I have a youth offender felony, can I become a police officer? 7 Answers as of February 10, 2012

Get an application and fill it out. It depends on the specific department you apply to.

I would contact some of the police forces that you might ultimately apply to and ask them directly.

In my experience, and in all likelihood, your prior adjudication as a youthful offender on a felony matter,and your misdemeanor conviction, will prevent you from becoming a police officer, at least here in the City of New York. I have represented clients over the years with lesser blemishes on their record who were not screened through the academy. On the positive side, if you have sufficient motivation to become a law enforcement officer, I have confidence that you will find gainful employment in another field which will be equally fulfilling.

If they were both Youthful offender status then the convictions should be vacated and you should be eligible to apply to be a police officer.

A Youthful Offender Status can be a problem with employers and even more so with the government, military, and police agencies. The other misdemeanor alone could prevent you from being eligible, especially if it involves "moral turpitude", which means that you did something that was dishonest like stealing. Some police agencies will make exceptions while others will not. They will review the arrests and make a determination on a case by case basis.

It certainly won't help your application requirements, but each police department has differing standards and hiring policies. Explain to the police recruiter the details of your offense to see if you're eligible.

That is up to the police department to decide. A youthful offender adjudication is not a crime it the misdemeanor is. That could render you ineligible. You should call a recruiter and ask.