Background Investigation - Personal References

[Chiram]

Well, I'm getting concerned, so before I go up and talk to the Captain or go cuss one of my personal references up and down, I figure I should ask here first.

Here's the deal.
In the process of my background investigation, I have to give the names, addresses, and all that good stuff for five personal references. I gave one officer, three co-workers of my dad, and one former neighbor. The first four have all come back, but my former neighbor seems to be dragging *** about getting his letter back. Went and asked the Captain this past Wednesday if everything was alright and he said that he was still waiting on one letter. I knew that the others were back, so I went to talk to the former neighbor. He said that he wasn't sure if he wanted to fill it out because he wasn't sure if I really wanted to be an officer. I assured him that I did, but he still seemed skeptical. I guess my question for you guys is if I should give another address to the Captain and tell him to disregard the letter from the former neighbor for reason that he's being a total *** about it. Or should I just hope and pray that the former neighbor will get off his *** and send it in rather than tearing it up and throwing it away?

[orange]

Find someone who will enthusiastially vouch for you without having to bend the truth. I'm not sure if I would ever want a lukewarm reference.

[irishlad2nv]

Well, I'm getting concerned, so before I go up and talk to the Captain or go cuss one of my personal references up and down, I figure I should ask here first.

Here's the deal.
In the process of my background investigation, I have to give the names, addresses, and all that good stuff for five personal references. I gave one officer, three co-workers of my dad, and one former neighbor. The first four have all come back, but my former neighbor seems to be dragging *** about getting his letter back. Went and asked the Captain this past Wednesday if everything was alright and he said that he was still waiting on one letter. I knew that the others were back, so I went to talk to the former neighbor. He said that he wasn't sure if he wanted to fill it out because he wasn't sure if I really wanted to be an officer. I assured him that I did, but he still seemed skeptical. I guess my question for you guys is if I should give another address to the Captain and tell him to disregard the letter from the former neighbor for reason that he's being a total *** about it. Or should I just hope and pray that the former neighbor will get off his *** and send it in rather than tearing it up and throwing it away?


First off you need to calm down about your one neighbor. Maybe they have something going on and have not had time to do the response to your letter? Patience is a major key in the background process. I would not have gone and talked to the neighbor because they may have j ust ****ed him off coming to him/her on the letter. The reason they send out letters or make personal visits to your neighbors is to check on your character reference. They want to make sure you never threw wild and crazy parties under-age, did some stupid stuff around the neighbordhood, etc...but, having your neighbor state to you, that he thinks that you should not be a Police Officer, well he /she is entitled to that opinion. And that is whay they send out the letters and is usually one of the questions on there..." do you feel....should be in Law Enforcement".

I would not go and tell the Cpt. to disregad that letter, mainly because I am sure there are only so many neighbors that can vouch for your character and also it would look like you are trying to hide something. If anything should come up from the neighbor that you approached, well I am sure they will ask you to explain anything.