Disqualifications for Leo

[Igeekedyou]

Please delete

[John M]

These days the time frame from when you last used is a big issue. If you got a ticket for marijuana when you were 13 and your now 22, this would not be a deal breaker. Now if your 22 and used just a few years ago, then what your background officer told you may be true. I know many departments post what drugs will disqualify you and the time frame they will accept. Obvioulsy the harder the drug, the more time they want to have passed. Also, 22 is young, if you want to have a carrer in LE, try to work in a related field, get a degree if you dont have one and try again in a few years. You will be happy you did.

[Igeekedyou]

Last time of any use was 4 years ago, degree is on the way, and is ems running 911 calls not related? If not what would be a more appropriate path?

[teeemothy]

Nothing is wrong with EMS as you are exposed to dangerous working environments, typically working shift schedules similar to LE, and may encounter people who need but not necessarily want your help.

I think what he meant was since you have your degree in progress and your goal in mind try nudging that foot up against the door by applying for non-sworn LE positions. Many large departments employ non-sworn employees to relieve some of the volume of service the sworn staff takes and frees them up for investigating more dire criminal calls. Think of Police Service Technicians, Community Service Officers, etc. who gain field-level experience in the LE capacity by learning procedures, basic report writing, verbal skills, so on.

Good Luck!

[Slack Jaw]

When I was 13 I got a marijuana possession ticket and I have experimented with other substances. I have not experimented with meth crack heroin or hard stuff like that.

So let me see. What other substances are we talking about here? LSD, shrooms, X... Most agencies have a small budget and they want to hire the best of the best (not saying you are not by any means. I dont know you). But from a business stand point and I was the employer Id choose the one without the illegal substance "experimental use." Keep trying. I applied at about 8 different agencies before I was hired and Im a ****bag. At least thats what my background says I am. Good luck!!

[PeaceMker]

You may want to try the Feds. I applied to both Feds and local PDs. Feds seem to overlook thing you have done in the past as long as you are honest with the background investigator.

You may also want to consider military service for a little bit. You will gain work experience in your occupation field and veteran's preference, and GI bill, and shoot all kinds of full automatic rifles (M249, m240, M4, M2, etc) for free..

I joined the military at 23, (honorably) discharged at 27, and got hired at 29..

Hope this helps.

[TRICKSTER]

Hiring and training an officer is a huge investment in time and money. You were busted at age 13, still using some type of illegal drug at 18 and are now 22. You have been working as a emt for how long? Think about it, unless you somehow make a fantastic impression on someone involved in the hiring process, why should a department risk time and money on you over someone that has a clean background? You most likely will need to spend a couple of more years establishing yourself so that you are looked at as more of a known quantity instead of a gamble.

[teg33]

OP try federal agencies, Border & Patrol, Marshall, CIA are hiring

[ldsnet]

Law enforcement has to be a calling. You need the determination to succeed just to get throug the door.
Every agency is different as to expectations and timelines for mis-deeds.
Plenty of othet agencies to apply for. Won't be the first one to turn you down for a job.

[Atomic Donut]

As long as you disclose everything and DO NOT LIE you should be fine. Marijuana is not a deal breaker and in my opinion experimenting with it when you were younger will make you a better officer since you have first hand knowledge act can detect evidence of its usage and presence through that knowledge. The biggest factor that i cannot stress enough though is DO NOT LIE! I know guys who have experimented with much worse substances than Mary Jane but were truthful about it and ended up getting hired and making great officers.

[tyrist]

It sounds like they just want you to have more time separation from when you last used a controlled substance which is not uncommon.

[damianvaldez310]

I'm a Background Investigator and the following are the automatic disqualifiers for drug use:

ILLEGAL USE OR POSSESSION OF DRUGS

a. The following examples of illegal drug use or possession will be considered automatic disqualifiers for public safety applicants, with no exceptions:

1. Any adult use or possession of a drug classified as a hallucinogenic within seven years prior to application for employment

2. Any adult use or possession of marijuana within one year prior to application for employment

3. Any other illegal adult use or possession of a drug not mentioned above (including cocaine) within three years prior to application for employment

4. Any illegal adult use or possession of a drug while employed in any law enforcement capacity, military police, or as a student enrolled in college-accredited courses related to the criminal justice field

5. Any adult manufacture or cultivation of a drug or illegal substance

6. Failure to divulge to the Department any information about personal illegal use or possession of drugs

7. Any drug test of the applicant, during the course of the hiring process, where illegal drugs are detected


Hope this helps

[Tacit Blue]

Dude,

Just goto Paramedic School. Don't let the idea of background checks make you stress out over little bit of pot and make you all self conscience. Do the sensible thing and do a job where people are actually happy to see you.

[LastDrift]

Note taken. Thank you guys.

[stilly]

Edited because I love how after I post something sometimes nobody wants to touch it...

I am curious about dis-qualifiers. Now I am starting to see full background checks and polygraphs for some of the positions that I have applied for (systems analyst, computer related stuff for PD or city) and I am curious, what other dis-qualifiers are out there? The only time I ever had any issues with any LEO was when there was a multiagency party at my house (parents house) in 2000/2001 over a fake website that made and it just blew up because of things I had lying around... So are drugs the worst things that you could have in your possession and be disqualified for? Are there worse things? Is there a list that ranks them? Can all of it be ignored by being open and honest with the background investigator?

I can not imagine all of this needed for a computer job but do weapon charges weigh more than drugs? What is the worst thing out there?