Expert: Loren Stevens - 8/15/2008

Question
Hello, I was a police officer in Alabama for two years, and just recently ended my employment with the department within the last couple of months. I am looking to transfer to a police department in the state of Washington, but I am concerned about the background investigation into my prior work history. I was relieved of duty from my department because of on-going trouble that I have faced with one of my sergeants. I filed charges against the department with the EEOC, and from then on the situation got worse. I was brought up on a insubordination charge that I did not agree with. I was asked to sign a statement in regards to it, which I did sign, but noted at the bottom that I did not concur.  A few days later, I was asked to re-sign this same document because the said they made a grammatical error on it, but advised me that I could not put that I did not concur at the bottom. I advised them that I had no problem signing the second statement, but I would still put that I did not concur with the charges. So, they relieved me of duty. I was contacted by phone a couple of times by the department, and a note was left on my door to contact them (during the time I was relieved of duty). I contacted them back (which I recorded all of my calls), but they were never available and did not return my calls. Then I received a letter in the mail a few days later stating that they accepted my resignation (since I had not been to work), but I was never advised on when to return back to work. So, I am currently going through the appeal process, and looking to proceed with the charges that I have brought them upon on. I really enjoyed my job, and went to college to learn more about my chosen career, and this is how I was repaid. The department that I was with did a lot of crooked things that I did not agree with, and I called them out on it. So, they tried their best to get me out of the department...and succeeded. Now I am relocating to Seattle, Washington, and I would really like to be a police officer in that area. How good of a chance do I have of getting on with a department with this in my personnel file? I do have character references from the department and my pastor, but I am still concerned. Thank you.

Answer
James,
Personnel issues in this regard are really not my bag.
You might want to contact an attorney, or your rep from your previous labor organization.
In any event, don't lie about it on your application, of fib about it in an oral interview.
Due to legal issues, most agencies will not go out on a limb talking about a former employee.
But, there is probably "code" that human resources folks use, that is relevant to their world. Example: If contacted, your former agency may only say that you were NOT eligable for rehire. By their standards and practices, that may be true.
However, that little sentence speaks volumes to a perspective HR rep.
If the issues involved honesty or character, those are two concerns a new agency needs to reconcile.
If I were you, the very least I would do, is to file a FOIA with your old agency.
Probably the best thing to do now, is to proceed with a shot in King County WA, and be up front with the deal......even where it doesn't flatter your position.
Good Luck,
loren