I need Help with background issues

[Goodcop]

I graduated academy in December and since then I have passed several oral boards. My problem is past drug usage mainly LSD I used it twice in high school. During all of my background interviews I have been disqualified because I am honest. Can anyone help me to understand why a mistake I made fifteen years ago is going to ruin my career before it ever gets started? The better question is if other states besides California willing to except my past mistake? I am a hard working very dependable person and I given a chance would show my true colors. I have a Ca Post Cert and would be willing to relocate to follow my dreams. SOMEBODY HELP!!!!!

[deputywave]

Agencies do not look favorably on past drug usage, especially LSD. That is an automatic DQ with a high percentage of agencies. Even if you find an agency willing to overlook your usage, you still have to try and compete against candidates with no drug usage. Your chances of being hired are VERY slim. All you can do is try.

[mxwelch]

That's just the way it is. I know I'd make a good officer now but my past was one of less than colorful behavior. It's mainly my driving history and I can't get hired. Sorry, but LSD usage is just about insurmountable from my limited experience with hiring policies.

[LA5150]

Try the LAPD. The chief relaxed our standards recently(:rolleyes: ), so you may have a chance.

[Sierra]

My problem is past drug usage mainly LSD I used it twice in high school.

During all of my background interviews I have been disqualified because I am honest.

Can anyone help me to understand why a mistake I made fifteen years ago is going to ruin my career before it ever gets started?

Does your law enforcement career have to be as a street cop? Are you willing to consider some of the supporting sides, such as Parole / Probation Officer or perhaps Vehicle Enforcement? Some of those positions may be more forgiving of prior drug usage and are still POST certified (at least in Arizona). LSD use knocks you out of most street cop slots.

DO NOT consider being dishonest about it. If discovered later, you will be terminated and the possibility exists of charges being brought against you.

LSD use counts against you because of the possiblity of flashbacks occurring. That maks for a very high liability for the department.

[valycop]

LSD use counts against you because of the possiblity of flashbacks occurring. That maks for a very high liability for the department.

Sorry Sierra, but the half life is between three to four hours and it is fully metabolized by the human body in 24 hours. I too had the same idea that LSD had a longer half life, when in fact it is very short.

My problem is past drug usage mainly LSD I used it twice in high school.

Regardless, "Goodcop" I believe you will have a very hard time finding an agency that will overlook LSD usage. I could be wrong, I've been wrong before, but light marijuana usage is about the only drug use most agencies would even consider and the "most recent use" answer from an applicant had better be "years ago."

[GoDirectly2Jail]

Regardless, "Goodcop" I believe you will have a very hard time finding an agency that will overlook LSD usage. I could be wrong, I've been wrong before, but light marijuana usage is about the only drug use most agencies would even consider and the "most recent use" answer from an applicant had better be "years ago."

Quite true. My former agency has a very strict controlled substance hiring policy. Hard drugs (including LSD) have a one-time-use disqualifier. Marjuana can be no more than ten total lifetime usage (and must be over a year from the time of application.)

[GoDirectly2Jail]

Ken Roybal an LAPD Backgrounds Investigator will answer your questions on the forum he created: [yourspamsite.com]

NY2LA,

You have two posts on this forum, and both of them have been links to another site.

From the rules:

Spam

Spam is never allowed, unless you are posting a link in the headlines area for example (that's law enforcement related), or something to that affect. Links for purposes of a discussion are acceptable unless it's obvious to the owner or Mods that the discussion has no merit and was posted purposely for posting the link.

Your spamming has been reported, sir.

[NY2LA]

I am not spamming...
I am an LAPD candidate. Posting information about a forum that can potentially help other candidates in the process.

Why would you say that I am a spammer? because I posted a link?

[Drew27k9]

Now your banned..Please don't come here and place links to other sites.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

Now your banned..Please don't come here and place links to other sites.

Thanks, Drew.

[valycop]

Examples of Potentially Disqualifying Evidence - use of illegal drugs; abuse of alcohol or prescription medications; failure to follow all laws and common rules of conduct; associating with individuals who break the law; being argumentative, defensive, or blaming others (or circumstances) for mistakes made; past behavior which indicates a tendency to resort to use of force to gain objectives; overbearing in approach to resolving problems; unnecessarily confrontational taking unnecessary personal risks; placing others at risk through one's own actions; reacting childishly or with anger to criticism or disappointment.

This is from the LAPD recruit information page.

[dirtysubie]

I too have used LSD twice in high school which was close to 8 years ago. I too was in the process of applying to the San Diego Sheriff. It sucks that I made those decisions so many years ago.

But like I have mentioned hundreds of times on this board, its pretty much impossible to get hired, due to the liability issue, which I can understand completely. Don't let me discourage you from what you want to do but some of us have to face the fact and "man-up" that there is no possible way to become an LEO.

Life goes on. I've learned the hard way that things we do in our past do catch up to us and only us, as an individual, can take blame for those decisions and continue on. Regardless, I wish you the very best and good luck. ;)

[Citicop]

Everyone is responsible for his or her own actions, and that holds true in this case as well. However, in this case, there is a second party responsible for the situation the asker finds himself in:

The Academy.

It is plain unethical to train someone to be a police officer who has almost no chance to be hired. I'm sure he paid his own way through, and they happily took his money. Either they were negligent in failing to perform an adequate background check prior to enrollment, or they took him in KNOWING that he would never be able to get hired.

I went through an academy which was nearly entirely self sponsored, and I saw the same thing going on there. There were people in my class who shouldn't have been (and never became) police officers. Sometimes, they dropped out and couldn't hack it, some graduated and were never hired, and some were hired for a short time before their true colors showed.

"Goodcop", I'm sorry. Not sorry that you can't get hired, because IMHO you have no business being a police officer with your past drug use. I'm sorry because the Academy admitted you almost solely out of financial greed, and gave you hope for a career that you aren't qualified for.

THAT is the reason why people get the answers they get on this forum.

We don't want to be mean when we say, "Find a new career field", but it wouldn't be fair to let you waste your time training for something you will never be able to do...

I have said this before, and I mean it every time.

Do NOT confuse suitability for a career (such as Law Enforcement) with your value as a human being. There are jobs out there that you can do that you will love. Being a cop is just not one of them.

Citicop.

[Mike Romeo]

My problem is past drug usage mainly LSD I used it twice in high school. SOMEBODY HELP!!!!!

Let's see what my department disqualifiers say concerning just possessing hallucinogenic drugs, at any time in your life:

...applicants who have ever illegally possessed any type of hallucinogenic drug (i.e., PCP, LSD, Peyote, etc.) or have ever sold or distributed ANY controlled substance listed under §54.1-3400 of the Drug Control Act of Virginia will not be considered for employment.

Doesn't look good.