Medical Problems? Will I still be able to become a Police Officer?/& other questions

[ericcris10sen]

Alright, not sure if this is the place, but I didn't really find another section this could fall under. So I was in the Air Force as Security Police for 3.2 years until being medically discharged for a certain stomach problem (will be with me my whole life but that's not the issue). I'd say 3 months or so before I was discharged, I screwed up my back pretty badly while playing basketball with my squadron for PT. Every once and a while I get some back issues and SOMETIMES it can be bad. It's in the lower back and if I strain it too much it will tense up and cause problems with me.

So I was wondering if there was any way in heck that I would be able to get through the training and through the physical exam. My whole life I wanted to become an Officer but lately been straying away from it because I'm honestly not sure I can work through the back problem when going through the exam. So has any officer had some type of similar problem with his or her back and still passed through the exam, and did you have problems with the job related to the injury?

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And my second part is: I live in California. I know this state has a Police Academy which you have to go through. It's sorta like our Military Basic Training/Boot Camp. Honestly. This is to be honest. I really don't care to go through it again. IMO that is not how you should train the police. As it is seen in the military, you go through it, and you get a huge power trip and you become a different person. I don't think you should be yelling in an officers face and then when the academy is over, say ok, now become an officer.

Anyways, I've tried searching around for states that don't have these Boot Camps, and I haven't had any luck with finding which ones do any don't, other than Florida.

[retdetsgt]

We won't touch anyone with a bad back. Lots of people come on with perfectly healthy backs injure them on the job and end up either going off on disability or at least having problems later on in life. My old department looks very hard at backs, knees and hearts before we will hire anyone.

Frankly, I wouldn't do a boot camp police academy either, but in some places if you wanna be a cop, you put up with it. They don't care what you think.

[L-1]

Take a look at http://lib.post.ca.gov/Publications/Musculo.pdf It will explain the problems associated with back injuries and police work.

While these are California's standards, the principles supporting them are fairly universal throughout the US.

Take them to your physician and ask him if he would disqualify you if he were the department's doctor.

The ultimate decision will be made by the hiring agency's physician. A note from your doctor will not get you a pass.

[ericcris10sen]

Thanks for the info you guys. I guess I'll have to rethink my career.