Need some advice

[rickrick]

If all goes well, I will have to take the poly for a LE job.  It is city and not federal.  I keep seeing conflicting information on the issue of lying and trying to beat the test.  I am a very honest person, very intelligent and very capable fo the job I am trying to aquire.  My only problem is some drug use that is considered heavier than marijuana and it was roughly a couple years ago.  I now that in many cases, this scheduled drug will disqualify you immediately.  I was in college and it was stupid but I did it.  Am I better off engaging in countermeasures or just telling the truth?  I am a fairly good liar when I have to be althuogh, I admit to hardly every having to do it.  I would just hate for me to excel in everything that is asked of me and fail to gain employment cuz of a couple past mistakes in this department.  Thanks in advance to any help...

[Sergeant1107]

If all goes well, I will have to take the poly for a LE job.  It is city and not federal.  I keep seeing conflicting information on the issue of lying and trying to beat the test.  I am a very honest person, very intelligent and very capable fo the job I am trying to aquire.  My only problem is some drug use that is considered heavier than marijuana and it was roughly a couple years ago.  I now that in many cases, this scheduled drug will disqualify you immediately.  I was in college and it was stupid but I did it.  Am I better off engaging in countermeasures or just telling the truth?  I am a fairly good liar when I have to be althuogh, I admit to hardly every having to do it.  I would just hate for me to excel in everything that is asked of me and fail to gain employment cuz of a couple past mistakes in this department.  Thanks in advance to any help...

Lying is a terrible way to start off a career in law enforcement.  Unethical cops are a blight on society and we don't need any more than the (small number of) ones we already have.

What you should do is tell the complete truth about your past and if the agency to which you are applying disqualifies you then apply elsewhere.

You can't start off a career by being unethical and then hope to become ethical later on.  If the drug usage in your past disqualifies you then just accept the consequences for your choice to use those drugs and move on with your life.