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.

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

615 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on October 29, 2014

Best Rated

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.  

how can i report someone on the run from a warrant

Asked by brenda about 11 years ago

By phone is often the easiest for many people. Sometimes walking into the police station is easier.

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 about 11 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.

If some one is complying with the officer at what point is the officer justified in shooting someone

Asked by Jamiyssalinn@gmail.com about 11 years ago

In general, a police officer can use that force which is reasonable to defend himself or another, to prevent a crime or to detain a subject. Refer to http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=490&invol=386 and http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=471&invol=1 as a starting point for this body of work.

If a disabled person hits a parked car and the owner calls the cops and when the cops get there the owner tells him it was amestaken call but the next day they wantto put the cops again is that right or no and both cars have insurance

Asked by smiley956956 over 11 years ago

I have no clue as to what you are talking about.  The application of punctuation may help, but I don't think so.

If you were involved in an accident, you might want to contact a civil attorney.

In response to my first question what makes you do it every day?

Asked by Emily over 11 years ago

The desire to help people - to make a difference.  All of those things I mentioned above suck the life out of you.  But with good friends, family and faith in God supporting you, the job can be done.

There were many times that I was going to a call that I would have preferred avoid, but I knew I had the skills and disposition to handle it.  Who wants to go to the call where a man just committed suicide in front of his wife by sticking a gun in his mouth and pulling the trigger?  No one.  But, as I often questioned myself, "if not me, then who?"

There are upsides to the job, though they are rarely visible to, or understood by, anyone outside of law enforcement. 

In your experience (or in general) if a patrol officer calls for one backup officer for assistance (not a serious emergency), will that person come from another patrol area or will more than one officer patrol one area at the same time? Thanks.

Asked by 456 over 11 years ago

In a smaller department, only one officer may be assigned to a specific area.  In that case, the back up officer will come from another area.  In medium or larger agencies, there may be two or more officers assigned to a specific area.  In that case the backup officer will probably come from inside that area.