SFPD Background Question

[Halcyon819]

Hello,

I have one question for any current or previous BI in the SFPD.
What is the policy on previous use of marijuana?

I recently took the written exam and filled in the background information. I used marijuana over a year ago and bubbled in between 1-2 years. I have only used it 4 times my entire life. I am about to graduate college, and this is the only grey area that I am concerned about.

Is marijuana use 1.5 years ago an automatic disqualifier? Or am I ok?

If you know the answer specific to the SFPD, please let me know. I am very eager to pursue a career as a LEO but am very concerned about this blemish in my background. Please let me know! And feel free to PM me if the information is sensitive.

Thanks in advance!

[kcr]

I don't know the specifics for SF but most agencies in the Bay Area are okay little marijuana use as long as it's been over a year.

I recently heard that Santa Cruz PD disqualifies for use within 3 years. Don't know if it's true, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I'm almost positive you'll be fine. Just don't lie or exaggerate about anything on you background and you'll be fine.

[Halcyon819]

^
Thanks.

The BI at the test site wouldn't go into specifics. I asked if over a year was ok, and he said that that was the policy "a long time ago", which was publicized. This gets me worried that they updated thier policy to make it longer. But I'm hoping that it's still just 1 year clearing for marijuana use.

Can anyone else chime in with solid information?

Thanks in advance again.

[the batman]

i heard three years as well. even if that is the case, as "kcr" said, don't lie about it. be upfront and honest.

[kcr]

^
Thanks.

The BI at the test site wouldn't go into specifics. I asked if over a year was ok, and he said that that was the policy "a long time ago", which was publicized. This gets me worried that they updated thier policy to make it longer. But I'm hoping that it's still just 1 year clearing for marijuana use.

Can anyone else chime in with solid information?

Thanks in advance again.

If he said that was the policy "a long time ago", I'm guessing what he meant to say was: "A long time ago smoking marijuana within one year was an automatic disqualification. These days it's much more gray."

If that's the only dirt in your bag, I'm 99.9% sure that you will pass your bg.

[jjconroy]

It's S.F. Just show them your 215 and your good to go. Unfortunately, the standards have been lowered throughout the state of California. I'm not saying you shouldn't be a Peace Officer, but you should have thought about your career choices. What were you thinking when you continued the use of an illicit substance (and marijuana continues to be illegal)? Were you planning on a career in L.E. and if so, why did you continue to smoke weed? I'd like to see abstinance from weed for at least five years before hire (but than again the THC level of weed these days are several times that of just a decade ago). NO IV users, although some departments are okay with hard drug users after 5-10 years of abstinance.

[Halcyon819]

It's S.F. Just show them your 215 and your good to go. Unfortunately, the standards have been lowered throughout the state of California. I'm not saying you shouldn't be a Peace Officer, but you should have thought about your career choices. What were you thinking when you continued the use of an illicit substance (and marijuana continues to be illegal)? Were you planning on a career in L.E. and if so, why did you continue to smoke weed? I'd like to see abstinance from weed for at least five years before hire (but than again the THC level of weed these days are several times that of just a decade ago). NO IV users, although some departments are okay with hard drug users after 5-10 years of abstinance.

215? What is that?

Anyhoo, to clarify, i'm 21 and graduating from a university in a couple of months. I have only used weed four times in my life, which is not much. To say my previous 5 years should have been clean, that would be reaching all the way back when I was 16. We have all made mistakes in the past. And since my start of my senior year, I have been looking into L.E.

[the batman]

215? What is that?

Anyhoo, to clarify, i'm 21 and graduating from a university in a couple of months. I have only used weed four times in my life, which is not much. To say my previous 5 years should have been clean, that would be reaching all the way back when I was 16. We have all made mistakes in the past. And since my start of my senior year, I have been looking into L.E.

not that it makes a difference, but senior year of high school or college? i understand what jjconroy is saying...i've never done any illegal drug in my entire life and i didn't even have an alcholic drink until i was of age (i'm 29). granted, we all make mistakes when we're young (and 21 is really young still), but i believe jjconroy's point was that if you were seriously considering a career in L.E. prior to any use of marijuana, then your actions are inexcusable. because as you know, smoking marijuana is illegal and your job as L.E. would be to enforce the law.

this isn't to say you wouldn't pass a background, it's just that morally/ethically, there's a problem. i'd have serious concerns and doubt that you've really, honestly thought about this career. because although there is a lot of upside, be prepared to sacrifice.

anyhoo, here's a true story for you about frame of mind of choosing a career in this great field. a very good/close friend of mine had considered L.E, but wasn't really passionate about it. he thought it'd be a good job with tons of pay and great benefits. he did drugs when he was younger (as apparently some of us do) and still "on occassion" does it. i told him that it may be an issue in his background. his response to that was, "no worries, i know how to throw off the polygraph machine."

he didn't see anything wrong with that answer, which made me even more upset (it still irks me to this day). needless to say, i couldn't be his friend anymore because i did become an officer and thankfully, he didn't make it through his background. to this day he still doesn't understand why i can't hang out with him.

ok, i'm off my soap box now.

um...i don't know what 215 is, aside from being the PC for carjacking.

if you're passionate about it, good luck to you. never lie in your packet or to your investigator and stop doing drugs or illegal activities, if you haven't done so already.

[Halcyon819]

not that it makes a difference, but senior year of high school or college? i understand what jjconroy is saying...i've never done any illegal drug in my entire life and i didn't even have an alcholic drink until i was of age (i'm 29). granted, we all make mistakes when we're young (and 21 is really young still), but i believe jjconroy's point was that if you were seriously considering a career in L.E. prior to any use of marijuana, then your actions are inexcusable. because as you know, smoking marijuana is illegal and your job as L.E. would be to enforce the law.

this isn't to say you wouldn't pass a background, it's just that morally/ethically, there's a problem. i'd have serious concerns and doubt that you've really, honestly thought about this career. because although there is a lot of upside, be prepared to sacrifice.

anyhoo, here's a true story for you about frame of mind of choosing a career in this great field. a very good/close friend of mine had considered L.E, but wasn't really passionate about it. he thought it'd be a good job with tons of pay and great benefits. he did drugs when he was younger (as apparently some of us do) and still "on occassion" does it. i told him that it may be an issue in his background. his response to that was, "no worries, i know how to throw off the polygraph machine."

he didn't see anything wrong with that answer, which made me even more upset (it still irks me to this day). needless to say, i couldn't be his friend anymore because i did become an officer and thankfully, he didn't make it through his background. to this day he still doesn't understand why i can't hang out with him.

ok, i'm off my soap box now.

um...i don't know what 215 is, aside from being the PC for carjacking.

if you're passionate about it, good luck to you. never lie in your packet or to your investigator and stop doing drugs or illegal activities, if you haven't done so already.

I understand your point. The last time I used was 1.5 yeaers ago in my junior year of college. And again, I've only used it 4 times in my life.

Yes, I have thought seriously about L.E. as a career choice. It was difficult to make the choice though until I was nearing the end of my college career as my major is not anywhere near criminal justice.

And no, I do not intend on using any illegal substance in my future. I already made that choice a year ago.

And yes, we all make mistakes. I made mine, and now i'm committed not to making them anymore. However, my committment just runs close to when I need to apply for L.E. as a career, which is why I am concerned.