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.
Motivation. I know a lot of really good officers. But the really great ones are the ones who are self-motivated to excellence. The problem is maintaining the motivation over a career. Dealing with the stuff on the street is bad enough, but inept leadership in departments can crush morale and motivation.
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The short answer is no, police officers are not trying to kill anyone when they are forced to shoot them. The long answer: A police officer is authorized to use deadly force only when confronted with an imminent deadly threat, or to prevent/stop a forcible felony (armed robbery, rape, etc). The use of a firearm is deadly force. So, any time a police officer is authorized to shoot someone, it is an emergency situation where the officer or innocent citizen is in immediate danger. The objective is to stop the threat as quickly as possible. Or, in other words, to get the bad guy to stop whatever he is doing to create the dangerous situation. Shooting is a very precise activity. In a stress situation, with people moving and other variables, putting a bullet that is a fraction of an inch wide into any specific location is virtually impossible. So, officers are trained to shoot for the torso, which is the largest target. Additionally, wounds to the torso can cause rapid incapacitation due to blood loss. Wounding someone in the arm is not realistic as it is a very hard target to hit, and it is not likely to stop the violent behavior of the suspect. So, officers are trained to shoot to stop the threat. Death is sometimes a byproduct of that, but it is not the goal.
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Depends. What other evidence do I have that something criminal is taking place? For example, do I have witnesses telling me something different? Do I see injuries on the woman? Can I see damage inside the residence from a fight? If someone called 911, do I have recorded statements from the woman (or others) that give me evidence that things are not "fine?" There have been numerous cases where a woman has been standing at the door telling the officers "everything is fine," while the man is behind the door/around the corner threatening to hurt/kill her if she tells the cops anything else. Officers are obligated to investigate each case fully, but within the confines of the law. If no evidence exists, and the woman insists "everything is fine," that may be the end of it. If other evidence exists, officers will investigate as far as they legally can.
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Of course. There are a lot of laws that police officers feel are excessive. Different cops have different views, but most officers tend to have a libertarian streak to them. (I know - it's not what it portrayed on the internet and in the media, but it is true.) So, many/most of the laws telling people what they can/can't do with their lives & property don't sit well with many of us. Things like getting permission from the local government to cut down a tree on your property or how many cars you can park in your driveway really don't sit well with most of us. Ultimately, most cops try to apply a little common sense to a situation. From your example, most of the officers in our jurisdiction won't stop someone for less than 10 mph over the posted limit.
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iPhone & iPad Technician
Is Apple is still the young and hip brand or have mom and dad spoiled it?
Private Detective
Have you ever turned down a job because you thought it was too dangerous?
Radio program/music director
What's the secret to actually getting through when you call in for a radio contest?
No one has time for hazing at any of the departments I have worked. The closest thing to a rite of passage for new officers is they tend to get all of the bad calls when they are starting out. This normally isn't a "dump job" on them for being the new guy, but rather part of their field training. We try to get them as many calls as possible during their first 14 weeks, which is the initial on-the-street training they get. We want them to get as many different experiences under their belt while they still have an experienced training officer riding with them. New guys are going to make mistakes, but with a field training officer with them, the mistakes are fewer and can be corrected immediately. Typically, the "first" kind of calls are small hurdles they cross. "First" chase, "first" arrest, "first" fight, "first" death investigation, etc. Once a rookie is on his or her own for a while and other officers know they can count on them in a dangerous situation, they are accepted as an equal.
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Yes and no. Some lies are ok, but some are not. Criminals lie to cops constantly, and it is my job to figure out what the truth is. Suggesting I have more information that I actually do is one way that I can get a criminal to trip themselves up in their lies. But, with all things, a court is going to determine if an officer's actions were reasonable. Generally, promises of a lighter punishment, not being prosecuted, etc. you cannot lie about.
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No, I have never worked with corrupt cops. The only bribes I have ever been offered have been by drunk idiots who probably didn't know what they were saying. Regardless, there is no amount of money that someone can offer that would make me want to risk my freedom, and destroy my honor and integrity.
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