Will an MIC stand in my way of becoming a Police Officer?

[BrassGirl]

I received an MIC when I was eighteen years old and fresh out of high school. It was a standard situation; I was at a party with other underage people, police officers responded to a noise complaint and when they came upon a scene of a bunch of high school grads drinking, they took action.
I completely complied with the officers. I knew what I did was wrong so I didn't try to run away, I didn't lie about the fact I had been drinking, and I voluntary took the breathalyzer test and had a BAC of .05. I wasn't arrested, but cited. I was given a ticket and appeared at court. The judge gave me a $100 fine and an order to go to an eight hour Drug and Alcohol Class in which I paid another $100 to attend. The judge said I was on probation for one year in which if I didn't violate it, the MIC would be off my record.
It has now been almost five months since the incident. I'm currently attending college to get my AA in Criminal Justice and have been enrolled in my local Explorers program for a long time. With the goal of becoming a Police Officer in my sights, I know I should have been smarter about my actions and I know that I broke the law, but I also know that I've so to say "done my time" and have not violated my probation since.
When applicants interview before a panel of Police Department members, the panel has already done background checks and searched the applicant's history, so they will obviously already know about the MIC, whether or not it is off my record. I'm not going to hide the fact that I received one. I'll be twenty-one years old, the age one needs to be in order to apply. It will have been years since the indiscretion, and I know they'll ask me about and I will tell them exactly what I am telling you now.
I know that Police Officers are people too, and people make mistakes every once in awhile. What I would like to know is, will my MIC will stand in the way of my goal to become an officer?

I sincerely appreciate your time.

[icu650]

Police Officers ARE people too. No one is perfect . Relax, you sound like a great addition to any police department. Just be honest and sincere. Trust in all the qualities that you have now and think how you can use these when you do become a police officer. I don't know to what department you will be applying to but I am sure they will be fair and understanding. Relax and make this a process which you will enjoy and remember. Good Luck

[Kimble]

If you're going to use an acronym (like "MIC") it would help to define first what it is, as not all acronyms are used throughout the US.

[greg72982]

If you're going to use an acronym (like "MIC") it would help to define first what it is, as not all acronyms are used throughout the US.

This is one of my RP pet peeves. I considered posting a thread about making a rule regarding this but I didn't see it as something where you could really penalize anyone for noncompliance.

Maybe require they first spell it out with the abbreviation in parentheses then from that point on you can just use parentheses in that thread. Half of the time when I don't readily recognize the abbreviation I just move on to the next thread. This is particularly when I see a thread in Federal questions I don't even open it (in case anyone cared). Abbreviations are rampant in that forum.

Then again, maybe if I don't recognize the abbreviation, than I shouldnt concern myself with replying anyway. Sorry for the hijack.

As for the OP stay away from underage drinking from here on out and you should be fine.

[Piggy]

I agree with the above. I suggest steering clear of anything in the future though. Think of yourself standing in a long line of people wanting the same job. Anyone with two arrest, step forward and out the door. Anyone with one arrest for drugs, step forward and out the door. Pretty soon you are down to a small group of people who will be hired. Try not to get any other more black marks.

[mcsap]

Convince me ( a hiring agency ) that you did WRONG. Accept responsibility without in ANY way trying to justify ( all kids drink) or I was pressured into it ( I had to do it because my friends did) etc.

Then , show me how you have learned from what you did and how you have changed your life as a result of it.

In my state , it is considered an arrest even though you get a ticket. ( Max penalty here is up to $600 and or up to 90 days in jail) .

You can't change what you did and it wasn't a mistake , you made a choice that night and you got caught. 18 yr olds do that but regardless , YOU chose to drink. Accept it and show that you have moved on with your life. It isn't a career killer but how you react to what you did can make a difference to a hiring agency.

[retdetsgt]

I don't see it as a big deal. I was arrested and convicted of minor in possession of beer at 17. I put in on my application and no one even asked me about it.

[mcsap]

I don't see it as a big deal. I was arrested and convicted of minor in possession of beer at 17. I put in on my application and no one even asked me about it.

Yes but even then , they knew that you were destined for greatness as RDS

[Citicop]

I don't see it as a big deal. I was arrested and convicted of minor in possession of beer at 17. I put in on my application and no one even asked me about it.

Was MIP a crime in 1871?

[retdetsgt]

Was MIP a crime in 1871?

Minor in possession of a pony was!

It's funny, but one of the senior DDA's in the county, I arrested for MIP at at teen party when he was 16!

[retdetsgt]

Yes but even then , they knew that you were destined for greatness as RDS

Yep, that's probably it!

It caused me more grief going into the Army than it did being a cop. I had to get a wavier to enlist. Which was hysterical because a year later after Vietnam started to escalate, they were drafting people with far worst offenses. I guess it's all relative to need, huh?

I expected to be questioned about it when I applied to the PD, but like I said, they never even mentioned it. Of course, by that time I was 25 and had served 6 years in the military and come out an officer. That may have more to do with it than my obvious potential of stardom!