disqualification question (RE: Juv. rec.)

[law]

I know much of this is on the board, but I could not find a specific thread that matched my concern. I'll try to keep it short.

How does a juvenile record (at age 17) of grand theft affect my chances of getting hired in LAPD, or any other agency in Southern California?

The case was dismissed after my deferred entry of judgment probation was served. The felony offense was committed and admitted to. I'm now 22 and will be ready to apply in about 2-3 years from now.

Thanks in advance!


p.s. if a LEO is totally out of the question, should I just consider something like a prison guard?

[Crex4242]

I know much of this is on the board, but I could not find a specific thread that matched my concern. I'll try to keep it short.

How does a juvenile record (at age 17) of grand theft affect my chances of getting hired in LAPD, or any other agency in Southern California?

The case was dismissed after my deferred entry of judgment probation was served. The felony offense was committed and admitted to. I'm now 22 and will be ready to apply in about 2-3 years from now.

Thanks in advance!


p.s. if a LEO is totally out of the question, should I just consider something like a prison guard?

ahh Co position is just as strict as LE i have friends on the CO and they go throught the same background check you have ajuv felony conviction. that may be tough to get you by if not let you even get certified as a LE

[jnojr]

How does a juvenile record (at age 17) of grand theft affect my chances of getting hired in LAPD, or any other agency in Southern California?

You're probably going to need to be a perfect candidate otherwise to have a chance of getting past this. If you're dead-set on law enforcement as a career, I would join the military unless you're in school now, in which case i'd finish my degree and then join the military. Four years of exemplary service and a degree would give you your best chance.

And no, there's no way to expunge the record "so it never happened" as far as law enforcement is concerned. Even a Presidential pardon wouldn't help. Any department is going to be able to find out about this, no matter what, for the rest of your life.

[law]

Thanks guys for your opinions.

You're probably going to need to be a perfect candidate otherwise to have a chance of getting past this. If you're dead-set on law enforcement as a career, I would join the military unless you're in school now, in which case i'd finish my degree and then join the military. Four years of exemplary service and a degree would give you your best chance.

And no, there's no way to expunge the record "so it never happened" as far as law enforcement is concerned. Even a Presidential pardon wouldn't help. Any department is going to be able to find out about this, no matter what, for the rest of your life.

Thanks jnojr, I'm in school right now working on my Criminology and Chinese degree. Still have somewhere around 2 years to go. Yes, I'm pretty set on law enforcement as a career, have my heart set on it....Although, I have thought about USMC after graduation, I'm still a bit hesitant on that kind of change in my life.

I know that there is no expungement of the sort, etc. My plan is to tell the department everything.

Oh yeah, I also have a pretty ugly driving record room the ages 16-17 years.
That won't help......

How are the departments in your area?

[galileo]

You're probably going to need to be a perfect candidate otherwise to have a chance of getting past this. If you're dead-set on law enforcement as a career, I would join the military unless you're in school now, in which case i'd finish my degree and then join the military. Four years of exemplary service and a degree would give you your best chance.

And no, there's no way to expunge the record "so it never happened" as far as law enforcement is concerned. Even a Presidential pardon wouldn't help. Any department is going to be able to find out about this, no matter what, for the rest of your life.

are you sure, any convictions would stay with you?

[Pinneditonagain]

In my agency any felony conviction (even as a juv.) is an automatic DQ. I would check with the agency you are looking to get on with and see what their recommendation to you would be. Good luck.

[njsurfer]

i dont mean to be harsh or rude, but if you want my honest opinion i would look into another career goal. The problem is there are many applicants for a police job, and they would never take someone with a record like that over somone who is clean as a whistle. Yes it was in your past, and you may be an outstanding boy scout now, but still, they pick the best of the best and how could they justify passing up someone that has a clean record their whole life for someone that does not.

If you really really want it, i would suggest get some military background and then apply to both the police department and corrections. There may be a chance.

[njsurfer]

As far as an expongement goes, it is possible to get things removed from your record. Its a long drawn out expensive process.

HOWEVER,

When you apply for a law enforcement job at any level, it flat out asks if you ever committed a crime, were foudn guilty, etc etc. You still have to answer yes, becauise you did in fact commit the crime and were charged. This is where you get DQed. They will DQ you because of what you did. If you DO NOT write it down because you had it exponged from your record, they DQ because you lied on your application. The reason being, when they look at your criminal record it will not show the crime you did but it will show that something was exponged from your record. So bascially goign through the expongement process is a waste of time if your going for a LEO job becuase either way they will find out.