Am I Eligible?

[xxsleepyxx]

It is possible to become a Police Officer with extended use of drugs?

[Cpl. Haas]

Define "extended use of drugs"...

What type... how extended... when did you start/stop doing drugs? With those answers, you'll probably get a more accurate answer.

[SenorJefe]

look around officer.com

You'll find that very questions many times in the Ask-a-Cop section. Most of them answer that prolonged or addiction to drugs is an easy disqualify, even if many years passed.

Maybe that's just what they say, but it seems pretty unanimous. Hopefully you'll get a clearer answer here

good luck

[xxsleepyxx]

It goes something like this
Marijuana was highschool to college did it weekly
Done X, Shrooms, Coke

i probably have no place in LE, but i wanted to because i'm clean now i don't touch alcohol but based on me knowing it was illegal to consume those drugs, i was aware and still committed what was a crime. i don't know though..

[Cpl. Haas]

Well obviously some departments will be more liberal with their drug policy than others... having said that, it doesn't look good for you.

If it was just pot, you might have a chance so long as 3 or more years have passed since you last touched it. Shrooms and coke are heavy stuff, and shows serious lack of judgment in the eyes of most departments... some won't touch you, others demand 5 years of non-use before you'd be eligible. Ecstasy, on the other hand, is considered a "designer drug", and most agencies that I know of will not hire you if you have ever used a designer or intravenous drug.

Sorry... not passing judgment here... just telling it as it is.

[xxsleepyxx]

Oh of course, honestly I didn't think it would pass either. Alright then time to buy that Kilo =)

[Baconator]

Most places have an automatic DQ for the second line of drugs you did there, regardless of how long ago you did them. You won't know unless you ask someone at the department you are considering applying at what their specific dis-qualifiers are. Just remember you are considering going into a profession that has many people that are also applying who have never done a drug in their life.

[fullrearview]

Just remember you are considering going into a profession that has many people that are also applying who have never done a drug in their life.

True! I am one of those people.

But having said that, I was GRILLED by my background investigator because I didn't. Its just rare for someone to not at least somke MJ once or twice. Me, I grew up watching my parents do drugs, so I have an issue with taking asprin for a headache!

Some departments want people with life experience, yes even with drugs. The key is to be truthful and up front about it. You will need to show that you are a responsible person and have been for at least 5 years!

[xxsleepyxx]

"To be a narcotics officer, one must have narcotics in him" - Denzel Washington

[ChrisO]

It really depends on departments but a lot of departments DQ automatically for hallucinogenic drugs. I went through background for a dept in my area as a cadet and my background investigator drilled me. My polygraph showed that I was deceptive in some questions if I have ever stolen anything of value in the past 5 years, Also about experimentation with drugs. The poly is BS I passed it but they said I was deceptive in those areas I told the poly expert that I had smoked weed in HS a couple times but it was never really my thing and I stole 2 lures from walmart when I was about 4 and gave them to my dad and he spanked the S*** out of me and made me return them and I told the BI I was raised different and never stole a damn thing since. I got a letter saying I failed some part in my background investigation but I will keep trying at different departments. Polygraphs are BS anyways it only takes a couple weeks of school to become a so called "expert" and BI can go either way. If they meet one person that didn't like you or someone that has something bad to say about you they focus more on that than all the good stuff people have to say about you. It's a hard and long process and is some times discouraging.

[Rooftop Voter]

It really depends on departments but a lot of departments DQ automatically for hallucinogenic drugs. I went through background for a dept in my area as a cadet and my background investigator drilled me. My polygraph showed that I was deceptive in some questions if I have ever stolen anything of value in the past 5 years, Also about experimentation with drugs. The poly is BS I passed it but they said I was deceptive in those areas I told the poly expert that I had smoked weed in HS a couple times but it was never really my thing and I stole 2 lures from walmart when I was about 4 and gave them to my dad and he spanked the S*** out of me and made me return them and I told the BI I was raised different and never stole a damn thing since. I got a letter saying I failed some part in my background investigation but I will keep trying at different departments. Polygraphs are BS anyways it only takes a couple weeks of school to become a so called "expert" and BI can go either way. If they meet one person that didn't like you or someone that has something bad to say about you they focus more on that than all the good stuff people have to say about you. It's a hard and long process and is some times discouraging.

Just curious - what agency/dept was this?

[dvs kugai]

that post from chriso sounds a little jaded...anywho, the drug use question from the OP:

It is very unlikely in today's LE UNfriendly economic environment (in california specifically) that any department actually hiring ANYONE without any training would consider anyone except the most spit-shined, polished, outstanding example of the perfect candidate. Most departments dont have the funds or available positions to hire rookies or laterals. With your drug history, while it doesn't sound wild by itself (just this, that, this, and some of this), it's not likely that any department would risk the investment when there are other candidates who are better on paper.

[ChrisO]

Department? I don't wish to spout that out on a public forum. Jaded... Hmmm well being that it only takes a few weeks to be a "polygraph expert" and I have some ***** telling me I lied about something I have never done. Then yeah I guess so. It happens to a lot of people but you just keep applying at different departments. You have a about a 50% chance of showing deception even if you are lying/telling the truth.