My dream more than anything is to become a police officer one day. I found out I wanted to do this just this past year. I'm 19 and in college. I plan to get a degree in Business. I used to smoke for about a year when I was 18, but when I realized this was what I wanted to do, I quit. I never did anything else(no pills, no coke, no hard drugs). I never got in trouble for it, or anything else. But I'm guessing when I'm ready to apply, I'll be around 5-6 years clean. I know that different departments have different standards, but for the cops that answer this, I would like to know if I'd be applicable for their department. I live in California btw.

I'm not in California, but my department would not hire you.

I see. What are the standards for your department? And just curious, where are you an officer at?

Most of the police departments in California seem to not automatically disqualify applicants if they haven't used marijuana within 3 years. Below is the Oxnard Police Department's guidelines for applicants. With these guidelines, you could qualify.

*Sales of marijuana, drug or narcotic as an adult. WILL DISQUALIFY YOU
*Use of any hallucinogenic. MAY DISQUALIFY YOU
*Experimentation, extensive or prolonged use of any illegal narcotic within the last three years. WILL DISQUALIFY YOU
*Experimentation, extensive or prolonged use of any illegal drug within the last three years. WILL DISQUALIFY YOU
*Experimentation, extensive or prolonged use of marijuana within the last year. WILL DISQUALIFY YOU
*Extensive or prolonged alcohol abuse without intervention within the last three years. WILL DISQUALIFY YOU
*Experimentation, extensive or prolonged use of steroids within the last three years. MAY DISQUALIFY YOU
*Knowingly remaining in a place where marijuana, illegal drugs or illegal narcotics are used or sold. MAY DISQUALIFY YOU