Disqualifiers

• Currently under indictment for any criminal offense
• Currently on probation for any offense
• Having been convicted, or on court-ordered community supervision or probation, for a Class B misdemeanor within the last ten years. Refer to TCOLE Rule 217.1
• Having a conviction for or currently charged with any misdemeanor offense involving moral turpitude.
• Having a conviction, or being under indictment for, or charged with any felony offense, including cases disposed of through Deferred Adjudication or Probated Sentence.
• Having been convicted, or having a history of, any family violence offense.

Having a history of illegal drug use as an adult that tends to establish a pattern. Illegal drug usage as a juvenile will not be a reason to reject an applicant, if no establish pattern continues as an adult;

• Applicants who have an established pattern of illegal use of any class of controlled substance, including marijuana as defined in the Texas Health & Safety Code will be rejected. This includes prescription drugs not prescribed to the applicant for their use, anabolic steroids, and designer type drugs. Evaluation will be based upon; how the drug was obtained, the number and frequency of use, the intended purpose, type of drug, and from whom the drug was obtained.
• The suitability of an applicant, who has illegally used any class of a controlled substance that does not establish a pattern of abuse, including marijuana will be evaluated on the basis of circumstance of involvement, use, length of use, and quantity of use.
• Applicants who have established a pattern of selling, manufacturing, distributing or cultivating illegal drugs, including marijuana will be rejected.

An applicant's entire driving record is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, with the last five years being the most critical. However, the following will be automatic disqualifiers:

• Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) conviction within the last ten years.
• Suspension of your driver's license for any reason within the last five years.
• Unacceptable driving record or currently classified as a habitual violator.
• History or pattern of unsafe driving including at-fault collisions.
• Being prohibited by state or federal law from operating a motor vehicle.

• Had a TCOLE license denied by final order or revoked; have a voluntary surrender of a TCOLE license currently in effect; or have not violated any TCOLE rules or provisions of the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1701.
• Terminated, asked to resign, or resigned from any previous employment for engaging in inappropriate or unlawful behavior, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
  • Separated from any law enforcement commission/position, recruit position within a law enforcement agency, or any position within a city, county, state, federal or private corrections institution by:
    • Termination due to excessive or serious disciplinary reasons.
    • Resignation to avoid suspension or termination.
    • resignation during a disciplinary investigation that did not reach a final disposition.
    • termination for untruthfulness; or 
    • termination for insubordination 

Credit history will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine continuing eligibility in the hiring process. Unstable credit history can lead to disqualification, including:

• Consistent history of issuance of bad checks
• History of delinquent payments
• Not meeting financial obligations
• Collections and charge-offs
• Criminal Non-Support: the applicant will be disqualified from being hired if it has been determined that the applicant is not current on child support payments

If special circumstances exist that result in late or delinquent payments the background investigator should be informed. These will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Examples: death of a spouse or family member, natural disaster, any events out of the control of the applicant.