Can I make it?

I'm wondering if I should attempt to go through the hiring process or not. What I am about to tell you is the honest, 100% truth about myself. I am a 21 year old male. I am currently a college student with a few years left to go. When I was 16, I tried marijuana 3 teams. When I was 19, I was cited for underage drinking. I also attempted to go into the Navy, but was discharged due to medical reasons. My discharge was neither Honorable, nor Dishonorable, nor even General Under Honorable Conditions. It is what is known as Erroneous Enlistment/Entry Level Separation, which as told to me by the CO at basic training means that "I did not have enough time to properly evaluate your conduct to actually characterize your service." I was in the Navy for less than 180 days, this is why my discharge is somewhat unique. Had I served longer than 180 days, I probably would have been Honorably Discharged. But that is mere speculation.

Oh, and I don't have bad credit, never had a bill/loan passed to a collection agency, never owed any back taxes, none of that.

So, what do you all think? If you need any more information, by all means, I'll tell you anything else you may need to know.

Thanks,

PlatoKnowsBest

1. Are you in shape? How many push ups can and sit ups you do in a minute. 1.5 mile run time?
2. Be honest about your past. IE what you got caught doing and what you just did.
3. Get your degree. Try to intern in something LE related if that is what you want to do.

Know that people with great resumes get turned down. I'm living proof. Sticking with what you want to do is hard or everyone would be doing it. This is no exception.

So you don't think the things I've outlined will look too badly on me? To answers your questions:

1. I haven't really thought about pushups and situps, but I know that I can run 1.5 miles in 10 minutes. I did it just last week, actually. I suppose I could find out my ability for the others, though. If I had to guess right now, I'd say probably 25 pushups and 40 situps in a minute. I could test it, though, tomorrow.

2. Everything I've told you is what it is. If you were to hook me up to a polygraph test, I'd say the exact same things I just said to you. If you tested me and asked, "Have you ever tried marijuana?" I'd answer yes.

3. I will try to do that, but only if I know I won't be wasting my time. I really need to know if my background is alright. What do you think?

I asked about your conditioning based solely on your discharge status. Being honest will not get your hired to every job you apply for but being dishonest will get you fired every time. How long ago were your experiences with weed. I ask because as I have seen on here that is a factor at some agencies. Having experiences with weed and the like is one thing and depending on where you apply an arrest is a different matter.

I don't hire or making hiring decisions at my agency. I am an FTO that evaluates people once they are here. Having said that, each person is a totality of their circumstances. Some places will tell you flat out any drugs and you are out of here. Others will not given certain time frames and situations I suppose. My current agency has a hiring pool so deep that they would not consider you. Then again some of the agencies I have worked for in the past would look at your degree (if you complete it), your PT tests results ect and hire you. My first agency would hire you barring no other problems other than weed. Granted they only asked me about arrests and there was no polygraph. Just things to consider.

When I was 16, for the weed.

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Originally Posted by PlatoKnowsBest

When I was 16, for the weed.

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I would go for it. Be persistent,and put as many irons in the fire as possible.

Alright. One more thing I have to ask. Do you consider a writing job a good job to have while in college? I know I sit behind a computer to do my job, but having refined writing skills is certainly a valued asset among the skill set of a Police Officer, right?

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Originally Posted by PlatoKnowsBest

I also attempted to go into the Navy, but was discharged due to medical reasons. My discharge was neither Honorable, nor Dishonorable, nor even General Under Honorable Conditions. It is what is known as Erroneous Enlistment/Entry Level Separation, which as told to me by the CO at basic training means that "I did not have enough time to properly evaluate your conduct to actually characterize your service."

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Why were you discharged?

They said I had adjustment disorder. I'm no Dr. so I can't really tell you exactly what that means. Basically, I was struggling in Basic Training and they sent me to see a Dr. and the Dr. said I should go home.

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Originally Posted by PlatoKnowsBest

They said I had adjustment disorder. I'm no Dr. so I can't really tell you exactly what that means. Basically, I was struggling in Basic Training and they sent me to see a Dr. and the Dr. said I should go home.

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Yeah, that's sort of what I figured. It's called "failure to adapt."

That is going to be looked at long and hard by a police agency, but you should still try.

What sort of stuff were you struggling with?

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Originally Posted by MacLean

Yeah, that's sort of what I figured. It's called "failure to adapt."

That is going to be looked at long and hard by a police agency, but you should still try.

What sort of stuff were you struggling with?

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Just knowing that after Basic I would only get 2 weeks to come home and then I would be away from home again another 3 months going to training school, and then after that going home 2 weeks then going on a 6 month deployment away from home.

I just really wasn't taking too kindly to that. It affected everything about me. Police Academy is different though, and the LE field in general. I know that I will come home every night(God willing, anyway) after I complete the academy. That's a very comforting thought to me. Family is very important. The thought of being away from them for all of that time was pretty tough.

And yes, obviously if I were to be killed in the line of duty, I would never see them again. But that's different. I could die outside of LE in a normal every day car accident or something. But at least I won't be away all the time.

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Originally Posted by PlatoKnowsBest

They said I had adjustment disorder. I'm no Dr. so I can't really tell you exactly what that means. Basically, I was struggling in Basic Training and they sent me to see a Dr. and the Dr. said I should go home.

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It's been a couple of years -- but that could be a problem. See Adjustment Disorder. It's a diagnosis that doesn't suggest good things for how you handle stress. And LE is a stressful job, to say the least. Still -- it's not a guaranteed down-check. You can expect some questions and probably a detailed psych evaluation. You might want to look into getting yourself assessed up front...

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Originally Posted by Jks9199

It's been a couple of years -- but that could be a problem. See Adjustment Disorder. It's a diagnosis that doesn't suggest good things for how you handle stress. And LE is a stressful job, to say the least. Still -- it's not a guaranteed down-check. You can expect some questions and probably a detailed psych evaluation. You might want to look into getting yourself assessed up front...

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You mean by a Dr. on my own, before applying? And that's OK if they need to examine me more carefully, I'd be fine with it.

The time thing will be alot better in LE. But you will still catch a ton of stress from other places. Do you think you can keep your cool under pressure? When it gets time to show that your the man in charge, you won't back down, will you be able to step up? You have to be able to turn your aggression on AND off real quick. When the fight's on, it's on by god, but when it's over, you have to be able to control yourself.

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Originally Posted by PlatoKnowsBest

Just knowing that after Basic I would only get 2 weeks to come home and then I would be away from home again another 3 months going to training school, and then after that going home 2 weeks then going on a 6 month deployment away from home.

I just really wasn't taking too kindly to that. It affected everything about me. Police Academy is different though, and the LE field in general. I know that I will come home every night(God willing, anyway) after I complete the academy. That's a very comforting thought to me. Family is very important.

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Ok, I am reading a separation disorder here. Lets dwell on that first. Some academies are camp based, some school based. All depts require on-going monthly training. Some of that will be team based, boot camp style. Emergency call-ups are there. I have slept in my car and office chair more nights than I care to remember. As luckyme said, this is one of the most stressfull jobs there is. If your first priority is a job that is putting in 8hrs and going home to the family this may not be it.

Being a police officer is a calling. You do it because its in your bones. Yes we love our families and this job takes its toll on the family life, but the "job" IS a part of our family. We don't count the minutes waiting to go home.

On the subject of drugs and alcohol. Thats a odds type of deal. There are applicants who lived their lives cleanly with their eyes on the prize. Never wavering from the goal of their dream of becoming a police officer. You will be up against them.

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Originally Posted by PlatoKnowsBest

You mean by a Dr. on my own, before applying? And that's OK if they need to examine me more carefully, I'd be fine with it.

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Yep, on your own. For two reasons: first, if there's still a problem (earlier could just have been immaturity that you've grown out of), you can deal with it; second, you can go in armed with a statement from the doctor if it becomes a problem.

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Can I make it?
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I don't know , can you? Only you can answer that. Honestly your track record isn't good. How do I know that when it's just you and me against a car load of thugs and the shit hits the fan your not going to decide you don' t want to do this anymore and head home?

The advice you've been given is great but you need to think long and hard about this committment
and decide if this is what you want to do. Being a police officer takes lots of heart and mind. You won't be successful without both. Not everybody is cut out to be a cop and there is no shame in that.

Good luck to you in whatever career path you select.

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Originally Posted by PlatoKnowsBest

Alright. One more thing I have to ask. Do you consider a writing job a good job to have while in college? I know I sit behind a computer to do my job, but having refined writing skills is certainly a valued asset among the skill set of a Police Officer, right?

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As far as writing goes, I'll offer this. I got a degree in journalism and spent 3 years after college working in this field before I decided to reverse course and get into LE. I would say that, without a doubt, I write more (in terms of actual words written) and I write about more complicated things than I ever did as a journalist. The biggest difference is that the writing you do in a journalism job is intended for an informational or entertainment purpose. The writing we do on this job is intended to result in convictions. Far more at stake here. Anytime you can refine your writing skills and get better, the more prepared you'll be for a career in LE.

Dropping out of the military will hurt you where you live. PA is BIG on veterans preference. I know. I don't have military experience, and it is a big reason that I don't live in PA anymore.

At the place where I work, none of what you said here would disqualify you, although some of it would lead to more scrutiny. I know guys with worse than that in their past who've been cops for years. Just put in a lot of applications.

Most selection processes don't meaningfully evaluate your writing skills, but if you are a skilled writer than your career will go much more smoothly. Definitely stick with that.