Expert: Loren Stevens - 2/7/2004

Question
Hello, my name is Robert.  Currently I am in the Army working as a Military Policeman.  I will have 12+ years of active service at the time I am schedualed to get out. Over 6 of those years have been spent as a Military Policeman.  I have a few questions I hope you would have the time to answer.

1. My credit isn't good, I had made some bad choices early on and have since recovered but the evidence is still on my credit report.  It hasn't affected me holding a Military Police position in the Army, would it affect me becoming a police officer?

2. How does the oral board work, what type of questions do they tend to ask?

3. What can I do to prepare? I have some college as well as 6+ years as an MP, is there more I can do?

4. I want to see what the officer checking my background is going to see, how can I do that?

5. Generally, if I have begun the process of testing and interviewing for a police career and the Army enacts a "stop-loss" where I'm retained on active duty, would my file be retained and I resume the process where it was left off or do I begin again?

Thanks for your time.

Robert  

Answer
Hello Robert,
If your current credit status is decent, I wouldn't worry much about that issue. Besides, there is little you can do about past events. Having cleaned up the matter does illustrate that you #1, recognized a problem, and #2, set out to reconcile those matters.
It is in your best interest to have a decent credit record, that is current. This demonstrates maturity, and responsibility.
Oral boards are usually predictable...to a point. It has been a long time that I had anything to do with them, but maybe my recollections will be helpful.
If there is anything in your past that is not favorable, ASSUME that the background Investigator will find it. That said, practice a cogent response, that is honest, logical, and succenct. You don't want to dwell on a negative.
Usually, there is time allocated for you to convey anything you want, that you feel the board should know about you, in order to make a more informed assessment. Practice (w/o sounding canned) what it is you want to say, that is relevant.
Typically, you can expect questions like: "why do you want to be a LE officer?", "why do you think you would make a good LE officer". And they'll want to know if you are "career oriented", rather than a mere pitstop, enroute to something, eg., Law School et al.
Express the fact, that after X# years in the MP's, you have come to realize that LE is a "profession", NOT simply a job...........
You can expect some "what-if's" usually oriented toward use of force matters, deadly force, sexual harassment, etc.
You would be wise to review the "use of force continuum", and able to discuss it, haveing been an MP.
Also, take a look at a reasonably comprehensive police site, which should answere several of your questions.Example:
"The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department", then, click: EMPLOYMENT, then scroll down to POLICE RECRUITMENT, and review all the bullets there.....should be helpful.
On what the background Investigator is looking at, my counsel is not to worry about it.
You have the right to see all except responses that were offered to the recruiter with an understanding of confidentiality. Essentially, these correspondences are from folks that YOU list. Ergo, don't list anyone that you don't figure will respond favorably.
I don't know how long it is until you get out, but it is VERY wise to get into the best shape you possibly can. If you want something to study, you can't go wrong by learning some important Constitutional elements, eg., 4th,5th, 14th ammendments, Rules of evidence, exclusionary rule etc.
And any comprehensive and contemporary text on PATROL PROCEDURES.
Good Luck,
loren