Is it worth it to try?

[hdwideglide94]

I'll try not to write a book here, but I have a few questions about recruiting for LEO again. I had been a mortgage broker for several years, but I really wanted to leave that field and pursue my dream of being in law enforcement. I applied to 3-4 agencies in 1999 and was accepted to 2 county police departments here in metro Atlanta. At the same time, I had already been recruiting for DEA, but since they take 2 yrs or so, I wanted to gain some experience in a local PD.

Long story longer, I chose one of the local PD jobs and the day I started the academy, my old boss called me and offered me a promotion and a MAJOR pay increase to come back. I thought of my family life (I was trying to reconcile with my ex-wife and son at the time) and decided to resign the next morning and go back to manage the mortgage company. I also called the DEA and asked that my file be closed due to my promotion.

6 years later, and 37 years old, I continue to find myself regretting my decision to leave the opportunity I was offered in law enforcement. It's no longer about the $$$ and nights/weekends off. I want to join law enforcement, but I just wonder if I have screwed myself since I left the academy after one day. I have a brother that is a Captain with a local PD and he pretty much says don't bother, but I wonder if he's just trying to keep me out because he may not want me in law enforcement.

1 more issue to cover. In early 2003, I was charged with criminal mischief and I pled Nolo to keep my son out of court and to avoid him having any problems with his mother and her boyfriend. Basically, the boyfriend claimed I damaged his car one night when I picked my son up (which I didn't do, there were harsh words between me and the boyfriend, but that's it). My son was waiting outside for me that night, so he was the only witness I had, but since he lived at home with my ex and the boyfriend, I knew it would be very hard on him. I felt by paying the $900, it was well worth keeping peace and my son out of court.

Now for my questions:
Should I even try?
Is this misdemeanor going to keep me out of law enforcement?
Is it likely the background investigator will speak to my ex-wife about this incident (she would love to hurt me any way possible)?
Is my leaving the academy after 1 day 6 years ago going to negatively affect me with other agencies?

If you read this far, thanks for the time you spent and thanks for ANY input!

[DeltaCop]

I was a recruiter at the Agency I retired from and can give you the following opinion:

I would not hold the resignation from the academy against you at all, in fact I would think something was wrong with you if you did not go back to the old job with the big pay increase. This is relatively common.

The criminal charge is another matter due to the fact that the charge could be looked at as border line domestic violence. Have you had any more police reports made involving you and the ex or ex's boyfriend? LE Agencies wont even touch you if there was even a hint of domestic violence due to new federal laws enacted that bar a person from being a LEO if convicted of any domestic violence type charges. They will look in depth at this situation.

If there have been no other encounters with the ex I would just make an appt. to see the recruiter at the Agency you are applying at and lay it out on the table and see what he thinks.

My old Agency probably would hire you if you were an Excellent candidate and highly qualified and passed the entry exams with no problems.

It also depends on how bad the Agency needs people. Sometimes they are more willing to take a calculated chance on an applicant if the shortage is critical. Keep on trying, you'll get hired eventually, especially the more time that goes by since that charge occurred.

DeltaCop

[hdwideglide94]

Thanks for the info. No other issues with the ex and her boyfriend, only that one incident.

Any other recruiters have input on this? I'm willing to do whatever it takes, but if it's a lost cause, better to know now instead of getting my hopes up!