The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Should Felons be allowed to be Firefighters?
I am wondering what you all thought about a few things.
1) Should Felons be allowed to be Firefighters?
2) Does your fire department hire felons?
3) If you are a firefighter and you are convicted of a felony, should you be fired?
The reason why I bring this up is because I got an email recently about Richmond (VA) Fire Department hiring.
Apparently, they have dropped the requirements for employment:
* Have no felony convictions for any offense within 60 months preceding the date of application;
I got the information here
I cannot speak for the department if this was an actual drop in requirement or if it has always been this way.
I thought that if you were a felon, you were always a felon. The only way to get a felony off your record is to have the Courts expunge it from your record.
What do you all think?
1) Should Felons be allowed to be Firefighters?
2) Does your fire department hire felons?
3) If you are a firefighter and you are convicted of a felony, should you be fired?
The reason why I bring this up is because I got an email recently about Richmond (VA) Fire Department hiring.
Apparently, they have dropped the requirements for employment:
* Have no felony convictions for any offense within 60 months preceding the date of application;
I got the information here
I cannot speak for the department if this was an actual drop in requirement or if it has always been this way.
I thought that if you were a felon, you were always a felon. The only way to get a felony off your record is to have the Courts expunge it from your record.
What do you all think?
Replies are closed for this discussion.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by ricky on -
depends wat the felony is and how long ago u comited it should be wat they base the choose on if to hire u or not
-
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Acosta on -
Excellent way of putting it. Nice job.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Fire Critic on -
Thanks for the comment, but I want to clear something up. I did not give my opinion on the matter. I never said yeah or nay on a firefighter being a felon.
I will say this....
As a career firefighter, I went through a background check, credit check, psychological test, and could have been given a polygraph test. I wonder how felons do answering questions related to their infraction? It certainly can't help their chances.
I do think that hiring felons might become an issue if the local paper did a report on firefighters who were felons and what they did wrong, which I believe might be public record. Reporters sure know how to dig up some dirt.
I agree with a lot of what you said though, and your take might be the most realistic way to go about it if a department decided to. However, I am not sold on it.
Speaking of the selection process, I have a hard time thinking that there wouldn't be plenty of able bodies to fill positions that are not felons.
Oh and...I don't think that hiring non-felons is holding "a ridiculously high standard". Is it really that hard not to become a felon?
I wonder what the Richmond FD uses as acceptable when it comes to felons. -
-
Permalink Reply by Andre'a Perkins on -
Ooookay...say what you feel.Don't be a coward about it.So basically,you don't think that a felon should become a fire fighter.Well,straight up,I feel they should.People put so much on felons.They did the crimes - did their time and came home.Now they are looking to better themselves.Like you,I'm from Richmond too.And not all the time the people that are found guilty are-some are.But some may have been around the wrong crowd as a kid and got twisted in some mess.Not only that,but the difference between a felon and the NORMAL citizen is they got caught.There are some things that YOU do or use to do that would have made YOU a felon if caught.In most people cases-cheating on taxes....one example.After a bid plus 5 to 7 yrs of job hunting with people with the same attitude as yours,where will they turn....BACK TO THE STREETS.I have a family-wife,4 kids...and I'm a deacon at church and a felon...and if GOD can forgive me ....WHO ARE YOU!!!!!!!
-
-
Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on -
Andre'a,
The difference between a felon and a "normal" person is the felon got caught? Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. -
-
Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on
-
As the story goes, God forgives those who are truly sorry. If Andre'a is truly sorry and reformed, I guess God would know that. The mere mortals who do the hiring at fire departments don't know that.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Andre'a Perkins on
-
True.And if you believe in God than you know HE will not place anyone in a position for no reason but for his purpose only .Not only that if HE wanted to put a felon in the FD no one can stop HIM....ANd about the difference between a normal citizen and a felon....you know like I do...there are some people who have been in the drug game ,auto theft, etc. That have gotten out before they were caught(some in which I know that work for the police department,fire and etc)so don't play that o i haven't did any thing act.May be you haven't,if not,my bad....but how many people you have seen drive drunk but have a clean driving record.Same thing.Please understand that I understand this is just your opinion....I just want people to understand that maybe we did mess up when you were 17,18 0r 19 years old.But when will WE be able to move on....dust ourselves off and get it right.Warehouses do the same thing...and I'm all for start somewhere(mcdonalds,bk,etc) but after that what...In my case they didn't even have any evidence on me...just because I was around them...oookay...we live in the same neighbor hood...and i was working two jobs...but was convinced by lawyer to plead guilty...young and dumb..i did it and now have a felony on my record because of who I knew and grow up with...I just want a chance to feed my family....
-
-
Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on -
Not only that if HE wanted to put a felon in the FD no one can stop HIM
Sorry, but under the scenario you describe, I CAN stop HIM. I am a FD administrator and I have the final say on hiring.
But, I don't look at it as stopping HIM.
"His" letter of recommendation would be put with the others. -
-
Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on -
Andre'a,
As you're not a firefighter, your view on who should or should not be one is purely subjective. There are many reasons why a felon shouldn't be a firefighter, not the least of which is trust, and mostly because there are great number of applicants who apply who aren't felons.
Secondly, perhaps rather than rail here about why felons should be hired, you should be preaching to vulnerable youths how being a felon can have long term, long lasting affects. Maybe that's what god wants you do. -
-
Permalink Reply by Andre'a Perkins on
-
Yes that's true and I am talking to as many youth and older people as possible.But I just feel that some of us didn't have the clear view of opportunities as others may have...not trying to make excuses.SOME and I said SOME people were convicted of a felony but are not "THE PEOPLE's"definition of a felon(stone cold gangsta,killer-just don't give a rip).So I just feel"WE"(some of us)have worked hard enough to deserve another chance.And just because they are not felons doesn't mean they're going to to the work....TRUST me,I fuss and fuss almost cursing at some of the people I know that aren't felons that are letting soooooo many opportunities slide by them that I PRAY to GOD I could have...it's ashame.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
-
Andre'a:
I'm glad that things have worked out for you.
However; I resent that you would say that the reason we are not felons is that we didn't get caught. You obviously know the difference between a gun crime and a speeding ticket, right?
To generalize that we are all felons waiting to get caught is ludicrous.
And despite the fact that you have stayed out of prison, have been forgiven by God and are a deacon in your church, you could not be a member of our fire department. Our hiring policy is very clear; no felony convictions. It doesn't say, "no felony conviction in the last 7 years; it says, "no felony convictions" period.
It isn't a question of forgiveness.
It's a question of public trust.
Good luck with your journey. -
FireRescue Magazine
Find Members Fast
© 2012 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by 
.
