Why is honesty so important in Law Enforcement?
What to many seems like common sense (i.e. why would honesty be an important characteristic of a law enforcement officer, or a LEO applicant) is often seen through an entirely different perspective by some LEO applicants who post in the Ask-A-Cop forum. I’ve seen countless threads started on realpolice.net and in the Ask-A-Cop forum asking about past criminal activities, past drug usage, past issues that would negatively impact ones chances in becoming a LEO, etc., and one thing I see more and more often is that some do not understand why it is important to honest and truthful as a LEO (particularly during the application process). So, I will attempt to spell it out in plain English, so to do away with further confusion as to why honesty is not only important, but a mandatory requirement in this profession. Thinking about lying on that job application? Those who have committed a crime in their past (whether a misdemeanor, a felony or simply a traffic violation) will feel some guilt and
