Police Officer

Police Officer

BlueSheepdog

10 Years Experience

Around the Way, FL

Male, 40

Cheating death and fighting communism: that is how a fellow officer once described our job. It was meant to be funny, but as time went on it seemed all too true.

I spent more than ten years in law enforcement, all of it on the street in uniform patrol. I've been a patrol officer, instructor, sergeant and lieutenant.

Do not report crimes here. Nothing here should be considered legal advice. All opinions are my own.

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Last Answer on October 29, 2014

Best Rated

In your experience, does offering a monetary award for info leading to finding a missing person or a wanted suspect actually work?

Asked by Pivot over 11 years ago

Sometimes.

most ppl where im from become products of their environment when i was younger i did some bad things. i sold drugs for a week but i felt so bad i quit, then joined the military to atone. will my past destroy any chances i have as a police officer...

Asked by Young. over 12 years ago

Maybe not.  If you have been convicted of certain crimes, there isn't much you can do about that.  However, without any prior arrests or convictions, you may still be able to obtain employment as a police officer.  A solid military record with an honorable discharge (staying in the active reserves is even better) will go a long way to showing you aren't the person that you may have been in the past.  The longer the time space between criminal activity and when you apply is better.  Also, holding a secret clearance shows you have previously passed a background check, which helps.

I was waiting to pull our of a space last night on a 30mph road. I had my indicator on a police car drove by and I had no lights on. I drove for about 10seconds before I put them on. Should I expect anything? it was a total mistake.

Asked by emma over 12 years ago

Nope.

Just a follow up to last question.

Would you ticket an individual if you saw it?

Asked by Peter s almost 13 years ago

If I understand the question correctly (entered on green, waited for traffic to clear to complete the turn, light turned red and then you cleared the intersection) - no.  But then, laws vary from place to place.

Okay so I am 17 years old was smoking a cigarette at my friends sweet 16 party and her aunt who is a cop but was off duty asked my friend and I if we were 18 and if she could see our IDs. We said we were 18 but we didn't have our IDs on (1/2)

Asked by Butch over 12 years ago

(see second part of this question)

If someone has an exceptionally prestigious education (i.e. Ivy League college degree), does that give them a better chance for getting into a PD and getting promoted? (Of course in addition to experience and good performance.)

Asked by Ryan about 12 years ago

Unlikely.  It would indicate to me that the person overspent on education and might be a poor steward of the department budget.

If you are out patrolling an area where you have to pay attention to suspicious activity, and you see someone commit a regular traffic violation (not causing danger), will you ignore it so you can be on the streets patrolling?

Asked by 567 about 12 years ago

One of the functions of a police officer is to enforce traffic laws.  So, while on patrol I would be looking for both criminal and traffic vioations.  Since most criminals use a vehicle in some way (to get to a crime, to flee a crime, to move stolen property, etc.), making traffic stops will frequently result in the discovery of criminal activity.  

I have made major felony cases by stopping people for relatively minor traffic infractions.  Folks like Timothy McVeigh, Ted Bundy and others have all been located on traffic stops.  I can't tell you how many terrorists, murderers, rapists and others have been arrested after a seemingly small traffic violation.