To Applicants with expunged felonies, drug use etc...
I normally wouldn't feel like writing this but here goes. I'll use my own experiences to reflect on the hiring process.
If you've used a variety or even one illegal (disqualifing) drug: forget it.
If you've been charged with a felony: forget it. It doesn't matter if you plea bargined to a lower charge. If you've been charged but got off you may have a shot but everyone knows just because you were acquitted doesn't mean you didn't commit the crime.
If you have nothing but a standard resume: forget it. This is one of if the most contested job openings there are. Unless you "luck out" or know someone you're wasting your time.
Many of us have never used any drugs, never commited a felony, own a home, have excellent credit scores, have a good marriage, have good grades in college, have an outstanding work history and so on and so forth. That doesn't mean jack if the guy next to you looks better and I can guarantee that with one of the above blemishes against you everyone will look better. Some of us (me) have one run in with the law from many years ago and a driving record less than stellar from about the same time period and cannot get hired. It doesn't matter if you think you've turned your life around (kudos if you have) it won't be enough.
No, I'm not a cop but I know enough about the application process to voice a sound opinion IMHO.:D
__________________
"...Our natural, inalienable rights are now considered to be a dispensation of government, and freedom has never been so fragile, so close to slipping from our grasp as it is at this moment.” Ronald Reagan
"Those who beat their weapons into plows will be plowing for those who don't."
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Clarification
Quote:
Originally Posted by mxwelch
If you've used a variety or even one illegal (disqualifing) drug: forget it.
Good post, but let me clarify this point. At my department, and most others I've seen and applied to, "experimental" usage (say no more usage than the number of fingers on both hands) as a juvenile of marijuana tends to be forgiven. That's certainly not to say it will be looked favorably upon, and if the applicant next to you is equal in credentials but never used MJ, he'll likely get the nod if one spot is available.
Also, some departments are forgiving of some harder drugs (ex: cocaine, steroids, etc.), but only after several years of not using it and if the usage was used a small number of times. This is not the rule from what I've seen, but rather the exception.
Typically from what I've seen, hallucenogens (acid, magic mushrooms, peyote, PCP, etc.) are an automatic DQ. Doesn't matter if you used it once or a thousand times.
But you didn't cover hermaphordites caught in the middle of their "transition" ... ;)
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I normally wouldn't feel like writing this but here goes. I'll use my own experiences to reflect on the hiring process.
If you've used a variety or even one illegal (disqualifing) drug: forget it.
If you've been charged with a felony: forget it. It doesn't matter if you plea bargined to a lower charge. If you've been charged but got off you may have a shot but everyone knows just because you were acquitted doesn't mean you didn't commit the crime.
If you have nothing but a standard resume: forget it. This is one of if the most contested job openings there are. Unless you "luck out" or know someone you're wasting your time.
Many of us have never used any drugs, never commited a felony, own a home, have excellent credit scores, have a good marriage, have good grades in college, have an outstanding work history and so on and so forth. That doesn't mean jack if the guy next to you looks better and I can guarantee that with one of the above blemishes against you everyone will look better. Some of us (me) have one run in with the law from many years ago and a driving record less than stellar from about the same time period and cannot get hired. It doesn't matter if you think you've turned your life around (kudos if you have) it won't be enough.
No, I'm not a cop but I know enough about the application process to voice a sound opinion IMHO.:D
Don't take this personally, as I am simply stating this. Also, correct me if i'm wrong but from what you're saying: Since someone has tried marijuana once, never gotten a speeding ticket, never had any run-ins with the law, they should "forget about" becoming a police officer. From what you've stated, someone who has also knowingly broken the law (presumably more than once, and had gotten caught, ex. speeding ticket[s]), and even run in's with the law (you didn't explain, so i'll have to leave it at that) has a better chance than someone who smoked pot once.
I'm sorry if this sounds a bit edgy, but I just don't see an arrogant attitude like that torwards the application process to be any better than the guy who thinks that since he knows someone higher up that he can just "slip" through the hiring process.
Sure I was a teenager. I did some things I shouldn't have done. I smoked mj. a bit. I never got in trouble, and my only "run in" with the law was a speeding ticket when I was 16 going on 17. I went to driving school, got the ticket PJC . I had already been accepted to college, and was close to joining the police explorers (this was totally seperate from the speeding incident, well, it sparked my interest when I looked around for information). I have good credit, just got a credit card, no bad credit whatsoever. I try my best to stay active in the Police Explorers Post, and have gained many great friends from the whole experience. Are you saying that since I smoked mj. when I was 16, that I should just forget about becoming a police officer? If that's your opinion, fine. I just don't like it when you state it, people come on here, and are discouraged to try to apply to become a police officer, with one tiny blemish in their past.
Like I said, don't take this personally, I just thought i'd write what others may be thinking. 1+ for writing up a basis though
Don't take this personally, as I am simply stating this. Also, correct me if i'm wrong but from what you're saying: Since someone has tried marijuana once, never gotten a speeding ticket, never had any run-ins with the law, they should "forget about" becoming a police officer. From what you've stated, someone who has also knowingly broken the law (presumably more than once, and had gotten caught, ex. speeding ticket[s]), and even run in's with the law (you didn't explain, so i'll have to leave it at that) has a better chance than someone who smoked pot once.
I'm sorry if this sounds a bit edgy, but I just don't see an arrogant attitude like that torwards the application process to be any better than the guy who thinks that since he knows someone higher up that he can just "slip" through the hiring process.
Sure I was a teenager. I did some things I shouldn't have done. I smoked mj. a bit. I never got in trouble, and my only "run in" with the law was a speeding ticket when I was 16 going on 17. I went to driving school, got the ticket PJC . I had already been accepted to college, and was close to joining the police explorers (this was totally seperate from the speeding incident, well, it sparked my interest when I looked around for information). I have good credit, just got a credit card, no bad credit whatsoever. I try my best to stay active in the Police Explorers Post, and have gained many great friends from the whole experience. Are you saying that since I smoked mj. when I was 16, that I should just forget about becoming a police officer? If that's your opinion, fine. I just don't like it when you state it, people come on here, and are discouraged to try to apply to become a police officer, with one tiny blemish in their past.
Like I said, don't take this personally, I just thought i'd write what others may be thinking. 1+ for writing up a basis though
No, I think he is saying compare yourself to a candidate with all of the qualifications, such as test scores and orals, that you have, but they never tried a drug, or had a few "problems." It's how you compare to the other applicants.
MX is right. It's very hard to get on and it's extrememly competitive. My resume didn't stand out. Pretty ordinary. I ended up putting myself thru a police academy. I got lucky and was hired before graduation.
I was turned away but didn't give up. Keep trying if you want it bad enough.
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Don't take this personally, as I am simply stating this. Also, correct me if i'm wrong but from what you're saying: Since someone has tried marijuana once, never gotten a speeding ticket, never had any run-ins with the law, they should "forget about" becoming a police officer. From what you've stated, someone who has also knowingly broken the law (presumably more than once, and had gotten caught, ex. speeding ticket[s]), and even run in's with the law (you didn't explain, so i'll have to leave it at that) has a better chance than someone who smoked pot once.
That's why I put the (disqualifing) clause in there.
Quote:
I'm sorry if this sounds a bit edgy, but I just don't see an arrogant attitude like that torwards the application process to be any better than the guy who thinks that since he knows someone higher up that he can just "slip" through the hiring process.
Sure I was a teenager. I did some things I shouldn't have done. I smoked mj. a bit. I never got in trouble, and my only "run in" with the law was a speeding ticket when I was 16 going on 17. I went to driving school, got the ticket PJC . I had already been accepted to college, and was close to joining the police explorers (this was totally seperate from the speeding incident, well, it sparked my interest when I looked around for information). I have good credit, just got a credit card, no bad credit whatsoever. I try my best to stay active in the Police Explorers Post, and have gained many great friends from the whole experience. Are you saying that since I smoked mj. when I was 16, that I should just forget about becoming a police officer? If that's your opinion, fine. I just don't like it when you state it, people come on here, and are discouraged to try to apply to become a police officer, with one tiny blemish in their past.
Like I said, don't take this personally, I just thought i'd write what others may be thinking. 1+ for writing up a basis though
Nothing arrogant intended. I said that if you don't stand out or have help to offset not standing out forget it. The closest I've came to being hired pitted me against a guy with a masters degree who had no background issues that happened to be a Capt. in the National Guard to boot. Of course he was picked over me. I would've thought something wrong if he hadn't been.
Of course someone can get hired despite the fact they experimented with MJ. That, it seems, is a small blemish nowadays but it is a blemish. If it were a bigger mark against a candidate I'd probably have a job now.
__________________
"...Our natural, inalienable rights are now considered to be a dispensation of government, and freedom has never been so fragile, so close to slipping from our grasp as it is at this moment.” Ronald Reagan
"Those who beat their weapons into plows will be plowing for those who don't."
Clarification
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