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[MTG Firearms]

For someone that has their Masters degree, your friend isn't too bright.

This is what I was thinking

[Ron-Solo]

This person has no business wearing a badge. A thief and a doper, two strikes and you're out

[SVT-40]

Maybe he could get a job in the prison system........

How about "trusty".......

Sounds like he meets all the qualifications for that position.

[Notorious]

This person has no business wearing a badge. A thief and a doper, two strikes and you're out

In this business, one strike will prevent you from ever being a cop. Heck, no strikes will do it if your BI has out for you for no reason.

Maybe he could get a job in the prison system........

How about "trusty".......

Sounds like he meets all the qualifications for that position.

I wouldn't trust him for "trustee" because those are the ones that go through private files and sell info to other prisoners or sneak contraband in. That's too much trust in this guy.

[DavidRSA]

Would one be DQ'd for listing on the questionnaire CA-specific gun violations like not transporting a handgun correctly? ie not locked in the trunk with ammo in a separate bag; or carrying a loaded pistol in a handbag?

[tyrist]

Would one be DQ'd for listing on the questionnaire CA-specific gun violations like not transporting a handgun correctly? ie not locked in the trunk with ammo in a separate bag; or carrying a loaded pistol in a handbag?

Nobody can really answer this since everything depends. Illegal CCW if the firearm is registered to you is not a felony so it's not guaranteed DQ. Depending on the reason it can make you a less desirable candidate but everything really depends.

[andytothemax]

I have a friend that just got his masters and wants to be a LEO he asked me if he could even get in and for some advice as i have family that are leos but i have no clue and im not going to ask my family as they know him and I don't want to put them in that spot, so there are somethings in his past such as smoking weed once and doing a few rails of meth and the even bigger things are he stole some guns and ammo and acessorys from the uncles safe (if I remember right) and sold them to a friend and he also sold a legaly owend shotgun to the friend with out a transfer (same person)

His question is if he fills out the packet and tells the truth will he get in trouble? is there a chance he will get in trouble? If not then would there be after he takes the polygraph and they see he's telling the truth about it? (like they have evidence that he stole them and sold them?

Any advice would help, because I have no clue what to tell him

Mods: FYI, all of this info is public and is widely discussed in the applicant community on other forums; I believe no OPSEC is involved but if you disagree I apologize.

I took and passed the FBI pre-employment polygraph. I can't speak for the local LEO polygraph but if they follow DODPI procedures, it should be similar.

The polygraph method taught at the DOD Polygraph Institute is called the Probable Lie Comparison technique. There are relevant and comparison questions on the test. Comparison questions are the ones like "have you ever stolen anything" or "have you ever lied to someone in authority." These are questions where people are expected to lie or at least react, and from this the examiner establishes the applicant's baseline reactions. They use automated scoring software as well as electronic charts that are manually reviewed by polygraph specialists.

The first thing the examiner said in my pre-test interview was "The questions on this test cover the period of your life since you turned 18 years old." No conduct as a minor was asked about or considered. The "have you ever..." questions only applied to my life since turning 18. I also had to sign a form saying that I consented to be prosecuted for any crimes admitted during the polygraph. Note this is different from polygraph results; if you ADMIT a crime during the polygraph, you can be prosecuted. If you LIE on the polygraph and DO NOT ADMIT LYING, you cannot be prosecuted because polygraph results are inadmissible. Bottom line, don't lie on the polygraph, but especially don't ADMIT LYING on the polygraph. For example, if you admit lying on the FBI polygraph, you can be prosecuted for making false statements to the U.S. Government, a felony.

Back to the subject, relevant questions are the ones the examining agency is actually concerned about. For example, "have you ever committed a serious crime?" was one of the five relevant questions on my FBI polygraph. The other ones were "have you disclosed all of the information you have concerning your use of illegal drugs?"; "are all of the statements in your written application truthful?"; "have you ever committed an act of espionage?"; and "is your name [name]?" There is a limit on the number of relevant questions on the test. However, the examiner is free to use "breakdown" questioning if you react to any of the relevant questions. You still have to tell the truth on the breakdown questions.

With that said, your friend would probably react to the relevant questions, "have you ever committed a serious crime?" and "have you disclosed all of the information you have concerning your use of illegal drugs?" If he doesn't react (because he followed the instructions about conduct since turning 18 only), he's set. However, if he does react, and he wants to gamble by continuing the examination (you can leave at any time), he would then have to explain that he committed what could be considered a serious crime and experimented with drugs as a minor. The examiner could then ask "was it murder, rape, assault, or any other violent crime?" Your friend could truthfully answer no. If that is how it works out, your friend could conceivably slip through the cracks. People who disclose drug use and crimes to the FBI on the polygraph often continue in the application process, because those factors are not deemed disqualifying if they occurred long enough ago, depending on the nature and extent of the criminal behavior or drug use. The polygraph is used to evaluate both suitability and credibility; suitability is the nature and extent of drug use and crimes, and credibility is whether you lie on the exam itself. If you tell the truth, you pass, but you will be disqualified from employment if the examining agency decides that the conduct admitted is too serious.

Although your friend may be given the admonition about conduct as a minor, he may not depending on the local agency's policy. I am aware of one case in which a fellow FBI applicant was disqualified after he admitted to embezzling $10,000 from an employer, even though he was a minor at the time. I am aware of another case in which an applicant admitted to extensive drug use (coke, meth, etc. during high school) as a minor and was initially continued in the process, but was later disqualified after the full background investigation. I guess their theory is that you don't HAVE to admit to anything from when you were a minor, but if you do, they can consider it.

I've attached the DOD Polygraph Institute briefing booklet. It provides an overview of the general polygraph exam and techniques, as well as explaining the concept of relevant vs. comparison questions. The pre-test questionnaire in the appendix, if it is administered in your friend's case, is important to note. Without judging your friend and his past, I strongly advise your friend to read this document and decide whether he still wants to pursue this career option.