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 I was 13 I was caught for breaking and entering but I never went to court and I never has to go to Juvy. Or any other punishment but I did sign a paper and now I want to be a Maine state trooper can I become one?

Asked by Vincent Wade Hehl over 12 years ago

Possibly.  Contact the recruiting division of the Maine State Police.  They will answer all of your questions and assist you with the application process.

From the perspective of a police officer, does it worry you or calm you to know that some citizens can legally carry firearms? Sure, they can help stop a shooting before the police show up, but should ordinary citizens have the power to end a life?

Asked by Hello over 12 years ago

Yes - Every citizen is entitled to self-defense, including the use of deadly force when they are in reasonable fear for their life or the life of another person.  What difference does it make if they use a firearm, knife, baseball bat or their own hands/feet?  The difference is that the weak can defend themselves from stronger, younger predators.  No law abiding citizen should be disbarred the use of arms for the defense of themselves and their family.

would you be able to track my phone that i lost at work in a customers vehicle earlier

Asked by josh almost 12 years ago

No. Call your cell provider.

is it ok for women to hit men? what are some consequences?

Asked by Maggie almost 12 years ago

Women are no different than men when it comes to the crimes of battery. In other words, any unjustified touching can result in going to jail.

If there is a small village police department with 2 or 3 officers per shift, will they probably use the radio channel and dispatcher of the county PD that also patrols the village?

Asked by Sal over 12 years ago

It depends.  Some small agencies will work off of a county channel.  Others will handle the dispatching, but the county will handle the 911 call answering.  Others will have a full 911 center (take the emergency calls and dispatch.)  I hate to say "it depends" so much, but things vary a lot.

(Background for my last question regarding education and how you value it): You previously said that you think an Ivy league degree shows someone who can't be trusted to handle PD money properly. Also, assume that this person had a full scholarship)

Asked by ROB about 12 years ago

Education and college degrees are not the same thing.  Education is highly valued and has little to do with college.  A college degree is an expensive piece of paper that shows you stuck around long enough to get one.  I guess that could be called determination, but I'd much rather hire the guy who showed determination by humped a pack up and down mountains in Afghanistan, rescued idiot boaters as a Coastie or worked the catapult on a carrier for 12+ hours/day.  Those folks have learned hard lessons and know how to make sensible decisions under pressure.

If Uncle Sam paid your way via ROTC, that is a reasonable approach.  Assuming you are active duty upon graduation, you have a paid-for degree and a real education.  If you instead dropped $100k+ at Yale to get a $40-50k/year job as a cop - well, I'd question your reasoning and problem solving skills.  Even more if you went into debt to do it.

All other things being equal, a college degree is better on the application than not having one.  But, all things are not equal.  Few colleges teach anything about real life.  Take a look at the professors in economics and business schools, for example.  How many of them have run a successful business?  How many of the law school professors have spent any time in a courtroom?  

The sad reality is that college is a black hole in which money disappears, but little is returned for it.  

Why are police officers often at the scene of a medical incident? Is this only if there's a security or criminal concern? Or do police officers ever act as medical first responders in some places? (To give aid before the ambulance arrives.)

Asked by Richard almost 12 years ago

Reasons vary. Some jurisdictions require a police response.  Other times, medical responders might request law enforcement due to potential problems or safety concerns.  Police officers typically have some level of medical training, so they might be dispatched to the scene to help render aid until paramedics can respond.  In some jurisdictions, officers are cross trained as paramedic/firefighters.