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

Can someone be stopped by a police officer just for looking suspicious? Not race or anything. Let's say a guy tries to avoid eye contact with you when you're patrolling in a police car. Can he be stopped for questioning? Can he be followed?

Asked by Red almost 12 years ago

If a police officer can develop reasonable, articulable suspicion that you are involved in criminal activity, you can be detained.  You are not free to leave in this case.

Any police officer can walk up and start talking to you, including asking for ID, without any articulable suspicion.  However, you are free to leave in this circumstance.

If you want to leave, and don't know if you are able to, politely ask the officer if you may leave.  He or she will let you know.

Hi I'm in college pursuing my criminal justice degree but I'm worried about getting hired because I used to smoke marijuana and tried ecstasy and cocaine once in high school, does that automatically disqualify me?

Asked by Jessica over 12 years ago

Depends on the department.  Cocaine and ecstacy are serious drugs and can have serious long-term consequences on your brain.  I would suggest contacting the department(s) you are insterested in applying to and speak to one of the recruiters about your situation.  Any department would require a long interval (several years at least) between hiring and your last use of the drug.

So then how should I go about getting experience for police k9 training? Where do the police officers who train the dogs get their experience from?

Asked by Alessandro Ferri over 11 years ago

Working the road. Where else?

Until you've had to make decisions on when to deploy a dog in a real-life, volatile use-of-force situation, and then justify those decisions to your chain of command, an internal affairs investigation, a city attorney and (probably) a court, how exactly do you figure you will have the credibility to tell others what they need to know?

It's one thing to know the law from reading a book or attending a training class, its another to apply it appropriately in the field. It is a bit like training in the dojo vs. a street fight. Or perhaps a better analogy is the guy sitting on the couch watching a football game who has never stepped onto the field, yet thinks he knows better than the players. 

Reality is a harsh, unforgiving mistress. Until you've danced with her a while, you simply don't know what you don't know.

If you can please email me the answer it would be greatly appreciated: thepausemenu@gmail.com

I live in TN. If I break a car window to rescue an animal inside on a really hot day how much trouble am I looking at?

Asked by Daniel over 12 years ago

You should contact a criminal defense attorney in that state.  Just because you see something as the "right" thing, doesn't mean there isn't the potential of having criminal charges filed against you.

Hello,
I was wonder if you can be an undercover FBI agent or similar but undercover and a doctor at the same time. I love doing investigation but at the same time being a doctor.

Asked by Saad Muhammad almost 12 years ago

Both are full time jobs and it is not reasonable to do both.  You can be an MD working for the FBI in a variety of capacities, though endercover work is not likely to be one of them.

What if you tell a police officer you're suicidal?

Asked by Lacie over 12 years ago

Laws in different states dictate what actions may be required of a police officer, but in general terms he or she would talk to you and try to determine if there was some way to help you.  In some cases, a police officer may be required to take a suicidal person to a hospital or other medical facility if the person poses a risk to anyone.  

If you or someone you know is depressed or suicidal, there are people who can help.  Call 1-800-273-8255 from anywhere in the US and they can provide assistance.  Alternatively anyone can go to a hospital an explain that they are having some problems and need help.

My husband is going to court next week for his 5th oui arrest. We are in MA, he did not take the breathalizer and his defense is vertigo, and poor police work. If the jury does notknow about prior arrests/ jail time,how likely will he be convicted

Asked by tortured wife over 12 years ago

It would appear that your husband has a serious addiction, and is not taking responsibility for his actions.  Hopefully he hasn't killed or maimed anyone yet, and will not have to opportunity to do so in the future.

Ask his attorney for legal advice, not me.