NExt application question(s)

[odanelli]

Hi all. One of my last questions was in relation to addresses from 9 years ago. All be it I thought I had it resolved, I now find a question asking for the names and addresses I paid rent to... arggh. Seeing as I did not pay the rent (my parents did) can I put that down as my response. I asked my father (retired Federal LEO) if he had the info, and he said no. Nice and thorough I see. I may get stung just by the initial application. But, I accept it as part of the learning process.

So here is another question. The question on the app reads:
"Are there any incidents in your life, which if known might disqualify you as an applicant, whether or not you were directly involved, which might be discovered by subsequent investigation."

My thought to this is "YES" in reference to past drug usage as a yound adult. Should I answer the question "...Yes see page 7 SUBHEADING Narcotics," or would the correct response be No, and then address Narcotics later?

Thanks again!

ps--Is it normal for someone to have sooo many questions regarding the app, or am I overanalyzing?

[graymatter]

Have you done something in your past that would disqualify you as an applicant for the agency you are applying?

[md123]

If they list the types of narcotic use that you have done as a disqualifying factor then there is nothing to discuss: you'll be DQ'd. But if you've smoked pot 2 times, and they dont mention MJ use, or they ask if you've done it 5 times within the last 5 years (for example) then you do not have to answer that as yes. It should be pretty straight forward.

[Kimble]

Seeing as I did not pay the rent (my parents did) can I put that down as my response? I asked my father (retired Federal LEO) if he had the info, and he said no.

Be as thorough as possible on the form. State what you said above, that you did not pay rent, your parents paid it for you, and they no longer have the records but can be contacted if need be. Don't make a simple matter into something more difficult when you don't have to :D .

So here is another question. The question on the app reads: "Are there any incidents in your life, which if known might disqualify you as an applicant, whether or not you were directly involved, which might be discovered by subsequent investigation."

My thought to this is "YES" in reference to past drug usage as a yound adult. Should I answer the question "...Yes see page 7 SUBHEADING Narcotics," or would the correct response be No, and then address Narcotics later?

Well, it's best to not lie on any questions on the form, unless your goal is to be DQ'ed. So, answer "YES", as your answer later in the narcotics section would clearly indicate as such. Putting the added part to see the details on page 7 of your form is a good idea, as it will allow the investigators to immediately see what the incident is and determine if it is too severe to be redeemable. If it's not, then you did the right thing by putting too much info than not enough.

Thanks again!

Your welcome... again.

ps--Is it normal for someone to have sooo many questions regarding the app, or am I overanalyzing?

Yes it is fairly normal, and YES you are overanalyzing... but so do a lot of applicants that I've encountered. Be level-headed, tell the truth, be upfront about everything, and always remember that too much information is better than not enough.

[Kimble]

But if you've smoked pot 2 times, and they dont mention MJ use, or they ask if you've done it 5 times within the last 5 years (for example) then you do not have to answer that as yes. It should be pretty straight forward.

Every background questionnaire I've answered has been more open-ended than what you listed above. They ask if I've used marijuana (as well as other drugs), the number of times I've tried them, and when the usages were... that's it. I've yet to see a questionnaire that specifics about time frames or usages (ex: "have you used ___ in the past ___ mos/yrs?" or "have you used ___ more than ___ times?"). Most departments are upfront about their drug policies, but it won't hurt the original poster to answer said question with a "YES" if his usage could be a disqualifier.

[odanelli]

Thanks guys. I was reading the question poorly. After rereading, the question specifically asks "DQ." In which case the department has a 1 year for MJ and 5 year for any other hard drugs. In which case I am outside of the window. My very poor discretion occured in 96 and 97. I was reading the quesion as, "is there an incident in my life that could hurt my chances as an applicant" as opposed to "DQ"
Thanks for the clarity.

[Kimble]

Thanks for the clarity.

That's what we're here for... to help applicants seeking LE positions and ensure people like you don't ever get them (j/k :D )

[odanelli]

Thanks ROS. Unfortunatelly I know that "...like you don't ever get them." was also said with realism, and for that I truly understand. As I have said before, I appreciate the brutal honesty, and for my poor judgement, I expect nothing less.

I definatelly had used poor judgement. For that, I will forever pay the consequences. I have not, and will never try to justify the very ignorant things I have done in my past. However, I will also say, that I have learned what I consider to be VERY VALUABLE lessons from things I have done in my past whether bad or good.

Thanks again!

[Kimble]

Thanks ROS. Unfortunatelly I know that "...like you don't ever get them." was also said with realism, and for that I truly understand. As I have said before, I appreciate the brutal honesty, and for my poor judgement, I expect nothing less.

My statement was said in jest, but it is always the role of LE hiring divisions to keep out those who don't meet the minimum standards. However...

I definatelly had used poor judgement. For that, I will forever pay the consequences. I have not, and will never try to justify the very ignorant things I have done in my past. However, I will also say, that I have learned what I consider to be VERY VALUABLE lessons from things I have done in my past whether bad or good.

... I do have a softspot for people who truly repent of their wrong doing and try to learn from it and change their behaviors for the better (rather than simply saying "I'm sorry" and continuing in the same behavioral patterns). Listen to the advice I gave in my original post for this thread. If you're honest, the worst a department can say is "no", and each department has different standards. A "no" from one is not necessarily a "no" with another, so stay positive, apply to all that interest you, and persevere! Many in LE are there because they persevered, they did not give up when they were told "no", regardless of the number of times it was said.

PS: I tried to see what negative behaviors you had discussed previously, but in my short search was only able to find "Have a few indiscretions from college (93-98) that are definate negatives as far as my background" (taken from this post). Not sure what you're past discretions are (other than simply being drug related), so I can't be of any further help without further clarification on your part... sorry .