So I was arrested a while back, 2 years ago like right after my 18th birthday, and the charges were dropped. I now have nothing on my record but the arrest is still listed. Can I still get certified and hired?
Getting certified and getting hired are two different things. An arrest may not officially disqualify you from any public service job; i.e. fire or county EMS; but it could be a big hit when it comes down to eliminating candidates from a large list for limited positions.
From the first page of the application:
www dshs state tx.us/emstraumasystems/
Persons applying for initial Texas EMS certification/licensure with a criminal conviction:
A person shall be disqualified from eligibility to acquire an EMS certification, or a person’s initial or renewal
application for EMS certification or paramedic licensure shall be denied, or a person’s EMS certification or
paramedic license, whether active or inactive, shall be revoked if the petitioner, applicant, certificant, or
licensed paramedic is convicted of or place on deferred adjudication community supervision or deferred
disposition for an offense committed on or after September 1, 2009 listed in Code of Criminal Procedure,
Article 42.12, Sections 3g(a)(1)(A) through (H) as follows:
(1) murder;
(2) capital murder;
(3) indecency with a child;
(4) aggravated kidnapping;
(5) aggravated sexual assault;
(6) aggravated robbery;
(7) substance abuse offenses, as described in Health and Safety Code, Chapter 481, for which punishment is
increased under:
(a) Health and Safety Code, §481.140, regarding the use of a child in the commission of an offense; or
(b) Health and Safety Code, §481.134(c), (d), (e) or (f), regarding an offense committed within a drug
free zone, if it is shown that the defendant has been previously convicted of an offense for which
punishment was increased under one of those subsections;
(8) sexual assault;
(9) An offense, other than an offense committed on or after September 1, 2009, for which the person is subject
to register as a sex offender under Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 62.
Criminal offenses NOT LISTED ABOVE are subject to a department review which may lead to denial,
suspension, or revocation.
