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?

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Permalink Reply by 144Truck on November 10, 2009 at 2:24pm

1) No

2)No

3) Yes

Actually, you can't even ask the felon question on a job application anymore....

To elaborate on my rather easy to understand answers, the public needs to be able to trust us to enter their homes, whenever they need us to, whether they are home or not, and to have their stuff there when they may re-enter.

How can you maintain that public trust when you employ felons. If you are a convicted felon, your are an adjudicated bad guy...

On my planet, felons are not allowed in the emergency services.

144Truck

Permalink Reply by Loyd Dittfurth on November 10, 2009 at 3:03pm

you can if they are going to have to obtain ems certification for employment

Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on November 10, 2009 at 3:06pm

You're right.
They paid for it, so they don't owe us anything.
Likewise, we don't owe them anything.
Especially, a free shot at an unsuspecting public.
They have a right to know who's minding the store.
Soooooo, you got an opinion on the child molesters?
That's a felony. Should they be able to join your department?

Permalink Reply by Fire Critic on November 10, 2009 at 3:11pm

What about all those arsonists? Hell what about all the firefighters turned arsonists?

I guess once they do the time they should be whisked back into the FD. After all they might already be trained.

Permalink Reply by BillySFCVFD on November 10, 2009 at 3:14pm

Since when did the US military enlist convicted felons? Unless the conviction was expunged I doubt it. Getting through a National Agency Check for a security clearance wouldn't happen either. If the conviction was post enlistment then any type of military career would be over. Thank you for serving. TCSS

Permalink Reply by ashfire on November 10, 2009 at 3:36pm

Our county is so tough on any background checks on both career and volunteer that if you have a bad driving record you can't join or work for the county even if you can't drive apparatus yet.

Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on November 10, 2009 at 3:56pm

NO TO FELONS....Paul

Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on November 10, 2009 at 4:02pm

When you get a app for my fd you have to get a state police background check before you get voted on.
No I don't think felons should be allowed in public service.

Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on November 10, 2009 at 4:14pm

Not to mention the side benefit you get.
THEY can light your training fires for you!

Permalink Reply by Mark Stigers on November 17, 2009 at 1:29pm

I would say it depends on the conviction and how long ago it was. In our state if you have a felony conviction you cannot be an EMT which is a requirement for employment with our dept.

Permalink Reply by Bob on November 17, 2009 at 1:47pm

i think felons SHOULD be allowed to be fire fighters. depending on the situation i think each case should be reviewed by the department they are applying for. people change all the time for the better and if being a fire fighter is something positive they want to do in there lives why should they not be allowed they already paid for the crime (prison,probation,etc) why punish them more for a mistake they made in the past. the only thing the past is good for is learning from, not judging people.

Permalink Reply by daniel on November 17, 2009 at 1:50pm