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

Should a series of prank calls be reported to the police? (In this case I have the numbers of the callers.)

Asked by Jorge almost 11 years ago

Call your local police department and ask for their assistance. They will know what to do.

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Asked by taysuan over 11 years ago

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I have just recently found out that a man that moved in to our neighborhood over a year ago is a convicted sex offender. Is it required for the police department to inform us somehow?

Asked by Concerned Dad about 11 years ago

Probably not.  Laws vary from state to state, but law enforcement has no duty to protect you.  Law enforcement has a duty to provide general protection to a community, but not to individuals.  Most (all?) states provide a sex offender database online that you can access to check things for yourself.  For example, this is the one in Florida:  https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/

Hi I'm 16 years old I'm living with my mom & step dad and I want to move out cause I want to live with my boyfriend but my mother keeps saying he's going to do something to me? Am I aloud to move out or no

Asked by Zoey over 10 years ago

Nope.

how do i become a police officer? how long does it take? can anyone do it?

Asked by katelynn over 11 years ago

The best bet is to call your local police recruiter and talk to him or her about the specific requirements in your area.  Generally, you apply for the position, undergo a thorough background investigation, go through a series of mental, physical and medical tests and then complete academy training.

i just wanna ask you a quick question about something if you could help that would be so great

Asked by quan almost 11 years ago

I can only answer questions when they are asked.

(Background for my last question regarding education and how you value it): You previously said that you think an Ivy league degree shows someone who can't be trusted to handle PD money properly. Also, assume that this person had a full scholarship)

Asked by ROB about 11 years ago

Education and college degrees are not the same thing.  Education is highly valued and has little to do with college.  A college degree is an expensive piece of paper that shows you stuck around long enough to get one.  I guess that could be called determination, but I'd much rather hire the guy who showed determination by humped a pack up and down mountains in Afghanistan, rescued idiot boaters as a Coastie or worked the catapult on a carrier for 12+ hours/day.  Those folks have learned hard lessons and know how to make sensible decisions under pressure.

If Uncle Sam paid your way via ROTC, that is a reasonable approach.  Assuming you are active duty upon graduation, you have a paid-for degree and a real education.  If you instead dropped $100k+ at Yale to get a $40-50k/year job as a cop - well, I'd question your reasoning and problem solving skills.  Even more if you went into debt to do it.

All other things being equal, a college degree is better on the application than not having one.  But, all things are not equal.  Few colleges teach anything about real life.  Take a look at the professors in economics and business schools, for example.  How many of them have run a successful business?  How many of the law school professors have spent any time in a courtroom?  

The sad reality is that college is a black hole in which money disappears, but little is returned for it.