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

In the police force, how do you value the following: experience (time), education, and someone's natural ability to do the job?

Asked by Josbtr almost 11 years ago

I value them all.  If you are asking me to arbitrarily rank them in order of importance, I cannot.  What duty is the officer trying to perform?  Every task is different and requires varying degrees of each of the above.  Also time in grade does not equate to experience.  Also, experiences vary widely.  Are the experiences in roles as a trainer, investigator, narcotics officer, or what?  A highly educated homicide investigator with ten years of violent crime investigations may get his butt kicked the first night he rotates back to patrol and goes to a bar disturbance, while the two-year officer with nothing more than a high school diploma saves him.  There is no neat way of quantifying police officers.  

I am trying to get in a police academy in Florida.I have read that traffic violation do not DQ you from getting accepted but i am wondering.I have 4 traffic citations. 3 speeding and 1 from my brakes failing in a wreck but he put following close

Asked by Johnny over 11 years ago

You can probably still enter an academy, but it will be difficult to get a department to hire you.  Three speeding citations and an at-fault accident is a fairly significant indicator of poor driving.  Few agencies would want to put an officer into a patrol car for 40+ hours a week and expose themselves to the potential liability of his or her foreseeable bad driving.

As time passes, the citations become less of a problem for getting hired.  For example, two years since the last citation looks like you have improved your driving.  Five years looks even better.  Different departments will have different guidelines based on the agency's risk tolerance.  

what classes do you need take to be a police officer? and what degree should you graduate with? also, what should your major be?

Asked by michael about 11 years ago

I cover this information further up the page.  Good luck.

Hello I am in Florida also, and two brothers (out of three) keep calling and harassing my 86 year old mother to let my dad come back from the nursing home to her house, he has CHF and cannot walk well. As h her POA, what can I do?

Asked by Susan almost 11 years ago

If you are unable to work things out inside the family, you might want to contact a family law attorney.

Are Domestic violence "warning signs" considered something that should be brought to a police officer's attention?

Asked by MZUSMC almost 11 years ago

If you believe a crime has been committed, I would encourage you to contact the police.

please read and help me and my family this abuse is real and very serious they keep threatening me to kidnap me and they try and kill me daily believe me I would have ran away but THEY GOT MY FAMILY
Have you heard of the problem??? I am anomyou

Asked by anomyous almost 11 years ago

You should contact the local police department.  I am not an active officer, nor is this a law enforcement agency.  Dial 911 if there is a true emergency.

um, how many years of college do you have to take to be a police men, or do you even have to take classes for it ?

Asked by kendra owens over 10 years ago

It depends on the agency.  Some departments require no college, while others might require a two or four year degree.  Read through the prior posts and you can get additional information on college and hiring.