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

Legally in South Carolina , can you move out of your house at 16 without parental Consent?

Asked by Ashash over 10 years ago

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

(Background for my last question regarding education and how you value it): You previously said that you think an Ivy league degree shows someone who can't be trusted to handle PD money properly. Also, assume that this person had a full scholarship)

Asked by ROB over 10 years ago

Education and college degrees are not the same thing.  Education is highly valued and has little to do with college.  A college degree is an expensive piece of paper that shows you stuck around long enough to get one.  I guess that could be called determination, but I'd much rather hire the guy who showed determination by humped a pack up and down mountains in Afghanistan, rescued idiot boaters as a Coastie or worked the catapult on a carrier for 12+ hours/day.  Those folks have learned hard lessons and know how to make sensible decisions under pressure.

If Uncle Sam paid your way via ROTC, that is a reasonable approach.  Assuming you are active duty upon graduation, you have a paid-for degree and a real education.  If you instead dropped $100k+ at Yale to get a $40-50k/year job as a cop - well, I'd question your reasoning and problem solving skills.  Even more if you went into debt to do it.

All other things being equal, a college degree is better on the application than not having one.  But, all things are not equal.  Few colleges teach anything about real life.  Take a look at the professors in economics and business schools, for example.  How many of them have run a successful business?  How many of the law school professors have spent any time in a courtroom?  

The sad reality is that college is a black hole in which money disappears, but little is returned for it.  

If I purchase a phone from someone, sent the money through Western Union and he/she collects it, but I don't receive the phone, is there a way of getting back my money?

Asked by Shan almost 11 years ago

Probably not.

In my experience, a significant number of transactions handled via Western Union are scams.  Money sent through Western Union can be picked up anywhere in the world.  So a person sets up a Craigslist ad (or wherever) and says he lives in New York, Atlanta, or wherever.  However, he most likely lives outside the jurisdiction of the US - Europe, Africa, Asia.  He can pick up the money anonymously at any Western Union and you never hear from him again.

Unfortunately, I have seen too many of these cases and none of them are ever solved.

Feel free to file a police report, but do not expect that you will ever get your money back.

Ok, I want you to keep in mind I am from Canada. My uncle was killed in a car accident, Is their anyway for me to get my hands on the report they have, pictures and documents. Dont ask me why but I don't think it was an accident!

Asked by Scott about 11 years ago

I'm sorry for your loss.  If you contact the investigating agency, they will be able to tell you what the procedures are to obtain the information and documents you need.

so my dad took my cell phone that I bought myself and he wont give it back to me I was talking to my girlfriend and that's why he took it away can I call the cops on him im 17

Asked by nicholas almost 11 years ago

You are a child.  Your father has excercised reasonable discipline.  If you call the police for this, you are the only person who runs the risk of being charged with anything (false report of a crime.) 

Sounds like you've got a lot of growing up to do.

I have had a roommate since february of 2014. He is now moving out due to some disagreement and false statements. Show I call an officer to my house today, since he is moving out and make sure there is no physical disagreements?

Asked by Katherine over 10 years ago

If you think there will be a problem, you can call an officer.  Keep in mind that officers will not be able to stand by for more than about 15-30 minutes.  The department cannot reasonably justify pulling officers away from protecting the public while your roommate packs and moves.

If you want someone to stand by at your residence for a long period of time, you can contract with the agency to provide an off duty police officer for however long you want.

Is it unfair that NYPD cops make as little as $30,000 per year, whereas in my town there is a small PD where they each make more than $100,000 and the chief makes more than Ray Kelly? (Never violent crimes in my town. And its not because of them.)...

Asked by Student about 11 years ago

Fair is a BS concept typically used by people who covet what other people have.  Life isn't fair.  Life is about choices.  

If a person wants to work for NYPD, they know what the job pays going into it.  If a potential applicant wants better pay, they will go elsewhere.  If the citizens of New York want the best possible people applying to be police officers then they will offer more competitive salaries.