Hello all, hopefully you all can help me out:).

[msoler29]

Hello all. The first thing I want to say is much respect and love for the men and women that put their life on the line for us everyday.. I thank you..
Now for the question. I want to become a police officer, I start my criminal justice school in April at HCC I'm going to sign up Monday... I am currently a security officer been doing it here in Florida going on 3 years, I got a job with one company and I been here for 2 going on 3 years.. the other company I got hired for been with them for 4 years and my hours were cut big time... I'm thinking about giving my two weeks this Monday... I called in cause my car is having starting problems if I get fired from this job before Monday will that effect me from becomong a cop? I been fired 3x in my life, once for car fried cause it was cold up north where I use to live, once from a group home becaise a manager started yelling at me I told him to be more professional with me not to make me look like a idiot in from of the patients cause he wanted me to take off my navy hat cause my dad served 8 years I think special forces seal team... I smoked marijuan at the age of 17 never sold but I smoked marijuana with friends to smoke... but I left that behind nearly 10 years ago... I was young and dumb.... I also am paying back my credit I owe especially the irs... they put a lean on my credit.... just wondering do I even have a chance?.. please email me or comment.. I need a copa honest thoughts... please exscuse my grammar I'm writeing this on my cell phone... thanks all. Mark,

[pac201]

Getting fired 3 times and horrible credit is going to be a major problem; getting a cj degree won't fix any of it.
The marijuana thing being 10 years old is a plus(not the smoking, the fact that it's been 10 years since) A good work record and clean crdit and you may have a shot...

[Creeker]

...
Now for the question. I want to become a police officer, I start my criminal justice school in April at HCC I'm going to sign up Monday... I am currently a security officer been doing it here in Florida going on 3 years, I got a job with one company and I been here for 2 going on 3 years.. the other company I got hired for been with them for 4 years and my hours were cut big time... I'm thinking about giving my two weeks this Monday... I called in cause my car is having starting problems if I get fired from this job before Monday will that effect me from becomong a cop? I been fired 3x in my life, once for car fried cause it was cold up north where I use to live, once from a group home becaise a manager started yelling at me I told him to be more professional with me not to make me look like a idiot in from of the patients cause he wanted me to take off my navy hat cause my dad served 8 years I think special forces seal team... I smoked marijuan at the age of 17 never sold but had marijuana for me and my friends to smoke... but I left that behind nearly 10 years ago... I was young and dumb.... I also am paying back my credit I owe especially the irs... they put a lean on my credit.... just wondering do I even have a chance?.. please email me or comment.. I need a copa honest thoughts... please exscuse my grammar I'm writeing this on my cell phone... thanks all. Mark,

If I'm not mistaken, you are required to have a dependable vehicle for work, correct? Don't you suspect that LEO's have that same issue?

JFYI, the marijuana would have been a Possession for Distribution charge if you had been caught with it, so I'm not sure how that would fly.

Interested in the final reason that you were fired from a job. I'm 48 years old and have never been fired, so I have to wonder about your work ethic.

I am retired and working a P/T Security job right now and have pretty much noticed that the bosses are just happy to see people show up for work and don't expect much... which is frustrating to concientious people who pick up the slack...

The credit issue will definitely be a flag, if nothing else is.

[patchcop]

I... I smoked marijuan at the age of 17 never sold but had marijuana for me and my friends to smoke... but I left that behind nearly 10 years ago... I,

Again and again and again and again and again......

[msoler29]

I was never convicted of any crime whatsoever.... I don't have any record whatsoever.. No criminal record, I owe things in credit who doesn't here in America but I am working on fixing it... I keep jobs, I kept this security job for almost 3 years, and the other one I have they crushed my hours, so i'm thinking about canning it this monday, since I found a new one today will that hurt me too?.. My car was in bad shape, thats not my fault it's a machine it breaks down..... Why is it so difficult to become a cop? they ask for perfect credit, no criminal background ok I understand that, but credit, what does it have to do with the way you do your job? and the losing your job because you machine broke down means my work ethic is suppose to be bad?? I got letters of great work ethics from my current employers.... I had some bad exp before, does that make my chances not getting a cop job real low?.. This credit thing doesn't make good sense to me, my cousin in Puerto Rico is a cop, a state police and he says the credit this and that, and that he'll get me in if I move there etc....and previously because the dude where I worked was yelling at me, i'm suppose to just stay shut? he was talking down to me like i'm some kind of insect.... that wasn't looking good for me, because the kids in the patients in the group home were going to get use to it.. i just said I don't appreciate that and I got fired.....Also my cousin Brian been on the force for like 10 years.... I really want to become a cop, but since what you guys said am i wasting my time?

If I'm not mistaken, you are required to have a dependable vehicle for work, correct? Don't you suspect that LEO's have that same issue?

JFYI, the marijuana would have been a Possession for Distribution charge if you had been caught with it, so I'm not sure how that would fly.

Interested in the final reason that you were fired from a job. I'm 48 years old and have never been fired, so I have to wonder about your work ethic.

I am retired and working a P/T Security job right now and have pretty much noticed that the bosses are just happy to see people show up for work and don't expect much... which is frustrating to concientious people who pick up the slack...

The credit issue will definitely be a flag, if nothing else is.

[msoler29]

one other question, what does work ethic have to do with getting into law enforcement? because I had bad luck and one of the reasons was my fault... I get a red flag? because I fell back on credit its going to be flagged? who in america has perfect credit is what i'm trying to figure out......
I work hard, two jobs and trying to pay everything back... smoking the Marijuana in the past doesn't make me a bad person, I made a mistake.... Nobody is perfect....

[Citicop]

It doesn't make you a bad person at all.

But having a pattern in your past of getting fired does not show responsibility.

It was not one time. One time might really be bad luck. But getting fired three times makes a person ask... "What do those three situations all have in common?" The answer is you.

Add into that bad credit, and it shows a pattern of bad decision making in your life.

Being in Law Enforcement is about being able to make GOOD decisions on your own.

I am not saying you don't have a chance, but you want to get some years of stable work history under your belt, get your debt cleared up, pay your back taxes, and then give it a shot.

Even if Law Enforcement is not for you, that does not mean you are a bad person. My best friends are great guys with good careers (and they both make more money than me by quite a bit), but they would have no business wearing a badge and a gun.

-Citicop.

[Cat_Doc]

one other question, what does work ethic have to do with getting into law enforcement? because I had bad luck and one of the reasons was my fault... I get a red flag? because I fell back on credit its going to be flagged? who in america has perfect credit is what i'm trying to figure out......
I work hard, two jobs and trying to pay everything back... smoking the Marijuana in the past doesn't make me a bad person, I made a mistake.... Nobody is perfect....

I don't know if you are a good person or not. For all I know, you may be an extremely nice person. Or, you could be a self centered, stuck on a sense of self entitlement, irresponsible jerk.

The fact you wrote what you did would cause me great concern if I were scrutinizing you for possible employment as a law enforcement officer.

It is my opinion (take it or leave it) that if you have to ask these questions, and do not already know the answers, then you are not ready for this job.

Give yourself some time, as mentioned by others, to show an improved record of discipline, accountability and responsibility and submit an application.

Who knows, you may turn out to be one of the best cops who walked the face of the earth? But as it stands now, you don't portray yourself as being a top tier candidate.

Again, this is only my opinion and that won’t even get you a cup of coffee.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

one other question, what does work ethic have to do with getting into law enforcement? because I had bad luck and one of the reasons was my fault... I get a red flag?

Because a person's past is the best predictor of future behavior.

If I as a police administrator wanted to hire you, I'd want some reassurance that you would regularly show up to support the other officers on your shift. When the shift is short, everyone there has to pick up your slack.

As said above, it has nothing to do with the kind of person you are, only the decisions you have made. Don't confuse the two, as they are very different.

In hiring, your employer is not concerned about you. They are only concerned with how you can best help them. Your job as an applicant is to show them how you are the best person to help them.

[msoler29]

Is it because of my credit and being fired a 3x that makes you not think i'm not cut out for the job? What if I shape up, keep my jobs and not get fired, and if I find something else that pays more and keep working till one day I get the chance to protect the innocent like you guys do then will you think of me as worthy? I send no disrespect to you or any law enforcement officer on the street I have nothing but love and respect for you guys and girls who protect the innocent.... Please let me know what I can do to have a chance.. I am a good person and never am late for any of my ****s and always show up, do my job and help fellow security officers in need when needed..... I just want to know how can I get the best chance, I admire you guys and just want to set myself up to have that chance, that edge... Thanks friends.

[msoler29]

My cousin in Puerto Rico that was 10 years on the force says he's tired of the field, and he says he wish he never got into it. being shot at, his fellow officers killed from cartel members that were locked up said it gives him bad memories random calls by drug lords that put a price on him and his families head for capturing their pins..I have no respect for anyone who hurts a law enforcement officer. He tells me it's not worth it, get another profession.. But for some reason I just want to be there to help fellow officers, and enforce the law.... I know i'm not perfect, I know I got fired before for not any of my fault, I told the boss from Target I was going to take a Taxi to work, he says"don't even worry about it" just come get your last check.... How will I know that law enforcement isn't for me, when I have the passion to answer the call and be there for the fellow officers if I ever get that opportunity.
I want that chance to prove I am cop material.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

Is it because of my credit and being fired a 3x that makes you not think i'm not cut out for the job? What if I shape up, keep my jobs and not get fired, and if I find something else that pays more and keep working till one day I get the chance to protect the innocent like you guys do then will you think of me as worthy?

Did you even read my post? I never said anything about whether you ARE or ARE NOT cut out for anything. I'll say it one more time.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOUR WORTH.

It is about the decisions you have made, and weighing them against the decisions that other applicants have made.

As to your "chances" of being hired, we're not fortune tellers here, nobody knows what will or won't happen. But you seem to be almost pleading for approval. Why is that?

[msoler29]

"Ill do my best, I will get there or die trying"
look for me patrolling in a city near you in the future my LEO brothers and sisters" I WILL NOT QUIT"
.. May the lord protect you and always keep you safe.. Take care all, and thanks for your help and advise on everything.

"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination."

[Cat_Doc]

"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination."

That's the spirit. Good luck to you.

[Creeker]

It seems that my co-horts have responded quite well to the questions you've asked both here and to me in PM. I concur with their assesment in that you may not be a bad person and may ultimately actually become a LEO, despite any trepidations otherwise.