Emanuel Carpenter ⋅ Alpharetta, GA SDR Master Class ⋅ 20 years experience

Douglas: I don't know much about becoming a law enforcement officer or what their requirements are. But if becoming a policeman is your goal, why limit yourself to where you live now? From what I've seen, the greatest need for cops is in large cities like Houston, Atlanta, and Dallas (They are always actively recruiting). Consider police systems outside the cities too, like those who work for public transportation organizations. Sometimes, you gotta go where the jobs are if they are not in your backyard.

Regarding your OTH discharge, consult a lawyer and get a free consultation regarding what you do and do not need to disclose about your military service. Legal aid, Legal Shield or the VA may be able to help you in that area.

And when you're done, delete this post. You don't want potential employers to Google you and find this sort of information.

Michael Apt ⋅ Bend, OR MJ Enterprises ⋅ 23 years experience

Hello Douglas,

I have a sense about why you speak as you do- seeking to be upfront. Here is a true story.

In the 1980s, was truly starving, long term, and one night, freezing to death, like, expecting to die. I was caught with a propane heater obtained from a construction site, which got me through the night. Returning it immediately did not matter.

In the 1990s, a Veteran Service Officer was handing my claim for spinal cord injury, the permanent kind, from 1980. In the elevator, I told him the 1983 court record for trespassing was proof of how spinal cord injury was hampering, impoverishing, measurably harming me. To me, it seemed like proof, in the record, and if truly starving and risking death, it was secondary to be in court for trespassing (I did not argue, merely stated my case before a jury).

The VSO (from the Disabled American Veterans non governmental outfit helping disability VA claim processing) said in no uncertain terms it was not helpful to reveal the trespassing, the starvation, the freezing to death, the borrowing of the heater, instead, I should conduct myself always, and in the upcoming meeting, as if a presidential candidate. Presidential candidates do not give the slightest fuel or means to tear them down. Not even slightly.

Therefore, the court, the way of America, the way of human beings, all showed clearly, the full truth is somewhat secondary when working with others, their bias, inexperience, prior conceptions, lack of understanding, and communication limitations mean you must present your best, most exact, truthful, but positive leaning, case.

Be your own best representative in all ways, at all times, and continue internally with your truth telling- tell it to yourself, and God, or whatever you believe in that is not human beings or our machines. Our youthful persons nowadays have a digital record that will, can, easily, follow them throughout their lives, non stop, hindering them at will. Do not let this happen to you more than you absolutely must. Sometimes the best way to win is not play the game.

Good luck. I think you are a good candidate.

Kathleen Dunn-Knudsen ⋅ Brooklyn, NY ioby ⋅ 8 years experience

Hi Douglas,

Thank you very much for your service and for using ACP AdvisorNet.

I would suggest you take a look at ACP AdvisorNet's Community page. On that section of the site, you'll be able to search for Advisors in your local area and field of interest. I'd recommend filtering the results by expertise and selecting "Law Enforcement and Security". Once you've identified a few Advisors that you find interesting I would suggest reaching out to them via private message for their guidance.

If you have any questions or would like a tour of the site, please feel free to privately message me for additional information.

Best,
Kathleen
ACP AdvisorNet Staff

William Orr ⋅ Greenwood, IN Edward Jones Investments ⋅ 4 years experience

Douglas,

The OTH is going to be difficult to overcome, especially considering the recency of the DUI. Are the two related? Was the OTH for a drug offense? Why are you are leaving the Navy as an E-1 after 4 years. Does this indicate a pattern of misconduct?

See, the most difficult obstacle you'll have to overcome is your record of making some bad choices. Employers are going to ask these tough questions. If you were in my community, I would want to see a pattern of good, mature choices from you before I'd want you working as a police officer. That doesn't make you irredemable, though.

Focus on what you are good at and develop those characteristics. I'd recommend reaching out to your local trade unions for apprenticeship program opportunities. That's stable work with a career progression mapped out similar to what you'd see in the military ranks. (www.helmetstohardhats.org) Reinvent yourself as a professional tradesman and never look back.

Good luck to you.

Regards,

Will