Ask Freerollin` about 10 years in Law Enforcement

[dinopoker]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
did you ever let go someone who had a small amount of weed? if so, what was the cut-off point?

[/ QUOTE ]

No.

[ QUOTE ]
isnt NY a decriminalized state?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you feel the drug laws are archaic or 'wrong', isn't it within the scope of your duty not to enforce them? Isn't that one of the benefits of the separation of powers, that 'unjust' laws may not be enforced by the police?

Also, as part of a follow-up to another thread, which was about a young guy stopped for speeding or something, how tolerant would you be of people who choose to remain silent at all times when dealing with the police?

For example, say you stopped a car for speeding or something. You're first question to the driver might be, "Where are you going?" If the driver chooses not to answer that question, is that going to alter the way you deal with him? Would you be angry? Would you be more inclined to issue him a ticket as opposed to a warning?

[Freerollin`]

[ QUOTE ]
Considering how much discretion an officer has, isn't this an opportunity to exact your own version of the law?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure, but how's that fair to the guy who got arrested by the stricter officer? It sucks for him. It's kind of like sentencing before guidelines came out (and were, unfortunately, invalidated): two people, same crime and circumstances, vastly different outcome. I know that the equal protection clause deals with classes, but IMO, different treatment for the same thing = fundamental unfairness.

[ QUOTE ]
If working with a partner, then he/she would have to be in the same frame of mind I guess, but when rolling solo - what could happen if you DID let that 19 year old off with a warning when you cought him smoking a joint in the park? (hypothetical situ. of course).

[/ QUOTE ]

You could get fired.

[Freerollin`]

[ QUOTE ]
If you feel the drug laws are archaic or 'wrong', isn't it within the scope of your duty not to enforce them?

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course not. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
Isn't that one of the benefits of the separation of powers, that 'unjust' laws may not be enforced by the police?

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh, no. Do some reading up on "separation of powers."

[ QUOTE ]
Also, as part of a follow-up to another thread, which was about a young guy stopped for speeding or something, how tolerant would you be of people who choose to remain silent at all times when dealing with the police?

For example, say you stopped a car for speeding or something. You're first question to the driver might be, "Where are you going?" If the driver chooses not to answer that question, is that going to alter the way you deal with him? Would you be angry? Would you be more inclined to issue him a ticket as opposed to a warning?

[/ QUOTE ]

If I treat him differently for exercising a constitutional right (right to speech implies right not to speak), then I'm not doing a very good job. He gets the same treatment, but might lose the ability to talk me out of a ticket.

LOL, I'm speaking in present voice. Time to change that.

[Wynton]

[ QUOTE ]
NT,

per NORML, NY is decriminalized. link

[/ QUOTE ]

Read it closely. They say that NY is "decriminalized to some degree." And that link plainly indicates criminal penalties exist in NY.

[dinopoker]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you feel the drug laws are archaic or 'wrong', isn't it within the scope of your duty not to enforce them?

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course not. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
Isn't that one of the benefits of the separation of powers, that 'unjust' laws may not be enforced by the police?

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh, no. Do some reading up on "separation of powers."

[/ QUOTE ]

I just did. The article expressly said that one of the C&B elements possessed by the executive branch of government is the power to decide which laws passed by the legislature will be enforced.

Obviously this is theoretical, but in practice, doesn't a PO exercise that power almost continuously. For example, you may choose to let a speeder off with a warning, even though he, strictly speaking, broke the law. Why can't you exercise the same power over a drug offender. Isn't it true that you may choose not to charge someone with a crime if they give you information about another crime? Counldn't that be considered the same thing?

[Knockwurst]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The good ones (98%)...

[/ QUOTE ]
Do you really consider 98% of cops to be "good cops"?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Have to disagree with this. I worked 7 years as a prosecutor in NYC D.A.'s Office and am now in private practice. No where close to 98% of the cops are good cops. Maybe 60-75%.

Here are some of the problems:

1) Cops who started out good but turned cynical, because of poor relations with the community they serve (as many communities in NYC have a distrust or antipathy toward the police), they've soured on the whole job.

2) Cops who started out good, but turned cynical based on their frequent interactions with the justice system (ahole judges, demanding prosecutors and badgering defense attorneys). This leads them to the phenomena of testilying, where they color testimony to help the chances of a conviction (especially in a search resulting in drugs being found). I believe it happens often, but for some it might be consolation that the accused is often guilty. Flaking (ie. planting evidence is much more rare).

3) Cops starting out good but get off on the power trip of having complete authority in the field.

4) Then there are the bad ones to begin with, who lie cheat and steal just like in any other profession.

5) Then there's the good ones who are honest and hard working and remain so.

60-75% are in category 5. There are a lot of temptations for cops, and yes even the bad ones put their bacon on the line every day and you can't take that away from them.

But saying 98% are good is ridiculous. BTW, the worst cops by far are the ones who work narcotics. Over all, worst attitude, lazy, often could care less once they've made the arrest, and many times dishonest. Something about it, maybe it's seeing some thug walking around with 10k in his pocket, brings out the worst in these cops.

Finally, the vast majority of cops have no respect for defense attorneys and little more for prosecutors. Ultimately, they feel like the only ones they can trust are their fellow brothers and sisters in blue.

[pokerraja]

1) Whats the story behind your avatar? I find it to be something I would not expect you to have as your avatar.

2) My friend who I work with is an arab-american. He is a professional type and very nice guy. He was telling me earlier how he got pulled over the other day for speeding. The first thing the officer asks him is if he has any "weapons, hand grenades or weapons of mass distruction" in his possession. My friend politely answered no sir. He got his ticket and left. All of us at work are angered by this obvious racial harrassment. Do you find that innappropriate also?

[dinopoker]

[ QUOTE ]
1) Whats the story behind your avatar? I find it to be something I would not expect you to have as your avatar.

2) My friend who I work with is an arab-american. He is a professional type and very nice guy. He was telling me earlier how he got pulled over the other day for speeding. The first thing the officer asks him is if he has any "weapons, hand grenades or weapons of mass distruction" in his possession. My friend politely answered no sir. He got his ticket and left. All of us at work are angered by this obvious racial harrassment. Do you find that innappropriate also?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the officer was maybe making a joke, and one that's kinda funny too, actually. Maybe your friend should lighten up.

Of course, it would have been funny to answer like this too...

"Are you carrying any weapons, hand grenades, or weapons of mass destruction?"

"I decline to answer under the grounds that it may incriminate me."

[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Freerollin`]

This is a load of crap. 60-75%? You realize that by your estimate, 3-4 out of every 10 cops is not a good cop? That's absolutely absurd. Just using your numbers, pretty much every person is going to have a run in with a bad cop at some point in their lives. Given the large amount of support for police in general, your argument is crap.

You also seem to assume that by saying good cop, I mean smiley faced, tip your hat to everyone and light a lady's cigarette for them. Yes, some cops are jaded as a result of their experiences in the criminal justice system. That doesn't mean that they're testilying.

[ QUOTE ]
Finally, the vast majority of cops have no respect for defense attorneys and little more for prosecutors. Ultimately, they feel like the only ones they can trust are their fellow brothers and sisters in blue.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is stupid as well. I've never had a cop act disrespectfully towards me, so implying that the vast majority have no/little respect towards prosecutors is simply wrong.

[ QUOTE ]

60-75% are in category 5. There are a lot of temptations for cops, and yes even the bad ones put their bacon on the line every day and you can't take that away from them.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is sanctimonious bull [censored]. Don't call them bad cops then say, well, gotta respect them putting their asses on the line.


Just a guess but this:

[ QUOTE ]
I worked 7 years as a prosecutor in NYC D.A.'s Office and am now in private practice.

[/ QUOTE ]

leads me to think that you're full of crap. There is no way that you'd last that long believing what you did. Did you put cops on the stand knowing that there was a good chance they were lying? By the way, no one calls it the New York City DA. It's most commonly called the Manhattan DA, or New York County DA. And I don't even live or work there. You knew that though.

[Boris]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
In your experience what are the biggest pros and cons of being a police officer?
Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

...you enforce the law as written, which may conflict with your beliefs.

[/ QUOTE ]

This would my biggest issue with being a cop. Other than the small time drug busts, I think being a cop would be awesome.