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

When police officers patrol, do they decide on their own when to turn and where to go within their patrol area? Or is there usually/sometimes/rarely an exact route that they generally follow through their area?

Asked by Ryan almost 12 years ago

No exact routes are ever taken/repeated.  It would be a good way to be ambushed and that's never a good day.

Do you ever perform a traffic stop and then think of an excuse afterwards? One time I got pulled over at like 3am on a highway for "speeding", which as immaterial in nature. Seemed like the trooper was fishing, as speeding is customary in Houston.

Asked by bob over 12 years ago

No, stopping someone without reasonable articulable suspicion would be a violation of the 4th Amendment of the US Constitution and a bunch of state laws and department policies.  

Speeding, even if "everyone does it" is still illegal, hence the reason why you were stopped.  

If an officer is forced to shoot a criminal, what kind of protocol would the rest of the department take? For instance, would CSI be contacted to investigate the scene? If so, when?

Asked by Writer23 over 12 years ago

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.

 

I am not explaining this clearly

Traveling northbound through a green

Make a left going westbound

Facing a red light in the median which is 100 foot long.

You don't need to clear the median given it is 100 feet

Can a driver proceed.

Asked by Peter s over 12 years ago

I'm sorry, but I'm not clear on the description of the intersection.  My previous answer is based on a standard cross-type intersection.  I'd have to see the intersection and know the laws of your state to give you my opinion (which has no bearing on anything, mind you - for that, contact an attorney.)

But, if you enter the intersection on anything other than a green, then you are likely violating the laws of your state.  If you enter on a green, it is going to depend on the circumstances and how the laws are written.

My friend's family called the police on her boyfriend for physical abuse. But when the police tried to ask her questions she didnt say anything. What I wanna know would that go on his criminal record even if there wasnt a follow through investigation

Asked by Anonymous over 12 years ago

If no arrest was made, then there is no arrest record (at least regarding this incident.)  Without the victim's cooperation, the officers probably were not able to establish probable cause to make an arrest.

i do believe i might have committed fraud what do i do

Asked by wolfgirl over 12 years ago

You should probably contact a criminal defense lawyer.  Most attorneys will talk to you free, and only charge you if you have them perform some action (such as contacting the victim) for you.  If you (through your lawyer) act before the company realizes they have been defrauded, there is a possibility you can square things with them before they call law enforcement.  A lawyer can help with this.

When an officer gets a report of underage drinking at a California public beach, does that give the policy enforcer "reasonable suspicion or probable cause" to investigate and conduct a search? (keep in mind its midnight, although closes at 3am..)

Asked by I'm 19 over 12 years ago

Reasonable suspicion and probable cause are built by the totality of the circumstances, which may include a citizen complaint.  It is impossible for me to tell you how the officers in your case established either since I was not there and I am not privy to the details of the investigation.