The official "Ask a cop/deputy anything!" thread

[rwheels]

Just asking, but in light of the negativity that police often get, which unfortunately is often due to the bad apples (my opinion) in the ranks, what would be a solution to turning this around? You cops here bring human rationale into these discussions, but what can be done about those that give you guys a bad rap? If you guys know, or knew them, are they often under-trained, or just on power trips?
Also, do you guys see internal policing better, or would it be better handled with a mixed entity of internal and outside influence?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by rwheels

Just asking, but in light of the negativity that police often get, which unfortunately is often due to the bad apples (my opinion) in the ranks, what would be a solution to turning this around? You cops here bring human rationale into these discussions, but what can be done about those that give you guys a bad rap? If you guys know, or knew them, are they often under-trained, or just on power trips?
Also, do you guys see internal policing better, or would it be better handled with a mixed entity of internal and outside influence?

People are imperfect, thus, policing will always be imperfect. There's nothing that can be done about that. There will exist those who shouldn't be working in the field of law enforcement. Police contacts, by and large, are professional and courteous. All we can do - as a profession - is to weed out the bad apples once exposed. The hiring process is designed to keep potentially problematic people out, but it's not a perfect process.

There are many checks and balances in place both internally and externally.

[rwheels]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

People are imperfect, thus, policing will always be imperfect. There's nothing that can be done about that. There will exist those who shouldn't be working in the field of law enforcement. Police contacts, by and large, are professional and courteous. All we can do - as a profession - is to weed out the bad apples once exposed. The hiring process is designed to keep potentially problematic people out, but it's not a perfect process.

There are many checks and balances in place both internally and externally.

Fair enough, thanks.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Not at all. It's mostly a myth.

We used to say "you can write as many as you want".....no limit.

When I first was hired and was on probation it was suggested that you should write one Highway Traffic Act ticket a day, one parking ticket a day and one contact card a day (person investigated).

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Murf993

We used to say "you can write as many as you want".....no limit.

When I first was hired and was on probation it was suggested that you should write one Highway Traffic Act ticket a day, one parking ticket a day and one contact card a day (person investigated).

That's good practice. There's ALWAYS something to write. I spot violations every other car.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

That's good practice. There's ALWAYS something to write. I spot violations every other car.

I was never a big traffic guy, I'd write them if I felt they really needed to be written, but preferred to give warnings as I felt they went further to correcting the behaviour and creating a positive image of the police. I knew Traffic officers who'd write over 400 summonses a month. I'd rather arrest someone for criminal activity.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Murf993

I was never a big traffic guy, I'd write them if I felt they really needed to be written, but preferred to give warnings as I felt they went further to correcting the behaviour and creating a positive image of the police. I knew Traffic officers who'd write over 400 summonses a month. I'd rather arrest someone for criminal activity.

Agreed! The traffic violation was just my PC to stop the car and investigate further. Lots of felons and warrants out there.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Agreed! The traffic violation was just my PC to stop the car and investigate further. Lots of felons and warrants out there.

Every division in Toronto has a Warrant File in the detective office. I used to go in there on Sunday morning and pick out a half dozen or so outstanding warrants, get a coffee and start doing door knocks......it was like shooting fish in a barrel on a quiet day.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Murf993

Every division in Toronto has a Warrant File in the detective office. I used to go in there on Sunday morning and pick out a half dozen or so outstanding warrants, get a coffee and start doing door knocks......it was like shooting fish in a barrel on a quiet day.

I wanna drink a cold one with you one day. Lol!

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

I wanna drink a cold one with you one day. Lol!

Maybe more than one......

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Murf993

Maybe more than one......

6! [eeps]

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

I wanna drink a cold one with you one day. Lol!

Originally Posted by Murf993

Maybe more than one......

OF COURSE, with appropriate designated driver

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

OF COURSE, with appropriate designated driver

You'll be drunk with us, so bring your son to DD for us.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

You'll be drunk with us, so bring your son to DD for us.

Has to be before 9/21 when he becomes legal. He wants to go to Vegas and drive the sportscars

[Murf993]

//

[Sedan_Clan]

We just got issued AXON 3 body worn cameras and Samsung Galaxy cellular phones. The AXON software installed on the phones allow us to review video from our cameras on the fly and add metadata. I really didn't want cams, but at least the department purchased good equipment.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

We just got issued AXON 3 body worn cameras and Samsung Galaxy cellular phones. The AXON software installed on the phones allow us to review video from our cameras on the fly and add metadata. I really didn't want cams, but at least the department purchased good equipment.

I have mixed feelings about the body cams, at first I was strongly against them and mostly because of bureaucratic BS issues that my old department would pull with stuff like this but given the footage that they capture they can often clear things up for officers involved in all kinds of things that would end up in a public outcry....still often does but at least they provide good evidence for court, you racist cops are still going to get hammered in the court of public opinion though.....it's good to be retired.

[Jameson.e88]

If you were to pull over two people in the same situation for speeding (10, 15mph over) would you be more likely to give a ticket to the person with the radar detector?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Murf993

I have mixed feelings about the body cams, at first I was strongly against them and mostly because of bureaucratic BS issues that my old department would pull with stuff like this but given the footage that they capture they can often clear things up for officers involved in all kinds of things that would end up in a public outcry....still often does but at least they provide good evidence for court, you racist cops are still going to get hammered in the court of public opinion though.....it's good to be retired.

Your final point hammers home my sentiment as well. We've already seen the cameras help (...e.g....a deputy was involved in a TC and the camera recorded the green light, so it really helped him out) and we've already seen the cameras hurt (...e.g. Sgts looking for stuff to ding deputies and administer days off).

Originally Posted by Jameson.e88

If you were to pull over two people in the same situation for speeding (10, 15mph over) would you be more likely to give a ticket to the person with the radar detector?

Not at all. Demeanor, attitude, etc. weighs more heavily than anything else.

[UncleWede]

Axon coming soon here too

UNFORTUNATELY nobody involved IT in the decision so they have no idea where/how the docking station will connect to the interwebz

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

Axon coming soon here too

UNFORTUNATELY nobody involved IT in the decision so they have no idea where/how the docking station will connect to the interwebz

Damn! You would think IT would've been the first group consulted.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Damn! You would think IT would've been the first group consulted.

And the new cameras in the parks? Well, what computer in Dispatch are you going to mount the PTZ controller? Oh, you have no idea? And just where is that camera station going to connect, and what bandwidth are you using to get the data back to Dispatch?