This reply is to a very old post but: I applied at a metro police department and was disqualified during the background process. I had been very candid admitting to using marijuana less than ten times and using steroids for two months, all of which had occurred in college at or before age 21. By the time I finished college and applied to the dept I was 25.
Here's where I got screwed. I thought of the background process as a formality, aside from the drug use I had nothing to fear right? Wrong. When I handed in the background packet I had three sections that I had not completed and I told the BI about it and asked if I could turn it in later, all completed, I had to do more research to find some information about my previous contacts with LE agencies, traffic infractions, and vehicle reg. (I know I should have had the damn thing done, but) Anyway, the BI says don't worry about it, we'll find that information out. So I handed it to him with those sections left blank.
Two days later in the Background interview with the same BI, he starts grilling me about why did I leave those sections blank when I did have previous contacts with LE agencies and traffic violations. I couldn't believe it. I stamerred, "Don't you remember when I handed this to you?" He ignored me and then grilled me on the drug use and basically it was a hostile interrogation with me getting dragged over the coals. It appears I was disqualified for a combo of the drug use and my "omitting information", they didn't say why for sure.
Anyway I thought this BI was a real bastard and couldn't believe he had purposely screwed me. I found out later that the guy is just kind of a poor investigator, he doesn't listen very well, he writes down the wrong information...etc. The reason I'm writing this is to make sure no one else turns in anything without making sure ALL the requested information is filled in completely and accurately. Don't be an idiot, like I was, and asume the BI is competent or even honest. I eventually got on with a small dept. but I know damn well that my app is forever tainted with the failing of that metro PD's background.
I am a cop and I like to think of my integrity as of the highest caliber but sometimes I wonder if I was a fool to volunteer the drug use info about myself. There was no chance anyone could have found it but I thought honesty was the best. Everyone has to decide on that one on their own I guess.