Bad Driving History

[MrWesley]

Everything has been answered

[Rasmblack]

No matter what area of LE you go into (corrections, city, county, state or federal) you will be applying for those jobs against people who in the past 8 years has recieved 1 ticket total and paid the fine right away or none at all. You already know it is slim to none to get into LE from the go but are you willing to risk the rest of your 20's working in a place on the possibility of working LEO in the future? In my department we have civilians that run differnt parts of the office that do not need to be a certified officer with the exact intentions you have. They are sometimes stuck there for longer than 5 years waiting. When spots open up they announce to the public and everyone gets a crack at them (including you). Your qualifications are still placed side to side and the only thing that you have over your compitition is that you are familiar with the department. Sometimes that matters but sometimes it does not. I always say it never hurts to try though. Good luck.

[MrWesley]

Everything has been answered

[PhilipCal]

Your Motor Vehicle History sucks. It's as simple as that. My Agency would DQ you, as opposed to Non-Select based on the following excerpt from it's stated policy. Any conduct which is evidence of a disregard/disrespect for the law is grounds for Disqualification.

While the stated policy is specific to my Agency, it is pretty well applicable across the board, and yes, that would include Atlanta PD.At the very minimum, and IMHO, you would need to have a five year, (more like ten years) of violation free/ arrest free driving and conduct.

Even were that period of time to elapse, you'd still face a difficult, if not impossible prospect of being hired, as you'd be competing against stellar applicants who wouldn't bring your substantial issues to the table.

[Country_Jim]

Title says it all. I got my license at 17(I'll be 25 Nov 5th), I've had many speeding tickets. I've had my license suspended for not paying a fine, and then points. I went to driving school for them. Fast forward, I'm 25 now, and in the past 4 years, I've had only 3 tickets. 1 was for speeding in Ohio on the highway, 65 in a 55(Feb 2013), I received my next two tickets at once. They were driving without license on person and no tag(In Dallas, GA Apr 2013). My court date was set 1 month later. I fixed the tag and showed proof of my license, unfortunately Ohio suspended my license cause I didn't pay.

Since it was valid when I was pulled over I got charged with No License On Person($800 fine) and No Tag($150 fine). I paid my fines and reinstated my license.

Now I know my chances are slim to none with getting hired at a department. Except maybe ATL(I live in Georgia).. What my question is, would it be possibly to get hired as a Deputy Sheriff DO/Jailer, and work there for 3-5 years, then try to apply for a LEO position? Or are my chances just as slim?

I have applied this past week for Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Bartow, Forsyth, Fulton, and Gwinnett.

There is no excuse for my poor decisions I made. But my only goal in life right now is to work as an LEO. Thanks do any advice and I'm sure small lecture I'll get.

As you are aware, the choices we make in life can limit our opportunities in the future. I do not believe you have a realistic chance of being hired in law enforcement. Your driving history shows a blatant disregard for the law. It also demonstrates poor judgement and poor decision making skills. Although there are certain agencies that have trouble attracting applicants (often refered to as last chance agencies) I still don't see you getting hired with their somewhat lax hiring standards.

Not being suited for law enforcement does not make you a bad person. My advice is to become a responsible adult who understands driving is a privilege not a right and start obeying the law. I would also advise you to concentrate your career efforts in a field other than law enforcement.

Good luck in your endeavors.

[MrWesley]

Everything has been answered

[MrWesley]

Everything has been answered

[Iowa #1603]

I'm just really interested in finding out if I have a better chance of getting hired on as a DO/Jailer waiting 3, 5, 8, or even 10 years and then applying for a LEO job. I may be trying to be optimistic and hoping since I won't be driving their patrol cars, I wouldn't be as scrutinized for my MVR.

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you would still be subject to the agencies insurance rules because YES you could be driving an agency vehicle.

Now to address other things..................each of us ONLY has knowledge of the agency we work for (or worked for) When someone like PhilipCal states something and prefaces it with a statement like "my agency", "my old agency" or "where I work" that means they are talking about that agency ---NOT ANY OTHER

PhilipCal worked for a State Police Agency-------------he has no idea what the county detention does or does not allow. I work in Iowa, I have no idea what happens in Georgia specifically. Each of us know GENERAL things about law enforcement hiring because we have dealt with the process fairly intimate over the years.
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NOW-------------my major experience is in STATE Corrections, but I have some experience in County Detentions and also in Sheriff's Patrol. Honestly, none of the agencies (3 of them) that I have worked for would want you as an employee because of your previous history of bad choices & disdain for the law.

No matter how long you wait-------------------you are never going to beat out the guy with the perfect record, 4 yr degree and military experience. You will ALWAYS be the guy that got his license suspended.

[Iowa #1603]

I understand where you're coming from, but I can't do that. I'll apply at every agency in every state before I just "give up". It may be a tedious process but it's what I feel I should do. If I have to apply to every state agency every 2 years.

Don't bother applying in Iowa

[MrWesley]

Everything has been answered

[MrWesley]

Everything has been answered

[PhilipCal]

I understand where you're coming from, but I can't do that. I'll apply at every agency in every state before I just "give up". It may be a tedious process but it's what I feel I should do. If I have to apply to every state agency every 2 years. I know of people who smoked weed profusely and people with DUIs get in. I'm not gonna let my MVR get in my way until I exhaust every source possible.






I don't know to put it any other way, you're toast. As my colleague correctly noted, as a Corrections/Detention Officer, you'd be called upon to operate a department vehicle (prisoner transport) at one time or another. Now, no one here is saying "Don't apply". Simply be prepared for the almost inevitable DQ or Non-Select letter.
I appreciate everyone who read this and took time outta your day to reply. I'm sure most of you are gonna tell me to change careers or give up, everyone has their own opinion, and I respect all of you guys opinion. I hope no one takes this in a disrespectful or me being ungrateful for your time and thoughts.

[Iowa #1603]

Well, I do have Military Experience followed up by an Associates & Bachelors degree.

You also have a drivers license suspension

[PhilipCal]

Wesley, let's do a quick review, just for grins OK? Seems it was YOU who came to us with the original question. It's been more than answered, and answered quite accurately and correctly. In brief. Your driving record is more than ample evidence of your propensity to make crappy decisions, and to continously and habitually flaunt and violate the law.

Your DL has been suspended, and you have a record which any insurance carrier is going to back rapidly away from. Now you can argue, rationalize, minimize , justify and downplay your very substantial issues. Do that to your heart's content, no one here is remotely going to care.

What we're attempting to convey to you is your unsuitability to become a member of this profession. We've discussed the reasons with you. If you're bound and determined to waste both your time and a given department's, that's your business, and no one here would attempt to stop you even if we were able.

[Country_Jim]

I understand where you're coming from, but I can't do that. I'll apply at every agency in every state before I just "give up". It may be a tedious process but it's what I feel I should do. If I have to apply to every state agency every 2 years. I know of people who smoked weed profusely and people with DUIs get in. I'm not gonna let my MVR get in my way until I exhaust every source possible.


I appreciate everyone who read this and took time outta your day to reply. I'm sure most of you are gonna tell me to change careers or give up, everyone has their own opinion, and I respect all of you guys opinion. I hope no one takes this in a disrespectful or me being ungrateful for your time and thoughts.

You asked our opinions and we gave them to you, you can take our advice our not. I appreciate your respectful demeanor so I will caution you not to compare others getting hired with issues to your situation. Doing so may give you false hope.

I wonder what makes a person decide one day, after years or in some cases a lifetime of disregard for the law and the safety of others, that they want to be a law enforcement officer. I was not perfect growing up, but I didn't show the blatant disregard for the law that so many of the law enforcement hopefuls in Ask a Cop seem to have. Does someone have an epiphany one day or do they drink a V-8 and say, "I wanna be a cop." Maybe they stayed at a Holiday Inn. I don't know.