Did I butcher my oral?

[joe1701]

One of the officers interviewing me give me a little lecture about integrity...and that he would turn his partner in with out hesitation if he witnessed him steal anything. And he kept saying do you understand...do you understand. Then he gave me some pointers for the next round of interviews if I get to them.

I can honestly say that I felt like I didn't have any integrity at that moment because I felt that my answer showed that I would lie.

I then asked them a question about how many officers position they are looking to fill and if I will be able to apply again if I am dq'd this round.

[joe1701]

I also gave them the wrong credit score...I said 590 when mine is actually
690.

[IronBruin]

I'm not a LEO, but your answers sound alright to me. I would likely give very similar answers.

I believe that you answered the second question right on. I was reading about a similar question on a site that give advice about how to answer and that is exactly the answer they said to give. I think you want to try to settle it between yourselves before taking it to higher ups. However, I believe the question I'm thinking of was regarding drug evidence, where there may be a greater chance misunderstanding of where the evidence went. You don't want to make false accusations of another officer. I guess if his theft was obvious you may report that:confused:

[Garbage Man]

First one

Prone him out at gun point. Forget screwing around with the light bar and siren, they arent going to stop a bullet. Dont go in and check on your own. Keep him proned and have dispatch call the store while waiting for back up.

Second, tell a Sgt. Thieves dont get to be cops.

[joe1701]

I gave the interviewing officer the wrong credit score. I said 590 when it is actually 690. Should I email to recruiter and clarify?

[hankido2000]

............................

[the batman]

don't forget that the interview is meant to mess with your head as well. yes, answering questions right/properly is a plus, but the other part has to deal with how you handle yourself with the ones conducting the interview.

in your case joe1701, it's to see if you'd cave on one of your previous stance on integrity...

its all a game, really.

[joe1701]

Great...I don't think i caved...but it went something like this.

They both kept mentioning how this was my very first LE interview and they made it clear that they knew I had no LE experience. After giving me the lecture they asked me "knowing what you know now what do you think the correct course of action would be."

I said I would report it to my supervisor.

That sounds like I caved...

On the other hand If I had told them I would report the officer they would have grilled me anyway. At least I told the truth vs telling them what I think they want to hear.

[Garbage Man]

We try to trip you up to see if you are giving truthfull answers not to mes with your head. Try this, dont worry about the correct answer to pass the test...whats the real answer? What would you really do?

Lets start with the candy Bar question, its a very common question...I'd like to hear from any perspective applicant,

Heres the scene, You are really on duty starting the career of your dreams, in uniform, a real live cop. You have a training officer who you havent quite figured out yet. You go into a liquer store and he puts a candy bar in his jacket pocket right in front of you. Now what? Your not taking an oral interview so dont give me what you THINK is the right answer. What would you really do?

[gadphto89]

.I'd like to hear from any perspective applicant,

Heres the scene, You are really on duty starting the career of your dreams, in uniform, a real live cop. You have a training officer who you havent quite figured out yet. You go into a liquer store and he puts a candy bar in his jacket pocket right in front of you. Now what? Your not taking an oral interview so dont give me what you THINK is the right answer. What would you really do?

I ask him if he is going to pay for the candy bar he just put in his pocket. If he says no, I tell him that what he is doing is wrong and stealing.

I then take a few dollars out of my own wallet, and give it to the owner of the store. I tell the owner of the store/cashier that I took a candy bar and was paying him for it but didn't have time to wait in line due to the nature of my work. I do this to prevent the department from looking bad, because if I tell the owner I'm paying him because my FTO stole a candy bar, how will that make the department look?

Then, when I get back to HQ, I notify a superior officer about what my FTO did.


That is what I WOULD do. Now, if I answered that on an oral board, would I pass or fail the question?

[MT2658]

i would pay for the candy bar and tell the cashier my partner forgot to pay for it on his way out. i would confront the fto and ASK him if he realized he didnt pay. if he said yes i would ask WHY? maybe the officer bought that same candy bar last time he was in and the same cashier accidently charged him for 2 and rather than crediting it back he told the FTO he could grab another on his way out next time. if the FTO said he didnt feel like paying then i wouldnt say another word. I would immediatly contact my supv and inform him of the situation.

[joe1701]

Well I got my "rejection" letter today....

Looks like I will be applying to different departments.

What should I do differently next time?

[ChRdy21799]

Sorry to hear that man. Keep applying. I'm an applicant myself and can tell you this.....I've gone into an Oral Board with high confidence, not too cocky, and tried to do my best to deliver my strong points about myself...did it work? Yes and I scored very high on the interview. I did the same thing with another department interview...I mean it was an identical interview...and I got rejected.

So you may have done well on your interview...but they department was simply looking for someone else. Just keep applying....you'll find a fit somewhere.

Good Luck pal.

[MT2658]

What should I do differently next time?

contact the officers that interviewed you and ask them that. they are usually pretty nice and are happy to help out. check out a thread that garbageman posted. it has a lot of good tips.

http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94041

[natejpg]

Joe if I understood right this was your first interview and if you got a rejection on your first interview don't worry too much. Not everyone passes their first ride on that bull. Live, learn and take your experience from it. Ask the interviewers and they might advise you.

As for garbagemans question I would ask the FTO first about it. If I knew the answer was wrong than I would report it to the proper supervisor. If I was able to make it back to the cashier before leaving or during shift I too would pay for my fto's candy bar. I would probably pay for a lot of his stuff just for the fact that he is teaching me things that will save my life, and having to have me tag around with him for 10-12 hours each shift. If I couldn't make it back during shift I would stop by on my way home and explain that I need to pay for a candy bar. Now garbage man how would my answer fit your department?? You can PM it to me if you want.

[grumpyirishman]

Well I got my "rejection" letter today....

Looks like I will be applying to different departments.

What should I do differently next time?


Become a "HOSE-DRAGGER!":cool:

[ABN268]

I would say sir, thats a snikers bar with high sale value and ask him to put it back, now the butterfingers they don't sell so well, so its ok to take one of those, it won't be missed. OR evidently my FTO is an all around bitch guy that has taken the bar because it holds some kind of clue. OR, maybe you just keep your mouth shut and wait until he walks out thus sufficing the crime of theft and discreetly report him to your supervisor.

[Sarkis]

Maybe the FTO has made arrangements with the store owner and/or clerk and is testing you? :D

[hooknbook]

Well I got my "rejection" letter today....

Looks like I will be applying to different departments.

What should I do differently next time?

When they question your integrity, you got to know the letter is coming.

You've really answered your own question about how you should answer similar questions in the future. This job is all about integrity...at least in the panel interview stage.

[hooknbook]

BTW, don't give up. Many, many people don't pass the first panel but still subsequently get hired...sometimes even by the same department at a latter time.

[Garbage Man]

Most of you are giving the right answer when you really think what would you really do. Its is actually an easier question that way isnt it? You dont have to read minds.

Here is the thing about the candy bar questions, its meant to make you think "Oh well its just a candy bar." But here is how we see it. If this guy cant resists stealing a candy bar then how is he going to resist the stack of cash in the dope pad?

I would honestly do this. I would say nothing until we exited the store and I saw he didnt pay. Then the crime is committed. I then would confront him. If the answers are wrong I tell a supervisor. Of course its hard to imagine doing that when your new, but the issue is, do you just want the job and the pay? Or do you really want to be a cop? Someone who is here to protect people.

[hooknbook]

do you just want the job and the pay? Actually, I think they are more worried about being viewed as a snitch by the officers/sgt on the panel. The preception is that being a snitch on a police department is just as bad as being a prison snitch. I'm not condoning it...just offering an opion on why people try to come up with an answer they think we want to hear.

[Garbage Man]

Actually, I think they are more worried about being viewed as a snitch by the officers/sgt on the panel. The preception is that being a snitch on a police department is just as bad as being a prison snitch. I'm not condoning it...just offering an opion on why people try to come up with an answer they think we want to hear.

Then why would they want to work there? If they think we want them to keep quiet when we steal things then what kind of job is that? Why would you want it? answer; Pay and being able to say your a cop. So your point is the same as mine.

[the batman]

the candy bar scenario really is difficult...

i agree with how you'd handle it garbage man...in a perfect world.
the only problem is that it doesn't always work that way. don't get me wrong, officers should always have high ethics and morals and should be punished accordingly; and without retailiation or indifference to the person who is turning them in.

you've got a fresh out the academy trainee, who no one knows or trusts, doing the right thing by turning in his experienced/senior fto for stealing.

it shouldn't be, but it really is a catch-22...you're screwed either way.

i'd question my fto for sure and if the answers weren't legit, i'd probably end up paying for all his stuff during my rotation with him, then be grateful as hell when i leave him.

[natejpg]

you've got a fresh out the academy trainee, who no one knows or trusts, doing the right thing by turning in his experienced/senior fto for stealing.

it shouldn't be, but it really is a catch-22...you're screwed either way.

i'd question my fto for sure and if the answers weren't legit, i'd probably end up paying for all his stuff during my rotation with him, then be grateful as hell when i leave him.

hey batman that's my answer get your own! ;):D

[MT2658]

i'd question my fto for sure and if the answers weren't legit, i'd probably end up paying for all his stuff during my rotation with him, then be grateful as hell when i leave him.


what if his answer was that he intended to take a candy bar without paying. that was his only reason for entering the store, would you still leave it at that?