Would a misdemeanor affect becoming a police officer?

Question

To what extent would a misdemeanor (in this case a reckless driving charge) affect ones chance of becoming a Police Officer?

Answer 1

Normally the only misdemeanors that will prevent you from becoming an officer are those of a moral turpitude or violence.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

So many people are applying for law enforcement positions that they can accept applicants with no criminal history. I do know that you can have it expunged but that law enforcement has access to expunged or sealed records. It is like that in many of the helping professions. Sometimes you can explain it and be ok, sometimes not. It depends on if they wish to assume the risk. There is something in the law that allows people to sue an employer for negligent hiring. For example, if you assaulted someone in the past and your new boss did not check that out and then you assault someone else in your new place of employment, the person you assaulted can sue your employer for negligent hiring. It is a slippery slope these days. A reckless driving charge may indeed negatively impact your ability to become a police officer, in my humble opinion. After all, unless you would be chained to a desk you may be in charge of a patrol car. If you hit someone or cause an accident, do you not think for a minute that they will not bring up that charge from your past? Or if the media became involved? How sensational would that be? Police knew officer had past conviction for reckless driving, hired anyways and now this has resulted, blah blah blah.

Answer 4

Well, a few years back there was a group of police officers that went out to the bars in our town. They ended up getting kinda rowdy and lost their jobs. Police officers are suppose to uphold the law, not break it. They are held to a higher standard like Judges, Teachers, Pastors, etc. Everyone can make a mistake, but a reckless driving could mean you were drinking and driving, but you were just not of legal limit and the MADD organization would be hsyterical if that was a police officer getting hired with that on their record.

Answer 5

It definitely could. Getting police officer jobs is becoming more and more competitive. When police departments are hiring, they usually have many qualified applicants for a relatively small number of openings. Any red flags can hurt your chances of getting hired by some departments. However, what you wrote shouldn't prevent you from ever becoming a police officer. Your chances of getting hired could depend on what department(s) you apply with, when you apply, how well you do on written tests and during interviews, and how good a candidate you are otherwise.

Answer 6

Try to have the record expunged. It worked for the local Under Sheriff.

In CA, the only misdemeanors which would permanently ban you from LE are domestic violence convictions (can't carry a firearm) and the only misdemeanor sex crime (exhibition - sometimes call urinating in public). All other misdemeanor convictions are at the discretion of the hiring authority.

Answer 7

reckless driving is a misdemeanor? hell in my state is just a summary which is just a ticket. only charges with violence will prevent you from becoming a cop. good luck

Answer 8

as long as you haven't smoked any weed. In Texas if you have smoked more than once or twice (that's experimentation) then you won't get hired. Even if the only place you have smoked was in Amsterdam where it's legal. Go figure.

Answer 9

Criminal Records Database : http://CriminalRecords.InfoSearchDetective.com

Answer 10

Depend on how often it happens and how long ago it happened.