Facebook and the B.I.

[Itchy]

I just wanted to state a few common sense things to think about for you wannabes like myself when it comes to Facebook and the B.I. you're going to face someday in the hiring process.

Facebook, although a wonderful tool to keep in touch with family across the nation and friends that moved away, can be a sword in your side and keep you from getting a job.

If you're planning on applying for a job in Law Enforcement take a good look at your Facebook profile. What's on it? I'm not saying go through it and delete everything so you look better but, look at it to see what you like to preceive yourself as to everyone else. You might learn something about yourself.

On my Facebook account I have 207 'friends'. And I can have a B.I. go through every single one of those friends and I can explain how I met each one and why they're on my Facebook account. Can you do that? If you have 'friends' that you met online and have never met in person then you might want to consider taking them off of your account because, well, they just don't know you and THEY'RE actions could reflect onto you. And I'm sure a B.I. would roll his eyes at you if you said, "Well, I don't know him/her, I just met him/her online."

How about all those pictures you have up there? What's the most recent pic or album you uploaded? If it's that "crazy" party you had at so and so's house you might want to get your self in check before applying for an LEO position. Presenting this kind of behavior on Facebook although funny to you and your friends, might reveal the face you're putting on for the PD you're applying for and that PD might just drop you for being two-faced. How about older pics or albums? Anything on there that you would be embarassed to explain or be confronted with may want to be reviewed and considered by you and to figure out and explaination for the behavior that may be presented in the photos.

Comment. "Status". Etc. What you type in your little blurb to the rest of the world is also public and can be viewed by your B.I. Be careful what you say and do on Facebook. I'm sure most of you have heard of people getting fired from their jobs over a Facebook comment. Facebook comments don't go away either. I can look at every comment I've made since I've opened my facebook account. If I can, so can the B.I.

I mentioned earlier not to go through and delete stuff to make yourself look better. Well, there's two parts to that. First, it just goes to show yourself that you may not be ready to show EVERY corner of yourself to a PD if you feel you need to delete this or that. Secondly, a good B.I. will find the stuff you deleted. How? Just because YOU delete it off of YOUR account doesn't mean it's gone. Friends on your account that have commented on a pic or 'tagged' you in something will show a record of it on THEIR account. So, even if you delete it, it still could only be a few clicks away for a B.I. to find.

For me, I would be PROUD to show my Facebook account to a B.I. because it shows who I really am and I'm not ashamed of a single part of my Facebook account. Sure, I have some 'friends' that use some colorful language or may post a pic of them drinking a beer having a good time but none of my friends are posting pics of themselves plastered out of their mind or passed out on the couch with Sharpie art drawn all over themselves.

I've heard of B.I.s asking recruits during their first interview for the Background to log into the recruits Facebook account right then and there or for the information to log into it later. Facebook has become an easy access tool for B.I.s to get a good platform on your personal life and who you may show yourself to be to friends and family.

So take a look and be critical of yourself. Becoming a cop doesn't just give you a cool badge and a way cool gun on your belt. It gives you the requirement and responsibility to be an example to other citizens on OR off the clock. If you can't be that person on Facebook, a place where you can actually THINK about what to post/upload, then you can't be that person outside of Facebook.

If you've never had a Facebook account well, good for you. If you've DELETED your Facebook account understand this: Your Account Is Still There. Facebook has a cute little way of keeping your Facebook account in their server. When you go to "delete" your account it's labeled has "deactivating" your Facebook account. All this does is it removes your account from public view but does not delete any of the content OR information regarding the account. A good B.I. will locate and be able to view a "deactivated" account with having simple information about yourself that you WILL put on your application.

Just some food for thought!

[Ispbear]

Nicely stated.

[Zimmy]

Good post.

[Joeyd6]

An applicant with morals, standards and brains! May you join our brotherhood soon Itchy. We need more like you.

[ET109]

My friends were amazed that my BI asked me to log him in on my facebook account after the interview. They've had background investigations, but all for federal non-LE positions. He also asked about twitter, myspace etc and I'm sure this will include other social network sites that arise.

I hope the officer knows what a hookah looks like and doesn't think I've visited opium dens...

[martyn850]

Good post. I had a collegue loose their job (Dispatch) over some Facebook posts. He posted some "ahem" adult pictures on Facebook where he had photoshopped other collegues faces onto the bodies of the models. Not only did it cost him his Dispatch position, but he was also waiting for a date for starting as a Police Officer, which needless to say was withdrawn....

[mcsap]

FB is absolutely an area we will check. Actually , we check anything and everything , including your friends.

You are not only kown for who you are but who you hang out with.

[kaziko86]

FB is absolutely an area we will check. Actually , we check anything and everything , including your friends.

You are not only kown for who you are but who you hang out with.

While this may be true for some, not everyone follows the footsteps of their neighbors/friends. I have a few "friends" that are complete bums, have made nothing of their lives, do nothing but drink and party. I am only friends with them because of who they are on the inside, they are genuinely nice people and good/funny conversation. I'm not friends with someone because of the things they do or the life they live, I view personality as top priority because not everyone is the same or shares the same views on life. I happen to like the taste of crablegs, but some of my friends don't... according to your statement, because they're friends with me then they MUST love the taste of crablegs.... See where I'm going with this?

[Samuel]

kaziko, STOP digging up old threads. also, you don't know jack about LE, LE work, LE hiring/background processes SO you MIGHT want to keep your mouth shut for a little while and LEARN something before you dig yourself deeper. See where I'm going with this?

[kaziko86]

kaziko, STOP digging up old threads. also, you don't know jack about LE, LE work, LE hiring/background processes SO you MIGHT want to keep your mouth shut for a little while and LEARN something before you dig yourself deeper. See where I'm going with this?

I never claimed to know anything about the le hiring process. I simply gave input on a public forum of how I disagree that if you are friends with someone then you share their bad traits. It seems to me after your compound of negative responses towards me that you don't like people whom are new having an opinion. As this is public forum and I am not claiming to be an expert I am entitled to my opinions and the ability to express them. I have not negatively attacked or hurt anyone with my comments, so please be mature and stop hounding me for merely stating my personal opinion about the subject matter contained within these posts. Anyone is open to argue my opinions and "set me straight" if they so chose, but simply commanding that I hush just because you don't like what I have to say is uneccessesary

[mobrien316]

It is correct to write "who are new," not "whom are new."

[kaziko86]

It is correct to write "who are new," not "whom are new."

thank you for clarification. I always thought they could both be used in the same manner.

[Samuel]

I never claimed to know anything about the le hiring process. I simply gave input on a public forum of how I disagree that if you are friends with someone then you share their bad traits. It seems to me after your compound of negative responses towards me that you don't like people whom are new having an opinion. As this is public forum and I am not claiming to be an expert I am entitled to my opinions and the ability to express them. I have not negatively attacked or hurt anyone with my comments, so please be mature and stop hounding me for merely stating my personal opinion about the subject matter contained within these posts. Anyone is open to argue my opinions and "set me straight" if they so chose, but simply commanding that I hush just because you don't like what I have to say is uneccessesary

You are entitled to your opinions sure. BUT IF you are digging up old threads AND throwing your uneducated/ignorant OPINIONS out there as a counterpoint to the opinions and EXPERIENCES/KNOWLEDGE of subject matter experts (i.e. those who have done, are doing the job, and have been through the processes) Then you are showing a lack of common sense, intelligence, maturity, and/or etiquette.

Basically, you've showed up at a party, poked your nose into various conversations, and without really knowing who the people are who have been having the conversations or knowing much about the topics of the conversations, you somehow feel Obligated or Worthy enough to throw your two pesos into the mix Just because it's a "public" place (which this forum is NOT btw) and you have a "right" to have an opinion (which is dependent upon what that opinion is, btw). IF you add "See where I'm going with this?", you are showing some attitude as well - a lack of class from a Noob.

Now the question is are you going to accept that and be a little smarter about posting and what you post OR are you going to keep arguing?