u/DietDrPsupreme

With this being my work history:

Walmart (2021, age 16): first job. Worked March–July, left without a two weeks notice help with my dad’s company, then returned Nov–Jan. Quit without notice due to ongoing harassment issues with a team lead.

Andy’s Frozen Custard (2021–2022): Worked Oct–Feb while also at Walmart. Had no performance issues, but hours completely dried up during winter so I quit.

Chick-fil-A (Dec 2021–June 2023): Worked through the end of high school. Never had disciplinary issues and was considered a strong employee. Left to focus on getting my EMT license after graduating high school.

Hospital Tech (Nov 2023–current): Have done well overall and received an end-of-year bonus in 2024 that only a few employees on my unit got for being recognized as great performing employees. In 2025 I was placed on a discipline track for attendance after 6 tardies in 6 months, but I completed it successfully and got off of it. Outside of that, nurses and leadership consistently praise my work ethic and dedication. I also received a Tulip Award earlier this year which is similar to a daisy award but it’s for non nurses.

My worry is that they would see how I jumped from jobs, got put on discipline for tardiness, and didn’t give a two weeks twice at Walmart. Thus deeming me unreliable

I’m going to be getting into a volunteer firefighting position this summer where I would live at the station and be expected to provide coverage when I can and have a standby time as well. Training would be done around winter which I was thinking about quitting my hospital job then to apply to be a community service aid with the of I hope to work at and hopefully get good experience on procedures, how the department operates, report taking. I would do volunteer firefighting and community service aide until I finish my associates in social behavioral science. I then would apply to the police department.

My second worry is mental health. Nothing SI nor have I ever felt or expressed suicidal thoughts (I love living too much to ever do that). I had severe anxiety and a some depression after breaking up with my ex in 2024 (toxic relationship) that I was with from 16 to 20 years old. Went to the Drs for the first time in a while, Feb this year, and got put on an antidepressant. Felt better than I had since the break up and decided to stop taking it about a month ago. I still feel awesome and have a completely different mentality after stopping it.

Third hurdle would be my terrible credit history which is just me maxing out my credit cards. I used to have a 750 credit score at first but started maxing them out and didn’t give much of a care. Payment history never failed though aside one time on a single card I forgot the payment date of. I’m definitely going to work on paying it off before next year so not much of a worry. Hopefully my score would go up.

After hitting yall with an essay, what would you guys think my chances would be of getting into LE?

I’m 21 years old right now, I have the goal of applying and hopefully getting into law enforcement. There’s university pd, city pd, and sheriffs department that I could apply to. My plan is to get into volunteer firefighting and do that while getting an associates in criminal justice which I’d probably get in 2 years. I would also continue working at my current hospital tech job until I get my degree. I do have my emt license since 2023 if that gives any brownie points.

They some similarity in their hiring qualifications but what I’m more worried about is the drug requirements. In middle school, 8th grade, I took a one hit of a dab pen. More recently I smoked from thc pen in July before 21 and a joint on new years which at the time I was 21 and is legal in my state. They were genuine curious situations and I don’t intend in doing it ever again, especially trying to join a department. How much of an impact would this have on me applying?

Also if one parent had a gun charge which from the vague story was possession of an unregistered firearm in CA when they were in their 20’s but that is the only extent to how far their record goes and is not involved in any crime, alongside the other parent who is does not have legal status, would this be a hinderance in my chances of getting in?