Credit and Background

[JANA]

I am 23 and have recently applied at a department in my area. I am to take the written test on Tuesday. However, I do have some worries about once the background investigation starts....The major issue is my credit. When I was 20, my husband and I felt there was no other option but to file bankruptcy because I was pregnant with my daughter and that at the time just seemed like there was no other option. As of right now of course my credit still isnt perfect because I did file bankruptcy, but I am current on all my bills and doing my best to keep it that way=). Is there really that much emphasis on a persons credit?? In my opinion credit is something that can literally change from month to month, so why can it be a MAJOR factor in ones life??

[JANA]

Oh and just a little bit more info....The rest of my background is pretty good!! The only drug I have used is marijuana and that was about a total of 10 times. I have only received 3 tickets since I was 16, never been fired, and no criminal history.

[constable]

You see as many people will say, personal credit history will turn around and possibly kick you in the but. I am a firm beleiver that this is not something they should not use against you, I think drugs, crminal history and other things such as that are things to be a factor but not credit. People are not perfect by no means, and at age 20 perhaps it wasn't the best choice but perhaps the only choice, especially if you do not have people to help you. The funny thing is, Police Officers all over get into credit history problems all the time while on the job, so perhaps the background check done on that person is not that great, be honest and you should get in. The drug thing you mentioned will be a little more troublesom to you I would think, because that is something that is totally in your hands and judgement, but again there are people who have done worse.
tale care and best of luck.

[mcsap]

Credit is a look at a persons responsibility or irresponsibility. I would suspect that the majority of people somehow get themselves into such a situation. Nonetheless, it is a black mark that you will just have to acknowledge, show that you are current on all bills, and that you are a responsible , mature adult in your community. Many people go through life without going bankrupt . You can't go back and change it. Fully admit to it and move on.

[Switchback]

Without a doubt, you should admit it. As mentioned, it may not exclude you from egtting hired, in and of itself. It is just another reason not to hire you. The drugs are another reason. I'd, personally, give the marijuana use a heavier consideration.

Again, these are just reasons NOT to hire you. The key is to show them all the reasons that they SHOULD hire you. Do you have any college> If not, get some!

You will find that the schooling will only make you MORE marketable, unless you are bringing something to the table that you have not mentioned. Not to mention, them ore time you put between you and the bankruptcy and drug use will only help you. Also, look into volunteering.

You have a couple hurdles to get over in your BI. You can get over them, though. If you don't get hired from the agency with whom you just applied, don't worry. Continually make yourself a more attractive applicant. You are plenty young enough that the time, as mentioned above, will only help you too!

Good luck and keep us posted.

[HamptonTravels5]

From my understanding concerning why credit history matters is like what MCSAP said, that it shows how responsible you are. If you're always late on your payments, or just don't seem to make any effort to pay your bills, then that's a big nasty stain on your wedding dress that you can't easily get out in time for the wedding. (Wasn't that a nice analogy?)

I think another major reason for financial checks is to see how you are doing with LOANS, such as students loans. Most college grads are going to have a very, VERY big bill to pay (cough, cough, me, cough, cough), so that's understandable. But the big no-no is when you default on your payments...you know, when you get up in the morning and just decide that you don't believe in paying bills anymore because it's a way for the government to keep Americans enslaved When you default on your loans, your life will basically be made miserable, and getting a good job anywhere will be near impossible.

What I heard one NYPD cop said was that they would be checking to see if you don't owe back TOO much beyond reason...like you owe 500,000 bucks. The reason is that the department wants to see if they could trust you on the job, because you could give in to various temptations, like bribes for example, and you could do a lot with a gun.

They also look to see if you pay your taxes too. So, hopefully you didn't have any radical ideas concerning taxes and government...

Hampton, Virginia, was the only department I know that said they did not want applicants to have ever filed for bankruptcy. All departments are different, some more picky than others. Some care too much about the teeniest things, others don't. As for the drug thing, all departments are different. Chesepeake, VA., would consider hiring you if you are even going to a drug rehibiliation program. Now, that's pretty lenient, isn't it? Shows you that every department is it's own little world.

But the main thing is to call the department you're applying to, talk to people in the PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT and they could tell you what to worry about and what not to worry about. Since all departments are different, you're going to have to call your particular department and ask them these questions to see what they care about.

[Switchback]

I know for security clearances, you cannot have a bancruptcy on your record within a certain amount of time. Most fed LE jobs require a Secret Clearance as a minimum.

[JANA]

Thank You all so much for your responses!! I understand that credit shows responsibility...but on the same note I understand situations happens to people and they deal with them the way they know how and to the best of their ability. I absolutely own up to the fact that I filed and am not even ashamed of it, because of the simple fact that there were circumstances that happened and it was a way to start over. Now 3 yrs. I realize there were other avenues, but what is done...is done.

As for my drug use, it happened and I can't change that either. I like the advice that if I don;t get into this dept., put more time between myself and the drug/bankruptcy.

Also, I have debated on whether or not to put myself through the police academy, I am in Georgia and you are able to do that, if I don't get in with this dept. I wonder if that too will help show that I am serious about being a police officer, and be even MORE helpful to "sell" myself as a good candidate to a dept.

[HamptonTravels5]

You're right about that, JANA, what's done is what's done and you can't change a thing about it. We all make mistakes and departments are going to have to be human about that...if they want to, of course. Whatever you can't fix you can't worry about.

Unlike many people, being a police officer wasn't a childhood dream for me. It was only last year when I decided that it was something I wanted to do. I had to struggle to either be a high school teacher or a cop. Finally, I didn't want to be anything else but a cop, but I would still like to do maybe substitute work on the side...so I could still have an impact on children.

One way you could show the department AND yourself how serious you are in being a police officer is to know everything you could about the police force. I've read a few books on cops (history, interviews, autobiographies), researched different departments, visited a police museum, try to know what I could (with special attention on the dark side of the job) so I could see if this was something I really wanted to do. (I haven't done ride-a-longs yet...but living in New York City...ah, you know.) And it would help to have a vision when coming to the job...probably something a little more meaningful than busting the bad guys and locking 'em up forever and ever, because the job involves much more than that.

Anyway...hopefully you'll follow your heart to the right path and do something that you'll truly love, and if it is the police, good then. And if you're a good person, that is especially great While down in Florida, I've heard about five or so times, including from a background investigator, that they need good people on the force. Hmmm...maybe that was just for that town in Florida....

[Scoop]

What I heard one NYPD cop said was that they would be checking to see if you don't owe back TOO much beyond reason...like you owe 500,000 bucks. The reason is that the department wants to see if they could trust you on the job, because you could give in to various temptations, like bribes for example, and you could do a lot with a gun.

There is a serious flaw in that theory, though.

What if I am currently in a different line of work making six figures and have a mortage ($300.000), a boat ($100,000), a couple cars ($70K total) and a few bucks in credit card bills and have NEVER been late on any payments in the past 15 years (even though only 7 years' history is maintained by the credit bureaus)?

What if my plan is to sell the house and the boat *if* I'm hired by the PD and move into a smaller house?

Responsible repayment of loans and debt, as agreed, is the purpose of including your credit history in a background check. Whether you've got $100 in debt or $1M in debt, as long as you've ALWAYS paid "as agreed" and "on time", you are showing a history of responsibility.

My$0.02 worth, anyways.

[Switchback]

While having always met your financial obligations is important, it is also important that you will be able to continue meeting them once you took the job. SO, rbielak, your argument is not without flaws, either. Conducting a BI, I cannot tell what your "plans" are. Even if your house is for sale, who is to say that it sells in a timely fashion?

BIs, generally speaking, are rather complicated (though, not rocket science ) and are far from being black and white. Barring a situation that automatically precludes you from getting hired, most things are very subjective and depend on your total package. One thing that may preclude you from getting hired, in the grand scheme of things may matter very little in another's BI. Everything mentioned above is a generalization. Put in for a job, see what you get, make your self more marketable (if necessary) and repeat.

[mcsap]

I don't think too many 6 or 7 figure income types will walk away to get into the LEO world.

I did see the other day where a lawyer in MAryland was willing to give up his practice to go to work for LEGO full time as a designer. He won some sort of national contest as well as 3 others and has committed to moving to California and working for LEGO at a substantially less amount of money.

[Scoop]

I don't think too many 6 or 7 figure income types will walk away to get into the LEO world.

Well ... you're conversing with one.

[Stump]

OH cool!!!! LEGOS!!!! I love legos! I'd work there. Imagine, spending my day building little lego designs... maybe having a lego fort for an office... *stump drifts away, considering the options*

[HamptonTravels5]

Hmmm...let's see....LEGO's or law enforcement...LEGO's...police force...LEGO's...eh...er...man, I think this is the toughest choice I've ever made so far...gonna have to really sleep on it...