Do I have a future? -Chiefs, Administrators, perspectives desired

Broken Badge · #1 11-13-07, 01:51 PM

I'll try to keep this post organized and short:

I hold a number of degrees in Criminal Justice and worked for 5-year in a Department in my early 20's and I live in a tri-state area.

When I was 21 I lived in State 1, worked in State 2, and got into trouble in State 3. Because of this my license was suspended in State 3 but it did not effect my day to day life as I worked and lived in the other States and the suspension was never issued there.

I was in a single traffic accident that changed the direction of my career. I was charged and convicted of OUI (.08), leaving the scene (despite dialing 911), & crossing the yellow line. Then in the course of attending one of my court hearings I was followed and then charged with operating after suspension. This charge along with the others made me a habitual offender in that State.

I have never been in trouble a day in my life outside of this single accident that created this avalanche of crap. 2-years later I left the Department by choice because it was no longer a satisfying place to work. At that time I entered private sector work and have become a successful businessman making 3-times the money I did in law enforcement. Ever since then I have been asked by friends and family in Law Enforcement to take positions with them and come back.

Clearly I'd like to but almost nobody in the world knows about the ordeal I went through. With this record (in another state) do I have a chance of being hired or are the powers that be going to view this
as unacceptable? What are my chances?

**armsmaster270** · #2 11-13-07, 01:55 PM

Tough call, don't know the answer. If the info comes out in a background you could be screwed. Possibly see if the 3rd state will expunge.

**Cidp24** · #3 11-13-07, 02:05 PM

Odd post. Some of this is not clear because you do not specify whether you were a sworn LEO or a civilian employee.

1) At least in most of the states I deal with, if your license is suspended, it's reciprocal in most other states. What's up with that?

2) You avoided your arrests coming to light for two years in the job you had? How did that happen? Were you LEO when it happened? If not it apparently did not keep you from getting hired at the first agency.

3) A DUI and two traffic citations made you a habitual offender? I dont know about all states but I never heard of that one either.

4) You are currently making 3-4 times the rate you would as an LEO and your last LEO job was not satisfying? Pressure from family and friends is why you want to be an LEO again? Lacks sound reasoning to me.

Your post is full of holes, try again.

**lewisipso** · #4 11-13-07, 02:20 PM

If you were already a law enforcement officer, especially for 5 years, it would seem you would already know the answer to your question.
Also, why is it that you did not seek out a position on your own? You have relied on requests from friends and family to motivate you. If you make 3X the money than an officer in your area then a return should be a calling not a request. Stay where you are.

**maclean** · #5 11-13-07, 02:28 PM

License suspension is reciprocal.

A single traffic accident where you blew .08 could have changed more than your career. It could have ended lives.

If you were an LEO, you understand why this post is ringing bells.

**Virginian** · #6 11-13-07, 02:45 PM

"Clearly" you'd like to return to law enforcement? You're making 3 times as much? You're crazy, dude!

Broken Badge · #7 11-13-07, 03:05 PM

Thank you for the replies and I’ll happily reply to each question/comment.

Cidp24:
1.) Why was the suspension not reciprocal? I have no idea and thank god it wasn’t otherwise I couldn’t have held a job for 4-years (habitual suspension) let alone lived any semblance of a life.
2.) I was already a sworn LE Officer when this happened. How did I avoid this coming to light? I’m not sure I understand the question. It happened in another State and my Agency, and no other I have heard of, runs background checks on their established Officers so there was no reason for it to come up. Furthermore you have to remember that they would have to specifically check the State it happened in otherwise it would never come up.
3.) Oui, leaving the scene, crossing the yellow line, and the driving after suspension that came a month later made me a habitual offender. Three charges came from a single incident.
4.) It’s not pressure that’s making me want to go back. I always wanted to be part of it and LOVE it. That’s why I had a better resume by the age of 25 than most Career State Troopers have. Unfortunately because of this incident that resume might as well be printed on toilet paper. I have friends and family that are part of three different Agencies who are in need of part time Officers and their respective Department Heads all keep telling them to get me in. I would love to do this but not at the expense of humiliating myself in front of friends and family.

One other person in my life knows about this incident, the friend that was with me that night and we no longer speak. My wife doesn’t even know about it.

Maclean your comment is the exact blind robotic mentality I’m concerned with. For the record my vehicle was struck by a girl who was found to have drugs in her system. She was hurt and went to the hospital; I was not hurt so I went to jail.

Unless a search is done specifically in the State that it happened the incident will not come up. I have a friend in the State Police that has checked this a number of times. I could apply in most States in the country and wouldn’t have a problem because I never lived in or was employed in the State where it happened. But like I said in my original post I live in a tri-state area that is commonly checked.

Do most Agencies only conduct background checks in their State or one that an applicant lives in?
Assuming they do and I was upfront about all of this is their a chance I would be hired?

Oh, as for expunging. I have emailed a number of Attorney’s over the years and most of it could be expunged. However there is a “Lifetime look back” statue in regards to the OUI so I don’t see the point in trying unless I can clean my entire slate.

**Virginian** · #8 11-13-07, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Maclean your comment is the exact blind robotic mentality I’m concerned with. For the record my vehicle was struck by a girl who was found to have drugs in her system. She was hurt and went to the hospital; I was not hurt so I went to jail.

I'm concerned that you seem to think your drunk driving is no one else's concern.

Quote:

Unless a search is done specifically in the State that it happened the incident will not come up. I have a friend in the State Police that has checked this a number of times.

I thought no one else in the world knew about this except someone you no longer talk to?

Broken Badge · #9 11-13-07, 03:22 PM

Correct Virginian! I forgot that it was my former friend as well as my friend at State Police (dispatcher). We were online friends and she helped me track my liscence to ensure that it was never suspended outside of the incident State. So two people know, both of which are no longer in my life, and one of which I never even met.

**Virginian** · #10 11-13-07, 03:30 PM

I think I'm mainly surprised that you're supposedly a guy with 5 years of experience and a number of degrees in CJ and you don't know how a standard background investigation is conducted. I've got to say, your story is strange.

**countybear** · #11 11-13-07, 03:38 PM

It would appear that you actively concealed your arrest from the agency you were employed by, using the seams between the States as a means to evade action against you at home. I would call that unethical, professionally, and personally.

DWI/DUI/OUI is a crime which affects thousands. Your defense of it is that the other driver was also guilty, yet was not charged. In my book, that doesn't exonerate you from responsibility for your own actions. Maclean's response isn't robotic, its poignant. I'd be more sympathetic to you had you stepped up to the plate with your department when it happened and taken your licks. You preferred to live a lie, probably making arrests for the same offenses which you yourself committed and actively concealed, for a period of two years afterward.

That being said, your chances of returning to LE strictly depend upon the view of the administrators over the particular department to which you apply. If they see things as I do, you would be better off staying where you are. If not, try to wear the badge a little straighter next time.

I think I feel a rant coming on...

Broken Badge · #12 11-13-07, 03:40 PM

Jesus, I posted a simple thread to get some other professional perspectives on my situation and I get the Three Stooges equivilent of comments second guessing a rather straight forward scenario.

Virginian, in my Agency a background check was run by checking within the State the Agency was located in and any state the applicant lived in or was employed in. For example if NYPD was hiring someone who live in FL but worked in GA they would check in NY, FL, & GA. They wouldnt do a seperate check in Montana, New Mexico, or Alaska without cause.

While not employed with other Agencies I know a number that would search our tri-state area regardless of where you lived or were employed because the States are so intermingled in terms of commuiting, shopping, recreation, etc. For example NYPD might have searced NY, NJ, & PN but not CA and others without reason.

Would you care to add some intelligent insight to my situation now?

**countybear** · #13 11-13-07, 03:42 PM

Well, my friend... Countybear Curly just put your thread in the holding cell...

Carry on.

(Members, please add ONLY your most intelligent responses for our new guest)

**Buttercup** · #14 11-13-07, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broken Badge

Jesus, I posted a simple thread to get some other professional perspectives on my situation and I get the Three Stooges equivilent of comments second guessing a rather straight forward scenario.

Would you care to add some intelligent insight to my situation now?

Oh boy.

Detective7653 · #15 11-13-07, 03:47 PM

Well obviously your state is one of the few states in the Union that in not a compact state. I used to have a list of all the states that are and are not members of the interstate compact agreement but I am unable to find it. If your state is a compact state any traffic violation you get in another compact state should be transferred to your home state. However this is usually done by the court staff where you got the ticket. If their court staff is anything like the court staff at certain agencies in my state that would explain why it never showed up in the state you live in. As to if you should again become a copper you have two choices they way I see it.

1. Put an application in and don’t tell them and see how it plays out.
2. Put an application in and be honest about your past and see how it plays out.
3. Or there is a third option keep the job you have making tons of money and be happy with it.

That’s just my two cents worth. And my agency sends letters to surrounding State Police Agency asking for any information they might have on the applicant.

**Beans** · #16 11-13-07, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broken Badge

Jesus, I posted a simple thread to get some other professional perspectives on my situation and I get the Three Stooges equivilent of comments second guessing a rather straight forward scenario.

Virginian, in my Agency a background check was run by checking within the State the Agency was located in and any state the applicant lived in or was employed in. For example if NYPD was hiring someone who live in FL but worked in GA they would check in NY, FL, & GA. They wouldnt do a seperate check in Montana, New Mexico, or Alaska without cause.

While not employed with other Agencies I know a number that would search our tri-state area regardless of where you lived or were employed because the States are so intermingled in terms of commuiting, shopping, recreation, etc. For example NYPD might have searced NY, NJ, & PN but not CA and others without reason.

Would you care to add some intelligent insight to my situation now?

Sounds to me like you are screwed.....and I guessing your time here is short as well.

**maclean** · #17 11-13-07, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broken Badge

Correct Virginian! I forgot that it was my former friend as well as my friend at State Police (dispatcher). We were online friends and she helped me track my liscence to ensure that it was never suspended outside of the incident State. So two people know, both of which are no longer in my life, and one of which I never even met.

Let me add some more blind robotic mentality...

Having been a dispatcher as well as an LEO, I also recognize you had your "friend" violate a law that could cost her own job by sharing with you the contents of a criminal justice computer.

Oh yeah, you're a peach.

Is that intelligent enough for you?

HotTamale · #18 11-13-07, 04:05 PM

Most of what I am reading is you saying that you would hide this incident, except for the one statement saying "If I was upfront about it", that if put major thoughts of your ethics into play. The fact that you hid this incident from your supervisors is another story all together, you should have taken responciblity for your actions and told your supervisor about this incident and taken what you had comming to you.

You don't seem to have the passion that I would expect an officer to have if he/she really wanted the job.

I would say DON'T GO BACK because I would not want you to be my back-up with the story I just heard. Also, DRINKING AND DRIVING IS STUPID. People get killed, and you don't seem to have taken an responcibilty for you driving DRUNK.Just my .02.

Willowdared · #19 11-13-07, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broken Badge

Correct Virginian! I forgot that it was my former friend as well as my friend at State Police (dispatcher). We were online friends and she helped me track my liscence to ensure that it was never suspended outside of the incident State. So two people know, both of which are no longer in my life, and one of which I never even met.

That's a violation of NCIC rules.

My background check (as a dispatcher) asked me for every state of residence, and if I had any misdemeanor or felony arrests/convictions.

They have a pretty straight forward stance....if you did something wrong or bad you might get written up, but if you lie about it you will get fired.

**ex401mp** · #20 11-13-07, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broken Badge

Jesus, I posted a simple thread to get some other professional perspectives on my situation and I get the Three Stooges equivilent of comments second guessing a rather straight forward scenario.

Virginian, in my Agency a background check was run by checking within the State the Agency was located in and any state the applicant lived in or was employed in. For example if NYPD was hiring someone who live in FL but worked in GA they would check in NY, FL, & GA. They wouldnt do a seperate check in Montana, New Mexico, or Alaska without cause.

While not employed with other Agencies I know a number that would search our tri-state area regardless of where you lived or were employed because the States are so intermingled in terms of commuiting, shopping, recreation, etc. For example NYPD might have searced NY, NJ, & PN but not CA and others without reason.

Would you care to add some intelligent insight to my situation now?

Yeah, I would like to add FUCK YOU, YOU DECEITFUL PIECE OF SHIT to this intelligent insight. Oh yeah, have some neg. rep also.