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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 Paul Montpetit on
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Eric...Before you lecture me....back up Jack......I work For NY State Department of Corrections in the medical department...I have 23 years in....I have never met a convicted felon that has ever admitted they did anything wrong...I hear on a daily basis...."Doc, I'm a good guy..why don't you trust me..?"I politely explain that they didn't lock him up for being a nice guy....a "mistake" as many refer to a felony conviction is like turning left instead of right...or buying the wrong kind of milk when the old lady sends you to the store...it is NOT a felony....you want to tell everyone what a wonderful guy you are...? Great....I don't know you...maybe you are....but you are still a convicted felon...why not enlighten us and tell us what you did 22 years ago...? Let us decide....I'm sorry but this is another dead issue....Good luck in your future ambitions......Paul
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you made a mistake in getting convicted of the felony and you just showed us what an "honest guy" you were by telling us you lied on your application.....this says volumes....thanks for reaffirming my views....Paul
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Permalink Reply by Aurora A Austin on
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well i am in a volunteer dept and of course all vol. deptments need members bad the rate is way down. but i sure as hell don't want someone who is a child molester, robber, murderer, or any other dishonest kind of person have my back for my life. Firefighters are highly respeted by children and even some adults and I just don't think we should take that chance with such fragile lives ya know. and hell yeah if i become dishonest and get arrested for it i would hope they would boot my ass fast. I am not sayin I am PERFECT god knows noone is but come on.
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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on
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Eric, maybe the best you can do is to be an object lesson for kids that haven't yet committed a felony.
Maybe do the speaker route, talking at schools and explaining what you did 22 years ago, how you've made up for it and the regrets (and missed opportunities) you have as a result. It won't expunge your record and you can't un-ring the bell but your service to community would be to show how a "mistake" as a kid can and will haunt you for the rest of your life. It won't change your life but maybe it will keep somebody else from changing theirs. Just a thought. -
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Permalink Reply by eric nelson on
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Paul I respect what you say and if you are really curious as to what happened I will copy and paste my previous post from back in November. All I'm saying is why judge me based on something that happened over 20 years ago when I was a kid (17 years old)? I think I should be judged by what I have done all throughout my adult life!
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Thanks for the adivice and yes I have been given the opportunity to speak at a few school assemblies to explain how 2 minutes can literally change your life forever! I actually have done great things so far in my life however, when people find out about my felony 22 years ago they choose to ignore the fact that I served my country in the Army, I'm a Paramedic, I have several college degrees, I coach softball and soccer, and I volunteer within my community. As I have previously stated I know its not about me but rather felons in general. My whole point is I gurantee you that I would be a better candidate than most people applying who do not having felons! God bless you all!
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Here is the situation, I was convicted of a felony over 22 years ago and I have never been in trouble prior or after this incident. I was with 3 others that I had just met and they wanted to do a beer run. All I did was sit in the car I know this is still a crime but I was 17 and not thinking properly. However, instead of doing the beer run they demanded money from the cashier and we were all charged with Armed Robbery. I was stunned! After the others ran back to the vehicle and told me what they did I dropped them off at home and went to the police the next day (I should have gone that night but I didnt). I did go the next day and told them everything. The prosecutor wanted me to plea to accessory after the fact, I said no way. The lead detective told me the prosecutor was over zealous and would not even listen to him. I unfortanatly went to court and for whatever reason was found guilty. The judge stated he believed me however, I was found guilty so he had to sentence me. The police department went to bat for me and all I recieved with 2 years probation.
I think if you have not been convicted of another crime after 10 years or even 20 years than the felony should fall off of your record. I have not been in trouble for over 22 years, I have two masters degrees, paramedic license, and volunteer coach, but that does not matter people judge me on something that happend 22 years ago inwhich I dont think I should have ever been charged! I should have never turned these people into the police and I probably would never had to go through this! I turned these people in and told the police my story and the prosecutor was trying to make a name for himself so he charged me. I still don't understand why I was charged even after I passed the lie detector test administered by the police department! I was young and embarrassed so I neglected to tell my family and I tried to handle this myself and I got burned. -
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Thanks for the comments Art!
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Permalink Reply by Kirk D. Baughman on
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i think it depends on the felon. we are humans we make mistakes. we wouldn't be humans if we didn't make mistakes. now if it's a major felon i think we need to look at that. i know we do a background check and see if their are any felons on your records.
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Kirk....Felons have committed felonies...these are not parking tickets or even fistfights....these are the most serious of crimes in our society.....I for one do not want them in my Department no do I want them representing me.....But wait a minute...I know...you put them in your Department and this will solve the problem for the rest of us....actually I don't see a problem...if you have a felony you don't get in....if you lie on your application and it is discovered toy get shown the door.......Paul
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Eric...How did you become a Paramed with a felony conviction.....? Never mind I think I know.....
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Paul your theory about not being able to trust a felon goes out the window with me! I have been a Paramedic for over 10 years and I even won Paramedic of the year honors a few years back! I go into people's homes at all hours of the night and as I have said before I would be willing to bet that I would probably be one of the most honest and trustworthy person you have ever met! Just looking at my case Paul and no one elses, please tell me why you would not hire me! As I have stated before I would also be willing to bet that I would be a better employee than most people who have a clean record!!!! You can not simple state you are better than me because of something I did over 20 years ago! I have mentioned many many accomplishments throughout my adult life and that is the stuff that I should be judged on and not something from way back when I was 17.
Just curious, did you read my situation that happened regarding the felony? -
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