LEO/Background check inquiry

[ayo232]

During the process of performing a background check on a possible hire of a new LEO, how extreme is this? I understand obvious occurrences, such as convictions, surely play a significant part. However, I'm inquiring about incidences that did not result in any convictions, no citation, etc.

For example, getting pulled over for street racing or excessive speeding, etc. No ticket issued or anything. Can they see something like this?

Also, an incident occurred where a craigslist joke was taken too serious by a lady and cops showed up. It was apparent that this was a joke, but they took a statement from me, etc. Obviously, it was a stupid joke but I didn't think craigslist was a serious website... If I wasn't charged with anything, is this a negative? Will they see this? (The story was on the news as well :nonono: but name was never released, just the overall story).

:beer:

 

[FordSVTFan]

During the process of performing a background check on a possible hire of a new LEO, how extreme is this? I understand obvious occurrences, such as convictions, surely play a significant part. However, I'm inquiring about incidences that did not result in any convictions, no citation, etc.

For example, getting pulled over for street racing or excessive speeding, etc. No ticket issued or anything. Can they see something like this?

Also, an incident occurred where a craigslist joke was taken too serious by a lady and cops showed up. It was apparent that this was a joke, but they took a statement from me, etc. Obviously, it was a stupid joke but I didn't think craigslist was a serious website... If I wasn't charged with anything, is this a negative? Will they see this? (The story was on the news as well :nonono: but name was never released, just the overall story).

:beer:

The application and history information you are required to complete as part of the process must be truthful and honest. So, if the paperwork asks for any of this information and you choose to not include because you think it is a negative for you, then you might end up disqualified.

Background investigations are serious and with larger agencies very detailed.

I suggest you answer all questions honestly and fully because you will be disqualified for lying. You put down the negative information, as everyone has some, and then you explain it, but dont attempt to hide it thinking they wont find it.

 

[ayo232]

The application and history information you are required to complete as part of the process must be truthful and honest. So, if the paperwork asks for any of this information and you choose to not include because you think it is a negative for you, then you might end up disqualified.

Background investigations are serious and with larger agencies very detailed.

I suggest you answer all questions honestly and fully because you will be disqualified for lying. You put down the negative information, as everyone has some, and then you explain it, but dont attempt to hide it thinking they wont find it.

I'm not trying to hide it, I'm just curious as to if they could get their hands on the first part, and how serious the second part would even be. :beer:

 

[txyaloo]

I'm not trying to hide it, I'm just curious as to if they could get their hands on the first part, and how serious the second part would even be. :beer:

If they don't get their hands on it, the truth will come out during the polygraph if the agency requires one.

 

[2001GTTT]

Heres how it is: Always tell the truth, and tell EVERYTHING. YES they will find out about all of it. If you are found to be lying, that will be noted and no agency will even consider you after that.

 

[RDJ]

I'm not trying to hide it, I'm just curious as to if they could get their hands on the first part, and how serious the second part would even be. :beer:

Yes, they can, and probably will get their hands on it. One thing that is commonly misunderstood about background investigations is that people think the investigator only talks to people who are on the references list so they put people down who will give them the best impression. but what actually happens is that the investigator will ask some of the refrences questions like "can you tell me somone who doesn't like this guy" "give me a list of three of his friends" and someone "spills the beans" so to speak.

They will go to your neighbors and ask them about you, "have the cops ever showed up ar his house" they say yes you say no ... oopsie.

As has been said 150% honesty is required and anything less is likely to get you into trouble. Bore them with details. I had a background check done for a TS clearance update, I wrote up 4 pages of info on a single incident that encompased a total of 4 hours of one night.

It is not what you have done that gets most people in trouble but what you try to hide.

 

[THE_EVIL_TW1N]

During the process of performing a background check on a possible hire of a new LEO, how extreme is this? I understand obvious occurrences, such as convictions, surely play a significant part. However, I'm inquiring about incidences that did not result in any convictions, no citation, etc.

For example, getting pulled over for street racing or excessive speeding, etc. No ticket issued or anything. Can they see something like this?

Also, an incident occurred where a craigslist joke was taken too serious by a lady and cops showed up. It was apparent that this was a joke, but they took a statement from me, etc. Obviously, it was a stupid joke but I didn't think craigslist was a serious website... If I wasn't charged with anything, is this a negative? Will they see this? (The story was on the news as well :nonono: but name was never released, just the overall story).

:beer:

Information that was asked of me during my background:

*list of friends w/full addressess/phones/works/emails
*all jobs worked and timeframes worked there and reasons for leaving
*managers phone numbers to those jobs
*all work related reviews
*any time I was contacted by an officer for ANY reason
*ALL ex-girlfriends, dating, and "relationships" names/addressess/numbers with timeframes
*all websites visited, including porn, messageboards, "myspace", etc...
*the login information and passwords to those sites
*ALL DMV/Criminal information
*list of contact information of ALL neighbors up to 2 houses down in each direction
*full credit report from all 3 bureau's (must be good - duh)

If I can remember more, I'll post it. It's been a while now.

My background guy asked what each individual I listed would say bad about me before he spoke with them. He also asked me to list EVERY illegal thing I have EVER done, whether or not caught. He asked to explain ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that might even be slightly questionable (as small as a late credit card payment, to being late to a job from 5 years prior). The polygraph portion was a 1000 question questionaire, and from there they picked on what they really wanted to dig into.

Obviously, this is all before he actually started investigating.

Just be honest.

 

[RDJ]

That is a ridiculous list of questions. Who the hell knows who their neighbors are two houses down on each side? Why are you required to provide your credit reports? they can and will get their own.'

jesus when I did my clearance and poly I had to go back from birth on a lot of stuff but nothing like that list of questions. and that was for a TS/SCI. and a thousand question list so they can decide where they want to delve deeper?

sounds like you got some lazy asses that got you to do their job for them LOL.

Information that was asked of me during my background:

*list of friends w/full addressess/phones/works/emails
*all jobs worked and timeframes worked there and reasons for leaving
*managers phone numbers to those jobs
*all work related reviews
*any time I was contacted by an officer for ANY reason
*ALL ex-girlfriends, dating, and "relationships" names/addressess/numbers with timeframes
*all websites visited, including porn, messageboards, "myspace", etc...
*the login information and passwords to those sites
*ALL DMV/Criminal information
*list of contact information of ALL neighbors up to 2 houses down in each direction
*full credit report from all 3 bureau's (must be good - duh)

If I can remember more, I'll post it. It's been a while now.

My background guy asked what each individual I listed would say bad about me before he spoke with them. He also asked me to list EVERY illegal thing I have EVER done, whether or not caught. He asked to explain ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that might even be slightly questionable (as small as a late credit card payment, to being late to a job from 5 years prior). The polygraph portion was a 1000 question questionaire, and from there they picked on what they really wanted to dig into.

Obviously, this is all before he actually started investigating.

Just be honest.

 

[Iceman II]

If officers asked for your name (ID), then reports were made. And like all others have said you will need to be truthfull and honest.
I was involved in an investigation such as this in which on of our employee's did not tell the truth. All I can say it is the ending wasn't pretty. It is a third degree felony to lie on a goverment document folks. Tell the truth and you will be okay although you may still have to face the consequences.

 

[cstyles]

I have a friend who was just recently hired by a law enforcement agency. During one of his interviews, the interviewing officer asked him if he had a facebook account. When he said yes, they pulled a laptop out of the top drawer already on the facebook homepage. Their next words were 'log in' LOL.

Moral of the story, if you want to be a police officer, be sure not to have your facebook or any other other public networking account full of photos of you passed out with puke all over you, or snorting coke off of a hooker's boob. Not that my friend did, but you could imagine the uncomfortable silence if he did, right?

 

[ayo232]

thanks :cheers:

 

[massmustang02]

I can second a lot of the things already mentioned in here because I went through the process as well. My suggestion is tell the truth on everything. They will find out.

As far as checking credit history, being responsible with money has a lot to do with susceptibility to taking bribes, stealing money from a crime scene, and what not.

In terms of contact with an officer, think of it this way. If an officer pulls you over, are you allowed to leave the stop at any time you want? The obvious answer is no. You're are detained until you are released by the officer. So think of that way when reporting your information.

I also had to go through the facebook/myspace experience during my BI. They sat me down and had me log on to my accounts and looked at my pictures and posts and told me what was acceptable and what was not. I made sure when I was applying early on to get rid of most pictures that could have been compromising.

Bottom line. Include everything. When I went for my polygraph, the trooper administering the polygraph said something to me that eased my mind completely. "Don't think that i haven't heard it before. And if I haven't, not like I'll remember who you are down the line if you do get hired. So don't worry about what you have to say to me in this room."

 

[Fourtrax250R]

When I got hired, they talked to neibors, HS teachers, some college coaches, friends, and some people there ex gf's. They even wanted to know if i was financially responsible and wanted to know any outstanding balances on credit cards, etc. If the police were involved, there is always a way to find out, just be honest.

 

[9A Pilot]

Interesting. It seems they dig deeper into a LEO candidate's background than a candidate for elected office.

 

[Snake Doc]

Fortunately when my BI was conducted, I lived and worked in a small town and the BI was done by one of the local state officers. That was in 1972.

Today, for an in-depth questionnaire/application like you guys are talking about I'd just have to tell them to go ahead and look and I would admit to whatever they could turn up! I'm 63 yoa, been retired for nine years and have a chronic case of CRS (can't remember shit). LOL

List the web sites I've visited? That's a joke. I recently updated my Windows Operating System to Win 7 and lost my Bookmarks file of prob close to a thousand sites and those were just the ones I elected to bookmark. Fortunately I was able to recover my most important sites from another computer and a very cool little program that I have carried forward from the early days of Windows (Windows III?) called "Cardfile.com". It's an electronic, searchable Rolodex.

Fortunately, I'm not interested in a job! :dancenana: