrested my parents cracked down big time on me (as any parents should) and I got out of that lifestyle and into the weightlifting (fixed the skinny problem lol)

I dont think I smoked 10 times.

And I'm sure your lying. I have never met anyone who just smoked 10 times and is carrying a scale in their pocket. You were either helping deal for your friends brother or a chronic pot head.

[mrgoodcat1]

Wait a minute.... You smoked it less than 10 times, but you were concerned enough to go buy a scale? The truck I fell of off came through at night, but not last night.....

The kid we were known to purchase it from had a reputation of being a scumbag and ripping people off. My friends older brother sold weed but was out of town for basketball. We took his scale and went to buy it. Just so happens that ******* was wearing gym shorts that didnt have pockets lol (why do they make those?)'

This is how the fight started, the kid demanded my money (chances are he was prompted to do this when I pulled out the scale to weight it before I bought it) and I said no, he attacked me and I fought back

Not lying btw, prepared to take the poly on that one lol

Can anyone address to rather or not they will be able to see what is in my possession? Again the intent is not to lie but I dont want to bring it up if im not asked. I want to make a living at something I would enjoy too just like the rest of you on here

My charge was NOT related to drugs and I was never brought to court for it, completed the "diversion" program (mixture of community service and counseling for anyone unfamiliar)

Side note, thanks for the responses so far.

[MountainMan]

If the charges were as a minor and you put many years between you and the drug use There are agencies that will hire you if you are qualified. There are some that won't.

I would recommend that you get a degree in something other than CJ though.

[mrgoodcat1]

If the charges were as a minor and you put many years between you and the drug use There are agencies that will hire you if you are qualified. There are some that won't.

I would recommend that you get a degree in something other than CJ though.

Yeah, its just I really dont have an interest in anything else... I am considering pursuing the dream regardless.. I will stay completely sober and not party (dont like to anyways) from now until grad (4-5 years) and then I will just keep applying over and over to every academy I can find and hopefully one will finally take me

maybe from there I could work my way into other academys closer to the area id want to work?

Im just concerned there going to think I was dealing it bc of the scale... like many already have... its a reasonable assumption.

[Wolfman]

Goodcat,

I am also one of the guys who doesn't buy that you only used drugs 10 times even though you were going around with a guy carrying scales - but that's neither here nor there on this board. It's one of the things that if you are lying about it, then the polygraph will bring it to light, so we'll just assume the statement is true for the moment.

The fact that the violations occurred while you were still technically a "minor" may give you a better chance than someone who has been charged with those violations as an adult, but you will still be competing against those that may not have done ANYTHING in their past. I won't say that you have zero chance, but your chances will definitely be hurt by those actions.

As others have recommended, I would not pursue a CJ degree, IMO it will not help you one way or the other toward hire/success - agencies seem to just look for the paper not the degree. I would recommend studying something that could not only have civilian applications, but IF you were hired, could possibly aid in advancing your career (accounting, business, public management, etc.). I believe ROS wrote a very good article that was stickied on the subject.

Given that a lot of departments/agencies have sadly lowered their hiring standards (drugs, convictions, etc.), then you may have more of a chance later than you might now - also, the more "clean" time you have between the last criminal action and your application, obviously the better for you.

Good luck with your pursuit.

[mrgoodcat1]

Goodcat,

I am also one of the guys who doesn't buy that you only used drugs 10 times even though you were going around with a guy carrying scales - but that's neither here nor there on this board. It's one of the things that if you are lying about it, then the polygraph will bring it to light, so we'll just assume the statement is true for the moment.

The fact that the violations occurred while you were still technically a "minor" may give you a better chance than someone who has been charged with those violations as an adult, but you will still be competing against those that may not have done ANYTHING in their past. I won't say that you have zero chance, but your chances will definitely be hurt by those actions.

As others have recommended, I would not pursue a CJ degree, IMO it will not help you one way or the other toward hire/success - agencies seem to just look for the paper not the degree. I would recommend studying something that could not only have civilian applications, but IF you were hired, could possibly aid in advancing your career (accounting, business, public management, etc.). I believe ROS wrote a very good article that was stickied on the subject.

Given that a lot of departments/agencies have sadly lowered their hiring standards (drugs, convictions, etc.), then you may have more of a chance later than you might now - also, the more "clean" time you have between the last criminal action and your application, obviously the better for you.

Good luck with your pursuit.

Thank you

[manahmanah]

You're 18 and you are worried about what your mother thinks of you joining the military?

[mrgoodcat1]

You're 18 and you are worried about what your mother thinks of you joining the military?

I have alot of respect for my Mom, im also enrolled in college atm so would prob be easier just to stay in it.

Although I think I could stilll use a little character reformation that maybe the military would help with. I am lazy sometimes lol.

[Kimble]

Although I think I could stilll use a little character reformation that maybe the military would help with. I am lazy sometimes lol.

What makes you think the military would be a plus for you? Law enforcement agencies love hiring people who are lazy and without character as cops... also those whose moms make their life decisions for them when they're adults.

[BP348]

I'm like everyone else and call BS on the pot smoking.

That being said the military & a degree will help. Not saying you will get hired but several years between you and the pot smoking an honorable discharge from the military and a degree will look good

I'm different then everyone else, if you want to study CJ then study CJ. Simple fact 99.99% of agencies out there do not care what your degree is in as long as you can say you have a degree. I'm a firm believer that someone with a 4.0GPA in CJ looks better then a 2.5GPA in Business (or whatever). Getting your degree is hard, getting a degree in a subject that you have no interest in is pretty much impossible.

The reason why everyone says get a degree in something else is just in case you don't like CJ or you get hurt you have something to fall back on. I don't agree with that school of thought. But I'm a minority.

You’d never hear someone tell someone who's interested in Business to get a computer degree just in case they don't like business. But people do that all the time with people who want to study CJ, to me it's the same thing.

Something happens down the road and you leave CJ then you can always go back to school. Say you spend 8 - 10 years as a LEO, even if you get a computer degree unless you keep up with the computer field while working as a LEO your degree won't be any better then a CJ degree. The computer field changes so often that everything you studied 8 years ago is so old it's worthless.

But hey that's just me, the guy with an AA in CJ, BS in CRIM, and one class away from a Masters in Sociology with an emphasis in CRIM.

end of rant