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goodfeathers
08-24-2001, 20:57
I'm going through the first step tomorrow, the agility test, and am wondering if I'm just wasting my time. I'm 28, and have never been convicted or tried for any form of misdemeanor or felony. I was in the Air Force for three years, and received an honorable discharge. In the Air Force, I was a Law Enforcement Specialist. I am one semester away from my two year degree in General Studies, and afterwards, plan to major in Political Science with a concentration in Criminal Justice. All of this is sounds good, but I have a few things in my background that I suspect might be harmful to my chances. When I was 17, I spent one night in Juvy for being unruly. I spent just the one night there, I think, more because my parents wanted it to scare me straight, which it did. Also, I have had several warrants for my arrest, but for only one felony. But all of these were dismissed, with no court action. The first one was after I had just left the Air Force and I was working for, don't laugh, Kirby vacuums. They give you a Kirby to sell, and once you sell it, you get another one, and so forth. Now, when I quit, it took me a few weeks to return the one I had, and because of this, they had a warrant issued for my arrest. It's not that I was stealing it or anything, and it was when I returned it that I learned they had filed for the warrant. I assume this was dropped, because I never heard anything else regarding it, and it's been six years. The second one was when I was at North Dakota State University from November of 1995 through April of 1996. I was living in the dorms, and when I left to move to Connecticut, I had not paid off my room-and-board to the college, and I think the amount I owed was around $1,000.00. In North Dakota, an amount over $500.00 constitutes a felony, or so I was told. I didn't pay it off before I moved because with moving, I just didn't have the money to do so. I got a call from a prosecutor, because I gave the school my forwarding address and phone number, and told of this charge, and the other two I'll explain. I was able to contact the school, and paid the money within two weeks of moving. The other charge was for felony check fraud, which was dismissed as well once I paid the money to the individual, through the prosecutor. I'm worrisome about these incidents. I'll be the first one to say I was a complete idiot, and not very mature. But, in the six years since, I've not had a single scrape or smudge regarding anything. I realize these, especially the check fraud, are major items to consider. Do you think I'm wasting my time getting into the application process?

SP20
08-24-2001, 22:43
Go ahead and keep going. all the things you mentioned you never were convicted of and you took care of them as soon as you found out about them. If I was you I would be totally honest with your investigator though. disclose everything because "It's not what you did in your past were concerned with, It's if you tell the truth about it now". Take it from a former S.P. Active and a current S.P. in the Air National Guard, tell the truth. I just had my polygraph today for the NY state police. I disclosed everything to my investigator and also to the polygraph investigator. Therefore I should of passed with flying colors. Like I said, go for it, I don't see a problem and I doubt they will if you tell them. The worst they can do is reject you and if they do, go elsewhere.

gcc123
08-26-2001, 08:20
I WOULD DEFINETLY HAVE TO AGREE WITH SP20. JUST BE TOTALLY HONEST ABOUT EVERYTHING, BECAUSE ODDS ARE THEY ARE GOING TO FIND OUT ANYWAY. NOT BEING CONVICTED OF ANYTHING IS A MAJOR PLUS AS WELL. THE ONLY THING I WOULD BE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE CHECK FRAUD SINCE MANY AGENCIES FROWN ON THINGS LIKE THIS, SINCE THEY WOULD SAY THAT YOU ARE MORE SUSEPTIBLE TO ACCEPT BRIBES, OR TO BE PAID OFF. BUT IF YOUR OVERALL CREDIT RATING ITSELF IS OK THEN YOU WILL BE FINE, SINCE THAT IS WHAT THEY WOULD GO BY, IF THEY CHECK IT AT ALL! GO FOR IT!!!:cool:

cmarks10
08-28-2001, 23:12
Like the last posts, keep going in the process, but be sure to inform the agencies ahead of time, there's no use in hiding it, they will find out. Also, like stated before, you were not charged with any of these, I feel most departments understand the majority of college students are poor. I have a similar dilema, I had the "college" credit card, which I was too good to pay on for nearly three years, but since paid off, all of the departments I've applied to have brushed this off without a problem. I'm not trying comparing my situation to yours, but you took care of these problems right away, which will be in your favor. Let them know right away, that will show the honesty their looking for.