I once worked with an officer who people would easily say was the poster boy for what a law enforcement officer should look like and act like.  He stood out as a great officer, had the respect of his peers and of his supervisors.   

Not only was he a great officer, but he was also a great father, a single father at that.  When I got to know him and talk to him about what had happened to his wife and why she was not around he eventually confessed that she chose drugs over them.   The more I spoke with this officer the more he told me about his past and some of the things he had done which were definitely not conducive with the model life of a LEO.  He did those things before he came into LE and after the birth of his child he changed for the better and became the man he was today.

It is unfortunate that many of the things he had done were also disqualifiers and he definitely is not the person he used to be.  Fact of the matter is he got hired on with the department because the department did not conduct a polygraph and what he had done in the past could really never be found out via a regualr background check.

Before I get flamed for my poly remark I would like to point out that people usually confess to things that were out of the public eye or where there were no witnesses during the polygraph.  It is in instances like these that poly works, not through the merit of the machine, but the myth or fear of the machine that people have.   

I am sure that this officer is not the only one out there who completely changed his life for the better, but many of them will never get the chance to change or prove they have.

I do wish you the best if you have indeed changed for the better.  However, in LE your past may come back to bite you in the ass and lying to get in is absolutey no way to start a career.

Seatac

I have known a number of "bad seeds" in their youth. They went to school with my kiddo's. The ones that I still know about, 80% have turn their lives around and have become good, productive people. Two are in LE and one is a Lt.Col. in the Army. One who is a LEO wanted to date my daughter and I had to threaten to kick his ass to keep him away from my door. What a hell of a cop this guy has made!! Therefore, I say "go for it". I have to believe you'll do good.

Good Luck.

Dimas,

     I also appreciate what you've said. I agree in some ways that lying is no way to start this type of work. I have a difficult decision to make.

Wow, I don't think it could've been said better. It makes lots of sense the way you put it. I've had a few doubts. So the next question is....will TLBTLD help me learn to pass the test effectivly?