What are my chances of being a cop?

Kenneth C

Dude, you have *a lot* of stuff in your background. I am my departments background investigator. Honestly, i would send you a nice "Thanks but no thanks" letter.

Credit I don't care about.

Drug use....Ehh...There is a lot there. That would probably get you disqualified alone.

Work history: Not a huge deal, most people have been fired at one point or another.

Battery Charge: Sealed or not, it's still there. I will find it. Possible DQ

Hit and run: Felony, Probable DQ

Shoplifting with girlfriend: Probable DQ. You do have to tell me about it. Because I will do a detailed interview with you. We will go over your complete criminal history. Any lies or leaving things out will get you DQed. I will call your family, references, employers, friends I can find, friends that your friends give me. Ect. And if I get a hold of your girlfriend and she tells me about that and I can verify it with more people. You are done for lieing to me.

So all and all. There is some fairly major stuff here. One or two mistakes can be forgiven. However, you have a very nice track record of being on the wrong side of the law. My department is not going to take a risk on you.

I don't work for LAPD, maybe they will see it differently. But I doubt.

Consider the military, maybe 4 years of spotless service to your country will make you a better canidate. I know if I get an applicant will some issues in the past, the honorable military service can make me look past a lot of it.

brucewayne

You have some potential to be a cop if you put your mind to it. You indeed have some solid background in the criminal justice system with your asociate's degree. However, some of the negative actions that you put could deter you from the job, even though you SHOULD be honest with your background check. Otherwise, the person who is hiring you may find out your background regardless of what you say in your application or resume, thus putting you into a lot of trouble if they find out that you have been lying to them on your records. Then again, you could be hired for the job, since you are familiar with the justice system to begin with throughout your petty crimes. So just give it a try and see what happens. Best of luck.

Izzy F

honestly dude, I don't think you should be a cop. You have a lot of issues in your past that you are clearly not comfortable with yet. If you can get to a place where you can deal with your past, then reconsider.

I had a neighbor who had a similar background. He worked at Quentin as a prison guard for years, but he never really changed who he was. He was the same ****** up wannabe badass that he'd been as a kid, except he had a gun and a badge.

Nights, he'd go don to the projects and extort drugs out of the brothas with his gun and badge. After a few years of this, he got the brilliant idea to become a cop, so he went to the sheriff's academy.

I asked him, "why on earth would you want to do that?" and his answer, which I will never forget was, "because I want to be a bad cop."

He was a week away from graduation when he got caught up in a raid over at the projects, while holding. Needless to say, he ain't gonna be a cop anymore and furthermore, a lot of the guys who used to be on the other side of the bars at the pen are now his roommates.

Todd

You seem to be a changed man after wild teenage years. You have made great grades in college, which is great.

However, in your case, the bad might outweigh the good.

For example, the hit and run felony. This will not look good to background investigators. Your drug use is a little much as well.

As one answerer above me said, you may want to start out in the military. Serve for a few years to prove that you are really mature. After you get out of the military, go and apply with the department then. Time may make a tremendous difference in your situation.

Best of luck to you.

kikaida42

Take the test and pass first, then worry about your past. The background test and lie detector process is just before your interview, if qualified. Your right, my captain said as long as you did not use any drugs within five years, you can state that as a youngster you tried experimental with drugs, but presently drug free for over five years. You will probably have to take a drug test to be cleared....GOOD LUCK. I know many officers that used drugs during football season, and experimented with drugs in High School. They are now highly rated officer and cop of the month and year. Just be positive with integrity, and responsible and help other rehabilitate there drug addiction, having the experience. More so stay clean, and be the role model of the future....Good Luck again

randy

Time is the key. If your minor drug use was say back in Jr High and nothing since, no problem. But with your later use of hard drugs, and prescription abuse, I'd doubt that you would be hired. The additional criminal history just about seals your chances. Clean up your act, stay clean for a few years, show you have matured beyond that stuff, and you stand a chance.

fuzzykitty

Well, you sound alot like some of the cops in our neck of the woods. . and some how they went through all the tests , training etc. But your true self has a way of showing itself under stress, so lets hope you learned something on your way up.

oldhag

The drugs really worry me. I don't think they will hire you for that alone and you will have to take a lie detector test.

kingofdrifters

if your honest then i think you might have a chance.

Michael D

Those are some serious drugs that you have used. That might be a problem. As far as shoplifting, you need to tell them, because if you dont, it might come up in your background investigation, and they will know you lied, and that will dq you pretty fast. But, as long as you are honest, and tell them everything you did, you will be fine. No body is perfect and we all do stupid things in our lives. Just be HONEST. Hope this helps you, LAPD is a great department, and good luck!!

danielss429

If you want to be an officer it is wise to upfront and honest. I got hired at my agency because of my honesty which included a bout of alcoholism when I was younger, and the use of weed. I grew up with weed being grown in my home so it was a way of life for me. Depending on your agency some will use hair samples which will keep the evidence of drug usage for a long time, if you are upfront and they find it they are more apt to overlook it. I don't know that I would mention crimes that you were not convicted of, but I would the others because with criminal justice system even the expunged ones will show up and they will know whether you lied on your forms or not. By the way, all of your certificates are not going to amount to much, if they feel that you are not trustworthy, or mentally able to do the job.

Serpico7

Ouch, with the meth and cocaine there, you will probably be disqualified. And don't even think about not putting all of your mistakes down on the sheet, when you take the polygraph they'll nail you. You lie during that they'll throw you to the street. The best option is to be honest. But check your local dept's standards about drug use, and be prepared to face some severe scrutiny for your past crimes. If you are honest all the way, and continue being good and smart like you are right now, you may be fine.

Yes you should put the shoplifting part down, because in the poly they'll likely say did you list all of your crimes and you'll be lying.

charlsyeh

you would not be hired here in texas. you show a pattern of not being able to control yourself

Lindsey M

You don't have to tell them about the past drug uses. You only tried those things a few times, it's not like you're still using them. None of those things will come up on a drug test, because you did them several years ago. You're brief drug experimentation has not effected your current life, and they have no need to know these things. It will only lessen your otherwise very likely chance of becoming a cop.

Daisy 13

I agree with Kenneth, probably not a good chance, but if you are upfront and honest and can show that you have changed? I don't know what the LAPD uses for their list of yes or no people and how they hire. I know here it would be a No. They are very strict and had to turn guys down for lesser crimes. I all depends on what shows up on your record and how honest you are, they can find out anything about a person. It's is sad, starting out your credentials sounded so good! Keep trying and stay clean and show you are serious about it.

LEO53

You have NO chance. Meth and Coke are automatic dq's.

pd84

I think you have a very slim chance based on your background of actions. I know of an individual who was hired, at the academy and dismissed because he was at a small house party with alcohol and it was called in for a noise complaint. Your background will reflect back on the police department that would hire you. I'm not sure how many departments would be willing to risk their reputation for you.

jellybean

Many cops have done something wrong in their past. It comes out in the background check. But you have several things not to mention anger management issues. It might not be the best line of work for you but it won't hurt to try. There are many agencies, all looking for different qualities in a candidate.

spag

Most agencies will not even look at you until 7 years past on the meth use. With you other history, you may be looking at around 30 before you get a serious look. All you can do is be honest and keep trying.

California Street Cop

Your chances are not great. The awards and school sound great, but you have a bit of a criminal past and drug use, reported and not. When you do apply, and I suggest you put in apps all over, list all things illegal/immoral in your past. Its better they hash them out with you, now face to face, then later when they find it out on there own. If they find something you didn't disclose, you're toast. Even if you're in the middle of the academy. I've seen it more than once.
Good luck.

d s

Good.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: