If you apply to become a police officer....??

Question

in one district or state, and don't get accepted, can you go to a different jurisdiction and try there? Or do they have it on the record that you were denied, thus destroying all possibilities of being hired?

Answer 1

You can apply for as many police departments in as many jurisdictions as you want. Many police officer applications or background questionnaires will contain questions asking if you have ever applied for any other law enforcement officer positions. But, just because you were denied employment with one department does not mean that you won't get hired by another. I know people that have tried to get hired multiple times with the same agency and several other agencies. Some of them finally were hired and some were not. Maybe you will not be hired, but if you keep trying, maybe you will. Some departments only drug test their officers if they were involved in an incident such as a serious traffic accident, etc. Some department randomly drug test their officers. Check out http://www.peaceofficerjobs.com for excellent information and advice about getting a police officer job.

Answer 2

Different departments can have different standards, so being denied by one department does not automatically disqualify you from another.

In addition, I'm not aware of any states that report this information to a central data base, so chances are they won't even know.

Answer 3

It all depends on the reason that you got disqualified. Every department is different and has different standards. When you get disqualified it is on the records and they can find out why. But like I said it can destroy your possibility of getting hired only if you were disqualified for very terrible reasons. Upon getting hired you get a drug test and complete physical.  

Answer 4

I do not think these rules have changed:

You can apply for any agency (city police, Marshall's, Hwy Patrol...), on the applications I remember there being an area that ask what other agencies have you applied for and have you done drugs.

Most agencies will keep you on record for a period of time, because you have the opportunity to re-apply if you did not pass a portion of the test; written, interview, physical agility. But, if you do not pass the drug test and you have used an illegal substance after the age of 18 years old, then you have committed a crime and this career is not for you.

Drug test are random - that way no one will know.

There is also a back-round check done so if you have done anything that would question your integrity the investigator will find out.