Wondering about an arrest almost 16yrs ago?

Blue Steel & Lace

If it got plead down to a misdemeanor, I would just be honest about it when you have your background examination.
If you haven't had any other arrests since then, most background investigators will look at a one-time conviction as a "youthful prank" and you will probably be ok.
Just don't lie about it.

my avatar's hot!

You were convicted of a misdemeanor, that is still on your record and will probably show up, as most police departments run a fingerprint check on applicants. (You didn't say how old you were at the time, if you were a juvenile and it went through the courts as a juvenile record it won't show up.)

If you were over 18, the best thing to do is request an expungment. You have to go to the original court that convicted you and have an attorney ask it be expunged. It doesn't matter if it's the original judge, he can be off the bench, just the same jurisdiction. The prosecutor will show up at the hearing and say he agrees or disagrees based on your conduct since the conviction. (The rule of thumb for an expungement is the action has to be for the good of the people.) If your record has been clean since then the judge will probably grant it.

Usually these take a couple of months, and around $500-600 to get done. MAKE SURE the attorney you hire follows up by filing the expungment with the law enforcement agencies so your record is actually clean!!!

You wouldn't believe how many guys I've had that went through the process and the records still show up because their attorney didn't finish the job. Good luck, hope it works out for you.

Karl 09

it is really up to the force you are joing if you outstand has the right person they will possibley let this one go.

gotseatbelts

generally a misdemeanor will not necessarily keep you from applying and getting a job.. It depends on the agency. A felony would most certainly keep you from it.

Defender

With the technology today, it will most likely be found out in the process of applying for a job as a police offer anyway. I would suggest one of 2 things. Go to your local police department or ask the education counselor at the institution at which you had planned to attend school. They generally will be very informed and there is also a possibility that you could be told that you are not permitted to focus on that major. I earned my degree when Criminal Justice was still called Criminology. Whew, 1975! Anyway, as you are doing here, I would just ask. I would however wait until you get some more informed responses on this site, if any come along.

monkeynuts

i think its highly unlikely that an arrest from 16 years ago will stop you joining the police. surely the police must have a website where they tell you what convictions will affect an application

Yorkshire Pudding

Give the enrolment centre a ring and ask. Better to be upfront and explain your conviction rather than having them find it when they do a check. I doubt something that happened 16 years ago would stop you from pursuing your career but better to check before you start the whole application process.

Maverick

You better find out for sure before you spend all your money for nothing.

fr_chuck

It will not help to get it exsponged for a police job or for any national security work, Even when exsponged it only makes it not available for normal employment background searches, the actual arrest and convictions will always show up in the NCIC but only have a note that they were explunged beside them, to tell the department not to release publiclly that info.

Since it was a misdemer, it will hurt you from some of the better higher paying departments, but you can still be certified and carry a gun, so you can still find a job but it will most likely be in smaller and very lower paying at least to start

paulette7618

try going into your local police station and asking them make sure you take some id with you

FEVER

Their are plenty of fields where you can use a degree in Criminal Justice without becoming a Police officer. Private Security/Detective, teaching after a Bachelors degree, or join the Military!!

(Y) <3 & =)

ask the police station if this would interfer with ur hope of going into law enforcement. i dnt think it will though, but ask teh fficers anyways ;)

pecflhrt

They stay in official records FOREVER. For criminal justice purposes they never expire. You can go to this web/forum site for answers.
http://forums.realpolice.net

thehangman

they get you in the end and i should know

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