Another one of those does my background seem ok threads...

[scooby doo love]

Ok, well I'll start from the beginning...
From as long as I can remember my mother has been addicted to crack cocaine, and I have no idea who my birth father is. My birth father is out of two men, which neither one denying me as their child. Due to my parents addiction, I spent most of my childhood with my grandmother. When I got older around 10, 11, I started hanging with the wrong crowd. I stole from stores (2 total), one which I got caught. When I got caught, I was told to stay out of the store, and I was fingerprinted. I started smoking marijuana not only a dail basis but sometimes. ( about 3 times total). I was ( and my friends) stopped by the police for being out past curfew, and since we were near home the officers told us to go directly there which we did. The second time one of my former friends broke into a home that was abandon. I don't remember much details, but we were stopped and asked by several officers what happend. We all said we knew nothing, so we were let go.
At the age of 12, something bad happend and the police were called. I was later asked to testify in court, but I left some details out because of fear of the offenders family. Plus, the offenders cousin added things to tell me. I eventually told everything though.

I also started calling radio stations. My mother ( who then had custody of me) was told that a police report was filed a against me for phone harrassment. I have no idea still if theis is true.

I began seeing a counselor for emotional problems. No suicide related things, but for problems in my life.

After that I was placed with my older sister, and I still live here now. But, she smokes marijuana and when I first came, I smoked it twice. I never been high though. She still asks me for money for it every now and then, and I'll give her the money. I started again calling radio stations which they called the police, but I not sure if any charges were filed or anything. This went on for about 2 years and I was eventually banned from calling. I have not called a single radio station since then.
Fast forward to now... I still keep contact with ny mother. I give her money because she asks and asks even if I say no. If she spends it on drugs that is beyond me. She steals things from stores and gives them to me. Not to hide but usable things like lotion, body wash, personal items.

I took a Vicodin pill for pain once ( before I knew they were illegal). I don't have a high credit score because my cousin put a phone in my name when I was 15 and its still shows up, so it hard for me to get a credit card to establish credit. I go school for Criminal Justice with a 3.0 average. My driving record is clean. And so that's it...

Sorry it's kind of long and I think I made it sound more like an autobiography than anything... Thanks for reading and tell me your thoughts, input ,or just opinions...

[MP_Steve]

Personally I believe to be considered experimental usage you can't use marijuana anymore than once or twice.

Seeing a counselor will most likely have to be disclosed. It may even shut you out of a security clearence if you plan on entering federal law enforcement.

Hanging out with the wrong crowd won't be viewed upon positively.

I think you'll just have to put time behind you until you start applying and hope for the best.

[Group9]

Doing a little between the lines reading, I have a feeling you would probably have a hard time passing our background investigation (SSBI for a TS clearance by a large federal agency). The long term (even if sporadic in nature), marijuana usage is probably going to be a problem.

That other stuff you mentioned makes me think that there are probably going to be other issues likely to come up that will be important, and problematic, that you haven't mentioned (or may not even see as a potential issue in your background).

The good news is that none of you mother's problems are going to be put on you. Your background investigation will be of your character and personal history, not hers.

[scooby doo love]

Doing a little between the lines reading, I have a feeling you would probably have a hard time passing our background investigation (SSBI for a TS clearance by a large federal agency). The long term (even if sporadic in nature), marijuana usage is probably going to be a problem.

That other stuff you mentioned makes me think that there are probably going to be other issues likely to come up that will be important, and problematic, that you haven't mentioned (or may not even see as a potential issue in your background).

The good news is that none of you mother's problems are going to be put on you. Your background investigation will be of your character and personal history, not hers.

Actually, I haven't applied at all. I am asking for future reference because of I have done things when I was younger and wnt to know will it affect me.

[Sierra]

Ok, well I'll start from the beginning...
From as long as I can remember my mother has been addicted to crack cocaine, and I have no idea who my birth father is. My birth father is out of two men, which neither one denying me as their child. Due to my parents addiction, I spent most of my childhood with my grandmother. When I got older around 10, 11, I started hanging with the wrong crowd. I stole from stores (2 total), one which I got caught. When I got caught, I was told to stay out of the store, and I was fingerprinted. I started smoking marijuana not only a dail basis but sometimes. ( about 3 times total). I was ( and my friends) stopped by the police for being out past curfew, and since we were near home the officers told us to go directly there which we did. The second time one of my former friends broke into a home that was abandon. I don't remember much details, but we were stopped and asked by several officers what happend. We all said we knew nothing, so we were let go.
At the age of 12, something bad happend and the police were called. I was later asked to testify in court, but I left some details out because of fear of the offenders family. Plus, the offenders cousin added things to tell me. I eventually told everything though.

I also started calling radio stations. My mother ( who then had custody of me) was told that a police report was filed a against me for phone harrassment. I have no idea still if theis is true.

I began seeing a counselor for emotional problems. No suicide related things, but for problems in my life.

After that I was placed with my older sister, and I still live here now. But, she smokes marijuana and when I first came, I smoked it twice. I never been high though. She still asks me for money for it every now and then, and I'll give her the money. I started again calling radio stations which they called the police, but I not sure if any charges were filed or anything. This went on for about 2 years and I was eventually banned from calling. I have not called a single radio station since then.
Fast forward to now... I still keep contact with ny mother. I give her money because she asks and asks even if I say no. If she spends it on drugs that is beyond me. She steals things from stores and gives them to me. Not to hide but usable things like lotion, body wash, personal items.

I took a Vicodin pill for pain once ( before I knew they were illegal). I don't have a high credit score because my cousin put a phone in my name when I was 15 and its still shows up, so it hard for me to get a credit card to establish credit. I go school for Criminal Justice with a 3.0 average. My driving record is clean. And so that's it...

Sorry it's kind of long and I think I made it sound more like an autobiography than anything... Thanks for reading and tell me your thoughts, input ,or just opinions...

I do not believe you are a good candidate at this time.

At the age of 12 something bad happened and you lied under oath. Telling the truth afterwards doesn't help matters at all, now does it?

You allegedly got busted for calling radios stations. Your mom said a report was filed. A few years later, you did it again and got banned from calling. It is pretty safe to assume you weren't calling to hear the latest song from Britney or to try to win concert tickets, right?

Now, you have admitted to knowingly accepting stolen items from your mother. Regardless of it being lotion or a PS3, you are accepting stolen items and doing so as an adult. Have you made restitution for the items? Have you stopped accepting the items? Have you called the locall PD? Thought not.

[scooby doo love]

I do not believe you are a good candidate at this time.

At the age of 12 something bad happened and you lied under oath. Telling the truth afterwards doesn't help matters at all, now does it?

You allegedly got busted for calling radios stations. Your mom said a report was filed. A few years later, you did it again and got banned from calling. It is pretty safe to assume you weren't calling to hear the latest song from Britney or to try to win concert tickets, right?

Now, you have admitted to knowingly accepting stolen items from your mother. Regardless of it being lotion or a PS3, you are accepting stolen items and doing so as an adult. Have you made restitution for the items? Have you stopped accepting the items? Have you called the locall PD? Thought not.

I understand telling the truth afterwards doesn't make it any better.
No, I didn't call a radio station to request a song or to win tickets.
Yes, I have stopped accepting items from my mother. No, I have not called the PD to report it.

[H.R. Cufnstuf]

So why did you call the radio station?

[scooby doo love]

So why did you call the radio station?

Well, in the begining I called to request a song, but it grew more into an obession. In the beginning, it was just to talk to the Djs then it went from there. When I left and came back, I called them again. Why do did I do that after they said a police report was filed on me? I have no idea at all. But ,this time my friend called with me. That was a big mistake. My friend ended up liking one of the djs and I become somewhat jealous. They never dated, but they talked. All of a sudden calling the radio station just become a part of me. I became a different person when I called them, and with everythihng that was going on in my life it just my way of dealing with it. To get the answer you are looking for, I really do not know. To me it was a part of life.

That may make me sound crazy, but that's my answer.

[dinarguy]

Wow...I never knew someone could have an obsession with calling a radio station...

[retdetsgt]

Get a job doing something else for a while and build up a good work record for a few years. Get your credit squared away and show that you can be a responsible citizen and you have a pretty good chance.

Personally, I'd prefer to work with someone like you who's turned their life around than some goody two shoes who's led a sterling life and never had any real problems. I like cops who can show real empathy for people who weren't dealt a real good hand to start out life.

We have a whole cadre of cops now who have had the best of everything since they were born and have absolutely no idea how to empathize with a street person. Their elitist attitudes will always prevent them from becoming good cops.

Sorry, got on the soap box again....... But seriously, if you're still young (and I assume you are) there is time to show an agency that you can be a productive and trustworth person. But it may take several years.

[CJConrad]

These "is my background OK" threads are self-defeating and, at times, pointless.

It stems from the way the topic is presented. Each candidate wannabe starts with some lame apology and then proceeds to list the boneheaded crap so many of us pulled when we're younger. So then the old stalwarts read these laundry list of poor choices and say, "Nope, son, but we'd fail you here at my department" are we surprised? Did the hopeful candidate actually learn anything? Probably not.

The BI's I've spoken to told me they take into consideration the totality of a candidate's life and experiences. Can you smoke a LITTLE pot and someday become a cop? Yes, but only if you've done something positive in your later life to make up for your bad decision. Hell, their forgiving past cocaine use in some California departments. But I'm sure those candidates that used coke must have a exemplary work history, solid credit, good character references to make up for their poor choices.

This is not taking into consideration excessive drug use, suicide attempts, felony arrests, tons of speeding tickets and at-fault accidents. If you have those things, then forget it anyway.

I'd say take a look at you life in its entirety. If the good FAR out weighs the bad then you could have a shot. Retdetsgt has a good point that departments should sometimes consider people who have overcome their bad choices with good ones. That shows determination and the ability to reshape your thinking in a positive direction.

Are departments looking for angels? Yes. But they are fully aware that those people don't exist and have to take the best of what's out there.

[noelchabanel]

In my humble laymans opinion, looking at the post in its entirety, I don't think the "bad deeds" are the central issue in this particular case. The glaringly obvious underlying psychological problems that made the original poster's compulsive stalker-like behavior, and uncertainty about the immorality of keeping stolen goods seem like normal behavior to him are much more of a concern to me.

Also, the OP seems to say he only went to a counselor for "life problems." Unless he's downplaying the treatment, considering his past, that sounds like using band-aids to treat a brain tumor. Honestly, I can't imagine anyone short of a sociopath coming out of that home environment without having PtSD or serious depression or something that needed to be "fixed". It is a little traumatic and depressing for us just to read about a kid being treated like that! My thinking is that it would probably take a good psychologist trained in these specific problems a while to get the job done. Weekly meetings with a school counselor or Dr Phil "life coach" aren't going to cut it. Maybe I am reading it wrong, but it sounds in the posts above like that hasn't happened yet, and thus the inappropriate behavior is likely to come back in one form or another sooner or later.

Seeking that kind of help may mess up his chances with the agency he is applying to, since the problem will then be documented, but I don't think it would mess it up half as much as doing nothing--which, by the way, is likely to derail any other opportunity he might what to pursue in life.

[tward]

After that I was placed with my older sister, and I still live here now. But, she smokes marijuana and when I first came, I smoked it twice.

I'm surprised nobody else touched on this, unless they were too derailed by the other issues... does she smoke around you? in the house? You won't pass the drug test if so, it can still show up years down the road if they do a hair test.

You're a legal adult now (according to your profile on here), living with a drug user shows poor choice, if you plan to apply with a PD, even 10 years down the road, you should be looking for a new place to live where drugs are not in use.

I'm NOT a LEO, but I know enough to know that would DQ you with just about any department in the United States.

[noelchabanel]

I don't have a high credit score because my cousin put a phone in my name when I was 15 and its still shows up, so it hard for me to get a credit card to establish credit.

Here's one fix for you that is easy: If this phone account is fraudulent, the reporting agencies have to investigate and then remove that from your credit report--if what you say is accurate. You will need to request an investigation, probably from all three of them, and you may have to prove that you were 15 at the time and unable to legally enter contracts. I know from experience that sometimes they are slow or reluctant to take the inaccurate information off, so you may need to be persistent.

[scooby doo love]

I'm surprised nobody else touched on this, unless they were too derailed by the other issues... does she smoke around you? in the house? You won't pass the drug test if so, it can still show up years down the road if they do a hair test.

You're a legal adult now (according to your profile on here), living with a drug user shows poor choice, if you plan to apply with a PD, even 10 years down the road, you should be looking for a new place to live where drugs are not in use.

I'm NOT a LEO, but I know enough to know that would DQ you with just about any department in the United States.

Well, the times I'm here sometimes she does, but I go in the other room or outside. I'm suppose to be moving out as soon as I'm done with school here.