Ask Me About Being a Police Officer

[ItalianFX]

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I watched The Departed. Is it true that cops hate firefighters and vice versa?

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I never watched that movie, so I don't know the story behind it.

We don't hate any of the firefighters in our town, and I doubt anybody does anywhere around where I work. The only problems we have sometimes is that they think they have more authority than they do, but they don't see the action as much as we do and so I think the adrenaline makes them overreact.

I don't think the firefighters hate us, in fact, we have a pretty good reputation with each other as most of them are good friends with the department. And if they do hate us, it is just because they are jealous.

[jackflashdrive]

Have a lot of cops seen this video (the officer involved was fired) and what is the general reaction?

What is your reaction (regardless if you'd seen it before or not).

Great thread, thanks.

EDIT: OOPs wrong video at first this should be a video of a kid getting yelled out by a cop. Also video gets interesting at 1:07

[ItalianFX]

[ QUOTE ]
Have a lot of cops seen this video (the officer involved was fired) and what is the general reaction?

What is your reaction (regardless if you'd seen it before or not).

Great thread, thanks.

EDIT: OOPs wrong video at first this should be a video of a kid getting yelled out by a cop. Also video gets interesting at 1:07

[/ QUOTE ]

I can't speak for other police if they have seen that video, but I watched some of it. It's extremely annoying with all of that clicking and it makes me not want to watch it. However, from what I've seen, that officer was completely out of hand. I don't even know what his problem was.

[Ron Burgundy]

Do you think arrest contests are a good idea? Have you ever been involved in one?

How are SWAT teams organized? Is there like one SWAT team per city/county? Or does each PD just form them on their own when they feel it's necessary?

How do feel about SWAT teams or military tactics being used to raid homes or businesses for people suspected of petty drug/gambling/ poetry crimes?

Do you have a shotgun or AR15 in your car? Or do you just have the pistol? Do you have a bulletproof vest?

Does your city have any parking meters? Do real cops like to make fun of metermaids?

[Ron Burgundy]

[ QUOTE ]

Quote:

For family members, it is just accepted that they can be left go with verbal warnings. Traffic violations are not the end of the world. It is just the world of law enforcement and a benefit to those involved.



Do you realize that for a lot of people this is why they tend to think of cops as "dicks"?

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I guess it's a choice between being a dick, and being a Dick Of The Month.

[theblackkeys]

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Does your station have an Internal Affairs specialist? How does he get along with the other officers?

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No, my dept is very basic. The only thing we have other than police officers and the chief is a lady who is our secretary who also fills in as the parking enforcement.

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No dispatchers/call takers?

[ItalianFX]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you think arrest contests are a good idea? Have you ever been involved in one?

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I wouldn't personally say they are a good idea. If the intentions are good and not just "any booking," then I could see the pros to it. I have never been involved in one. I do know that a couple years ago, there were some officers doing it unofficially through different departments. They were basically doing it over the radio, but they weren't doing it on "anything." It was more about traffic violations and counting traffic stops, but not citations written

[ QUOTE ]

How are SWAT teams organized? Is there like one SWAT team per city/county? Or does each PD just form them on their own when they feel it's necessary?

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All I really know about SWAT teams are that they are in squads like the military. I could be wrong even, I don't know too much about them other than what I've seen on tv. Our SWAT team comes from the State Police and I think they are called CERT? I could be wrong with that too. Usually they are left to the bigger departments. Pittsburgh has their own SWAT team, but my area doesn't. We do have a Drug Task Force and that is always specific to the area.

[ QUOTE ]

How do feel about SWAT teams or military tactics being used to raid homes or businesses for people suspected of petty drug/gambling/ poetry crimes?

[/ QUOTE ]

I could understand with drugs. They are cracking down on drugs, if I'm interpreting your question the right way. As far as gambling, I don't think it's a big deal, and poetry...whatever that is, is probably a bad idea too. I think the police/SWAT have better things to worry about than inspections and gambling rings.

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Do you have a shotgun or AR15 in your car? Or do you just have the pistol? Do you have a bulletproof vest?

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We have a shotgun in our car at all times. It's secured onto the roof of the car, but it's not so easy to just pull out. You actually have to push a hidden button to unlock the shotgun from what is holding it in.

I do have a pistol that I always carry.

I do wear a bulletproof vest at all times when I'm in uniform.

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Does your city have any parking meters? Do real cops like to make fun of metermaids?

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We have a lot of parking meters in our downtown area. Our "metermaid" is our secretary so no, we never make fun of her. And I don't think they often do because they work hand-in-hand.

[ItalianFX]

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Ok that video transcript was a perfect example of the type of stuff I was asking about before. Lets examine this piece of it:

[ QUOTE ]
You got any ID on you?
Brett: Yeah, I do.
Officer #1: Can I see it please?



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The way he said that was as if Brett had a choice in the matter. Did he? Could he legally say, 'no, you cannot see it'?


[ QUOTE ]


Brett: Did I do something wrong?
Officer #1: Yeah you're a suspicious vehicle right now.
Brett: I'm what?
Officer #1: [Leans into the car and yells] You are a suspicious vehicle right now.
Brett: In a commuter parking lot?
Officer #1: Yeah you are cause we have car thieves in here.


[/ QUOTE ]

How about that part. Is that really a legal reason to stop somebody? 'suspicious vehicle' is a pretty broad and subjective term. Do they teach you guys these kinds of things so you can basically stop and question anybody you please? Then tell you ways to get them to allow you to search them, give you their ID etc etc when in reality they don't have to?

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Officer #1: You want me -- You wanna come out of the car? Come on out. Come on out.

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How about that. He phrased that as a question. Could Brett have said, 'no, i dont want to come out of the car'?

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I can only speak for Pennsylvania, but I don't see why it would be different for any other state. If an officer asks you for identification, you have to show him identification. If you don't have an ID on you, then Name and Date of Birth is sufficient to check through the computer system.

Suspicious vehicles - I don't really think you can just stop someone for it. I'm sure that other states you can. I am not aware of the ruling on that. I can just talk to anybody at any time. It's called a "mere encounter." It's no different than you walking up to someone and starting a conversation. However, in that case, I am thinking you don't have to show ID or anything. You could just walk away and not say a word to the officer. In the case of a traffic stop though, you have to give up Identification.

If an officer asks you to get out of the car, then you should. But never get out of the car of the officer doesn't ask you. It's a security issue.

As I think about it more, this officer in the video has said they have been having alot of burglaries in that parking lot. Therefore, suspicion is raised quite a bit. It would be like someone walking through a known drug neighborhood, or coming out of a drug house. It looks suspicious. You will know what is suspicious and what is not. So in the case of the "suspicious" car in the parking lot given of past history, I could see how this officer is looking into it. His accusations are pretty strong, though, given that he has no idea what is going on yet.

[raptor517]

how long would it take for, say, someone like me to become a police officer? is there like a 6 week academy, a few tests, then u get to be under someone for a cpl years till you get ur own car? how does that work?