hiring process (misdemeanor)

[brent0024]

I have a question, I am intereseted in becoming a firefighter and starting to do my research on how to get started, but I have a quick question to see if this will completley rule me out for a job. I am now 29 years old and when i was 18 i was charged with a class B misdemeanor. It has come up on other jobs in my background checks when applying. Does my record need to be perfectly clean to be a firefighter? It has been over 10 years and was a stupid mistake back in the good ol' high school days. Can i still be a firefighter?

[FTMPTB15]

Off the top of my head, I'm not exactly sure what would be classified as a "Class B" Misdemeanor but after 11 yrs and (assuming) that you've kept a clean record since then, I doubt it would create too many problems. Most departments frown on Felonies and Misdemeanors involving moral turpitude. As stated above if you have stayed out of trouble for the last 11 yrs and that is the ONLY thing, I don't really see it being a problem.

**Keep in mind, all of these opinions are based on the little knowledge which is known about your particular situation. Your case might be totally different, but I was going on what I knew. Good luck!! ** :D

[SSTONER]

I have a question, I am intereseted in becoming a firefighter and starting to do my research on how to get started, but I have a quick question to see if this will completley rule me out for a job. I am now 29 years old and when i was 18 i was charged with a class B misdemeanor. It has come up on other jobs in my background checks when applying. Does my record need to be perfectly clean to be a firefighter? It has been over 10 years and was a stupid mistake back in the good ol' high school days. Can i still be a firefighter?

Its going to depend on what is you did probably. Things that fall under "moral terptude(sp)" can sink your boat - but it really depends on how your record has been since then and how they use that info.

If your (and I am guessing) past drug/alcohol use has not affected your life since then you will probably be ok.

[brent0024]

My record has been clean for the last 11 years and no drug/alcohol abuse whatsoever. The reason for the class b midmeanor was possesion of marijuana in a very small amount.

[BCLepore]

You need to provide more information about what happened before anyone can give you an opinion.

[brent0024]

I was at a high school party where there was alcohol and marijuana at the house. Police officers raided the party and found evidence of marijuana there. About 10 of us were arrested and charged with posession of marijuana. I was charged with a class b midsmeanor and given 6 months probation. The class B midsmeanor is the lightest charge someone can get accept for class c midsmeanors that are traffic and moving violations. So you have class, A, B, and c midsmeanors. Class A being the most serious. And then you have felonies which are really bad such as assault, rape, etc. They also fall into the categories of Class A, B, and C. It was a dumb mistake from 11 years ago and does not reflect who i am as an individiual at all of who I am today.

[CaptBob]

You will be asked when was the last time you smoke the herb? How many times have you smoke the herb?

[brent0024]

My answer to that would be a few times, maybe 6 or seven times. But I havent touched the stuff since I was 19.

[CaptBob]

If they eliminated all the candidates for experimenting with drugs they would have few left. Often departments are looking for a 5 year period drug free. Extensive use does raise questions. If you admitted to experimenting with marijuana 200 times will certainly raise a red flag. Experimenting with cocaine or methamphetamine is much more serious. Stating that you never used anything can raise questions.

Your reasonable explanation should not cause a problem with most departments. Since you were arrested there is a record somewhere. You have to reveal this if asked. It can come up in the background and in a psych.

[BCLepore]

Since you were arrested there is a record somewhere. You have to reveal this if asked. It can come up in the background and in a psych.

Your reply seems to imply that since there is a record of this he needs to tell the truth. Let me assure all of you candidates out there that when the background investigator is finished he will be able to tell what type of under arm deoderant you used in 10th grade.

Your best bet is to be honest and tell the truth. If you are caught in a lie, or with holding information, you will be terminated from the process.

I spoke to a candidate who in in his mid 20's. He was just dropped from a process this week for falsifying a document. The document he falsified was a fake ID that he used before he turned 21.

He was terminated for not being honest upfront about his fake ID.

Listen up candidates:

There are "experts" here on this board that will tell you to be less than honest about the process. I am heavily involved in the background process and I can tell you to think twice before following someone's advice.

For the record the fake ID or the Pot usuage is not grounds for failing. Lying about it is.

Paul Lepore
Battalion Chief
www.aspiringfirefighters.com

[otis2400]

get a lawyer and have it removed then you won't have to worry about it.

[SPARKYMN]

I got a dUI not dWI when I was 16yrs and I am now 27yrs should I worry?

[CaptBob]

get a lawyer and have it removed then you won't have to worry about it.

If you were arrested that will stay on your record even if you had the charges expunged. As I wrote above you will have to list it. Many background packets ask in several ways "have you ever". They even ask if you have ever had anything expunged? If so, what and why. Your best day is to be up front and reveal it.

Usually these items are not brought up in an oral unless the panel asks you. You never will if they don't. It would be a can of worms. I had a candidate tell us on an oral board, "You're probably aware of the charges of stealing over at the college." We didn't. This guy had just nailed his oral and then tanked himself by bringing something up we hadn’t asked about.

I served 5 days in Santa Rita Prison for drag racing. Yes, I put it on my application. Because if you don't and they find out, you're gone. In my oral board, I was asked about this. I told the panel, "That since that incident, I had been in the army, married, children, the situation hadn't occurred again, and had been on my job for 9 years. I was a stupid kid then. It's hard to believe this really had happened. One of the captains asked, "Mr. Smith are you trying to get go around this problem and ignore it?" Here's the "Nugget" answer; I said, "No. If I was trying to do that I would have never put it done on the application." He was done with that question.

When I got my results for that test, the number placement wasn't on the notice. When I called, the personnel lady told me, "Well, Mr. Smith, you're number one. Not only are you number one, you're five full points ahead of number two!" It was having a reasonable explanation prepared in advance that becomes your "Nugget" answers that makes the difference.

That question and the "Nugget" answer probably helped me, not hurt me. It catapulted me past the other candidates at light speed, and did indeed get me my badge!

[JayDudley]

If I as a background Investigator ask "Have you ever been stop or convicted of a D.U.I.....your answer would be what???? Sparkymn. If your answer is no than your history with the department I worked for. The reason was that you lied and when you lie your gone.

P.S. Nice article in the C.S.F.A. magizine this month Chief Lepore!!

[cwcadet]

Hey Brent,

I have been a Phoenix Firefighter for two years now, and when I was hired I made sure that i disclosed my misdemeanor that I recieved in highschool. Like everyone said just be honest, and you will not have a problem.

[cl1171980]

I am going through a simlar thing myself. I recently applied for a position in a district where I was previously arrested. It was a situation in which I was young, had to much to drink, horsing around with friends, and broke a window. I was arrested, paid for the window, given an ACD (Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal), and all charges were dropped. My record is sealed.

Upon filling out the background packet, I was asked "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?". Technically, the answer in my case is no because my charges were dismissed. To be safe, I called the investigator directly to explain my situation. He advised me that there is a possiblility that sealed records could come up when checking my background and that it would be in my best intertest to lay it all out on the table before hand. So, I answered NO to the above question, but added an attached paper briefly disclosing that I had an received an ACD when I was younger. I also gave my lawyers contact info and stated that they could contact me at anytime regarding the matter.

While I didn't HAVE to say anything at all, I felt much better about disclosing everything. I hope that by doing so, it will show honesty, remorse, and if anything else, I cannot be accused of trying to lie or hide anything. I have not reached the interview portion of the hiring process, but im sure that this situation will come up. IF asked about it, I am ready to explain the incident. I can only hope that the powers at be see the incident as a stupid mistake and that they respect me for being honest. If they hold it against me, then I know it wasn't meant to be and that its nobodys fault other than my own for making a bad decision. But atleast I can go into the interview knowing that I have nothing to hide.

Hope that helps!

[kjfswkr]

[QUOTE=CaptBob]If you were arrested that will stay on your record even if you had the charges expunged. As I wrote above you will have to list it. Many background packets ask in several ways "have you ever". They even ask if you have ever had anything expunged? If so, what and why. Your best day is to be up front and reveal it.

Hey Capt,
I disagree with you on expungement. If the record is expunged it is taken off the record. The town where the expungement was ordered requests that the FBI remove the file from their records.
Whats the purpose of having a record expunged if everyone is now going to ask if you were ever arrested or if your record was expuunged!!


Stay safe,

Kevin

[BCLepore]

Kevin and all others,
There is no such thing as a sealed record when it comes to a background check for police and fire. That's why you sign all of the releases when we process your background. It gives access to EEVRYTHING.

Let's jus say for a moment that there is truly a wayto hide all of your misjugements. Why would we hire someone who is not being completely honest with the department and hiding behind a "sealed record."

Like a previous posted said, be honest about your past. We will find out one way or another. If you are honest you get a fair shake. If you lie, you are done before the ink dries.

Good luck,

Paul Lepore
Battalion Chief
www.aspiringfirefighters.com

[FTMPTB15]

Kevin and all others,
There is no such thing when i comes to a background check for police and fire. That's why you sign all of the releases when we process your background. it gives access to EEVRYTHING.

Let's jus say for a moment that there is truly a way o hide all of you misjugements. Why would we hire someone who is not being completely honest with the department and hiding behind a "sealed record."

Like a previous posted said, be honest about your past. We will find out one way or another. If you are honest you get a fair shake. If you lie, you are done before the ink dries.

Good luck,

Paul Lepore
Battalion Chief
www.aspiringfirefighters.com
Very wise advice.. :cool:

[brent0024]

Alrighty thanks guys for the info, I guess "honesty is the best policy" and just be completetly upfront when the question is asked.

I once had a background check company do a check on me and mailed me a letter before by third and final interview. The letter stated that a class b midsmeanor has been found, but this does not disqualify you from being considered for the job.

On my third interview he asked me if I had been in any criminal trouble when I was a teenager. He said dont worry if you have, when you are in highschool and college we all make dumb mistakes. I told him about the charge and was hired anyways.

I think most companies just cringe on the idea of hiring someone with any criminal background if their incident happened recently, like in the last 3 years. After 3 years there seems to be some leeway.