Previously fired

[PPD801]

How do you present having been fired before to a police department? I had a really bad boss a while back that I had reason to believe had an addiction to certain prescription drugs and used illegally; actually I believe he committed quite a few criminal acts but I never caught him at anything to where he could be prosecuted. The last department I applied to grilled me in the oral board that I think I'm always a victim b/c it wasn't my fault that I was fired. Well, it wasn't! How do I explain this without sounding like a victimized whiner?

[peppers8]

I kind of am trying to find out the same info, although I left on my own accord rather than getting axed, I have also had problems in the past with a supervisor who displayed misconduct.

[cleetus0219]

Don't start throwing in crap that you THOUGHT he was doing. It makes you sound pathetic.

[Delta_V]

"I was wrongly accused of abusing prescription drugs and fired because of this. I'm sure that you'll find out once my background investigation and polygraph are concluded that i never abused prescription drugs and was in fact wrongly terminated."

Leave it at that.

[PPD801]

Would it be OK to mention that another employee caught him selling lost and found items for a personal tax write-off? Actually he tried to sell me a handgun while on duty (I was working as an unarmed security officer here) by using his position; he locked me in his office and displayed the gun he wanted me to buy, being careless and pointing it at me while fully loaded in the process. Last department I applied for told me that they teach kindgergarten kids to call 911 when in danger so why didn't I ... not having access to a phone more than 2 feet away from the boss with a gun wasn't good enough for them. I was trying to find a way to have him prosecuted for something but wasn't sure of state/federal laws about what he did (is stupid a criminal offense?) and it was during this time that I was terminated...later found out that another employee squealed my intentions.

[Delta_V]

No. You're trying to sell yourself in a job interview, not talk bad about your former employer. If you truly felt that he did something terribly wrong, you would have contacted the police or his supervisors when it happened. If you mention this in the interview, they're going to ask you why you didn't take action earlier. If you didn't think it was worth it then, why would you bring it up now except to promote your own interests?

The interview is not the place to start talking about negative things in your past. Keep everything positive unless one of the board members brings up something negative about your past. Don't go into the interview saying bad things about ANYONE. If you do this, you won't pass. I guarantee it.

[kirch]

"I saw things that led me to believe my supervisor might be engaging in illegal activity but I had no hard evidence. Since I had only suspiscions, I continued to work there and did not report those suspiscions to the police. Another employee aired my concerns to the supervisor and I was terminated soon after."

[cleetus0219]

You can always say that you were young and didn't really put as much effort into the job as you should have. Be sure to tell them you've definitely learned what not to do, and will never do it again.

Take responsibility. You were fired for a reason, and it wasn't because you boss was an *********. And for gods sake, please don't try to answer like you were investigating this guy for criminal acts. You aren't a cop yet, don't try and answer like one.

I've been there. I've been fired before. I took responsibility for it, and they moved onto the next question.

[archer0830]

I agree with cleetus. Just take responsibility. I don't think you telling them that he was addicted to drugs will effect their decision.

[Stump]

Originally posted by kirch
"I saw things that led me to believe my supervisor might be engaging in illegal activity but I had no hard evidence. Since I had only suspiscions, I continued to work there and did not report those suspiscions to the police. Another employee aired my concerns to the supervisor and I was terminated soon after."
I like that approach.

You weren't fired because your boss was involved in illegal activities. Please don't rationalize it because that is an indication that you aren't taking responsibility for it. If it was bad, you should have quit before he fired you. Of course, this is what everyone else is telling you as well...