Becoming a pilot with an arrest...

[SeanAucoin]

just wondering...I had an incident back in february....

my friends and I were filming a movie for school, I had a fake cap gun, and was pointing it towards a sign for a scene. Some random guy driving by thought I was pointing a real gun at him...yes sounds dumb but he called the police and my friends and I got arrested they charged me with assault with dangerous weapon... I went to court and the judge basically laughed and reduced it to just assault..and then he dismissed it and I had to do some community service... I do not have a criminal record, but the incident is still on my regular record...

Now to the question.... Just wondering if this would prevent me from becoming an airline pilot...what would happen during an interview?

Thanks in advance!

Sean....

 

[Mr Wu]

If you have any firearm convictions on any record, save your money and go apply at mickey D's.

 

[Galaxy]

Given the circumstances.. Get yourself a laywer and get it exsponged from your record.

 

[SeanAucoin]

hey,

there was no convictions at all...I basically just have "assault" on my record...no criminal record what so ever...I was just seeing what people thing. people on other sites said just be honest at the interview if they ask...i have heard of people with DUI's getting hired and some guy fired paintballs at an officer... this is comparable to a speeding ticket

 

[erj-145mech]

If you had to do community service because of this, it was a conviction. If you weren't convicted, you would have gone your merry way. Thats the way I see it from what information you provided.

 

[English]

Arrests won't come up in most background checks. They only come up on the FBI background checks, and are not disqualifying on their own.

If an application asks you for which counties you have lived in, then you can bet your arrest will come up. If they don't ask, it likely won't come up.

If you are interviewing at an airline, and they ask you if you have any arrests, answer truthfully and completely. However, to the best of my knowledge it is illegal to ask the question in the first place.

Your best bet is to go to a career counselor like Kathy Sweeney or Lori Clark, etc., have them do a background check on you and then work on your interview answers about whatever comes up.

 

[FN FAL]

hey,

there was no convictions at all...I basically just have "assault" on my record...no criminal record what so ever.

No criminal record? How could you have "assault on my record" and not have a criminal record? You're confusing the crap out of me?

heard of people with DUI's getting hired and some guy fired paintballs at an officer... this is comparable to a speeding ticket

Firing paint balls at an LEO comparable to a speeding ticket? Nope, never. Assaulting a police officer is a felony and rightfully so. As much as I like to geek on cops, prosecutors, politicians and the justice system, I would never condone assault on a police officer...unless it was justifiable self defense.

 

[SeanAucoin]

alrighty let me try to get this straightened out. it wasent assault on a police office. it just happened to be a police officer, and he put in a paper (i forget the name) to have it dismissed...I was not convicted...the judge talked to me in private with the DA they planned a date to go to trial...they said if I did 40 hours of service then that he would just dismiss the case...I have no criminal record...that was already found out...the charge was reduced from a felony (assault with a dangerous weapon) to just a midemeanor (assault) doing the service for the judge..he just took the case and dismissed it...when you look up my record it just says..arrested for a felony..then shows it was reduced to a midemeanor..then dismissed...no criminal record at all no convictions...

 

[SeanAucoin]

let me also add...the whole assault deal..thats attached to my driving record...the arrest/assault are the same thing on the driving record...im free and clear of a criminal record

 

[Al Coholic]

Before worrying about applying to an airline, you need to first learn how to put together a complete sentence. At the least, learn how to use a spell check and don't use some many ............ between your sentences. How does anyone read that without getting a headache??:smash:

You might want to get a lawyer or at least get someone to explain things to you a little more clearly. You don't get an "assault" on your driving record. Assault is a criminal matter. If you are arrested, it is a criminal matter. A DUI may go on your driving record, but it is a criminal matter.

 

[FN FAL]

alrighty let me try to get this straightened out. it wasent assault on a police office. it just happened to be a police officer, and he put in a paper (i forget the name) to have it dismissed...I was not convicted...the judge talked to me in private with the DA they planned a date to go to trial...they said if I did 40 hours of service then that he would just dismiss the case...I have no criminal record...that was already found out...the charge was reduced from a felony (assault with a dangerous weapon) to just a midemeanor (assault) doing the service for the judge..he just took the case and dismissed it...when you look up my record it just says..arrested for a felony..then shows it was reduced to a midemeanor..then dismissed...no criminal record at all no convictions...

A buddy of mine thought he was free and clear of all charges steming from where he beat the snot out of a guy that raped his cousin.

He got all the felony "convictions" pardoned. (note...I know you said you weren't convicted).

Recently he bought a deer rifle and a handgun, thinking he was good to go because his felony convictions were pardoned by the governor. Guess what, the pardons didn't cover the laws regarding misdemeanor "domestic vilolence", which prevented him from firearms possession. He tried to get that mess cleared up and even the sheriff said he had guys that couldn't carry guns because of that law.

You need to ask your questions to a competent lawyer...not a aviation BBS.

 

[erj-145mech]

Sean, something here doesn't add up. If the case was dismissed, there wouldn't have been any community service.

Assault is not a driving offense. Its a criminal offense. Its not like driving with a licence plate light burned out, or not having insurance.

We had a guy that had a firearms conviction from 15 years ago, that didn't tell about it on his application, and 2 years after he had been working here, the FBI discovered it, and his SIDA badge was revoked. Its a bummer, but it happens. He thought that the background check only goes back 10 years, but that doesn't apply to certain convictions.

You might try asking different human resource offices at various airlines what their policy is regarding this?

 

[Gulfstream 200]

You are weaving an insane web.

Many employers will do a complete FBI background check on you these days. Whatever charge you were arrested for will show up. What you pleaded to will probably be there too. 3 months or 30 years ago - its there.

You need to get your entire record, and be fully prepared to explain it - which you obviously need work on. You wont last 2 minutes at an interview with your previous posts.

Expunged? forget it, thats the biggest myth going. Even if a lawyer assures you this is gone, dont ever lie about it. I have seen this first hand - nothing disappears. Will it show up? maybe....you a gambling man? at most companies lying on an app or a background check is grounds for immediate dismissal - especially post 9-11 and with airplanes.

Bottom line, you were arrested for a felony. This never goes away, and it can be career limiting. Im sure there are plenty of good jobs out there - but you have a crutch.

Good Luck.

 

[SeanAucoin]

alright, this is actually starting to confuse me now! all I know is that my lawyer told me I don't have a criminal record, he did a background check and there is no criminal record for myself. I shouldnt of put the case was "dismissed" I didn't even get pre trial probation which is the lowest possible thing you can get. All I know is they reduced what I had originally gotten, then the judge said if I did the service, he would clear the case.... I had my lawyer look up a criminal record, and I dont have one, so whatever it ended up as. Its not criminal...

 

[starvingcfi]

in my eyes, this gives you an interesting story for the interview. am i wrong? i'm not saying it's going to give you a leg up. if you were shooting a dumb movie for school and some prick wanted to turn you in for nothing, i don't see the problem.

wrong place. wrong time. just the way i see it.

 

[FN FAL]

I'm with you two guys...either it is, or it isn't.

I'd take it up with competent counsel and what is law regarding the 10 year background checks. Sounds like a job for a professional.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

alright, this is actually starting to confuse me now! all I know is that my lawyer told me I don't have a criminal record, he did a background check and there is no criminal record for myself. I shouldnt of put the case was "dismissed" I didn't even get pre trial probation which is the lowest possible thing you can get. All I know is they reduced what I had originally gotten, then the judge said if I did the service, he would clear the case.... I had my lawyer look up a criminal record, and I dont have one, so whatever it ended up as. Its not criminal...

see, you have already convinced yourself this didnt happen

did your lawyer do a full FBI background check? fingerprints and all?

bet ya $100 your felony arrest is right there. No job for you, sorry.....especially after you neglected to tell us this on your application. (ever been arrested?) - YES many apps simply ask this these days.

"Oh but my Lawyer told me it was expunged"

you know the rest....

Just always be truthful and have the story straight. Everyone has done stupid $hit - you just got caught. Just dont lie, everyone hates a liar -- only thing worse is a liar who blames his lawyer...

 

[SeanAucoin]

I have talked to many people. If i explained what happend to the airlines, im sure they would understand..wouldnt you...perfectly clean record, im filimg a movie for school and some guy trys to get me on assault with a dangerous weapon haha a cap gun? even the judge and DA thought it was a complete joke. once I explained the whole thing I don't see why id have to worry about it

 

[Icelandair]

That is f'ing gay that you would even get in trouble for using a cap gun anyway. What are the gun control second amendment hating nuts going to do next, want to outlaw them too?

 

[FN FAL]

I have talked to many people. If i explained what happend to the airlines, im sure they would understand..wouldnt you...perfectly clean record, im filimg a movie for school and some guy trys to get me on assault with a dangerous weapon haha a cap gun? even the judge and DA thought it was a complete joke. once I explained the whole thing I don't see why id have to worry about it

Believe me Sean, I understand your plight. We all make mistakes and now-a-days simple shiat turns into a federal case.

I'd get professional legal advice before filling out any application...it's worth the money.

Besides, who would exclude an applicant for such a simple thing?

10 years ago, I could have shown up at any tavern in Green Bay on holloween wearing my paintball web gear, face paint and a beret. Now, there might be some freak a calling 911 saying there was a "terroristimo" in the compound.

If you have any concerns, spend them with a lawyer. At least then you'll know what's what.