What are my chances of being a cop?

Question

I am 20 years old now and have HS diploma and pretty soon an AA degree in criminal justice. I have about 6 certificates regarding the field and one scholarship given to me by the LAPD. Also I have a President's award from my college along with 3 Dean's List awards. BUT I did do bad things when I was younger. I tried weed 3 times(2001, 2001, 2005) cocaine twice (2005), and meth (late 2004) once. I also got fired once from a job for very stupid reason which did not include misconduct or failure to work well, I was also forced to resign from one for a comment I made of a supervisor, I said he might be gay. I do have a battery misdemeanor which has been expunged and sealed. I was 17 when it happened but I believe it was dismissed because I completed anger management and community service hours. My credit is excellent just a few late payments but thats it. What are my chances??? I also shoplifted a couple of times when I was 17 and 18 but no one knows about it.

I also did try prozac some times without a prescription and xyprexa on a dare from my girlfriend.

And do I need to be THIS honest with the background people???? I have said every bad thing I have ever done!!!!

I'll be more honest one time I did hit a car when I backed up at the college and left the scene...
And my girlfriend liked to shoplift a lot which I usually also participated in her illegal activities even though I was never caught do I have to say I did?

I am getting a lot of mixed feedback from LAPD allowing past meth use. As long as it was 5 years ago.

I don't know why me trying prescription drugs is abuse. I only tried it like 4 times. Zyprexa about twice to fall asleep. I have cleaned up my act. I don't know if me getting thatr degree and all those certificates and awards is good enough. I am very honest and open about my past. In the hit and run, the other car was not damaged. My car was. It was in a parking lot of school. The damage was minor I just bumped into it. I have no idea how that can be a felony. Actually most of the stuff I posted on here only two people know about me and my girl. I highly doubt any one knows I tried those drugs. I will try when I am 23 to become a cop though. I am really appreciating all this advice. Makes me feel better and more positive. Thank you...

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

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.

Answer 4

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.

Answer 5

There are well-nigh two approaches to end up a cop within the US. It is determined by the state you desire to end up a cop in and the special division. First the easiest. In many states you need to be employed via a division first. They then ship you to, no less than, a fundamental police academy. You graduate, take and move the state certification scan and you're a cop operating for the division that employed you. No subject what state they're in bigger municipal departments and so much state police cherish to do matters that manner. In different states you'll “self sponsor”. That way you uncover a police academy, the ones states put up a record of accepted colleges, you practice, pay them, move by way of a fundamental academy, move the state scan, get licensed and move out seeking to uncover a role. Not till employed via a division are you a cop. As a long way as schooling is going. No state calls for greater than a GED or HS degree. Most bigger departments do require among 30-60 semester hours from an permitted institution. None cares in case your main was once in English Lit. or in botany. Criminal justice as a main is much too confined in scope for a long run cop. Cops want extensive ranging schooling and enjoy to be powerful. When you attend a police academy you get the present crook justice categories you have got to be a cop. So you must assess the recruitment internet websites for a few departments you may also desire to become a member of to peer what their requisites are and in the event that they rent first whilst a scan will receive. Taking categories that support you expand your central considering talents can support you get prime ratings on civil carrier or different front written trying out, do good on oral forums, be a well road cop and do good on merchandising assessments. The best specialised coaching you want is sort that will get you into well sufficient form to move the bodily agility exams. The requisites are indexed at the person recruitment websites and you'll see examples of a quantity of such scan on YouTube underneath bodily agility.

Answer 6

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

Answer 7

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.

Answer 8

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.

Answer 9

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.

Answer 10

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.