Almost a Dq on pre-interview

[Wanabe]

So here is my dilemma I was recently involved in a pre-interview for an agency with an investigator. I spilled my guts of everything I have done in the past because honesty is the best policy. Anyway it didn’t go well at all. Although I have not been eliminated I am hanging on the edge. The main factor seems to be that they see immaturity in me as a 22 year old especially when it comes to drinking. I answered all of the question honestly and the ones they seem most worried about are alcohol use and factors related to them.
So here is how it went. First factor is I went for another agency a year ago she told me it would be in my best interest to decline because of alcohol use. She felt that I have been intoxicated way to many times in the past 12 months (more then 12 less then 15), which I agree was excessive. Most of which were when I was under 21, she also stated at this point it would be impossible to pass my physiological test with my use. So I took the advice and declined. Obviously in this process I was asked about this and I told them this. So this investigators view is now the same, keep in mind I haven’t been intoxicated in the past year. Another question that hurt me was a question if I have ever been in a fight. I told them around 2 years ago a friend of mine got in a argument and he hit me so I hit him back, everything was fine after this, during this altercation I was impaired. The last factor due to alcohol that hurt me was the question “Has anyone ever told you that you should stop drinking?” My girlfriend of almost 3 years has told me not to drink. She is completely against drinking if I am to have a beer she would get irritated. He took this the wrong way I believe.
At the end of this he basically said he sees immaturity in me and I am not ready for this. I told him that I understand how he feels but I know my self and feel differently. He then said he would not DQ me right now, but he will make sure to tell the investigator that I am assigned to that I am not ready.
I don’t feel I have a drinking problem at all. As a matter of fact if I didn’t go for the interview with this other agency over a year ago I don’t think this would even be a factor, because they focus primary on the last 12 months of drinking. I guess my question is how can I prove that I have changed my habits (maybe a stupid question but any suggestions will help). If this ends up DQ’ing me I will be crushed. I understand they can only judge me by my past and yes I have experimented with excessive underage drinking. I know only a year has passed since I was a young minded kid, I know I am still young but thinking back this isn’t something I miss. I also did not stop getting drunk just to get a job, this is now my lifestyle. I do go out with people from work every now and then (not often). I have 1-3 beers in a whole night, never more and I certainly do not get intoxicated.
Sorry for the ramble just a little upset but of course I expected this before going in. This is not the only issues I had but the one that they are focused on the most. Also if I do not make it any further in this process how long before they don’t see this as a major problem if ever?

One more question if this doesn’t work out for me I was thinking NYPD. I know they are more lenient due to the need officers. I know they don’t give the job to anyone you still need a clean background, but is the fact that 2 investigators have labeled me like this mean they wont even consider me? Any help is appreciated thank you in advance

[Roger Dat]

YOUR opinion of how mature YOU think you are is irrelevant. its what your INVESTIGATOR sees as your maturity level.

[Wanabe]

I completely understand that, but he only knows me from what’s on paper and how i have been intoxicated 15 times in my life and the fight. I know this is how they weed people out; it’s the only way it can be done. My goal is to show him I am not immature. I just don’t know if they will listen to what I have to say no matter what I say. Thank you for the quick reply.

[Lynx83]

You can start by not drinking for the next 12 months and reapplying elsewhere. your young, your 22 and you drink a lot. BIG red flag.

[Wanabe]

Yea I am going to stop drinking completely. I did stop getting drunk for over a year now but I guess if I could say I haven’t even had a beer in the past year would sound 10X better.

[vengeance05]

Your alcohol use is a concern. You stated that you drank 'excessively' while underage, were involved in a fight due to being intoxicated, people have told you to stop drinking, etc. What caused you to choose to drink so much? Instead of just cutting down, why not stop drinking entirely?

These will be a red flags for any police department - including NYPD. The fact that you answered honestly and are trying to change your lifestyle is a positive note in your background. If the BI found out about your drinking from someone else and you were not trying to better yourself you might be looking at never being hired.

[Wanabe]

Not trying to defend everything everyone says because I do agree drinking is not getting me anywhere. So I might as well throw it completely out the window. I don’t need it and don’t benefit from it in any way shape or form.

I was not intoxicated during the fight but I did have a few drinks in me. Impaired and intoxicated are a too different thing to me at least that’s what my BI from last year said. If they are the same then I retract the impaired statement. The fight was not due to being intoxicated or impaired he came at me and hit me because he was angry that his new cell phone was missing. He was a lot bigger then me so I struck back IMMATURE I know, what’s done is done I regret it. They said I drank excessively because the fact that I was a minor who had been intoxicated before going into a BI interview 4 months after my 21st Birthday.

I have stated I am going to STOP entirely so that’s a start and come 9 months from now that would be 2 years not intoxicated and 10 months completely clean. PEOPLE have not told me to stop drinking just 1 person and that is my girlfriend. She would tell anyone who picked up a 1 beer to stop and that includes every one on this forum it just goes against what she believes in. When the question was asked I knew what they were getting at but I need to be a 100percent honest so I said she says don’t drink. She has a good head on her shoulders and I should have listened to her.

I appreciate the constructive criticism I really do, but you are changing my words and altering them in many different ways, turning them into something completely different then I said.

Not sure if it was done on purpose or not but I thank you for the response

[Beantown08]

By no means am I an expert on background investigations b/c I'm in the process as well. But time might be your best friend according to what you've explained. You sound like your trying to grow out of your wild stage but you also sould like a legal liability for a department and city or county.

Just a suggestion, since you have a BA and are still very young, maybe a military commission or experience would play well in your favor.

1 year clean=ok
2 years clean=better
6 years clean+military background= not bad, not bad at all.

Then again I not a BI or cop, but trying to get there like you. Good Luck!

[cobravenom1]

IMHO, you need a few years of maturity and life experience prior to applying again for any LEO job. If you really want to show a BI that you are sincere, get a job, do well at it till your about 26yrs old, stay sober and do some volunteer/community service.

Not trying to defend everything everyone says because I do agree drinking is not getting me anywhere. So I might as well throw it completely out the window. I don’t need it and don’t benefit from it in any way shape or form.

I was not intoxicated during the fight but I did have a few drinks in me. Impaired and intoxicated are a too different thing to me at least that’s what my BI from last year said. If they are the same then I retract the impaired statement. The fight was not due to being intoxicated or impaired he came at me and hit me because he was angry that his new cell phone was missing. He was a lot bigger then me so I struck back IMMATURE I know, what’s done is done I regret it. They said I drank excessively because the fact that I was a minor who had been intoxicated before going into a BI interview 4 months after my 21st Birthday.
Huge red FLAG. If you can't accept responsibility for your actions, how can we trust you with the responsibility of a LEO. I arrest people for being IMPAIRED/INTOXICATED for lessor reasons than fighting. Quick temper with the added liquid courage makes for a volatile mix. We don't need that in our LE community.

I have stated I am going to STOP entirely so that’s a start and come 9 months from now that would be 2 years not intoxicated and 10 months completely clean. PEOPLE have not told me to stop drinking just 1 person and that is my girlfriend. She would tell anyone who picked up a 1 beer to stop and that includes every one on this forum it just goes against what she believes in. When the question was asked I knew what they were getting at but I need to be a 100percent honest so I said she says don’t drink. She has a good head on her shoulders and I should have listened to her.
You are not admitting your weaknesses to yourself let alone to your girlfriend or us. If one person, who is close to me, told me to stop drinking, I WOULD BE WORRIED. Just the thought of someone being concerned for my well being in this aspect of character would devastate me. We are held to a higher standard than the average person. If I do not uphold my end of the morale code society trusts me to, how can I maintain society's trust.

I appreciate the constructive criticism I really do, but you are changing my words and altering them in many different ways, turning them into something completely different then I said.
Dude, MAN up to what you were expecting. You posted here wanting us to pat you on the back and powder your butt. We don't do that!!! There are LEO's on this board that have vast years of observing and responding to every aspect of human being. If you can't take a well seasoned response, find another board that will meet your needs.

Not sure if it was done on purpose or not but I thank you for the response

Yeah, this response was definitely on purpose.;):D

[Wanabe]

No i did not come here for a pat on the back. I came for information and help, and I did get some. I did not come here for some others to change what I said around into what they want to assume happen or to what they want to believe happen. Ever bit of information i gave to them was voluntary, no polygraph involved. I have no record on any of these altercations. I don't expect a pat on the back for being honest because it is expected, but what i said are the facts they should not have been altered to start with.