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.
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.
I'd suggest considering is a learning experience. You are not likely to be in any trouble if what you have described is true. However, it could have all gone very badly for you.
I was in a similar situation once when I was in college. I rode in a (unknown to me) stolen car with the friend of a friend. The driver (unknown to me) was wanted for murder. It wasn't until two days after that ride I learned about him and the car. It taught me a valuable lesson about who to catch rides with.
On duty generally means he/she is currently being paid by the agency as part of regularly assigned duties. So, it would sound like the officer was off duty.
What kind of gun? A quick Google search shows 18+ for long guns and 21+ for handguns. Long guns that are scarey looking are still 18+, but require a purchase permit according to Wikipedia. I can only assume that non-scarey looking long guns do not require the same permit. You probably want to take a look at MN §624.7131 for more detailed information.
Basketball Referee
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Navy Officer (Former)
No, stopping someone without reasonable articulable suspicion would be a violation of the 4th Amendment of the US Constitution and a bunch of state laws and department policies.
Speeding, even if "everyone does it" is still illegal, hence the reason why you were stopped.
There is no single answer to your question. You may as well ask "what does a middle manager in a company do." The only real answer is "it depends." Different agencies have different rank structures and assign job duties/responsibilities in different ways. At one department something might be assigned to an officer, while it is assigned to a captain at another department.
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.
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