BI’s Grill Me Please

[PoloMan29]

Alright background investigators, I need some help determining if these are just hurdles or automatic DQ’s.

Credit is bad. I was furloughed, and eventually laid off. Income was impacted, and so was my credit. Only debt I have is a new mortgage and one credit card with a 3K balance. Both have late payments reporting. Now current. Used my severance to get caught backup. Can I articulate an excuse, or is this a deal killer?


Lastly, I am unemployed. My wife and I decided I would take the roll of being a stay at home dad, and focus on this career change. Some users on this forum said its a huge red flag. Daycare is $1600-$2000 a month, and a “regular” job would simply be paying for daycare when I can do that myself. No one in the industry with my skills is hiring until the market gets better. Another deal killer?

Everything mentioned above is also mentioned on my PHQ’s. I aim for complete transparency.

I accept all hate that I may get, so let me have it.

I appreciate the help and responses.

Thank you,

[tanksoldier]

Alright background investigators, I need some help determining if these are just hurdles or automatic DQ’s.

Credit is bad. I was furloughed, and eventually laid off. Income was impacted, and so was my credit. Only debt I have is a new mortgage and one credit card with a 3K balance. Both have late payments reporting. Now current. Used my severance to get caught backup. Can I articulate an excuse, or is this a deal killer?

Lots of people in that boat lately. If you’re caught up now probably no big deal by itself.

I have a MMJ card, now cancelled with the state, on my own terms. No longer consume, but have consumed approximately 3 months ago. Deal killer? It’s legal now in my state, but it’s illegal on the federal level. Deal killer?

Depends on state law and the specific department.

Bigger problem might be WHY you needed medical marijuana in the first place.

Chronic pain? Chronic nausea? Anxiety? Anything that would typically get you a MMJ card would be a red flag itself, and if you lied to get the card you’re probably done. You may have painted yourself into a corner there.

Most departments will probably want more thsn 3 months since last use, but not a deal breaker if it’s been long enough.

Lastly, I am unemployed. My wife and I decided I would take the roll of being a stay at home dad, and focus on this career change. Some users on this forum said its a huge red flag. Daycare is $1600-$2000 a month, and a “regular” job would simply be paying for daycare when I can do that myself. No one in the industry with my skills is hiring until the market gets better. Another deal killer?

That isn’t the kind of unemployment we are talking about. Put it in your resume and job history like a job. Nothing wrong with that.

[PoloMan29]

GAD was the reason. Probably a deal killer. Don’t think LE can have any form of anxiety :/

[tanksoldier]

A genuinely medically-diagnosed disorder might be a problem, but I know guys who were hired with PTSD diagnoses. It’s all about how it affects you and how you manage it. It’s a hurdle but not necessarily a deal breaker.

[just joe]

The marijuana within 3 months would be a deal breaker for most agencies.

Were you medically diagnosed with GAD? How are you managing your anxiety now?

Taking care of your kids shouldn't be an issue.

[PoloMan29]

Thank you for the info.

[NolaT]

3 months is Waay too recent for any drug use.

As stated, you Weren’t unemployed, you were the stay home care provider, be very clear.

[PoloMan29]

Well at least I can get my expectations set strait then. It just ain’t ganna happen.

I’m going to follow thru with the process and see what happens.

Thanks guys. Career just isn’t for me then.

[PoloMan29]

Looks like CPD doesn’t “mind”. So there might be some hope, but I think the only way I will know it to just follow thru with the process.

[Aidokea]

Alright background investigators, I need some help determining if these are just hurdles or automatic DQ’s.

Credit is bad. I was furloughed, and eventually laid off. Income was impacted, and so was my credit. Only debt I have is a new mortgage and one credit card with a 3K balance. Both have late payments reporting. Now current. Used my severance to get caught backup. Can I articulate an excuse, or is this a deal killer?

I have a MMJ card, now cancelled with the state, on my own terms. No longer consume, but have consumed approximately 3 months ago. Deal killer? It’s legal now in my state, but it’s illegal on the federal level. Deal killer?

Lastly, I am unemployed. My wife and I decided I would take the roll of being a stay at home dad, and focus on this career change. Some users on this forum said its a huge red flag. Daycare is $1600-$2000 a month, and a “regular” job would simply be paying for daycare when I can do that myself. No one in the industry with my skills is hiring until the market gets better. Another deal killer?

Everything mentioned above is also mentioned on my PHQ’s. I aim for complete transparency.

I accept all hate that I may get, so let me have it.

I appreciate the help and responses.

Thank you,

Well, at least he used paragraphs...

OP, you seem smart enough to do The Job, your attitude seems good, and you seem to communicate effectively...but...

Even in today's desperate hiring environment, you're probably not what we're looking for.

No "hate" here, but I'll be blunt. There is a TREMENDOUS amount of liability associated with hiring an applicant, giving them a badge, a gun, and a patrol car, and then turning them loose largely unsupervised, to go do cop stuff in the community.

You have financial problems, which is AN issue in and of itself. Not necessarily a deal-breaker, but it would be a significant hurdle, even if that were your only issue.

Financial problems almost always point to other issues, like judgement, maturity, the ability to accurately perceive situations, your willingness to confront situations, and on, and on, and on.

Choosing to sit home and be Mr. Mom may make financial sense to you, but I've done background investigations on new applicants, and it would look a LOT better if you were gainfully employed, even if it didn't materially improve your financial situation.

The "medical" marijuana thing is another issue that is a significant issue in and of itself, AND it points to a bunch of other issues, some of which are absolute deal-breakers.

Marijuana is a federal drug crime.

It is a federal firearms felony for marijuana users to possess firearms, which means marijuana users can't be cops.

Marijuana stays in the system for up to 30 days, so marijuana users are technically DUI every single time they get behind the wheel, even if they don't feel "high".

Doing illegal drugs around children that you are responsible for, and/or driving DUI with children in the car, opens up a whole new category of crimes.

During my law enforcement career spanning 30 years, I have NEVER encountered a "medical" marijuana card holder that obtained their card for an alleged "ailment" that shows up on any X-ray or blood test. It's ALWAYS something that can easily be faked, which raises all sorts of honesty questions. And dishonesty IS an absolute permanent disqualifier in this profession. The very idea that COPD could be treated by SMOKING weed, or that anxiety could be treated by using illegal drugs notorious for making users paranoid out of their minds, is laughable. We're not stupid- we know EXACTLY what we're looking at when we encounter a "medical" marijuana card.

And then there's the anxiety itself. Cops need to be solid. Really solid.

Law enforcement hiring is competitive. And no matter where you apply, you're going to be competing against applicants that don't have your baggage.

As always, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. And your past is not great.

If you get a job, stay off drugs, stay current on your finances, get your credit rating up, and stay out of trouble, you MIGHT have a shot in three to five years, but depending on some of your issues in your past, you may NEVER be able to be hired.

[PoloMan29]

Appreciate the response. I see you all over this forum, and you give honest strait forward no bull**** info.

Blunt is what I needed to help aid my expectations right. I’m going to follow thru with the process as I already passed both my entry exams, and maybe the departments I applied to will be willing to accept the risk I pose, or maybe not.

It is what it is.

Thanks all!

[Aidokea]

Yeah, there's no harm in applying.

[NolaT]

I’ll agree with all of the above, nothing sounds like a perm DQ, finish up the current application process, I’d expect to not be hired at this current point.

Clean things up, get a respectable job, and try again in earnest in a year.

[PoloMan29]

Roger that.

[Aidokea]

I also have to ask, as we always do in these situations, why you suddenly stopped committing federal drug crimes 90 days ago and now you want to be a cop?

[Aidokea]

YESTERDAY? As in AFTER you submitted your application and did the written?

Buddy, that makes it look like the only reason you gave up your marijuana card, is to try to prevent them from eliminating you from consideration. At BEST, that's really poor timing.

[PoloMan29]

I had no idea I could cancel my MMJ card, I thought I had to just wait for it to expire. I would have canceled it before.

[tanksoldier]

It IS still a good question, that at some point you may have to answer: why did you decide to go from being a felon to a cop in less than six months?

[PoloMan29]

Well when you put it like that, I can’t be a cop. Felons can’t be cops, so I’m screwed.

[Aidokea]

Looks like CPD doesn’t “mind”. So there might be some hope, but I think the only way I will know it to just follow thru with the process.

Anyone that applies to become a cop in Chicago, should be an automatic psych fail.

Chicago last elected a Republican mayor in 1927, nearly 100 years ago. It's been nothing but Democrats ever since. And if Beetlejuice wasn't bad enough, they just went from the frying pan into the fire by electing an even more racist anti-cop pro-criminal mayor.

[PoloMan29]

Couldn’t agree more. Chicago is not a place I want to work for.

[wildstar82]

PoloMan29

Op, are you only trying to get hired in IL?

I agree that a lot of people suffer from anxiety and this job does not make it any better. Long days/nights, dealing with tons of stress, terrible supervisors, always wondering if the next call is the one that takes you out, critical incidents of having a co-worker killed or seeing suicides/deaths, and the list goes on and on and on....anxiety is something we all have to manage over our career. Are you actively working to figure out the root of that problem? Even though you have put the MMJ behind you, that is an issue that will come up since you disclosed it.

[PoloMan29]

Yes sir. I am only looking for Illinois positions.

Anxiety is difficult to explain.

[Aidokea]

I have no problem with running towards gunfire, or any of that other stuff.

I think what a lot of people on the outside don't realize, is that the REAL stress in this profession, is politically-motivated brass utilizing a weaponized "disciplinary" system, to hang individual officers in the hopes of preventing liability from climbing the chain of command towards themselves.

It seems like I was almost constantly having to defend myself against some made-up BS, and there were NO repercussions for those false accusations- they just flung $hit against the wall over and over, trying to see if something would spontaneously stick.

After all the dust had settled, the only discipline I have on my record is a one-day suspension for a collision in a patrol car that was COMPLETELY my fault. I was ultimately successful in defending myself against ALL of the BS accusations.

And the waste of the taxpayer's dollars is ridiculous.

[rant] In one IA case alone, an LT worked for months to fabricate something against me. Plus him consulting extensively with a second LT on the whole thing because the second LT had previously worked as a supervisor in IA and nothing the first LT had flung against the wall over the previous 10 years had stuck. Plus the sergeant they sucked into their scheme- the sergeant actually broke down in tears while being forced to serve me the paperwork. I got suspended for two days, but they had to move people around to fill the holes, and I got called in (at my time and a half overtime rate) to fill the two holes created by the movement. Then I grieved it with my union, and RIGHT before it went to the last step (arbitration), my employer's attorney told them to fold and give me my two day's pay back, to save themselves the embarrassment of losing to me at the hearing. So in the end, I got FIVE day's pay, for two shifts that I didn't work, all because of some made-up BS. [/rant]

[wildstar82]

"I think what a lot of people on the outside don't realize, is that the REAL stress in this profession, is politically-motivated brass utilizing a weaponized "disciplinary" system, to hang individual officers in the hopes of preventing liability from climbing the chain of command towards themselves"

That is a true statement. I have seen it myself many times and have personally dealt with it in my career. It is a terrible situation and a terrible feeling when you have to fight your own management more than you have to fight criminals. The real crappy part is those same managers are never held accountable for wasting taxpayer dollars over and over again. I always felt there should be repercussions against them and they would have to repay for the waste of tax dollars. That would prevent them from pulling that crap

[wildstar82]

There are a million reasons a person can have anxiety and there are also no reasons a person can have anxiety. Everyone is so different. My thoughts are that if you can drill down and figure out the root cause of yours and either address that or manage it, you are going to be okay long-term. The truth is that if you cannot manage it, this is not the right field for you. If you cannot manage it, you will hit a stressful situation and then lock up, exposing yourself and the people who depend on you to harm. You don't want that Weighing on you

I have never worked in Illinois but from everything I have read in the news and various forums, they are left leaning and seem to be making a lot of concessions that would not have been allowed in the past. 100% believe you have the right attitude just based on your post on this board. I read through the board and did not catch your age if you said it. How old are you?

[wildstar82]

Based on your attitude on this board and everything you put out, I do think you have a chance but it may require the passage of time. When I say time I mean 1 to 3 years. I believe the best thing you could do during the time and any hiring process, go out and do ride alongs with various departments so you may contact, they know who you are, and they know what you are about. It will also give you the reality of what the job is and to know if it is something you really want to do. The more ride alongs and contacts you can make, the better off you will be. Also consider volunteering if they have any kind of SAR program or other opportunities. That stuff could be the Tipping Point on whether you eventually get a job or not.

[PoloMan29]

Most departments have a max age of 35, so it’s now or never. There is no harm in trying, and the worst case scenario, I gain interview experience.

I appreciate the encouragement boss, and the response boss. I’ll make sure to keep everyone updated.

Thank you,

[tanksoldier]

MOST departments do NOT have a max age. I started my LE career at 43. If you do age out past some departments, just apply to others.

[NolaT]

Depts are understaffed Nationwide, pass the MINIMUM requirements and you’ll be hired

[L-1]

I think you are going to have issues for a number of reasons.

Under federal law, marijuana users are prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. As possessing these items is one of the minimum requirements of being a police officer, being a marijuana user is an instant DQ. Where I'm at, there usually needs to be a one year window since last usage to clear this hurdle.

Next, the fact that you have/did have GAD may pose a difficulty in passing the psych and or medical exam. Some of the symptoms of GAD fall within the the DQ categories of both exams. These are not issues your BI can discuss with you as they are medical in nature and BIs lack the training and expertise necessary to evaluate such matters. They can only be evaluated by a qualified physician in connection with a bona fide offer of employment.

Credit will depend on how much you are in debt and how you are handling it. Cant tell without further information but overall, the Magioc 8 Ball say "Things don't look good."

[PoloMan29]

Exactly. I owe it to my community, my family, and myself to at least give this a try. I know I’m a good candidate.

[Aidokea]

And PoloMan129, L-1 is about the smartest guy we have here.

[L-1]

The thing most applicants fail to understand is, it doesn't matter how badly you want it, or how qualified you are, if there is something (just one thing is all it takes) in your background that meets the criteria for disqualification, then you are out.

Now, you can appeal disqualifications, but saying I deserve the job because I really, really, really want it, or I'm really a good guy, is meaningless in an appeals hearing and just wastes everyone's time - you will have lost before you leave the hearing room. Instead, there are only two valid grounds for appeals. Either the disqualifying information they have about you isn't true and they are in error, (you didn't have sex with a goat) or the disqualification criteria they are using has no valid relationship to the job you are seeking, (like requiring a Janitor applicant to have a Masters Degree in Accounting).

Again, give it a try. You never know what might happen. By the time they get to you year may have gone by and you might be OK on the MJ issue.

[PoloMan29]

Thank you sir! Much appreciated, and sounds like I have some real solid advice from the people on this thread.

I honestly don’t think I would waste their time with an appeal, unless I know 100% they got something wrong. They have too much on their plate.

[CCCSD]

#11.3
PoloMan29 commented
Today, 07:17 PM
Exactly. I owe it to my community, my family, and myself to at least give this a try. I know I’m a good candidate.

why are you such a good candidate?

Not from my view.

[Aidokea]

What did I miss about kids and drugs?

[PoloMan29]

No it’s there. Just click the triangle button on top right hand of the screen.

Judge my ability to police, but please don’t judge my ability to be a parent. That’s not what I came here for. Applications have been withdrawn. No longer need to comment, unless you feel future candidates can learn from this thread.

Thank you,

[tanksoldier]

Ok, I see it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many comments on a post before.

Anyway, it would be one thing if you had a child and that caused you to quit drugs. That’s kind of what I assumed before, but your kid is 3. Having a kid in the house while you did drugs “countless” times is exposing that child to physical and mental abuse. It’s literally the law here in colorado, one of the biggest pit-smoking jurisdictions in the world .

As for judging your ability to be a parent, that’s my job. I can and do arrest poor parents for child abuse regularly, including parents who expose their kids to drugs. Getting high around your kid, being high around your kid, having drugs in the same house where your kid lives, growing or manufacturing drugs in the same house all qualify.
all qualify.

[PoloMan29]

Presumptuous! Just ask. Jumping to conclusions without evidence will get you in trouble.

[NolaT]

Legally or otherwise, how often did you get high in the last year?

[CCCSD]

And you think you should be A Police..

[tanksoldier]

…and there is the problem. You never got high legally, you were always breaking some law. Why do you suddenly want to become a paragon of laws you flouted until five minutes ago?

[PoloMan29]

I guess when I started the application process, I disee this being illegal in the state I reside in, and I’m not acting as a federal agent.

[NolaT]

Depending on the Dept, it may not be a hard DQ, but still, out of curiosity,………..how often did you get high in the last year?

[CCCSD]

Legally or otherwise, how often did you get high in the last year?

And THAT’S why he’s not a worthy candidate.

[PoloMan29]

I wanted to ask cops. If you think I’ll be a disservice to my community tell me now, and Ill withdrawal my application right now.

[PoloMan29]

Thanks for all the honestly gentlemen.