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

Some kids have been coming to my house and messing around with my water pipes. Am I legally allowed to shoot them with a BB gun?

Additional info:
I live in North Carolina
I am unsure if my gun penetrates, but I will only aim for legs

Asked by Brian about 13 years ago

Why would you think that it would be even remotely ok to shoot children with a BB gun?

1.  None of this is legal advice.  Consult an attorney.  Wrongful use force against another, especially a child, can land you in prison for a long time. 

2.  The use of force is generally resricted to "reasonable" self defense.  Re-read #1.

3.  BB guns are not toys.  They can and have killed people.  Use Google and you will see multiple stories about BB guns killing people.  For example:  http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/21/florida-boy-10-dies-after-brother-accidentally-shoots-him-with-bb-gun/

4.  BB guns can also take out an eye or do other serious injury even if they were incapable of killing.  Re-read #1.

5.  You're not Alvin York and your aim on a moving target isn't that good.  I don't care how good a shot you think you are, you can't guarantee where you would hit someone anyway.  Re-read #1.

6.  None of this excuses whatever trespass these children may have done, but shooting them with a BB gun sounds way beyond the realm of reasonableness.  What would you do if your child had been shot by an adult with a BB gun?  Re-read #1.

7.  Use of force is generally restricted to the defense of persons, not property.  Re-read #1.

8.  If someone is coming into your home and you feel threatened, things are different.  Re-read #1.

9.  Re-read #1.

If you have no criminal history, but you have at times in your past committed undetected crimes like taking something from a grocery store or driving home after dinner when you POSSIBLY could have been over .08, will this disqualify you in general?

Asked by tobias funke almost 13 years ago

Committing crimes like theft and DUI are serious, and will be seen as such by an employing agency.  Your best bet is to be completely honest (any lies will get you immediately barred from employment.)  A department will generally take into consideration the circumstances surrounding the crimes such as how long ago did it happen (were you a 13 year old when you stole from someone as opposed to having done it last week.)

Arrested Development fan, I assume?  Funny show.

 

i let my sister use my debit card once but new she won't give it back what should i do

Asked by camelia almost 12 years ago

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

What's your opinion on good Samaritan laws? Does your State have any, and do you think it's a good thing to impose criminal liability on people for failing to act or notify someone if they see crime happening?

Asked by Priya Singh about 13 years ago

Offering protection from liability for people making a good faith effort to render aid at the scene of an emergency is a good idea.  There are a lot of dirtbag attorneys who will sue anyone, including good people trying to do the right thing.

Requiring people to act, such as calling 911, when they observe something that is obviously criminal in nature makes sense - but, I always have reservations about these kinds of laws.  In my opinion, they need to be narrowly written.

I bought alcohol for my roommate once, I don't plan on ever doing it again, but can I get in trouble for something i did over a week ago?

Asked by Aleria almost 13 years ago

I assume your roommate is underage.  If so, you can still get in trouble, but probably only if he/she does something stupid such as gets alcohol poisoning, gets hurt while intoxicated, is DUI, etc.  There could be some pretty heavy reprecusions for that.

How long does does it take to match a fingerprint at a crime scene to a person whose fingerprints are already on file?

Asked by Bailey about 12 years ago

It depends on the priority of the case and the technology used to recover and analyze the prints.  If you already have a suspect, you can get a very fast match.  

This is a great thread. I appreciate your high ethics. Is it ethical for an on-duty cop (sgt) to ask for your phone number or ask you on a date? Is that frowned upon or okay? (Not pulling you over, chatting outside a store.)

Asked by Suzie about 13 years ago

Thanks for the compliments.  I am not an ethical expert, but I have always tried to do the right thing.  Teaching me that is one of the many things I thank my father for, and hope to impart to my own children.

If the situation is a casual encounter, and the officer is not involved in some type of enforcement activity (traffic stop, investigating your involvement in a domestic dispute, etc.) I don't see it as a problem.  I see it similar to a UPS driver who is grabbing a soda at a store and talks to someone in the parking lot.  As with all social encounters, discretion and tact are important.

Of course, some departments might have more restrictive policies.  But, I don't see it as being an ethical problem.