Becomming an officer (NYPD) - Question about my past.

[InfoNeeded]

Hello,

It's always been a goal of mine to become an NYPD officer. My criminal record is completely clean. Not a single offense. Completely clean driver's license, too. However, there is one aspect of my past that I'm unsure about...

A few years back, I injured my spine (specifically, the neck). I suffered a disc herniation (C6-C7, for those who are medically savvy). It didn't call for surgery, so I was underwent physical therapy, and was put on pain management. Now, you can't be taking pain medication (under medical supervision) for over a year, without the body developing a chemical dependence. I had enough, and told my doctor I'd like to come off the pain medications. He suggested that I gradually taper down, because the withdrawal would be severe if I were to just stop. So, it was a choice of being violently ill for a two weeks, or slightly ill for many, many weeks. I asked if there was a third option, and he suggested detox under medical supervision. I chose to do so, but found myself in a place with crack, heroin, and coccaine addicts! Yes, they made the detox process relatively bearable, but again, I was surrounded by people who were abusing completely illegal substances!

Since coming off the pain meds, I am 100% again, and with the help of excerise and therapy, I've regained full mobility, and I'm pain free. The herniation healed on its own.

My question, I'm sure, is obvious. During the background checking process of becomming an officer, will having been to a detox clinic to come off a medically prescribed medication for a documented injury affect my chances of becomming an officer? How far does the background check delve into ones medical history? And even if having been to a detox clinic is/isn't in my best interests, will having had a spinal injury (which has healed, 100%) affect my chances of becomming an officer, anyway?

Thank you very much for your time, and I thank you in advance for your feedback/replies.

Concerned,
E

[Kimble]

I don't work for NYPD, but have worked for 3 separate police agencies, and if all the medical documentation supports what you state above (background investigations can be very extensive, so expect that these records will be pulled and your physician contacted to verify what you state), you did everything under close supervision of your physician. That being the case, so long as you can pass the physical and medical examinations, and are otherwise qualified, I'd be very, VERY surprised if this was held against you or prevented you from becoming a cop.

Good luck, tough job market out there right now!

[Joeyd6]

Being in the NYC area, and a former NYPD cop, and AEMT, I have never, ever ever heard of a doc sending a patient to detox to get them off a legitimate pill dosage unless the patient was abusing the perscription. Additionally, the AMA norm is to wean them off.

My wife has sciatic issue and has been on perscription pain killers (percocet) as needed for 2 years. Sometimes she takes one every day for a few days to deal with it...sometimes she goes a month without a single pill. No dependency issues.

There is a lot more to the story than you are saying. There are three choices if you were dependant:
1) Cold turkey = getting sick
2) Weaning under doctors supervision = dosage SLOWLY lowered over time (aka 4+ weeks) which results in little to no sickness
3) Detox- where you go cold turkey, are given synthetics to mimic the drug, and attend NA and therapy

People and insurance companies don't pay for #3 unless it is needed. Plus it is the most time consuming and demanding. Its just not a logical choice.

The NYPD will flag you in the psych for such and will want all the records. Expect a bumpy road ahead.

[InfoNeeded]

Man, oh man… First, and foremost, thank you for the straight-forward reply - I appreciate it!

I’m really at a loss for words… I sincerely believed that by going to a detox location, I'd be helping myself get through the detox/withdrawal process quickly, while avoiding the tremendous sickness of going "Cold Turkey" through the use of alternative medications to ease the sickness, and a medical staff to monitor me. The medication I was taking was a step below Percocet (Hydrocodone - brand name Norco – the strongest of the Hydrocodone medications). I was prescribed the max dose of 4 pills/day. And, I was also being prescribed Soma, which is a very powerful muscle relaxant, at the max dose of 4 pills/day. I simply wanted to get it over and done with, quickly, with minimal withdrawal symptoms, but not by going “Cold Turkey” which comes with extreme sickness, and I didn’t want to do the many weeks of weaning myself done, because I wanted this to just end – why drag it out? So, you’re telling me that a person who wants to come off prescription pain medications can't/shouldn’t go to a detox clinic to get it our of their systems, because they’ll automatically be labeled as an “abuser”? Instead, they have to suffer Cold Turkey? That doesn’t seem right to me, or fair, but it is what it is. So, by coming off meds at a detox location, instead of dying at home, I’ll be penalized, when it was the doctors who were prescribing these meds to me? It's like being penalized for doing the right thing and coming off meds (can’t be on pain management forever) at the wrong place? Doesn’t make sense to me at all, but procedure is procedure, and of course, I believe what you’re telling me. I’m just stunned. Had I known that going to detox could jeopardize my future career plans to become an officer, I would have LOCKED myself in a room for two weeks, gone through hell, and would have toughed it out! Man, this is just terrible! I've never taken ANY illegal substance before in my LIFE, and when I was prescribed my legal pain medications, not ONCE did I EVER abuse them, nor did I think taking them would ever ruin my dream, yes dream, of becoming an officer.

Should I get called for an interview, after the police test, I will, of course, be absolutely 100% truthful in speaking about my past, and of course, during the poly exam. However, do you think if I explain it to them truthfully, as I’ve just explained above, there may be a chance?

Knowing what I know, now… Going to a detox location was obviously a very poor choice, only because it IMPLIES, not proves, that there could have been an abuse problem. Lets face it… Even though I’m telling the truth, there is no evidence to support that I was abusing medications. Man, what a cluster f@#K this is!

So, should I not even bother wasting my time to take the police test? Is this a total nail in the coffin for me?

Thanks again for everyone’s replies and feedback. I do appreciate it very much!

Best Regards,
E

[Cat_Doc]

I don't work for NYPD, but you should not give up on your desire to enter this line of work. Never ventured, never gained.

Go through the process and see what happens.

Good luck in your endeavors.

[fatboyjim154]

Never ventured, never gained.

I agree, surely the worse thing they can do is say no.

[Kimble]

I don't work for NYPD, but you should not give up on your desire to enter this line of work. Never ventured, never gained.

Go through the process and see what happens.

Good luck in your endeavors.

Exactly. If NYPD tells you "no" based on this experience, and all the medical records support the claim you were on physician's supervision for physician prescribed meds, what have you lost (other than some of your time)? If you want to be a cop for NYPD, apply, and let them decide if this is an issue. Joeyd6 is in a position to know about NYPD hiring, so his insight and advice is solid, but that doesn't mean throw in the towel without giving it a shot.

[Joeyd6]

I say go for it! But do yourslef a big favor...start getting all of your medical records together....for the last few years. Have full coplete copies ready. Then have a list of all of the physicans you saw (which you shoudl have got records from), including named, address and phone. That way when it comes up, you are able to instantly able to support what you say, versus making them put you on hold while they request the records (if they do) and wait for them to come back and review them. Have multiple copies ready. It will only help you.

You may be OK, but you will get delayed by this. Be proactive about it and have the records. Worst case they say "no." Can't hurt to try!