I'm in the process of applying for my state's Highway Patrol (Missouri) and I have a few questions about the application.

Mainly, I'm stuck at the question: "HAVE YOU EVER ILLEGALLY USED, SOLD, OR FURNISHED DRUGS OR NARCOTICS TO ANYONE?
IF YES, EXPLAIN IN DETAIL & INCLUDE DATES."

I have not used any illegal drugs, but I did drink underage. Is that something that should be included in this part? I'm not sure if they are just looking for drugs other than alcohol or what, but I feel that I should be safe and put alcohol use down.

Thanks

Answer EXACTLY what the question asks. Do not assume or add anything further than what is needed. If drinking doesnt fall under that then it doesnt. You will have another place to fill that out. Dont worry. They will ask you to refill out those forms another 3-4 times just to see if you are lying. So make sure you have your answers straight and they are all consistent.

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Quoted: Answer EXACTLY what the question asks. Do not assume or add anything further than what is needed. If drinking doesnt fall under that then it doesnt. You will have another place to fill that out. Dont worry. They will ask you to refill out those forms another 3-4 times just to see if you are lying. So make sure you have your answers straight and they are all consistent.

Thanks for the reply.

That's exactly why I asked, because I want to make sure I fill everything out properly.
I'm questioning it because it asks about "illegally using and drug or narcotic" and doesn't give any specifics about what they are classifying a drug as.

Dont feel bad. Good luck to you. I just spent 4 months of hell going through the California Highway Patrol system and all the bs with getting yelled at constantly and being called hammerhead etc. Its all a mind game. I hated filling out the forms over and over and over again. You will see what I mean soon. Sure they want to make the agency look like they are Marines by modeling it after them, but what the hell?? ya know. If I wanted to join the Marines I would have signed up with USMC.

Some advice: LISTEN WELL and Pay attention! Dont say nothing as you are always wrong if you try to one up an instructor. I finally got bounced out for having WHITE OUT on my form. They gave it to us the previous night and wanted it back filled out the next morning at 7am. Mind you it was a 2 hour drive for me to there and back as well. This was after a whole day of testing and physical running and other fun exercises. It was bullshit. Another agency picked me up. So Im going Federal. Glad I dont have to live in Sacramento at their academy locked up for 6 months straight. UGh.

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Quoted: It was bullshit. Another agency picked me up. So Im going Federal. Glad I dont have to live in Sacramento at their academy locked up for 6 months straight. UGh.May I inquire as to which agency? I will eventually be applying to the FBI myself once I get the necessary experience

DHS. FBI was really tough to get into after college. 2 ways. Tactical team experience- full time that is...none of that part time non sense for 3 years or know a foreign language. The FL test was really hard too over the phone.

Well I got to a point in the questions where it asks for "personal declarations" it asks: "Please explain if there any incidents in your life or details (positive or negative) not mentioned herein which may influence this patrol's evaluation of your suitability for employment as a police officer"

Would this be the appropriate place to mention drinking? There was no where else (besides that earlier question) that even hinted at anything like this.

I just want to make sure that there are no loose ends that can screw me out of this. After all it is illegal (although I don't feel it is that big of a deal).

Thanks all

Speeding is illegal, not using your turn signal, not wearing a seat belt, etc.....

At some point, the minor stuff will come out.

If you were to right down everything illegal you did, you might as well re-write War and Peace

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Quoted: Speeding is illegal, not using your turn signal, not wearing a seat belt, etc..... At some point, the minor stuff will come out. If you were to right down everything illegal you did, you might as well re-write War and Peacehful, thanks

I'd be more worried about the guy who didn't drink underage.

I'm going through the same process as you.

I don't know how far along you are, but I recommend you answer everything truthfully. If you lie, you will have to remember that lie very clearly as you will be asked the same questions over and over for months on end. I would assume that it is extremely stressful to lie.

That said, they know that they are hiring humans, and humans are not perfect. Also, they don't want perfect people, they want people with the integrity to admit to indiscretions. In my case, I've had quite a few , and I'm still in the running.

These mistakes, and your willingness to admit them, are classified as "life experience", a very valuable trait to a potential LEO.

Good luck!

Reminds me of when we were going thru a police application in personnel procedures and the question came up to the tune of "Have you ever (...handled, possessed, transferred (etc).....) illicit drugs?"

To me, yes I had,but it was part of official duties (bale of "grass" to the Colombian Navy and had been partly responsible for controlled medicinals).

At that point, "part of official duties"  ................... the drugs are not illicit. I had not known that, made that connection on the definition, before that day.

It is wise to be honest but it is also wise to know what they are asking. If in doubt, ask....the people responsible for the question.
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("You had enough drugs in you to tranquilize a Central American country!"--Hillary to Sarah about her physical, (w,stte), "Models Inc.")