Age Limits?

[SamTheHam]

I'm a 38 year old female with about 15 extra pounds, but I'm certain they will come off in a month of activity. I also have a heinous driving record - more suspensions than I can count for simply being too broke to pay fees. Other than that, my record is clean.

I don't know if it counts for anything, but I have a BS in Psychology that I was applying to medical school before the time and money ran out.

I'm interested in either law enforcement or emergency medicine as a paramedic.

Do you think I stand a chance in either?

[1895FED]

Sam,
HONESTY is the best Policy! Lay it all out on the table and let them (whatever agency you are applying) be the judge and the jury!
As far as the weight you can work that off!!
Start NOW!

[hxd]

At least in NY, none of this would work against you if you were working to become a paramedic. Up here, you can be sponsored for a paramedic class by a volunteer agency, and you don't even need a driver's license. You generally DO need to be a basic EMT for at least a year though.

If you want to turn EMS into a career, you WILL need a valid DL. How clean in needs to be depends on the individual agency and their insurance carrier.

You may have your age working against you for a lot of LE agencies as well. There are a lot of agencies out there that have a max age of 35 for new recruits.

Ask the questions of the individual agencies you want to work for. The worst that'll happen is they'll say you aren't qualified.

[sleclerc]

When was your last ticket...? the suspensions wer ebecuase of fines right? How many tickets..and suspensions dont look great. The age and weigt arent so much of a factor as your driving record.

[SamTheHam]

When was your last ticket...? the suspensions wer ebecuase of fines right? How many tickets..and suspensions dont look great. The age and weigt arent so much of a factor as your driving record.

Sleclerc, you replied in the last forum I posted in... I have a habit of "DWP: Driving while poor"

My last Ticket was failing to show license and registration because I had just cleaned my car, and left it in the garage. I showed it at the DMV and paid $10.

Before that, was a "Failure to obey a traffic control device" in '03.

Like I said - I my biggest habitual crime is having no money!

[sleclerc]

I think those failure to's are ok as they arent moving violations. They do still show on your record. Now other ones such as failure to obey a traffic control device those are moving and cause points and the such. Id go get a copy and see just how bad it is. from 2003-2007 is good as its four yrs kwim..On an app they will ask you to list them all..SO if they call you back and you listed it all then youll know:-)

[SamTheHam]

HXD and 1895 - Thank you for your input. I may just apply and see what shakes out. The purpose behind my query is because I would like to apply:

1) A psychology degree
2) A 15 year nursing / medical office background
3) a 17 year computer background
(some overlap!)

...to a field that doesn't change employees like linen.

[sleclerc]

Wow all that I wouldnt be in law enforcement

[SamTheHam]

Wow all that I wouldnt be in law enforcement

The psych degree can't be used anywhere without grad school. Time and money ran out for that, so I reverted to my medical and computer training.

The last clinic I worked at laid off half it's medical staff, and despite my training, because my sheepskin doesn't mention "Computers", my position is the first disposable in the IT arena.

Many of my and my family's friends are LEOs, Paramedics and EMTs... and they're all wondering what's wrong with me for not catching on! :D

[Seventy2002]

A bad driving record can be a deal-breaker. Driving an emergency vehicle is a high-liability event. Municipal insurance pools do not want people with "heinous driving records" behind the wheel. That being said, you're better off seeking a career in emergency medical services, where driving is a specialty and paramedics can be passengers.

[SamTheHam]

A bad driving record can be a deal-breaker. Driving an emergency vehicle is a high-liability event. Municipal insurance pools do not want people with "heinous driving records" behind the wheel. That being said, you're better off seeking a career in emergency medical services, where driving is a specialty and paramedics can be passengers.

I have roughly 5 moving violations (minor speeding, non-felony ) in the past 20 years. Most of my violations (which outnumber the moving violations) involve expired tags, no insurance, etc.... all linked to financial reasons.

[kc12]

Now that there is more detail, five moving violations in 20 years is not bad, but how far apart were they. The "failure to pay fines" suspensions could be bad, but since they are due to financial issues and citations could be a bit more easily explained away.

Anecdote--My last agency hired a young man, IIRC 22-23 years old, who was told not to apply at the agency just north of us because he had too many citations and had a criminal arrest. My friend had four or five moving citations within about as many months, when he was in high school. He also had been arrested at a nightclub in a nearby city, for obstruction. The obstruction charges were "no filed" by the prosecutor. The point is, especially if you live along the coast, just because one agency won't hire you doesn't mean another one won't. Give it a shot, if you want to be a police officer, the worse they can do is tell you no thanks.

Since you already have the background in medicine it would seem the medical side would be less of a change and probably less expensive to get into. You already expressed an interest in becoming a doctor, so to me it would seem that would be the place where you would be most satisfied.