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.
On duty generally means he/she is currently being paid by the agency as part of regularly assigned duties. So, it would sound like the officer was off duty.
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The deployment of one or two officers to a car is largely dependent on the ingrained culture of the department. Many years ago a study suggested officers were no less safe patroling solo as they are with a partner.
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The impacts have been studied by many researchers for several decades. The influence of the job on the personal life is significant, and few people are really prepared for it.
Many friends, and even some family, will no longer associate with the new police officer because of the job. The officer's spouse and other family will live in fear that this shift could be the one where the officer is killed or horrifically injured. The officer is confornted by violence, death and evil every shift and begins to worry constantly about the safety of his/her family and loved ones.
It is a high-stress job and you are never really "off duty." Officers with a very strong faith and solid family support tend to fare better than others, but the job has a very strong impact on all relationships, the health of the officer and every other aspect of the officer's life.
You may have heard that officers have high divorce rates and high instances of alcohol abuse. One of the dirty secrets of police work is a relatively high incidence of suicide as well. All of these things obviously impact the family in a severe way.
There is a lot of research out there, but here are a few places to look:
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/163175.pdf
http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1218&context=honors
http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=120&issue_id=102003
http://www.emich.edu/cerns/downloads/papers/PoliceStaff/Shift%20Work,%20%20Stress,%20%20Wellness/Police%20Stress%20and%20the%20Effects%20on%20the%20Family.pdf
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You should probably contact a family attorney in Utah.
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Election Inspector
Do most poll staffers agree that the ballots are REALLY confusing?
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Why are so many customs officers huge jerks?
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Every department has their own protocol. First duty is to protect life: citizens, officers, criminals (and in that order.) Until the scene is made safe, no investigation can begin. Once everything is safe, medical aid is rendered for anybody that is injured. By this time, a sergeant or lieutenant is on scene and takes command. Depending on the agency, either they or an outside department will handle the investigation of the use of force. A CSI unit would probably be involved, but they are only a support unit to document and collect evidence. They don't do any investigation.
The involved officers give a brief statement to the responding supervisor about what happened and are separated from the other officers who are investigating the incident. How/when the officers are interviewed varies from department to department. Officers are entitled to legal counsel as is anyone being investigated for potential criminal acts.
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Thanks for the compliments. I am not an ethical expert, but I have always tried to do the right thing. Teaching me that is one of the many things I thank my father for, and hope to impart to my own children.
If the situation is a casual encounter, and the officer is not involved in some type of enforcement activity (traffic stop, investigating your involvement in a domestic dispute, etc.) I don't see it as a problem. I see it similar to a UPS driver who is grabbing a soda at a store and talks to someone in the parking lot. As with all social encounters, discretion and tact are important.
Of course, some departments might have more restrictive policies. But, I don't see it as being an ethical problem.
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If you believe he is doing this, and that it is not part of an official investigation, you can file a complaint with his department or with the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training council: http://publicsafety.utah.gov/post/inservice/decertify.html
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