# Bionic Hand in law enforcement



## gburns15 (Jul 12, 2011)

I am currently a college student entering my junior year seeking a degree in digital forensics. I am interning at a Computer Crime lab for the remainder of my college career which should jump start my career, however I have always wanted to become a police officer but was discouraged due to the absence of my left hand. I was born without it so my arm cuts off right at my left wrist, in this coming week I will be getting a bionic hand from a company called Touch Bionics and the product is called the I-Limb Hand. With this accommodation would I have a shot at becoming a police officer? All the fingers have individual motors to provide great functionality and since the technology is at its infant stages I have not been able to find much history on the topic.

Thanks in advance.


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## Eagle13 (Jun 12, 2008)

Try your hand at it. You may be surprised how far you can get if you try.


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## niteowl1970 (Jul 7, 2009)




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## gburns15 (Jul 12, 2011)

It's local at a law enforcement council in the northeast.


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## gburns15 (Jul 12, 2011)

I would be shooting with my right hand. The internship is at a regional law enforcement council in the Northeast.


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## Gil (Jun 15, 1998)

What hand would you be shooting with??? I would think as long as you can pass all of the requirements it would be discrimination not to hire you. I remember there was a road deputy in Florida that was an amputee, he had a prosthetic leg and he still continued to work the road. Wasn't the best a foot pursuits but he still did them. I think it was due to a motorcycle accident that happened after he got hired... Go for it, you have nothing to lose and nothing but headaches to gain 

Curious, where are you interning? State , Local?

---------- Post added at 00:56 ---------- Previous post was at 00:25 ----------

NEMLEC... ahhh, cool. Well if your a righty (no joking intended) and you get the six million dollar hand give it a go, like I said nothing to lose


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## firefighter39 (Apr 10, 2006)

If you are really serious about this hire a good lawyer that who has a specialty in ADA cases. I know of a FF who has an artificial leg, he made a distinct "clicking" as he climb ladders, but he could do it.


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## Herrdoktor (Jun 23, 2010)

I wear a prosthesis on my right leg and can do the job without a problem. You will have people the whole time you are trying to get into law enforcement telling you what you can and cannot do. If you can pass the requirements and do everything that is expected of you than fuck the haters.

There are few things in life more satisfying than doing this job. Doing it with a handicap and succeeding when others fail doesn't hurt either.


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## Rock (Mar 20, 2005)

There are a few supervisors that had their balls removed and they still work there so you should have no problem.


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## gburns15 (Jul 12, 2011)

Haha well the hand is $40,000 thankfully insurance is taking take of most of it. I know that becoming a police officer is becoming more difficult everyday especially without a military background, do you think having a disability can work as an advantage in the hiring process?


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

I don't know how well that would fly trying to get a law enforcement job, but as a former HR Manager and someone with a disability I wouldn't try to use it as a selling point. You want to be able to show them that you are the best person for the job and that you can do the job 100% is what you want to focus on. Especially in a field where it wouldn't be too hard argue that accommodating your disability would be unreasonable because of the nature and essential functions of the job. That's not to say that if you need an accommodation to do the job you can't ask for one. I'm just saying you probably don't want to come across as the kid who says "hey hire me because I'm disabled and you don't have anyone with a bionic hand yet." Don't forget there are a lot reasons that someone can find to not a person none of which would have anything to do with their having a disability or not.

I hired a deaf gentleman not because he was deaf, but because he was qualified and needed a chance. I fired that same deaf gentleman not because he was deaf, but because he was unable/unwilling to do the job I hired him for. He was quite surprised when his Mass Rehab advocate explained to him that if he wasn't doing the job I didn't have to keep him just because he was deaf. My point is don't have the disability define who you are and expect to be treated like anyone who is not disabled.


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

On a sidenote, why the fuck have they NOT made The Six Million Dollar Man movie?, thats a flick I hope they make.


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