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Should Sex Offenders Be Firefighters? What about Pardoned ones?
Can Sex Offenders be firefighters? Should sex offenders be firefighters? What about pardoned ones?
I am currently working on a story and one of the intriguing details is that a current firefighter WAS a convicted sex offender. The person was pardoned and is not a
registered sex offender. The offense was bad (they all are). The offense
happened 30 years ago prior to the current laws that protect us from
these criminals. Should he be allowed to be a firefighter?
Here are my thoughts. Sex offenders should not be firefighters. I do not know of a National standard or regulation on this issue. However, if
this man was pardoned and the infraction occurred prior to current
regulations should he/she still be punished for a crime they was
pardoned for? After all, they were pardoned and basically the crime is
no longer part of their wrap sheet (hopefully there is nothing else).
This is basically a loophole due to previously lackadaisical laws.
I just wonder if fire departments can legally disqualify someone from being a firefighter for something that might not show up on their
background check. I am not sure it would in this case, but what if
someone brought it to the FD’s attention.
The questions are:
- Should sex offenders be allowed to be firefighters? What about EMT’s?
- Should previously pardoned sex offenders be allowed to be firefighters?
- What about EMT’s?
- Does your department look for this information in their background checks?
Here are some articles I found on the topic of sex offender/firefighters:
- Volunteer Firefighter a Registered Sex Offender
- Fired firefighter admits to soliciting sex from teen boys via Faceb...
NSOPR – National Sex Offender Public Registry
FBI Sex Offender Registry
You might remember a while back that I posted a question on Firefighter Nation about Felons being firefighters. That discussion continues to spark interest from time to time and the
conversation is rehashed. My answer remains to be NO. Several people
said that it depended on the crime. My reply….Name a GOOD Felony! I
didn’t think so. Felonies are felonies for a reason. They are crimes.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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• Should sex offenders be allowed to be firefighters? Think about this question... can firefighters be sex offenders?
• What about EMT’s? Absolutely ridiculous question. Unconscious female in the back of an ambulance... I think not.
• Should previously pardoned sex offenders be allowed to be firefighters? No, they should burn in hell and be reminded consistently that they are an abomination to society. These are mental cases that in my humblest of opinions require nothing less than the death penalty or lifetime incarceration. These people are predators, and cannot be changed because they are damaged units. Having witnessed abuse, torture and too many other things that would make anyone's blood boil. Children are so innocent. To have anyone take away a childs childhood again in my opinion should be met with a prison term that includes all the other inmates knowing what you are. And even the bad guys have an honor code. Sex offenders and child molesters are not tolerated even by what we consider the bottom of the food chain.
• Does your department look for this information in their background checks? Everyone does background checks that include running your drivers license, online facebook and other sites like the FFN are also looked at for things like drinking photos, or anything else that one might find questionable... Be careful what you post, it's immediately public. Don't believe me? Start a discussion and use a unique word or group of words. Post the discussion and then go to google, ta da... it's there.
CBz
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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If you are CONVICTED of ANY felony offense then you do NOT belong in the Fire Service or any other Department of trust.......
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Permalink Reply by Alan McGuigan on
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Absolutely not they are in a position of trust and a position that is respected and could be used to control or manipulate the innocent If they are proven to be not guilty then that may be different but as a department you may suffer some very poor public opinion
I think that you do have to be careful that your information is accurate and not from a source that is trying to discredit someone for personal reasons. I had heard a story some time ago about a man that had taken his life because a completely fabricated rumor had been started about him by someone who didn’t like the guy but the rumor got around town and everyone went with it . It was proven to be completely false after the man had taken his life so be sure of your info
Reading some of the other comments I guess you could look at the definition and the reason they had been charged? if you were charged for mooning your friends that might be one thing but what about if an adult mooned a group of 8th grader school girls? Same charge ? Totally different situation?
In the end I guess i wouldn’t want someone on my department with that label period no matter what the offense because i am sure it would cause some real problems and issues with the general public. Secondly would you want the responsibility or be willing to take the risk after hiring someone with that type of record and they commit an offense while on the department and used their position or perceived to have used their position to commit the crime.
A firefighter is in a position of trust and thus thier previous actions prior to being hired must reflect an individual whom you feel you can trust without any question to act in a manner which is expected of a firefighter.
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Permalink Reply by Patti Walz on
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Thank you. I know that if you guys were to come to my house, the last thing that I would want to worry about is can I honestly put my life in that persons hands knowing that my FD would allow felons. I know that my FD does not, but to even suggest allowing felons in any department of trust is only going to make things worse for responders.
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You can tell someone not to judge all you want but it will happen. As for people who show that have been drinking, yes it is wrong and you can refuse to ride with them or let them on the rig.
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Permalink Reply by Rob on
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While I agree that sex offenders and felons do not belong in public service, the person in question in this case has been pardoned and since the offense will not show up on any criminal background check, that information cannot be held against him. Everyone makes mistakes, Everyone has done something at some time that would not look good for a public servant or a firefighter and could have possibly landed them in jail, most of us are lucky enough not to have been caught. Not permitting this person to join the fire department over hearsay, is opening up a can of legal worms that no one wants to be in. Even arson checks, if someone hasn't been convicted or has been pardoned, you cannot use that against them.
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Just being a devils advocate. I believe that everyone should get 1, after that what they do is all on them.
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So a pardon makes it OK? Not in my book.... And quite frankly the "well everyone has done something" bit just does not fly with me. Not everyone has committed a crime.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Oomkes on
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Pardoned is not having a verdict overturned.
Nixon was pardoned, doesn't mean he didn't commit a crime or wasn't guilty, just that in the world of the judicial system, he is no longer guilty.
Legally, if it doesn't show up, they probably can't prevent him from being hired. Morally, he shouldn't be.
Just because something is legal doesn't make it right.
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You just made my little heart twitterpate
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Wow, there's a word I haven't heard for a loooooong time.
Both my kids think it's more fun to shoot Bambi now instead of watch it. lol
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Now I feel old.... hehehe
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