Advice request, for an aspiring LEO

[Agent Tikki]

Hi everyone, thanks for taking the time to read my little post. I have a friend that is applying to the Glendale PD. I told him that I was really happy and excited for him! I think he made a great decision to apply and that he's be a great LEO. He got to talking more about what the application process entails and about the tests that he would be taking. Then he dropped a bomb. He's been told that applicants who owned firearms are frowned upon and that he may be considering in selling his firearms. Apparently he'd been told that applicants are asked to write up a detailed explanation as to why they owned firearms. Is this true, or has be been fed FUD? For the life of me, I don't understand why ownership would hamper his acceptance, tho he did say that PD wants new recruits to learn department firearms training and procedures. Wouldn't even just a little experience be better than no experience at all?

And if you'd be so kind. Do you have any other bits and peices of advise to help out my friend with is application? I've already suggested he hit the streets and work on his cardio.

Thanks for your time!

[ckim34]

I had 3 firearms registered to me before I was hired, but then again each agency has their own hiring practices.

BTW who told your friend this? If it were the department than just have him ask them why.

[BigDogatPlay]

Sounds a little odd to my ear, but each agency has it's own criteria of what they are looking for aside from the overarching POST guidelines. From a training perspective having recruits who don't know squat about firearms makes them, usually, easier to train. I'd be curious to know what the source was as well as I can't imagine a background investigator, or a recruiter for that matter, being that out front.

I can also see some agencies feeling like owning firearms outside of the job might be indicative of a personality trait they don't like. Horribly subjective, and not an agency I'd ever want to work for if they have that mindset, but there it is.

[SoCalDep]

I worked at a gun shop and owned probably around 30 guns during the application process. It wasn't a problem for me.

[peter95]

I heard this also....

[34marine]

I also had firearms prior to becoming LEO. I can't remember them having much of a problem with it...if I remember, I had to list the ones I owned but it did not go further than that. Probably some BS way to auto weed people out.

[GunGreg2107]

I have a friend who is a glendale city employee become disqualified from Glendale pd for owning too many guns(9) this was just 4 months ago.

[BigDogatPlay]

I have a friend who is a glendale city employee become disqualified from Glendale pd for owning too many guns(9) this was just 4 months ago.

Did they actually quote him that as being the reason for his DQ?

[Notorious]

I applied to Glendale a long long time ago and while they didn't specifically say it, they did mention my gun ownership and asked why I needed all NINE guns that I owned. Oh boy, all NINE!!! I just said I collect and they are all different calibers. It got weird after that and they just changed their attitude. I didn't get hired. No reason given. There was another PD that did the same thing.

All other PD's didn't give a hoot.

[GSwain]

Strange things have been afoot in glendale for a while, I applied to that dept at one time and got a conditional, but then the hiring freeze hit and that went out the window. I have taken classes with Chief DePompa, hes a great guy. Not sure about any of the other guys though, Burbank seems to be even stranger than glendale FWIW.

[bubbagump]

When I had my backgrounds with South Gate PD they didn't ask me about my guns...

[PsychGuy274]

A friend of mine applied to San Diego Sheriff some years ago and when they found out he had a Utah CCW they became very hostile and questioned him relentlessly on why he had it.

I guess every agency is different. It could also be a bias that the interviewer personally has. Humans are not infallible.

[Jonathan Doe]

I had about 20 + guns when I applied, in my mid 20's. I also shot in competitions. When the background investigator came to my house, he was very impressed with my collection of medals and trophys. My ownership of guns was never an issue for me, in 1985.

[Agent Tikki]

I had about 20 + guns when I applied, in my mid 20's. I also shot in competitions. When the background investigator came to my house, he was very impressed with my collection of medals and trophys. My ownership of guns was never an issue for me, in 1985.

That's awesome, really. But it seems that you are not the norm it seems. Its good to see that there are instances that firearm ownership is acceptable, and your case, seems to be the only one that was applauded. May I ask when and where you applied?

After reading all your experiences, it would seem that the instructors are wary of accepting "unstable"" applicants into the academy. Differentiating a "normal" gun owner and a fanatical gun nut is subjective tho. It seems that GPD is looking to garner applicants that are not gun owners. Its a shame, I really think my friend would be a great LEO.

We got to talking a bit about what he can do to make him a better candidate. Do you think that if he sold all his firearms it would increase his chances?

[retired]

It may be just a sign of the times. topgun7 hired on quite awhile ago. I worked for the same dept. and was hired on in 1976 and was never asked how many guns I had.

None of the depts. that I tried to hire on with asked that question.