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- Applicant Rejection Criteria
Applicant Rejection Criteria
While some disqualified applicants may be encouraged to reapply again with the Victoria Police Department for the position sought or other positions within the department, there are some applicants which may be deemed ineligible to reapply.
Reapplying
Disqualified applicants may reapply or may be placed back into the application process if the requirements are met when the applicant:
- Failed a credit check.
- Failed to meet city liability insurance requirements concerning driving records (if the applicant is applying for a position that requires driving).
- Failed to Meet Medical Requirements. If an applicant can have a medical condition corrected so they can successfully pass a medical exam then they may reapply. That applicant must show in writing from a doctor or physician that the condition has been corrected before re-initiating the application process. The determination of the City of Victoria approved doctor or physician will be the final decision regarding the failure to meet medical requirements.
- Failed to meet TCOLE Education Requirements or the educational requirements of the Victoria Police Department.
- Failed to meet the typing or spelling requirements in the City of Victoria Job Description for the position being sought. (May take either typing or spelling twice).
Applicants not eligible for hire or those who will not be considered for hire on the basis of a single test, examination, interview, or background investigation will be informed by the Training Unit, in person, by phone or in writing within thirty calendar days.
Applicants who successfully passed all steps of the application process and were not selected may be placed on an eligibility list for a year or may reapply as openings exist.
- Applicants may reapply after six months if the applicant failed to successfully complete the following:
- a) Written examination
- b) Physical ability test (entry level Police Officer positions) after two attempts
- c) Review Board Process (With approval of the Chief of Police, Assistant Chief or their designee, the applicant may interview again within a 60 day period on a scheduled interview date)
- Unless otherwise determined by the Chief of Police or Assistant Chief, applicants may reapply after one year if they fail the:
- a) Background Investigation
- b) Pre-employment Drug Screening
- Applicants may not reapply if they did not pass the City of Victoria pre-employment drug screening or failed to meet the psychological requirements of the City of Victoria, unless approved by the Chief of Police. The determination of the City of Victoria approved doctor or physician will be the final decision regarding the failure of a psychological test.
Note: The sixty-day, six months or one-year time frame mentioned above will begin from the time the applicant was informed of their disqualification.
Permanent Rejection
Any of the following items may result in the permanent rejection of an applicant:
- Admission or discovery of current substance abuse.
- Admission or discovery of the manufacture, delivery, sale or possession with the intent to sell or deliver any controlled substance or drug.
- Conviction of any offense above the grade of a Class B misdemeanor. (May not reapply).
- Court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense above the grade of Class B misdemeanor. (May not reapply).
- Discharge from any military service under less than honorable conditions including, specifically
- Under other than honorable conditions
- Bad conduct
- Dishonorable
- Any other characterization of service indicating bad character
- Failure to meet the Criminal History requirements set out by TCOLE and the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services policies mentioned in the Victoria Police Department Hiring Process Overview.
- Failure to meet the U.S. Citizenship requirements. Police Officer Applicants must be a U.S. citizen according to TCOLE Rules. For other positions, check with the City of Victoria Human Resources Office for eligibility.
- False Statement to the Background Investigator.
- False Statement to the Oral Review Board - Any applicant who knowingly gives false information during the oral interview will be disqualified from future selection processes.
- Having a TCOLE license denied by final order or revoked.
- Having a TCOLE license that is currently on suspension, or must not have a voluntary surrender of the license currently in effect.
- Knowingly omit or falsify any information on the application or on the Personal History and Information Packet.
- Prohibited by state or federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition (Police Officer applicants).
- Violation of any TCOLE rule or provision of the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1701.
Conduct contrary to the standards of the police service, such as association with persons known to engage in criminal activity, when such conduct is outside the necessity of such association required by the duties of a police officer. To be reviewed or considered on a case-by-case basis.
- It will be presumed that the applicant is aware or the records of activities of those with whom he/she associates unless the applicant can provide information or evidence to the contrary.
- It will be presumed that the applicant is aware of the activities of any group or organization of which he/she is a member unless the applicant can provide information or evidence to the contrary. Rejection for any of the above will be determined upon a case-by-case review by the Department. Proven discontinuation of the activity, association or membership will be considered.
Temporary Rejection
Any one of the following items may result in the temporary rejection of an applicant for the period specified for each item:
- Admission or discovery of current valid warrant(s) of arrest - One year from date of application and proof warrant(s) have been cleared or otherwise adjudicated.
- Admissions or discovery of offenses committed by the applicant will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis as to their relevance in the rejection criteria.
- Asked to resign or resigned while under investigation from a law enforcement agency (does not include economic lay-off). [Discretion of Chief/Assistant Chief]
- Conviction of a Class B misdemeanor offense within the last ten years from the date of conviction.
- Court-ordered community supervision or probation for any Class B misdemeanor offense within the last ten years from the date of the court order.
- Documented instances of unstable job history or unstable job performance, such as:
- An excessive number of jobs of short duration - Four or more jobs within a five year period. To be reviewed or considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Poor performance, poor attitude, poor relations with the public, inability to be trained, irresponsibility or dishonesty. To be reviewed or considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Failure to provide all required documents at time application is due will result in a disqualification for a period of six months from the date of being informed verbally or in writing.
- Offenses committed while in the military or in other jurisdictions will be reviewed as if they occurred in the State of Texas.
- Termination from any law enforcement agency for cause. ("For Cause" means an affirmed termination due to an action, or failure to act by the applicant.) [Discretion of Chief/Assistant Chief]
Note: For the purposes of these criteria, a plea of No Contest as well as Deferred Adjudication sentencing will be considered the same as a conviction.
Prior Drug Use
Evaluating prior drug use by an applicant for the Victoria Police Department revolves around the experimental versus the habitual user. Rather than immediately disqualifying an individual for prior drug use, the police department tries to distinguish between the individual who has used marijuana or other drugs on several occasions (experimented), as opposed to a person who has regularly used drugs over an extended period of time.
Various factors may be taken into consideration when evaluating prior drug use by an applicant and evaluated on a case by case basis. Factors to be considered when determining eligibility include the type of substance used, frequency of use, if the use was experimental, and how recent was the usage. Experimental use is considered usage to determine the effects of a drug.
Another factor that may be considered is whether the prior drug use was self-disclosed by the applicant or discovered during the background investigation.
Temporary or Permanent Disqualifiers
If, at any point, the applicant is determined to meet any of the following disqualifiers, the application process for that individual may be terminated at the discretion of the Chief or Assistant Chief:
- Abuse of inhalants within last three years. (Examples include but are not limited to paint, paint thinner, Freon, and gasoline).
- Conviction of any offense involving illegal drugs according to the requirements set by Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) or Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) security rules.
- Involvement in the illegal manufacture, sale, delivery or furnishing of any controlled substance or drug to another with the expectation that a personal benefit would be received as a result of the actions. - Permanent Disqualification.
- Possession or use of any Penalty Group 1 or 2 substance within the last three years. (Examples include but are not limited to: cocaine, morphine, opium, heroin, LSD, PCP, methamphetamine, ecstasy, and Oxycontin)
- Possession or use of marijuana within the last three years.
- Possession or use, without a prescription, of any Penalty Group 3 drug; within the last three years. (Examples include but are not limited to: steroids, Xanax, hydrocodone, Ambien, Ritalin, and codeine).
See the section at the following link: Criminal History requirements under the Hiring Process Overview.