LE Agencies Dig Deeper Into Backgrounds

[PapaBear]

The message is: If you want to be a in Law Enforcement these days be careful what you post on line!

http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/law-enforcement-agencies-dig-deeper-applicants-digital-past

[AyatollahGondola]

The message is: If you want to be a in Law Enforcement these days be careful what you post on line!

http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/law-enforcement-agencies-dig-deeper-applicants-digital-past


Well, what's out in public is pretty much available to someone, somehow. But private emails and other password protected materials are not, so I don't see why they should get access to those if all they are interested in is what a lawyer can find. If they set the criteria to a standard so high that nobody can pass it, where will they recruit from?
I guess we'll need robocop sooner than we thought

[Sack]

The message is: If you want to be a in Law Enforcement these days be careful what you post on line!

Or in text messages. Demanding passwords to email accounts and text messages is taking it a little too far.

[SCHUMACHER]

This is not surprising. As a professional I have always believed you should not post/email/text something you are not comfortable having posted on the front page of a newspaper (as mentioned in the article).

However, as someone who is a huge fan of sarcastic humor, it would seem an incorrect judgement could be placed on an upstanding individual.

For example:
Friend - Hey buddy, long time no see. What are you up to these days.
CHP applicant - I'm trying to become a CHP officer.
Friend - No way, that's great. If you become a CHP officer I'm going to come find you and drive 120 mph on your beat. Would you write me a ticket if you caught me?
CHP applicant - Not only would I write you a ticket but I would shoot you with my taser.

Does CHP applicant have a happy taser finger? I don't think we can make a judgement call just due to a sacastic email exchange with a good friend.

On a side note I have personally shut the door on all sarcasm related to LE (for the time being :lol: )

[Dean]

Many employment agencies are doing this now...Maybe not to the extent of the password/username depth though.

I know from first hand experience, some of the candidates I have looked into Hiring; I went through Facebook/Myspace to look at their accounts and information. However, this was only from the out looking in, not vice versa. You can tell a LOT by the info you find on these sites.

But Txt and email, that seems very in depth. However, if you want the opportunity to work in LE, this may be a decision you have to make.