Tough question needs honest answers

[rjrugby11]

I have to ask other officers what they think I should do in order to know what to do with my life now. I am 21 years old, and about 3 months ago, I was a deputy sheriff trainee in colorado. I had worked for the department as a cadet for a year before entering the academy. Previous this, I had worked for 4 years with 3 other police departments with excellent work history, commendations, and several awards. It was not until the academy that I had really screwed up. I let a sergeant get to me, and I lied about a stupid incident, where I knew that it would have been resolved had I upheld my integrity and been forthcoming with information. Instead, I went to IA, and ultimatly was asked to either resign or be fired. I chose to resign. I know that honesty is all I have in the law enforcement community, and it hurts so bad to know that I had accomplished my goal of being a law enforcment officer, I just didn't uphold my end and I screwed up big time. Does anyone know anywhere that I might have luck in being honest about what happened, and based on my references and previous work history, I could get hired? I would like to work for L.A., or NY, but I don't know how obtainable that is now. I was already shot down from Phoenix after testing extremly well for them. Is this incident something I can recover from a few years from now if I finish my degree, and have good standing at my current job? If anyone has LE hiring experience, please help! If anyone could offer advice, I would be so appreciative. Thank you.

[BadgerFan]

You want an honest answer, here's my take. I've been on oral boards on and off for 3 years, with 15 years as an LEO. I don't think you'll be hired again as a cop. Once you lied and a dept forced you to resign or be fired, that's it. It's not only a standard of hiring, it's also one of liability. If you were hired again as a cop somewhere, any defense attorney worth his salt would be able to research you and find you lied as a cop in a previous dept and were fired/resigned for it. You have no credibility any longer in the courts, and are pretty much worthless to a community from a LEO standpoint.

You should start your adult life with a new career and move up from there. You're still young enough to learn from your mistake and have a successful career...just not in law enforcement

Good luck

[keith758]

As brutal as it sounds, I agree with Badgerfan. Your judgement is questionable and your credibility is shot. You might have a shot in a small community that doesn't have as stringent requirements as L.A. or NY, or doesn't do a thorough background check, but personally,I would pass on hiring you. Sorry.

[ChesCopPodz]

You were hired as a police officer at age 17? And I too have to agree with the above posters. You have all but completely wrecked any chances of getting hired by a police dept.

[BigJoe]

This story sounds fishy,lol

[rjrugby11]

I was an explorer at 17, and worked for two other departments through college as intern/student work. I figured I had screwed myself, but I had to ask. Thank you for your replies

[co911]

I'm a cop in CO and I disagree with the above posts. I don't think you are screwed at all. There are plenty of depts which will give you a second chance, even in CO. Get your degree, keep your nose clean, give it a few yrs, (I know at 21 that sounds like an eternity, it isn't), consider military reserves etc. In other words grow up.

You just need to be selective in applying to depts. (You can forget LAPD by the way, their standards are very high). Here in the Denver area look to depts which are either large or which really need cops. PDs which come to mind include Denver, Wheatridge, Englewood, Sheridan and Adams CSO.

A buddy of mine was a cop who got a DUI a few yrs back and was asked to resign. He did and 1 yr later was hired on with another PD. Your future starts right now.

[BadgerFan]

A DUI and lying on the job (and getting fired for it) are 2 entirely different things. I'd like to know the name & ph number of a recruiter with Denver PD who would admit they'd hire someone in this situation.....Like keith said, he may have a shot a some years from now at some small town dept, but moving up to something bigger will never change because that original leo job will always be on his record

[ftlaudcop]

we juist had a deputy fired for being untruthful in office matters,
great guy otherwise 8 yrs on the job. we all thought maybe time off and a reprimand in his file. now his certification is on the line
by the hot shots from f.d.l.e , he jas moved 200 miles north
of ft lauderdale and has applied with the sheriff's office up their to get a non sworn job just to keep his pension runnin and maybe
apply for sworn if his certification is not touched.
anything is possible due to the politics, they hired a convicted
arsonist: vol fire fighter/ army reservist after a cruise ship
was on fire and he was hired for 10 a hour for fire watch, did a year in the county jail, and was a smooth operator the sheriff seen he may be rehabilitated, hired him as a inmate property clerk, later on down the line, he was involved in sex capades with a deputy's son who was a drug addict and was made his property trusty.

[LockDown]

Not that it matters (maybe it does though) but WHAT did you lie about? :confused:

[rjrugby11]

The situation was as follows:
I had been a cadet before having been an academy recruit, so I knew all of the other members of the cadet program. During a classroom where we were having instruction, we were given a 20 minute break, and I went to the back of the classroom to speak with a female cadet who I was friends with, and had been for several years through the explorer program (the cadet was sitting in on the class). We were talking for a little bit, and we were horsing around with some arrest control techniques, and I struck her on her forearm. At the time, she did not say or mention any pain, and she dished it out right back to me, and there were no issues. From the date this occurred, I was contacted by my academy sergeant 9 days later and questioned about the incident. I initially did not remember striking her, as we had just been horsing around, and because she did not display any immediate pain from the injury, I just didn't feel it was a big deal. As it turned out, my sergeant had watched this incident occur, and he had spoken to the cadet. She said we were just goofing around and she wanted nothing to come out of the incident, however the sergeant saw that she had a small bruise, and he orderred her to go to a doctor. She refused, but eventually went when threatened with her job if she didn't cooperate. As I was questioned, I could not specifically give an accurate time as to when the incident occurred, because we had spoken at different times during breaks on that day. My sergeant was not happy with my replies, and he sent the incident to IA. In IA, I came out and said that I had struck the cadet, but it was never meant to hurt her, and we were just horsing around. I also was inconsistent with my statements when interviewed by an academy deputy and my sergeant. (I said I had had no contact with her initially, because being stupid and immature about the incident, I was more afraid of getting in trouble because of a female being involved than just saying that it had happened). IA substantiated the claim that i had been untruthful about the incident initially to my supervisor, and because of a defense attorny being able to pull the IA file, I was of no use, so I resigned. I currently work Loss Prevention for a large department store, and I will have my degree done by the end of next year. I continue to have an exemplary record with my history except for this incident. I have been accepted back to my explorer post, but being hired with the department will probably not happen, as both Phoenix PD, and Denver PD have cut me from their hiring processes because of the incident. I have no doubt that time, maturity, and more eduacation will help, but only I can change what happened. With this new information, anyone with additional help would be greatly appreciated.

[SaNdMaN]

Dude, are you POST certified?

Apply at Ft. Lupton, Erie, Dacono, some small *** PD like that...They're hard up as hell...

I had an IA where they sustained truthfullness on me...In reality, a defense attorny could bring it up and try to impeach me, but what can you do? Try those smaller dept's before you give up entirely.

I guess I just have a little more sympathy for you, as, when my IA came up, I had a new sgt with a hard on for me, and he did everything he could to jam me up. My sustained truthfullness was because we get 50 minute meal breaks and I was at my residence, in my city and in my assigned district, for 70 min during a blizzard. I only wrote 50 min on my log sheet. Should I have gotten jammed up? Sure. Should I have gotten the punishment I received? Hell no. I can relate to the whole power tripping Sgt. thing.

[rjrugby11]

Unfortunatly, I did not become post certified, but I will be going through another academy in the spring of '06 once I finish my degree. I don't want to give up on my goal of becoming a peace officer, and I appreciate your reply on this subject. I will see where I am at come that time, and I am sure I will try some of those smaller departments down the road. Thank you again.

[TrollEater]

I don't mean to rain in on your parade, but just reading your first sentence or two at the top of that page in conjunction with your explanation already tells me that you have tendecy to be dishonest. You said you were a Deputy Sheriff, and then you're a cadet, and then later on down the thread you say you're not post certified b/c you were going to the academy in 06 after you finished your degree? Now, I may be missing something here or have read it wrong twice; however I councel people daily for a living (thanks to your Federal tax dollars) and I see bull**** all the time and right now I'm gonna have to say either this whole situation is tangled bull**** or you're full of ****. Sorry.

[rjrugby11]

I will tell you in a much more understandable timeline than the previous responses above so you can see what has been said. I was 17 and became an explorer. While an explorer I worked for two campus police departments while attending college. When I turned 20, I became a cadet for the sheriff's office and continued to be an explorer until I entered the SHERIFF'S ACADEMY at 21. This is where the incident occurred. My response to sandman was intended to show my plans, not to contradict anything previously said. I am halfway through my degree in college, and I should have been more clear on my response to sandman, but I will finish my degree by the end of '05, and I will enter ANOTHER academy to become post certified, and take my chances elsewhere. You can believe what you want, but I hope this can clear up your confusion.

[TrollEater]

Just for you rjruby11;

I don't care. There is a big difference between "Sheriff Deputy" and "Sheriff Deputy Trainee". If you ever make it into law enforcement, I'd love to read some of your reports...

"A white male approached me holding a firearm and looking my diriction. I repeatedly told him to drop the weapon. Due to no response I was forced to use deadly force"

EDIT* "A white male walking away from my position while holding a cellphone turned around to look my way, when I asked how he was doing. I immediately waved and when I brought my hand down, it struck my holstered duty weapon causing an accidental discharge which killed the unarmed male subject."

Little words can go a long way, but when they are recorded on a forum or in a report they will be there to haunt you - possibly even indefinately. A little change to the story can make it sound more believable, but in the end it is still bull****.