Need Advice Please . . . . .

Hey All, need some advice from you all if you dont mind. I was a Police Dispatcher about 10 years ago. During this time I applied with the same Agency to be a reserve Officer. Upon completing my Background packet for the reserve position, I took my time and scanned my brain for many weeks to answer the questions correcty and as truthfully as possible. Now when I applied to be a dispatcher, I was basically offered the job without even applying for it. At that time I did have a background packet but when filling it out, I really did not take my time with it, so I did not list as many things on it as I later did on the reserve officer background packet. It was not that I was trying to hide something when applying for Dispatch, I just did not do alot of brain scanning to think of everything. Well then the Chief of Police asked me to resign or be terminated, basing this decision off of the difference of the two background packets. He would not listen to my reason on why there were differences and again suggested that I resign or be terminted, so I resigned. First of all, to me and to alot of LEO's that I have spoken with about this are pretty much all in agreeance that what was asked of me was wrong and should have been handled in a different manner. Maybe you guys agree or maybe you dont, I am not sure. What I need advice on is this. Like I mentioned before, it has been 10 plus years since this has happened. This last week my current job has become a little stressful due to the economy, so I had this idea of going and meeting with this Chief that asked me to resign and basically ask to be re-hired. Do you guys think this is a good idea or a bad idea? I know it could not hurt, but I just want some feedback from you guys on the situation as well as advice on if you think I should go talk to him or not. Thank you all in advance!

Dispatch-D10
Greg T.

Greg, here is my 2 cents. I agree that the matter could have been handled much better by the chief in the first place. I'm not sure what other factors are at play, but for whatever reason he didn't want to rake the time to listen to you, or felt he didn't need to. On the surface, it seems like another bureacratic process, masked by the lack of common sense.

As far as re-applying there, I don't see any harm in speaking with him before had. However, if that's the position you want, why not apply for it at another agency? I think that being gone 10 years they would still require you to go through the full new hire process, and then you're kind of wondering about the boss if you get in, if you catch my drift. In speaking with him, I would be forward and let him know that you plan on applying elsewhere, and ask either what kind of reference you can expect from him, or even for a letter of reference. Like I said, there are some things at play here that don't show full picture, especially his angle.

If you do choose to apply somewhere else, I don't think this Chief can really give a negative reference. If he does, and it's not true and ends up costing you a position, there is recourse. Otherwize just use that position as a regular employment history, and go on with your plans. Be specific, yet tactfull in stating your reasons and circumstances in leaving the original job, i.e. make it work for you.

Hope this helps.

Srab, thanks for your reply. I certainly know what you mean when you say that other factors could be at play here. I agree that they show more on his side as I have be 100 % honest with everything that I have stated here. I have not left a single thing out. The way I explained it is 100% the way it happened, so you are right, maybe there was something else to it that only he knew. Anyway thanks again for the reply.


Dispatch-D10
Greg T.

I would harbor a guess that the reason he asked you to resign is because he looked at it that you lied on your application. At the end of the app where you sign it says anything not disclosed or false statements can be used against you now or in the future (basically).

I dont think it would hurt for you to now ask about re-applying to the agency or another one. Go for it and have fun, good luck.

BigDawg,

Yes sir you are correct, that is exactly what he thought, I guess I should have made that clear in my posting, sorry about that. Anyhow yes he thought I lied in my first Dispatch AP, and just did not want to listen to reason. But that is the past nothing I can do about that at this point. Thanks for the response and encouragement. I appreciate it!

Dispatch-D10
Greg T.

Hmm... perhaps if you were to share with us the 'inaccuracy' you suspect was discovered, we'd be able to provide you with a more informed response...

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Originally Posted by countybear

Hmm... perhaps if you were to share with us the 'inaccuracy' you suspect was discovered, we'd be able to provide you with a more informed response...

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+1

Sure thing, when doing background for Dispatch I recalled a couple of times when I was about 14 where I shoplifted a candy bar and a soda from a local store. Did not get caught but did remember it and admitted to it. That was it. On Reserve Officer packet I recalled a time when I was 15 where and friend and I took a box of misc items that were sitting on a guys porch. Contents of the items were nothing but an old stereo and an old intercom system and some pieces of leather. That is seriously it! I was pretty much a decent kid growing up. I have never done drugs and I have never even drank alocohol, so drug use or alcohol related stuff was not even a part of this. Honestly what I have described is what I am talking about.

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Originally Posted by Dispatch-D10

Sure thing, when doing background for Dispatch I recalled a couple of times when I was about 14 where I shoplifted a candy bar and a soda from a local store. Did not get caught but did remember it and admitted to it. That was it. On Reserve Officer packet I recalled a time when I was 15 where and friend and I took a box of misc items that were sitting on a guys porch. Contents of the items were nothing but an old stereo and an old intercom system and some pieces of leather. That is seriously it! I was pretty much a decent kid growing up. I have never done drugs and I have never even drank alocohol, so drug use or alcohol related stuff was not even a part of this. Honestly what I have described is what I am talking about.

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Despite the fact that I never trust people who say "honestly" every other sentence and say they're "being 100% honest", I'll go ahead and chime in. :)

Being in law enforcement in any capacity needs to be based on trust and mutual understanding of that. I can completely see where your chief would have given pause with the second background. First of all, he's looking at it from the perspective of "what else has he failed to mention", and both times you had "done something bad" they were related. For instance, someone shoplifts a candy bar once, not necessarily a huge problem. Someone who shoplifts a candy bar and then steals a box from someone's porch could be setting a pattern that he feels is not appropriate for his reserves or dispatchers.

Now, if I read correctly, you left this job 10 years ago, right? I think that enough time has passed that perhaps he'd be willing to give you another shot. Before filling out an application and wasting jurisdictional resources, call the chief and have a sit-down with him. Explain to him your position (try not to be defensive) and ask if enough time has passed that they would even consider an application from you. If they do, great! If they won't, then try not to get all butt-hurt. It's also been long enough that you could probably apply to a different agency and you can always ask him about that as well.

Good luck. (And since you're new, I'll say this...I'm not trying to be pissy. Just blunt. ;) )

How big of an agency was this you were at? What kind of performance evaluations did you have while there? What, if any, hiccups have you been involved in since working there? IE traffic tickets and other minor stuff that just happens. I would bring up these things if you choose the sit down approach with the chief.

Hey Irishmick, thanks for your reply. You raise a good point, you know about not trusting people who say "Honestly" every other sentence and being, "100% honest." I should know better than using those phrases as I too tend to not trust those as well, haha. Thank you for pointing that out and I appreciate your response. I actually am grateful that you were blunt with me, it actually made me see another side of it that I had not thought of in the last 10 years, the whole part about looking at it from his perspective and him wondering if there was anything else that I had failed to mention, very good point, never thought of that part. I can say that I also took a polygraph and admitted to this stuff and when asked if there was anything else with the exception that I had already mentioned, I said that there was not and I was not shown to be deceptive on that question, regardless, I do understand your point. Thank you so much, I appreciate it....

Five-0, The agency included about 30 sworn and 9 dispatchers. My performance evals were actually fantastic and I was even told by most of the Officers that I was an outstanding Dispatcher. They all seemed to like working with me. As far as Hiccups when I was there, absolutely ZERO. No tickets or anything. Good idea to mention that as well when and if I decide to meet with the chief. Thanks!

Have you had any tickets, credit problems, or the like since working outside of that agency since you left?

Something else to consider...

Law Enforcement is hurting as bad as many private businesses are in this economy. I don't know that I would want to be the new guy in a support services division IF they are hiring. That's likely to be one of the first places where cuts would be made.

Your by no means alone with that situation.
I knew a guy at my department 4 years ago who was a reserve and reapplied for a full time position. I remember he did a good job as a reserve and was on the top of the list for the full time slot. Anyway when they compared his reserve personal history packet with his full time one they found a discrepancy, from what I recall it had to do with a detox incident from back in his college days that he failed to report on his reserve app.
When his hire packet made it to the chief deputy he was immediately terminated from the hire process as well as the reserves with no debate.

Good luck with your endeavor, it still doesn't hurt to try.

I actually had a misdemeneor traffic violation in 2005 for failure to control to avoid accident. Minor fender bender, nothing big but I was sited. No credit issues at all.

Pudge, yeah I thought of that as well. It is something to definately consider, thanks!

Caveman, thank you very much, it is good to know that im not alone in this situation. You guys are all so great to be offering yoru advice, thanks!

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Originally Posted by Dispatch-D10

Caveman, thank you very much, it is good to know that im not alone in this situation. You guys are all so great to be offering yoru advice, thanks!

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Just don't get me wrong here, I wasn't condemning the actions of my department in the handling of that situation.
On our personal history packets (and these are used for any job with the county) its clearly stated to list any prior police contacts you ever had, even parking tickets. Being in a hurry and sloppily filling one out is never an excuse.

To reiterate what my point is, and this comes from someone who's has allot of experience in hiring processes, no matter what always be 100% thorough and truthful on your apps. If your not It WILL come back and haunt you as already know. ;)

Okay you guys will not believe this. This is proof to me that god looks out for me! Okay so In the time that you guys have given me your opinions on wether I should go talk to the Chief about getting rehired, I have sat and taken all of your opinions and ideas into concideration. I got home this afternoon and upon checking my email, I get an email from The Chief's Assistant, which said, "Would you consider working here again? Call me." I called him and he asked me if I would consider coming back to work there. I of course said that I would love to do so and asked how the Chief felt about it. He tells me that the Chief is all for it. Is this unbelievable or what? I had never even went to talk to The Chief so he did not know I was interested, this is totally out of the blue. Is this great or what? :):):):):):):):)