Are these disqualifying factors?

[Streetprowler]

Looking to join the Pennsylvania DCNR Rangers. I have a few factors that I believe may disqualify me:

1. Hypothyroisism/Synthroid user. Does this medical condition disqualify?

2. Driver's License suspension. Two times, actually. More than fifteen years ago, and extended once for driving while under suspension.

3. Final PFA filed - one year. Of course I didn't, but the lawyer suggested STRONGLY that I just "eat it" since the judge was female and felt very strongly that she couldn't take chances with the possibility of not doing a final and that person coming back to do harm to the person filing. In short, every PFA that came before her is finalized. In PA, final PFAs can't be expunged.

4. DUI, a few years old: lowest, ARD passed, record expunged (except it ain't. 'cause the Motor Vehicle Records Don't get expunged).

Quite a laundry list, huh?

Any help from informed sources is appreciated.

[Iowa #1603]

Looking to join the Pennsylvania DCNR Rangers. I have a few factors that I believe may disqualify me:

1. Hypothyroisism/Synthroid user. Does this medical condition disqualify?

2. Driver's License suspension. Two times, actually. More than fifteen years ago, and extended once for driving while under suspension.

3. Final PFA filed - one year. Of course I didn't, but the lawyer suggested STRONGLY that I just "eat it" since the judge was female and felt very strongly that she couldn't take chances with the possibility of not doing a final and that person coming back to do harm to the person filing. In short, every PFA that came before her is finalized. In PA, final PFAs can't be expunged.

4. DUI, a few years old: lowest, ARD passed, record expunged (except it ain't. 'cause the Motor Vehicle Records Don't get expunged).

Quite a laundry list, huh?

Any help from informed sources is appreciated.

Points # 2, 3, & 4 could be a problem

Of course it would help if I knew what PFA and ARD means

[Midnight patrol]

A PFA is a Protection From Abuse order.

The DL suspensions could be an issue depending on what they were for and how old you were.

The PFA could be a problem if you had reports/incidents involving domestic violence

If your DUI is only a few years old, that is also going to be an issue

[Iowa #1603]

A domestic abuse protection order is fatal to police officers.

[mac266]

A domestic abuse protection order is fatal to police officers.

Yep, there is a federal law ("Lautenberg") that prohibits anyone who has a protection order / restraining order / PFA / or whatever term your state uses from possessing a firearm. This means cops get fired and military personnel get kicked out because the can't possess a firearm. So, you cannot legally be employed as a law enforcement officer.

So, that leads me to issue this warning: If you still own a gun, you're in jeopardy of being arrested on a felony charge. Get rid of them all.

[Streetprowler]

The PFA is five years old. It was issued for a twelve month duration and expired without incident. No record of abuse filed besides the PFA itself.

[kermit315]

The PFA is five years old. It was issued for a twelve month duration and expired without incident. No record of abuse filed besides the PFA itself.

Old or not is not the key here. Whether it is active or not is, at least in the context of Mac's post.

Iowa's post is spot on though, PFA/DVI/whatever the other states call them are fatal to LE candidates. DUI is a close second for as recent as it is (at least in this job market), with the suspensions rounding it out.

I wouldn't get my hopes up.

[Iowa #1603]

The PFA is five years old. It was issued for a twelve month duration and expired without incident. No record of abuse filed besides the PFA itself.

There is absolutely NO agency that is going to hire you with a HISTORY of a domestic protective order. Whether it is "active" or not isn't really the problem.

A history of protective orders will stop almost every police administrator in his/her tracks when considering a person for employment. No chief wants to arm a person who has this type of documentation in their history and wait for something else to happen OR the **** storm that would ensue if somebody managed to leak that fact to the media .

There are way too many folks out there without that problem in their backgrounds

[Streetprowler]

Okay. Thanks for the heads up.

[wutzcrack3n]

The protection orders are going to be a big problem. It shows anger issues that stems from either you were in a domestic violence situation or that you even threatened someone with physical violence and they took you seriously enough to get a order against you. It would be a big liability to a police department to hire you with that.

Two questions come to mind about the dl suspension
1. Why was it suspended
2. knowing it was suspended why did you break the law by driving anyway?

The dui... another problem.
a few years typically means three, if that is the case, you would be passed over as per state requirements wouldn't license you (because of a misdemeanor conviction) and most agencies want a set amount of time after you were convicted of a dui. there is no such thing as expunged when it comes to a background investigation.

While there are no permanent disqualifiers, the liklehood of you being hired is very slim. and as well stated above, too many applicants won't have the issues that you do while applying for a police position.

[PhilipCal]

The PFA is five years old. It was issued for a twelve month duration and expired without incident. No record of abuse filed besides the PFA itself.

I'll attempt to keep this simple. It DOSE'NT matter how old the PFA is. What matters, what will matter for all time, is the fact it was issued in the first place.. The PFA's existence, regardless of circumstances will be fatal to your ambitions regarding ANY law enforcement job.

Even without the existence of the PFA your record overall would still emerge as a very substantial impediment to your employment as an Officer. Stated another way, your "record" is evidence of what departments call "Disregard/Disrespect for the law". The very law you would
now purport to enforce.

Back to the PFA for a moment. Judges do NOT typically issue such orders on mere whim or suspicion. There is, there was , a basis in fact for the issuance of the order, and once more, that is what will, in all probability, DQ you.

Past that, I once more refer you to the replies of my colleagues with respect to your situation. You should pay particular attention to Post# 5.

[Zeitgeist]

Looking to join the Pennsylvania DCNR Rangers. I have a few factors that I believe may disqualify me:

1. Hypothyroisism/Synthroid user. Does this medical condition disqualify?

2. Driver's License suspension. Two times, actually. More than fifteen years ago, and extended once for driving while under suspension.

3. Final PFA filed - one year. Of course I didn't, but the lawyer suggested STRONGLY that I just "eat it" since the judge was female and felt very strongly that she couldn't take chances with the possibility of not doing a final and that person coming back to do harm to the person filing. In short, every PFA that came before her is finalized. In PA, final PFAs can't be expunged.

4. DUI, a few years old: lowest, ARD passed, record expunged (except it ain't. 'cause the Motor Vehicle Records Don't get expunged).

Quite a laundry list, huh?

Any help from informed sources is appreciated.

Did you file for the 'PFA' (we call them TPOs here) or did the other party?