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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
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Permalink Reply by 260fire134 on
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did you know that a 17 year old could steal a bike that is over 100$ get caught and be a felon for the rest of his life? even if the kid was going to the servce that next spring? had good grades and had only drank a few times befor a high school party where he wolud not ride with a friend that was drunk to get home.
or that a diff kid at 17 was charged the a sex crime and now has to register every where he lives, and thay get marred and live together 10 years later?
now you closed mined people that look down to the criminals just keep this in mind that could be your son, friend or you on a drunked night out.
please dont comment on my spelling just my words! -
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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260fire134....Did you know that I now work for the Dept of Corrections...? We have approximately 900 convicted "felons" in our facility and many years ago I stopped looking up the "nature of offense" of each one I had to deal with...Mind you...not what they were convicted of (plea bargain) but rather what they were arrested and initially charged with.... It isn't very nice.. and rest assurred that none of them are there for stealing a bicycle....yes, my mind is closed on this issue...and no, I don't think anyone could change it....I have seen what they have done and I have seen what they are capable of....If you want convicted felons in your house then I say good for you....BUT....They are not currently (nor will they be in the near future) welcome in Ours...Last I knew the military wouldn't take a person with a felony arrest....I know they cannot get a security clearance....I respect your point of view....I just don't agree with it...and The last I knew we both still have those rights....Stay safe.............Paul
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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And others who see things differently is also subjective.
I will leave you with this thought:
If the hiring pool is reduced to no one left but those with felony convictions, then I suggest that we no longer call them "prisons" but instead call them "auxiliary fire departments".
But, as long as I sit at the head of our fire protection district here, I will not knowingly allow the appointment of anyone with a felony conviction. The people of this district have us to protect them and not to be used as prey for someone who "changed their ways", but in a moment of weakness committed a crime while inside their house as a member of the fire department. It is simply not worth the risk and especially when you see statistics that say 70% of those released will commit a crime within two years after release.
No thanks.
I'll keep my "closed mind" and add that, any current firefighter who is convicted of a felony crime will also be gone. And then we will begin repairing the damage to the public's trust.
TCSS.
Art -
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Not talking about "charges" talking about "convictions"......Enough of this thread....about wore it out......Paul
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I really hate to do this Chief.....BUT, I will be man enough to do it......that is agree with you.....LOL...well said...and as I mentioned just a moment ago.....I think this thread should be put to sleep...it has run its course....Stay safe all....Keep the Faith....Paul
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Permalink Reply by Fire Critic on
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I couldn't help myself. Obviously spell checker was used, but grammar got the best of him. I cracked the code and here it is. No offense, just a little humor for the week!
are = our
dose = does
bored = board
convection =conviction
verses = versus
fuel = full
senates = sentence
repent = repeat
police - policy -
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Permalink Reply by Dustin J. Millis on
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I could not agree more Chief!!!!!!! My thoughts exactly!!! Now DT, lets give this one a rest. We have our viewpoints and you have yours which is fine. I'm all for discussing the two but we have really beat this one to death.
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Permalink Reply by Todd on
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Well, it's not a problem here in South Carolina because the state took matters into their own hands.
A)(1) Prior to employment of a paid or volunteer firefighter, the fire chief or other employer must ensure that a prospective firefighter undergoes a criminal records check conducted by a law enforcement agency.
(2) The cost of the criminal records check may not exceed eight dollars.
(3) A criminal records check is not required for a firefighter employed as of June 30, 2001, if the firefighter is employed with the same fire department with which he was employed on June 30, 2001. Upon separation from the fire department where he was employed on June 30, 2001, a firefighter must comply with the provisions of Section 40-80-40 .
(B)(1) After June 30, 2001, a person may not perform firefighting duties in South Carolina if the person has been convicted of, or pled guilty to, or pled nolo contendere to:
(a) a felony;
(b) arson or another offense provided in Article 3, Chapter 11 of Title 16; or
(c) an offense involving a controlled substance as provided for in Chapter 53 of Title 44.
(2) The prohibition in item (1) of this subsection applies for a period of ten years after the conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere.
After the expiration of the ten-year period, a fire chief or other employer may determine whether to allow a person with a criminal record to perform firefighting duties; except no person may volunteer as a firefighter, be employed as a firefighter, or perform firefighting duties if he has been convicted of, pled guilty to, or pled nolo contendere to arson.
Now, a fire chief or department can allow someone who has a felony conviction on their record that is 10 years old or older on the department, but my department likely will not.
It's not that firefighters want to be "holier than thou", a firefighter is a position of public trust. We are often allowed access to private and commercial places that nobody else is allowed. In people's homes where they have their valuables laying around. In storage areas where valuable commercial inventory is kept. The public trusts us to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and hiring felons would violate that trust. -
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Permalink Reply by Paul on
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You contradicted yourself in the last statement. What happened to the individual basis? I am a Chicago firefighter/Medic and its a felony to own a handgun here. So lets say someone doesnt like me and they report that I own a hand gun ( which I dont). You are saying I should lose my job? The rest of your statement was well put.
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Permalink Reply by Jay Nicholson on
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My own opinion. I don't like blanket responses to anything. Newspapers here yesterday had a young Marine who led PD on a chase. She was trying to get to the ER were her mom had been taken. I can't say if I got a phone call saying my wife/kid/parent was just taken by EMS I would speed a lot too. However, she is now charged with FELONY evading. Do I want her to be punished for her acts, YES. Do I want her to never be able to hold a job in the public sector, of course not. If I have 2 equal candidates for a job, she's the loser. Some things are 'forgetable/forgivable'.
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South Carolina's law should be the hiring template for the entire nation.
Imagine how many firesetters alone have been screened.
For some of you who believe that felons should be given a chance with a fire department; would that include arson?
Or are you "close minded" on that one?
Art -
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I'd say multiple traffic violations, driving recklessly among them, could be the deal breaker on a candidate.
No; we should hire them and tell them that they may never drive apparatus to the scene.
Wait; they have to drive to get to the station. OK; but you have to drive nice.
But they pled "no contest" to the charges. Well; since they didn't plead innocent or guilty, I guess we have to let them join.
What about the ones who got on before we made it a policy? They get a free pass. What's in the past is in the past. Skeletons in the closet may be donated to Science.
So, if I was stupid, did something stupider and got charged and convicted for a felony, as long as I admit that I was a dumba$$, can I still join the fire department? According to some...yes! -
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