Export thread

Okay... I've had several instances where folks have asked for information from me, either about law enforcement in general, or to get a law enforcement perspective.

I thought that it might not be a bad idea for me to have a sort of central location for folks to pop in here and ask something in that area.

I preface this by stating that any/all information here is given with the intent to inform or advise, not to direct or order. I am not a "legal expert" in any sense of the word - I'm just the grunt with his boots on the ground, so to speak.

Whatever you choose to do with information from here is your own choice. Insert appropriate clause here, passing off liability etc etc ad infinitum ad nauseum.

I suppose you could call this an "Ask Me Anything" thread, if you'd like, but anyone with LE experience is welcome to weigh in (Frankie, obviously - I know at least one forumite has a spouse who is/was law enforcement, as well.)

If you're nervous about your question, by all means, ask under an alias.

Any trolling will be treated like how I have to deal with it on the street.

Wall of text done. Fire away, folks!

If you chose to volunteer in Girl Guides for your daughter, would you require a background check?

HCGLNS said:

If you chose to volunteer in Girl Guides for your daughter, would you require a background check?

Click to expand...

I know for a fact that the Boy Scouts do it, so it's likely they do. Then again, the Girl Guides don't have a long and storied tradition of admitting pedophiles in as volunteers...

Have you ever jammed out to "fuck the police" while sitting in your squad car?

Where do you work, and are there any 300ft + antennas around that you might be able to keep clear?

AshburnerX said:

I know for a fact that the Boy Scouts do it, so it's likely they do. Then again, the Girl Guides don't have a long and storied tradition of admitting pedophiles in as volunteers...

Click to expand...

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeah...
But I started as a scout master as soon as I handed them the paperwork. That very document. The appropriate behavior training is all online, and to be certified you just have to pass a static web quiz.

I got pulled over a while back for something minor, no ticket given. I only had an old insurance card on me. The cop took it, looked it up and said, ok, you are fine, everything is current and waved me on.
I got rear-ended recently, and again, only had an old insurance card on me and the cop took it, I assumed looked it up to see that I was current, then wrote me a ticket.

In your opinion why the difference? If they can look it up and see everything is current is this just a "each cop will deal with it individually" kind of thing?

Aren't you required to have proof of current insurance? I think the first cop in that just decided not to enforce it since it was something minor. An accident was involved with the second, requiring a bit more by the book.

Just my guess.

How much racial profiling actually occurs?

Even though quotas is something everyone thinks exists but probably doesn't, is there some pressure to write a certain amount of tickets per month regardless?

Ravenpoe said:

Aren't you required to have proof of current insurance? I think the first cop in that just decided not to enforce it since it was something minor. An accident was involved with the second, requiring a bit more by the book.

Just my guess.

Click to expand...

Yes you are, the reason I asked the question though was due to the first cop saying he could look up my info with my insurance card though and see that it was current, so he didn't bother writing me a ticket. I'm not saying I shouldn't have gotten a ticket, just, with the ability to verify stuff like that are cops required to write tickets if you don't have the physical document on you or is it up to the cop?

Has cleavage ever actually affected your decision on not giving a ticket?

mr_thehun said:

have you ever fired your gun while jumping through the air?

Click to expand...

Let's say 2 cars are speeding (maybe they're racing each other). If one pulls over but the other doesn't, what do you do? Do you choose one of them to go after?

If Train A leaves Baltimore at 77 MPH, and Train B leaves Cleveland at 64 MPH, each maintaining a constant speed, what drink will the lady in seat 3C on Train A order?

May I beat you with a doomweasel?

HCGLNS said:

If you chose to volunteer in Girl Guides for your daughter, would you require a background check?

Click to expand...

Assuming the Girl Scouts would allow a male volunteer, then yes, I'd have to pass the same background check I had to pass when I became a Scoutmaster.

Covar said:

Have you ever jammed out to "fuck the police" while sitting in your squad car?

Click to expand...

Actually, yes. Not my favorite song, but sometimes it's amusing to see folk's reactions.

Espy said:

In your opinion why the difference? If they can look it up and see everything is current is this just a "each cop will deal with it individually" kind of thing?

Click to expand...

Ravenpoe said:

Aren't you required to have proof of current insurance? I think the first cop in that just decided not to enforce it since it was something minor. An accident was involved with the second, requiring a bit more by the book.

Click to expand...

Poe's pretty much got it. In Georgia, the reporting database for insurance is woefully out of whack - to the extent that one of the administrators for it got pulled over and her vehicle towed by a friend of mine for no current insurance.

It basically boils down to whether or not someone can prove they have current insurance with documentation onhand. If you're a dick, it's just something else I can use to jam you up - I can be a bigger dick, and I have the law on my side.

Dave said:

How much racial profiling actually occurs?

Even though quotas is something everyone thinks exists but probably doesn't, is there some pressure to write a certain amount of tickets per month regardless?

Click to expand...

With me... it's not really so much racial profiling as profiling based on stops that I've had in the past that have resulted in something. Chances are better, if I stop a rusted out beater for example, that the driver is either going to be in possession or have a warrant of some flavor. It's not really profiling - it's a tested and proven hypothesis. Lower-income folks are, unfortunately, more likely to have something in the way of a probation violation warrant, a contempt of court warrant, or a child support violation warrant/license suspension, simply due to the fact that they often cannot pay the associated fines. It's part of that unfortunate cycle that some folks just can't seem to break free from.

That being said, there's a fair number of higher-end cars that have resulted in prescription drug arrests, simply because folks have been so arrogant as to believe that there would be no way that the cops would stop them... I suppose it works both ways.

As for quotas, or even a certain amount of pressure, I've never felt it. We recently started having to turn in our stats bi-weekly, but I've never been told that I have to meet a minimum. My captain's just very big on seeing the numbers. If there was a "quota," I would refuse to meet it, just on principle: stat-based policing is unfair to the general public, and gives officers a bad rep.

BananaHands said:

Has cleavage ever actually affected your decision on not giving a ticket?

Click to expand...

Yes, but probably not in the way you're thinking. If I pull over someone who makes a point of trying to "bribe" me with eye-candy, that's a guarantee that they're going to get something. Their rage when I tell them to "Press hard, five copies," is delicious.

I will NOT be bought, and the fact that they think they can get away with it is straight-up insulting to my integrity.

mr_thehun said:

have you ever fired your gun while jumping through the air?

Click to expand...

I get the quote *grins*, but Lord knows, my accuracy is shaky enough without pulling John Woo into the equation! *laughs*

Tress said:

Let's say 2 cars are speeding (maybe they're racing each other). If one pulls over but the other doesn't, what do you do? Do you choose one of them to go after?

Click to expand...

I'd give the lookout prior to making the stop, try and get another unit in the area. If one flees, I'll pass it over the air. If we get him, we get him. If not... he'll probably be stupid again sometime, and we'll get him next time. It's not that serious, really - not so much so that I'm going to risk public safety for the sake of my ego.

fade said:

If Train A leaves Baltimore at 77 MPH, and Train B leaves Cleveland at 64 MPH, each maintaining a constant speed, what drink will the lady in seat 3C on Train A order?

Click to expand...

A Singapore Sling, because she's feeling gigi.

Emrys said:

May I beat you with a doomweasel?

Click to expand...

I would rather that you didn't.

I've heard people complain that the cop pulled them over during a drag race, letting the winner go...

The cop usually replies, "That's the cost of losing."

Azurephoenix said:

What kind of sidearm do you carry?

Click to expand...

Glock 21 in .45 ACP. I love this gun - simple to use, easy to clean and maintain, and has a decent amount of ammo in the magazine. I'd STILL prefer a 1911 or derivative thereof, but I'll take the Glock.

sixpackshaker said:

I've heard people complain that the cop pulled them over during a drag race, letting the winner go...

The cop usually replies, "That's the cost of losing."

Click to expand...

Going back to my previous comment about pulling over two cars, obviously it's easier for the cop to snag the person in 2nd place. But that's a particularly douchey thing for the officer to say...

Officer_Charon said:

Glock 21 in .45 ACP. I love this gun - simple to use, easy to clean and maintain, and has a decent amount of ammo in the magazine. I'd STILL prefer a 1911 or derivative thereof, but I'll take the Glock.

Click to expand...

That's not standard issue, is it? I was under the impression that most police departments were still switching from 9mms to .41's.

Yeah, everything I use is standard issue.

Every department has a preference for equipment and weapons. Our armorer prefers .45 ACP for ammo type, but he has no problem issuing 9mm either (for officers with smaller hands, as the Glock 21 is just too broad in the grip for some.) We're supposed to be transitioning to the slim-frame Glocks, but I like mine for now... just wish it was a later generation (Mine's a Gen2).

I would swoon if we switched to the Glock 21. SWOON.

Do you guys have a ticket quota in your area or even in the US? Never mind, just googled it myself (and found it hilarious that it apparently is only a Dutch thing...)

Although, how does the ticketing system work? Do you have an estimate of how many tickets are not issued when they were perfectly valid or vice versa?

Jax said:

Do you guys have a ticket quota in your area or even in the US? Never mind, just googled it myself (and found it hilarious that it apparently is only a Dutch thing...)

Although, how does the ticketing system work? Do you have an estimate of how many tickets are not issued when they were perfectly valid or vice versa?

Click to expand...

Uhm.... not even SLIGHTLY an estimate *chuckles* I CAN tell you that I don't give out NEARLY as many as I could (or even should, really). If I HAD to venture to guess... I'd say I issue about 40% of the tickets that I could. But that's just me - at heart, I'm still a big ol' softie.

If you caught me speeding, you'd totally let me go, right?

*I don't think you work traffic, but just in general

Depends on time of day, location, traffic conditions, and how much more bullshit you wanna throw at me in Words With Friends

What was your favorite day as a cop, and why?

If it was 3 am in the morning and you got a call about a noise complaint, some one heard a "Crack!" and you saw me on the street putting away my parachute, Would you arrest me?

What makes the difference to you when deciding whether or not to give someone a ticket? This is assuming it's a minor infraction that could go either way.

Also, do any types of calls annoy you? Is there any type of problem that comes over the radio that just makes your eyes roll?

One of the things that amazed me when my wife became a cop was how cheap hookers are in reality. Like some women will work for 5 bucks. Hollywood always makes it seem like your lowest level working girl wants hundreds. What are the running prices there? Just out of curiosity of course.

Piotyr said:

What was your favorite day as a cop, and why?

Click to expand...

Any day I get to bust up a priviledge kid's drinking party is a fun day. My crowning achievement was rolling down a driveway about a quarter mile long (no exaggeration), stepping out of my car and seeing a teen stagger towards me. He looked, blinked owlishly, and then this look of pure terror spread over his face and he took off screaming "COOOOOOOPS!!!! COOOOOOOPS!!!!!" It was all I could do not to fall over laughing.

Then, on the more serious side, there was the time that I was first on scene for a fully-engulfed retirement apartment fire. Two apartments ablaze, and the residents of the building were still thinking that the fire alarm was a joke. I was yanking retirees out of their apartments dressed in whatever they could grab in 10 seconds or less, and hurrying them downstairs. Then I low-crawled along the second floor hallway behind two off-duty (and drunk, I later found out) firefighters, who told me that there was still someone trapped in an apartment halfway down the hall.

The smoke was literally too thick to see beyond 5 foot in front of me, even at the carpet level. I tried my damndest but, I'm not going to lie, it's terrifying when you can't see and you can't breath. I was on the verge of turning around when the two hosedraggers made the decision for me, and we all got out of there.

Just as well, as it turned out, as the room was building up for a flash. It broke as soon as I reached the outside. Michael Bay would have been proud.

In retrospect, there were at LEAST a half-dozen things I did wrong, but I'm proud that I was able to act and help out.

Docseverin said:

If it was 3 am in the morning and you got a call about a noise complaint, some one heard a "Crack!" and you saw me on the street putting away my parachute, Would you arrest me?

Click to expand...

For what? Unless you're on private property (in which case, I've got you for Loitering and Prowling), I'm not sure that Savannah has a law on the books about base-jumping, probably because there's only one spot in the city you could feasibly pull it off - the Talmadge Bridge.

I'd just shake my head resignedly, write up an F.I., and send you on your merry.

Tress said:

What makes the difference to you when deciding whether or not to give someone a ticket? This is assuming it's a minor infraction that could go either way.

Also, do any types of calls annoy you? Is there any type of problem that comes over the radio that just makes your eyes roll?

Click to expand...

Honestly? Suspect conduct during the contact. If you're an ass, guess what? You just bought it legitimate. If you're nice, or at least HONEST, then there's a chance. I also take past record into account - I can view your history of infractions for Chatham County, so if I've stopped you for a Stop Sign violation, and it's your fifth ticket, obviously you know what you did wrong, and you've kept on doing it. Tsk tsk...

As for eye-rollers... usually "He-said, she-said" domestics and/or baby-mama drama. Stupid shit that need not happen, but are a distressing sign of the times. These make up the vast majority of my call volume. Well... those and shoplifters.

fade said:

What are the running prices there? Just out of curiosity of course.

Click to expand...

Couldn't tell ya! But you can watch Spike TV next... Wednesday, I think... they're starting a new series called "Undercover" or something to that effect, and Savannah was part of the first run. I even got in on a couple of the arrests, as a transport driver! *grins* But that was during a big prostitution bust operation that went on for a couple months.

Have you ever raced someone in your cruiser? If so, who won?

Have you ever done it on the hood of your squad car?

Have you wanted to?

CrimsonSoul said:

Have you ever raced someone in your cruiser? If so, who won?

Click to expand...

Noooooo, because I LIKE having a job...

Ravenpoe said:

Have you ever done it on the hood of your squad car?

Have you wanted to?

Click to expand...

No, for the same reason given above.

But oh God yes, it would be nice... *smirk*

mr_thehun said:

Have you ever stopped anyone on a mission from god?

Click to expand...

Actually... yes. But she was obese, old, and clad in a nightgown. She repeatedly screamed "gift of Samson," and attempted to break out of fastened restraints. This worked until she got an injection of Vitamin H from a VERY kind nurse.

Hell no! I'd give them an escort. And help them fight against Georgia Nazis (Not QUITE as bad as Illinois Nazis)

What are some of the best real names you've seen?

fade said:

What are some of the best real names you've seen?

Click to expand...

Shi'thead [lastname] HAS to be the crown jewel in THAT collection.

Officer_Charon said:

Depends on ... how much more bullshit you wanna throw at me in Words With Friends

Click to expand...

I'm never going to be able to speed in Georgia again, am I?

Have your own personal morals ever run counter to the law? ie have you ever felt bad about arresting someone.

Do you ever get the urge to drive around in a Judge Dredd helmet yelling "I am the law"?

What goes through your head when you pull over a car that has either mirror tint or super dark tint on the windows so you can't see the driver?

What's the worst you felt after a citation and/or arrest?

Ravenpoe said:

Have your own personal morals ever run counter to the law? ie have you ever felt bad about arresting someone.

Click to expand...

Sometimes the Domestic Violence Act in combination with my department's policy can result in arrests that I think are unfair... I think I've touched on this one before - had to arrest a lady because she inflicted bodily harm to her husband at a bar by striking him with a beer glass. This was as a result of years of abuse, culminating in him flirting with/necking with another woman in front of her. She intended to hurl the beer inside at him, not the mug. Because there was visible injury to the d-bag, I HAD to arrest her. I felt horrible.

Azurephoenix said:

Do you ever get the urge to drive around in a Judge Dredd helmet yelling "I am the law"?

What goes through your head when you pull over a car that has either mirror tint or super dark tint on the windows so you can't see the driver?

Click to expand...

Occasionally... *grins*

Nervousness, although not nearly as much as when I first started on... don't know if that's a bad thing or not. When I make my approach, my hand's on my weapon with the snap already popped. Before I get to the window I tell 'em to roll it down before I'll approach. It seems to be working thus far...

BananaHands said:

What's the worst you felt after a citation and/or arrest?

Click to expand...

See above, with the addition of almost every time I have to cite someone who's in the hospital after a wreck, because it was their fault. Feels like insult to injury, you know?

ALMOST every time... heh heh

I always get a little miffed when I hear about a car getting totaled, then the driver getting a ticket... the dude is getting punished enough already.

What was the fastest that you've clocked another car? was it a perp or another cop?

sixpackshaker said:

What was the fastest that you've clocked another car? was it a perp or another cop?

Click to expand...

I'm not radar certified, but I've paced a Mustang (in the transport wagon) at 88 mpg (Gues he left his Flux Capacitor off?)

Riding with another officer who's certified, however, we clocked a motorcycle at 107. He promptly fled from us... straight back to the apartment registered to his tag. *facepalm*

Do you know Carl Winslow?

SeraRelm said:

Do you know Carl Winslow?

Click to expand...

No, but we've got a couple officers who could be his twin brothers...

Have you ever arrested/pulled over/etc anyone famous?

SeraRelm said:

Have you ever arrested/pulled over/etc anyone famous?

Click to expand...

A local celebrity only... she's the lead singer of local rock band "Liquid Ginger." I was going to tow her truck for no insurance, but as it was the band's mode of transportation, I told her if she could get valid insurance on it before the tow truck got there, she'd just get the citation. She made it in time.

I LIVE for the day when I can give Paula Deen a ticket.

Drunk driving most likely.

SeraRelm said:

Drunk driving most likely.

Click to expand...

While having a "Mel Gibson" meltdown.

SeraRelm said:

Drunk driving most likely.

Click to expand...

sixpackshaker said:

While having a "Mel Gibson" meltdown.

Click to expand...

You'd be on your cellphone to TMZ before you had her cuffed.