I'm Not Good Enough

[ateamer]

Well, I just got the notification from the agency where I was testing. They're not going to hire me because I supposedly am not active enough at my present department. The personnel sergeant said that my agency said I don't have enough self-initiated activity and followup investigations; they have reportedly been trying to get me to increase my stats, but I haven't responded.

News to me. I had one annual eval about three years that recommended more self-initiated activity, when I was going through some major burnout and was partnered with a rookie who made upward of 20 car stops in a shift. No sergeant or ell-tee has ever told me I needed more activity.

I also know that the background investigator never spoke with most of my references from the office, nor with my personal references, nor with my family.

My wife is a little upset that they aren't hiring me (I was #2 on the list and have 14 years of service - they're not getting some hotdog rookie), but my attitude is suddenly that maybe I'm better off not working for them if that's what they want.

I'd like to know who the backstabber at my agency is. I have my suspicions, but I think I'll just let it lie. I'm not really that unhappy working here; the main reason I want to leave is to stay in patrol - I never want to work Court Security again. The 30% pay raise would have been nice, too. But I now know that there is at least one person who I cannot trust.

[OfcMikey]

Well if that dept wants to hire the "hot dogs" then I sure wouldn't want to work for them.
Sorry you didn't get what you want, but it may be a blessing in disguise. Only time will tell.

[Frank Booth]

quote:

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The personnel sergeant said that my agency said I don't have enough self-initiated activity and followup investigations; they have reportedly been trying to get me to increase my stats, but I haven't responded.

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Talk to a lawyer. Around here, that kind of job "reference" is suable.....I know a few guys whose departments blackballed them, but it was never in the open like that. If the department you were applying for actually told you that your department black balled you like that, you might have a case. Get it on tape if you can.

[ateamer]

I'm not sure I'm up for that. I'm getting the impression that I am too set in my ways to adjust to a different department, so it's probably okay, like 10mm said. Like I said, I have an idea who stabbed me. The only thing I can think of is that for about half a year, I was an FTO. The one FTO Sgt. felt that I was not getting the trainees enough exposure - he wanted me to jump every call that came out and rack up OT every night. That's not how my FTO's did it, and not how I was willing to do it. Hopefully, the agency with which I was testing just placed too great an importance on it and no one from my department did me.

Thanks for letting me vent here.

[shooter1201]

I remember being told I didn't get a job because I was the 'wrong color'....

Sue their ***...that's the American way!

[GRACE]

Sorry to hear the news ateamer but perhaps, as 10mm said, it is a blessing in disguise! I am sure that something better will come along.

Good Luck to you

[Piper]

I'm sorry ateamer, hang in there. I hope something good comes your way soon. *hugs*

[ateamer]

Thanks for the support. I've given it some more thought, and, like I mentioned, it's not really that bad here. I'm not too sure about going through the whole process again with another agency. I've also been accepted into our department's Air Unit (part-time collateral duty), and I'm stoked about that. It's mostly flying people to training or crime scene photography, not much tactical flight, but still will be fun. Flying really is the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

For now, I don't want to go back through the background and polygraph - it felt like an inquisition. Good reminder of what the applicants on this board put up with.

[Fastie]

You are good enough.... they are NOT good enough for you !!! Cool deal on the air unit..

[InSane1]

Hmmm.. yanno what I think... they didn't want to lose you. I THINK, they probably did sabotage you, because you were part of the department and they don't want to see you go. I THINK you would probably be missed by many if you had left. I THINK, you doing this air stuff was probably a way for them to get you back interested in the department and to entice you to stay...... I THINK.... it probably worked... cause according to you "it aint that bad".

[ 10-16-2002, 03:46 AM: Message edited by: InSane1 ]

[Sig220Man]

ateamer,

Sorry to hear that you didn't get accepted by the department that you were looking at. Some departments have been known to try to hire a particular type of individual, especially when it comes to laterals. Perhaps this was their way of telling you that you wouldn't fit in there.

At my department for example, for the longest time we didn't hire laterals from any agency with the exception of one -- LASD. And it wasn't for a lack of applicants from elsewhere.

Even though LAPD was (and still is) hemorraging sworn personnel in the wake of Rodney King, it seemed a bit strange that we had hired NO LAPD laterals up until recently. This was long before LAPD recruits were required to sign a 5 year employment contract, so I know that's not the reason for it.

I also know that when a high-ranking LAPD officer applied for our Chief's job years ago, the then-City Manager and the then-City Council (none of whom are still in public office) openly expressed dire concerns that hiring a former LAPD officer as our Chief might bring "Daryl Gates-style policing" to our city So it's not a stretch to believe that these same concerns would be applied to lateral recruits.

I'm glad to hear that your old department isn't going to punish you for trying to go elsewhere (unless your department considers Air Support a punishment post!). Depending on who you work for, and work with, sometimes you take a major chance career-wise when you apply elsewhere.

Besides, from another thread you sound like you're not particularly interested in taking T/C's. If you were to be hired by a municipal agency, you'll be taking a lot of these (especially if you work nights).

A couple people here have suggested that ateamer go the lawsuit route. I don't know how things are done in other states, but many if not most agencies in CA make you sign a notarized waiver form at the start of the background process. This waiver form basically says that you waive your right to sue anybody who provides information about you. The one I'm looking at for another agency I had applied to even goes as far as to waive my rights to sue in cases of defamation of character. A copy of this waiver form is provided to everybody who is questioned about you.

[ 10-16-2002, 07:15 AM: Message edited by: Sig220Man ]

[nickg]

QUOTE FROM SHOOTER1201:
"I remember being told I didn't get a job because I was the 'wrong color'...."

chartreuse? mauve? taupe???