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

I have stopped going to see my dad as of 12/31/12 and he is dropping me from health insurance. I am also taking a car back that is in his name tomorrow. He keeps calling and trying to argue with my mom and I. He calls repeatedly. What do I do?

Asked by Josh almost 11 years ago

There are a variety of variables in this situation.  For example, you haven't seen your father for more than a year, yet you are still driving his car and he has been paying for your health insurance.  Does this mean you are a minor and incapable of providing for yourself?  Were these things required he provide you by court order?  If so, he may be required to provide certain things to you by law and/or court order.

If you are an adult, I would suggest that you (1) get your own health insurance, (2) get your own car, and (3) don't talk to him if you do not want to.  If you tell him not to call you and he continues to do so, you can change your phone number.

If a court order is in play, you and he need to abide by it.

Of course, none of this is legal advice.  You should contact an attorney for advice.

If something requiring a lot of officer-to-officer communication happens, will officers involved switch to another channel than what officers who are not involved are using?

Asked by Asd almost 11 years ago

Yes, that frequently happens.

If I purchase a phone from someone, sent the money through Western Union and he/she collects it, but I don't receive the phone, is there a way of getting back my money?

Asked by Shan over 10 years ago

Probably not.

In my experience, a significant number of transactions handled via Western Union are scams.  Money sent through Western Union can be picked up anywhere in the world.  So a person sets up a Craigslist ad (or wherever) and says he lives in New York, Atlanta, or wherever.  However, he most likely lives outside the jurisdiction of the US - Europe, Africa, Asia.  He can pick up the money anonymously at any Western Union and you never hear from him again.

Unfortunately, I have seen too many of these cases and none of them are ever solved.

Feel free to file a police report, but do not expect that you will ever get your money back.

When a police officer takes a civil service test to be promoted, does it take passing the test AND an appointment to the new rank, or is the test hard enough for anyone who passes it to reach a new rank?

Asked by Eagle over 10 years ago

No idea - I didn't work at one of those departments.

I would sincerely hope that people were not promoted based on a test score, but when you mix government and unions and there is rarely any room for common sense.  

Promotion should be based on ability.  Most tests are only analyzing a person's ability to memorize a set of facts.

(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 over 10 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.  

Should a series of prank calls be reported to the police? (In this case I have the numbers of the callers.)

Asked by Jorge over 10 years ago

Call your local police department and ask for their assistance. They will know what to do.

Is it jay walking when u cross the street when there's no streetlight?

Asked by Michelle over 10 years ago

Each state has different laws.  Refer to your state's laws.  Google can help you find the official listing of laws for your state.