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

To possess either probable cause or reasonable suspicion, an officer must be able to cite specific articulable facts to warrant the intrusion. Please explain to me how a citizens complaint of underage drinking can jeopardize my 4th amendment right?

Asked by i'm 19! over 11 years ago

As I explained, it is a totality of the circumstances.  Sometimes a single fact/observation can amount to RAS or PC.  Other times, an officer may have to build a series of facts/observations to meet the legal burdens.  I'm afraid you cannot present a general scenario and get a specific answer.

When police officers patrol, do they decide on their own when to turn and where to go within their patrol area? Or is there usually/sometimes/rarely an exact route that they generally follow through their area?

Asked by Ryan almost 11 years ago

No exact routes are ever taken/repeated.  It would be a good way to be ambushed and that's never a good day.

if you try to steal something and the girl that works there sees you and you put it back with out leaving with it can you get in trouble( just asking never did it)

Asked by emily dumont about 11 years ago

It depends on the laws of the state, but generally attempting to commit a crime is punishable as if you completed the crime itself.  Based on your scenario, the only reason why the item was not stolen was the clerk saw the theft taking place and the thief put the item back.  The intent to commit a theft existed, and the thief took an action to commit the crime, so in many jurisdictions it would be a criminal act (attempted theft or something similar.)

Consider the guy who runs into the liquor store to rob it.  As he begins to demand money, the store clerk pulls out a gun and the robber flees.  The robber did not succeed in the crime, but intended to rob the clerk and took some action to commit the crime.  Therefore, the attempted robbery could be prosecuted.

I hope that makes sense, and these things vary from state to state depending on the laws of each.

I hit a car at a red light because I was bending down to get something out from under my feet. The cop that arrived did not give me a ticket but can he mail one with the report it 3 to 5 days?

Asked by andy over 10 years ago

Depends on the state. Sounds like you should get one.

I have a sentry safe in my home that contained 2000dollars. The money was stolen which means the safe was broken into but there's no sign of it being broken into can the nypd come and dust for fingerprints

Asked by Sikeisha over 11 years ago

They can, but there are a lot of variables that go into lifting useable prints.  There are no guarantees the officer(s) will be able to recover a print, but they can certainly try.

what is the Colorado statue, or what do you know to be law for an officer receiving a citizens arrest. Everything I read said I can make the arrest but where is your authority to "have to receive"

Asked by MH over 11 years ago

I'm not familiar with Colorado law in that respect.  If you call the local Sheriff's Department, they should be able to tell you.

Is this a possible scenario, a young man gets pulled over and pot is found. He is arrested and taken in where he is persuaded to give up dealer names and then will be set free, no arrest.

Asked by ma over 11 years ago

Its possible, but how valuable is that information to the officers?  Not terribly valuable probably.  The cops either know the names already, or have no way of knowing if the subject being arrested is giving them good info.

A more likely scenario would be the subject provides the officers with very detailed information on the dealers and is given a court date for some time in the future in exchange.  Then the officers can determine if the information is good.  If so, the officers can appear in court an explain to the judge that the subject was cooperative in an investigation and request favorable treatment of the informant.