Should Sex Offenders Be Firefighters? What about Pardoned ones?

This topic was first posted on FireCritic.com here: http://firecritic.com/2010/11/should-sex-offenders-be-firefighters-...

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:

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.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on November 18, 2010 at 5:40pm

Mark,
It's a conspiracy by the liberal elite, either that or you folks in flyover country must just be better drivers. I'm sure it can't be because studies show that it's safer to use a hands-free device. Naw, it just can't be.

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Permalink Reply by Gregory Borg on November 18, 2010 at 7:17pm

Embezzlers are OK just don't let them handle the house fund!:)

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on November 20, 2010 at 4:05pm

midget....? I'd be nuts over him........LOL

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Permalink Reply by Michelle on February 19, 2011 at 9:04pm

We now have a convicted felon who is a child molester as the CHIEF of one of our local fire departments. Here are some links to his record. His crime was that he asked his daughter to invite a friend over for the night and when she fell asleep he went into his daughters room, where the victim slept in his daughters bed and molested the daughter's friend. What complete slime to use his own child to lure his victim.

His confession:
http://www.scribd.com/full/48409216?access_key=key-8dq1wo3hrifp4u8u3l0

His sentence :
http://www.scribd.com/full/48409490?access_key=key-1ra6xw5h3s235tte...

Bill of information:
http://www.scribd.com/full/48409635?access_key=key-2dmmln5bf09oafshu5v

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Permalink Reply by Terry Mae Jones on February 23, 2011 at 9:30pm

No!! No discussion necessary in my opinion. Fire Fighters and first responders are respected by most and treated as hero's as they should be again in my opinion. This would just tarnish the occupation

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Permalink Reply by Captain William Frazer on February 24, 2011 at 12:04am

Sure Let them do the job.....IN THE LOCAL PEN. How on earth could someone even think of this. We dont even let someone in, or continue the job with a restraining order much less a felony,,but you know what, criminals sometimes have more rights then we do,,there are ways to keep them out of this service,,just need a sharp mind to do so.

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Permalink Reply by bridge on February 24, 2011 at 10:59pm

I say no, and the minute it is reported that they comitted anything sexual assult or otherwise they should be banned and then not allowed at any fire department.

I have very strong views on this and many of you know why.