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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 Jack/dt on
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Have you ever been convicted of a felony
yes____ no____
If yes, explain.
How is leaving the question blank not lying? Failure to answer a question that you know would not get you hired is different from lying and saying NO how? Your intent was to defraud your prospective employer. Did you technically lie? Technically, no. Was it a sin of omission? Technically, yes.
So no one caught the 'mistake' and apparently no one did a back ground check. I guess even if it were to come up today you might actually have a strong enough argument to keep from being fired. Maybe. On the other hand, was what you did (or technically, not do) moral? Dunno. Funny how truth, righteousness and morality can be shaded. Just doesn't seem 'right' to me.
Telling people that you are a convicted felon, 'hi, I'm joe and I'm a felon' is not necessary. Telling a prospective employer who thought it significant enough (and legally warranted) to ask, then yes, you do kind of have an obligation to answer. Like I pointed out in my earlier reply, there are 'collateral consequences of criminal charges.' It sucks, but there it is. -
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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on
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If it all went down exactly as you describe, you have a legitimate gripe.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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then sir why did you not answer the question....? and if it really wasn't such a big deal why do you not throw it out there...? Go ahead tell us what you did...? If it isn't sealed (due to age) it would be public knowledge anyways....or if someone was inrerested they could search it and find out......or could contact your agency and ask them about it....(Don't worry...I am not that big of an asshole)...I think this post has run its course...unless you want to get nasty....Its enough that I answered you....No, I don't feel a convicted felon belongs in the Department.......Good-day Sir..........Paul
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Paul,
What eric says he did - or didn't do - is described on page 8 of this thread. If it happened the way he says, I have no problem with him. -
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Permalink Reply by Jessica N Gardner on
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I have mixed feelings about this. My husband was convicted of a felony 19 yrs ago when he was 16 (theft of car stereo). He hasn't been in any trouble since then and this felony has caused him issues in many areas. How long should you have to pay for a crime (not violent) for? He would like to get into firefighting and can't because of this.....
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Jessica,
Your husband might consider himself lucky. Some car owners don't take kindly to having their stereos stolen, and might shoot you for trying to do so. He's fortunate he didn't remain 16. -
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He made a bad decision when he was young and dumb......I was not campaigning for him in the least. What he did was wrong and he and I both know that. The point I was trying to make is sometimes people make bad decisions way early in life and it causes problems later in life.
Thanks for the insight on him being lucky....... -
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Permalink Reply by Firewriter on
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I agree with Paul that this post may have run its course. Eric, you made a mistake when you were younger (wrong place, wrong time). You have compounded it with "lying by omission".
You have lived, what sounds like, an exemplary life over the last many years. For that you are to be commended. However, the law is the law. Those laws are made to protect people - including you.
Step back from your emotions on this one and put yourself in the position of the hiring authority. You, as the possible employer, see the question was left unanswered. Knowing that the law clearly states felons are not permitted to hold the position for which this person is applying (remember - no emotion here); are you going to ask that person to complete that blank space - no matter what the answer? I would certainly hope so.
I don't know whether there is a statute of limitations on how far back they can go on firing someone who lied on an application. Most likely this point is now moot after this many years. Try to let it go and live your life as you appear to be doing - by the book. -
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Jessica,
Your point about "bad decisions" continuing to cause problems later on in life was not lost on me. It's been pretty much established that "mistakes" and "bad decisions" (especially criminal ones) often have far-reaching and long-lasting ramifications.
You're welcome for the insight...... -
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Permalink Reply by Larry Gibson on
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Anyone can make mistakes in their lives. Unfortunately the position of Firefighter requires the utmost in trust and confidence in the decisions they will be invovled in. There are many avenues for someone who is a convicted felon to take to make amends or enjoy their life. I do not feel this is one of them. Having been in the profession for 25 years I am acutely aware of the demands and how a Firefighter can be "put" in a position of someone questioning his or her integrety for NO reason. It seems to go with the job, integrety and past choices are always put in the forefront no matter how stellar the previous 15-20 years of service may have shown what kind of person they may be. I am not arrogant or judgemental, I have seen how the world can be.
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A legitimate gripe with the Court System or Laws/Rules regarding being in the fire service with a felony?
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Public Servants are held to a higher standard because some of us have access to personal information or property. If we did not have the requirement regarding felons, then we could have convicts entering homes and businesses, thus breaching the trust of the citizens.
Your husband stole a radio and is remorseful - all well and good. However, this is not always the case with convicted felons. Therefore, the law was implemented to protect our citizens. Our number one priority is - and will always be - safety of our citizens and co-workers.
Best of luck to you both. -
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