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.
Race is merely a descriptor to me when looking for someone. For example, if a white male just robbed a store, I will be looking specifically for white males. Beyond that, I don't care what you look like, where you are from, etc. All people are capable of good and evil. I'm looking for what people are doing, not what the look like. Every cop, no matter their own race, is accused of racism. Criminals don't like being arrested and can make all sorts of outlandish claims in an effort to "get back" at the cop who arrested them. It is annoying, but part of the world in which we work.
Share Answer: 
Depends on the officer and the jurisdiction what could be the "worst." For example, some cops work hard to make detective, while I would hate the job. The worst for them would be to have my job, and the reverse for me. In most jurisdictions there are some patrol districts that are busier than others. Getting assigned to one of those could be considered a punishment for some people.
Share Answer: 
I don't work in Arizona, so I am not an expert on their laws. However, two things: 1. Police officers cannot just "stop people and demand proof of immigration status." I've heard a few people state this on various news programs, but it is a statement made for political ends or out of ignorance. The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution governs the seizure of persons, and various cases (Terry v. Ohio, et al) have clarified the legalities of investigative detentions. Investigative detentions are short-duration stops of a person where the officer has reasonable, articulable suspicion that the person is engaged in unlawful activity. For example, a subject wearing a ski mask and carrying a crowbar at the back door of a business at 3 am can be lawfully detained as the officer can articulate specific facts that would lead him to believe the subject was engaged in a burglary. Absence reasonable, articulable suspicion, officers may not lawfully stop people. So to stop someone and check his or her immigration status, the officer must have already established facts that would lead a reasonable person to believe the subject being stopped was a foreign national inside the US illegally. 2. Being an illegal alien has nothing to do with race. Being an illegal alien is about nationality. Don't be fooled by politicians with personal agendas. Citizens of other countries are (generally) not allowed to visit or immigrate to the United States without permission of the federal government. Permission typically takes the form of a visa. Absent that permission, the person is violating federal law. The funny thing is law enforcement is already required to determine the nationality of all people who are detained or arrested for the purposes of conforming to international treaty. The US is a signatory to various treaties regarding consular notification and access. Officers are required to determine if someone is a foreign national, and offer to contact their consular officers if so. By treaty, we are required to notify certain foreign governments even if the arrested subject declines. You can read more about consular notifications here: http://travel.state.gov/pdf/cna/CNA_Manual_3d_Edition.pdf It would seem that if someone was arrested, and they advised they were a citizen of another country, that INS would be able to tell law enforcement officers if the subject was in the US legally. If not, it would seem INS should get involved and address the issue. Of course, I have arrested many felons in the past who were in this country illegally and the feds failed to take any enforcement action. Probably the worst case was a subject I arrested once who was a member of an international gang, and who was a known drug trafficker. I arrested him for rape. He plead to a lesser charge and INS decided not to deport him. Bottom line: race isn't part of the issue, except for people using immigration as a political football.
Share Answer: 
Literary Scout
Can a novelist achieve huge success through self-publishing?
The IT Guy
What's the the stupidest IT question you've every gotten?
Federal Lobbyist
What was the strangest lobbying request you've ever received?
It is very situation dependent. What information has dispatch relayed to us? Is there someone that is displaying a badge or other identifiers? What are the circumstances? Do we have prior information about undercover officers working in an area? Misidentifying a good/bad guy is always a problem, and shooting an off-duty or plain clothes officer is a very real possibility. There is no simple answer to this question and the circumstances will offer responding officers "context clues" to the nature of the incident.
Share Answer: 
There is some truth to it, as people who are friends (regardless of profession) do tend to stick up for each other. You can find the same dynamic on a sports team, in a military unit, and in any organization where tight teamwork is essential for success. I've never seen a police officer lie under oath to protect another officer. Nor have I ever seen another officer turn a blind eye to unethical or criminal behavior. Does it happen? Sure - but no where nearly as often as Hollywood depicts.
Share Answer: 
Drugs are held in evidence storage until the conclusion of the criminal trial. At that point, a judge will typically issue a court order for their destruction.
Share Answer: 
-OR-
Login with Facebook (max 20 characters - letters, numbers, and underscores only. Note that your username is private, and you have the option to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
(A valid e-mail address is required. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone.)
(min 5 characters)
By checking this box, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to Jobstr.com’s Terms and Privacy Policy.
-OR-
Register with Facebook(Don't worry: you'll be able to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
Browse Jobs
Host a Q&A
Search
Submit Your Question
Host a Q&A
Last 7
