Eviction and getting a job

[Kholdstayr]

I've been browsing these boards for a while now and you guys are a glut of good information.

I had a question about my applications. I got married five years ago when I was 18 and my wife and I have since had two kids. I didn't know I wanted to be a cop until about 3.5 years ago when I started working in loss prevention for a chain of retail stores in Minnesota. After almost two years of commuting an hour each way to my full-time job and going to school full-time, I graduated and became eligible to be licensed.

Meanwhile, however, I was extremely hands-off when it came to the everyday household responsibilities. My wife knew I was busy and stressed out and hid a lot of negative financial stuff from me that had occurred during this time. This was a huge mistake of mine and I really don't blame her in the slightest. However, my credit score currently sits about 610, and I now have an eviction on my record.

Yes, I was evicted behind my own back What happened was we failed to give 60 days notice to our apartment complex when we moved out. We had also had had some NSF checks, so were only allowed to pay with a money order. We moved out in 30 days and were charged the extra month's rent. My wife thought it would be okay to send a check since we no longer lived there. The apartment complex balked and filed eviction papers for non-payment of rent since they wouldn't take our check. My wife successfully hid all this from me since I was only really home enough to sleep and our old apartment only had her cell phone number on record. This happened June of 2009.

Things are much better now and my wife and I have gone through both marriage and credit counseling. My credit score is up almost 100 points in the last six months, and I'm able to be totally involved in financial decisions. I am an excellent test-taker and interviewer and have never had a first interview without being given a second. I was backgrounded by my first agency this spring and the chief told me he thought I was immature, and I got the vibe that they thought I was lying about not being involved in my negative financial past. Understandable.

I have two speeding tickets from '06 and '09 and my license was suspended for a couple days in early 2009 because I put off paying for an expired tabs ticket because I couldn't afford it. My work record is impeccable, my GPA was good, I volunteer as a medic, I'll be an EMT-B soon, and I have no drug usage, angry ex-girlfriends, etc...

I just went through two application processes for CSO positions and I'm fourth for one city and I'm in the top two and being backgrounded by another. I need to know how to be honest about my eviction without appearing to be a liar. Is my history enough that I should wait a year or two before applying for another police job? What are my chances of getting on with a department as a CSO or part-time officer?

[Michigan]

Lets look at it how I would if I had your packet.

1. NSF checks.... could be felony depending.....
2. Bad credit/ Late on payments
3. Speeding ticket within 3 years
4. Suspended drivers license 3 years ago
5. Told you were immature by a Chief a few months ago
6. Broke a lease/contract
7. Makes a lot of excuses...


I'd give it at least 3-5 more years. Keep everything perfect until then and you may have shot, assuming the NSF checks weren't criminal.

Good Luck.

[Iowa #1603]

I was backgrounded by my first agency this spring and the chief told me he thought I was immature,

THIS is where your problem lays. The department did an investigation and after all the rigamarole---the boss thinks you need to grow up

and I got the vibe that they thought I was lying about not being involved in my negative financial past. Understandable.

Could be-----------------------the one thing you NEVER want to have a law enforcement administrator think of you is that you are lying. I do think the chief would have said that to you....................I would have if that is what I thought.



I think you should take the chief's advice and use the next 5 yrs or so to grow up, get your affairs COMPLETELY in order, and take responsibility for the running of your household.

[PhilipCal]

In addition to the very accurate insights of my colleagues, I see a whole lot of excuses, minimization, rationalization, blame transferal, and just plain B.S. The fact I see all that isn't going to hurt you in the slightest. When a Department looks at it, it's going to blow you out of the water. Reply #2 contains a very accurate synopsis of your less than stellar record thus far. If there is any good news, it's the possibility that time could be on your side in correcting your problems. You're looking at a minimum of three, possibly five years to emerge as an even marginal candidate. Why? The current LE applicant pool is glutted with high quality, highly motivated, qualified applicants. Many of these are Officers furloughed or laid off due to the economy. It's against such applicants that you'll be competing, and until you address the issues we've noted, you simply won't be successful. Sure hope you were looking for honest replies. I have one young man very disappointed with me currently. The board simply, I simply told him the truth. Some folks really can't handle that.

[LaPlaca]

In addition to the very accurate insights of my colleagues, I see a whole lot of excuses, minimization, rationalization, blame transferal, and just plain B.S. The fact I see all that isn't going to hurt you in the slightest. When a Department looks at it, it's going to blow you out of the water. Reply #2 contains a very accurate synopsis of your less than stellar record thus far. If there is any good news, it's the possibility that time could be on your side in correcting your problems. You're looking at a minimum of three, possibly five years to emerge as an even marginal candidate. Why? The current LE applicant pool is glutted with high quality, highly motivated, qualified applicants. Many of these are Officers furloughed or laid off due to the economy. It's against such applicants that you'll be competing, and until you address the issues we've noted, you simply won't be successful. Sure hope you were looking for honest replies. I have one young man very disappointed with me currently. The board simply, I simply told him the truth. Some folks really can't handle that.

seems to be a trend lately. these guys come here with their stories and get butt hurt when they get an honest assessment/advice. like somehow its our fault.

[Kholdstayr]

Who's butt hurt?

[PhilipCal]

Who's butt hurt?

Hopefully not you. The comment(s) was made due to the large number of posters who ask questions, receive honest replies, and then go away pizzed because we didn't tell them what they wanted to hear. I've got a least two with bruised ego's/hurt feelings even as I type this reply. If you're not one of the types we're referencing, that speaks well for you.

[Kholdstayr]

I'm sorry I didn't respond. I appreciate your responses and I assumed as much.

[USMARINE]

I need to know how to be honest about my eviction without appearing to be a liar.

Um, how about being honest and telling them what happened. Kind of like cops do