ask a cop/jailer

[Inverse Skies]

Thanks a bunch for the reply!

 

[ace_of_something]

I had a question, my friend was visiting family in New York and while he was there he got involved in an incident involving a police officer and suspect who was fleeing. He got involved by stopping the suspect but the cop later gave him shit about it saying he could technically get him on obstruction of justice charges. I know you said your jurisdiction was in Nebraska but if you were in that situation could my friend actually have faced charges like that because he helped?

Technically yes he could get an obstruction charge. That'd be really stupid to give that charge when someone helps you though.

 

[StPararararanex]

EDIT: Misread

 

[Caimekaze]

To carry around a tazer and pepper spray as a cop, do you really have to be tazed/pepper sprayed? It's a popular rumor around here.

Also, what's the most graphic sight you have seen as a cop?

That's the army, actually. And it's true. A friend of mine who used to be in the army had to undergo mustard gas... *shudder*

Edit: On further reading, I choose to change that to "That's also in the army, at least the Australian one."

EDIT X 2: I should probably ask a question and all.

How do people treat you if you have to do shopping in uniform? I tend to ask them what it's like, if they like it, and treat them politely; They're doing the public a service, one which can be quite dangerous to them, and so deserve respect. Do you ever get really rude people just because you're part of the force?

 

[Labyrinth]

EDIT: Misread

Nice.

 

[ace_of_something]

Here's another one. So, this patty wagon PA system tells us to keep on the sidewalk or we'll be arrested. Cops form a line that's a good two feet back from the sidewalk. Something like that. A good fair distance. Many of us who'd brought bikes assumed that was there so that people could legally ride them (illegal to ride on the sidewalk here). Right in front of me, two guys have pulled their bikes off the sidewalk, and were starting to get on them. An officer suddenly grabbed one of them and tossed him over his shoulder. It was pretty impressive. And so suddenly that guy was being hogtied on the pavement. Second guy, the guy right behind the first guy, another officer just shoves him backwards knocking him into the crowd and almost knocking his bike into me.

Why'd that happen?

I know Seattle has had some pretty serious problems with protesters getting out of hand but I?ve never had to deal with a protest that got out of control (although, the KKK one mentioned earlier was pretty scary). If I could take a guess the PA said ?get on the sidewalk? not ?get on the sidewalk unless you?re on a bike.? Sounds like the officers got a bit amped up and carried away, at least from what you said. I would?ve said to the guys not on the sidewalk ?Hey, that means you too!? If it seemed like they heard me or understood but choose to ignore it that?s when I?d have to use force. Not sure what throwing the guy accomplishes though other than being an impressive display of force.
Got off on a tangent there; Protests are really actually legally? kind of weird ? laws that normally aren?t enforced or prosecuted are at a protest because often all it takes is one guy, or one incident to cause a full scale riot. So, police are quite a bit more touchy about what you do at a protest; because those cops want to go home when they get off work; not a hospital.

How do people treat you if you have to do shopping in uniform? I tend to ask them what it's like, if they like it, and treat them politely; They're doing the public a service, one which can be quite dangerous to them, and so deserve respect. Do you ever get really rude people just because you're part of the force?

Like running errands? Well, both departments I?ve been on have rules against being in uniform while off duty ?within? reason is the standard; meaning if you just got off work and are headed home it?s not a big deal. So, usually the only place I?m wearing my uniform at either job was/is a gas station to or from work or a restaurant between shifts (overtime is incredibly common) most people that are working are a little bit nicer to you than they normally would be. I assume it?s because they want favors (more cops patrolling their store) and often times they offer you free/discounted stuff if it?s a local business. This is very much against the rules to; I cannot count the number of times I would get in an argument with a restaurant manager/wait-staff that I refuse to take their discount; a lot of times they would not bring me my full check. So, I?d have to figure out how much the meal would?ve cost and leave a ?tip? that covers what I should?ve been charged in addition to the normal tip. People who are just around tend to act one of two ways; indifferent or very very nervous.
Honestly if I wore my uniform in the ?northeast? which is predominantly non-immigrant Black part of town I might and have gotten much more hostile responses. For instance when coming home after 16 hours of work stopping at a gas station. The young people of these parts of town make the pig sound. I had a friend run off the road in this part of town because she was in uniform on the way home; and she is mall-security (mall cops around here usually wear white a blue which look pretty different then the all blue uniforms the police wear).

 

[coldfrog]

I recently was at a book signing/discussion where the author was talking about his research for the book. What he essentially said was "If you tell your local police station that you are doing research for a novel of some sort (probably have to get into detail I'm sure) they will not only be willing to help you, they will go out of their way to provide you with not only material you ask for but stuff they think you could use too." Now, despite this being a double edged sword of getting more than you want sometimes, what he said was that he got to fire a chain gun from a helicopter, use explosives, fire pretty much every weapon available and so on. Assuming they do a pretty thorough background check before hand, do you think this is likely to happen anywhere or did he just get lucky? If you're curious the book was Patient Zero by Johnathan Mayberry, a book about a government agent who gets involved with a zombie.

 

[StPararararanex]

EDIT: Misread

Nice.

You still hang around human scum though.

 

[ace_of_something]

I recently was at a book signing/discussion where the author was talking about his research for the book. What he essentially said was "If you tell your local police station that you are doing research for a novel of some sort (probably have to get into detail I'm sure) they will not only be willing to help you, they will go out of their way to provide you with not only material you ask for but stuff they think you could use too." Now, despite this being a double edged sword of getting more than you want sometimes, what he said was that he got to fire a chain gun from a helicopter, use explosives, fire pretty much every weapon available and so on. Assuming they do a pretty thorough background check before hand, do you think this is likely to happen anywhere or did he just get lucky? If you're curious the book was Patient Zero by Johnathan Mayberry, a book about a government agent who gets involved with a zombie.

I?m gonna go with he got lucky; for one thing I?ve never heard of a single department in the USA that has guns on their helicopter let alone a chain gun. I think it would just depend on the book and the department asked.
For example; the television show COPS has never filmed in our city every police chief/mayor/city council (our town is run by both the city council and mayor) has told them no despite repeated requests. The reason they don?t like that cops puts the most action-y or violent moments on the show; when our department was/is trying to cultivate a more ?helpful? image. COPS has filmed in Las Vegas like 20 times or something so I imagine they?d be more helpful to an author than other departments

 

[ace_of_something]

EDIT: Misread

Nice.

You still hang around human scum though.

Don't make me seperate you two with an ocean.

 

[ace_of_something]

Have you ever needed to deal with someone like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cdexPCtpj0

Rephrase: Have you ever pulled someone over or something like that and had them do something stupid
Edit: Damn meant to edit and hit quote by mistake.

First of all that was grand.
Oh DUIs are always a good time. I?ve heard of this duct tape thing but we don?t do that. We just make them walk the line that?s painted on the shoulder near the grass/wall

Once, I pulled over this guy who was swerving all the way across the highway. In fact this was like the 2nd or 3rd time I pulled someone over by myself. When he opened the car the smell of booze and weed was powerful (The Chemistry is strong in this one!)
He was a fratboy type; cargo shorts, flip flops, hoodie, white ball cap. Buddy bumped his head when he stepped out of his fancy newish Jeep Cherokee.
I did the finger test (follow my finger with your eyes) see when you?re high or drunk your eyes have a real hard time staying steady. Buddy couldn?t even keep his eyes steady before I started the test.
Then I had buddy walk the line he got about two steps and fell on his right side; down a muddy ditch and into a creek. He rolled on his side screaming it was a good 12 to 14ft incline. The creek was only about a 6-8 inches deep and he was screaming for help. So, I run down there check. Buddy?s alright just a lump on the head and shoulder. When he got put in my car he decided that I pushed him down the hill. I pointed out to him that I was standing on the other side of the line by my cruiser a good 8 feet away. He was insistent the whole ride there but I ignored it. I am told they still use that video in the academy. Everyone is very amused when I say to myself ?Shitshitshitshitshit? as I run down the hill.

 

[Resistance205]

I don't know if this is just in Ireland, or if it affects America aswell. But apparently a police officer cannot arrest you, or give you a ticket or any of that, if he is not wearing a hat.

Is that true? Also, what are some of the craziest things someone has said to you to get out of a ticket?

 

[ace_of_something]

I don't know if this is just in Ireland, or if it affects America aswell. But apparently a police officer cannot arrest you, or give you a ticket or any of that, if he is not wearing a hat.

Is that true? Also, what are some of the craziest things someone has said to you to get out of a ticket?

Well I?m gonna go with that just being Ireland. As most modern American police departments and sheriff?s departments don?t even wear hats unless it?s ceremonial.

Let?s see here crazy things? I assume you mean like outbursts from calls; Not when I was a vice investigator that would be a whole book.
Oh let?s see

?I?ll suck your dick for free if you don?t charge me with possession!? <-was a dude (not a tranny or anything)
?I don?t know where that (large bag of pot) came from!? <- it was in your pocket buddy
?You can?t arrest me! I?m the mayor?s son! I?ll have your job!? <- was not the mayor?s son, also was 1 year older than the mayor of time.
?She got that black eye from work? (minutes later) she doesn?t have a job? <- keep your story straight wifebeater
?You can?t prove I?m drunk! You can?t arrest me because you can?t prove anything!? <- he vomited in the squad car and his breathalyzer was .11%.

Speeding tickets:
?I don?t think you know who I am!? (I read his name off his driver?s license, that you?) ?Exactly! You can?t ticket me for speeding.? <-I still to this day have no idea what he was talking about
?You didn?t turn on your siren you can?t give me a ticket unless you turn on your siren? <- Wrong, the lights are enough
?Well, I was speeding because I bought milk in the car and I didn?t want it to go bad? <- Ma?am you need to shop closer to your home then.

And my personal favorite response to the ?do you know how fast you were going?? question
? 78 miles Per Hour; c?mooon maaan?haven?t you ever been in love man?? <-Yes he said it just like a strung out hippy.

 

[iron codpiece]

Ever have a real hard day where you want to kill someone in the face or go home and weep?

 

[Davey Woo]

I heard that some American companies hire people to pretend to be drug users, and ask around the workforce if they know anyone who can sell drugs, if a person directs the hired "spy", the company calls them in and sacks them.

First off, is this true at all.

If true, is that a legal action?

I know that some companies have really strict rules about drugs and even smoking. But I didn't know if this was true.

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

If everyone else was going at, say, 70 miles per hour in a 65 miles per hour zone, but there was a person going 55 mph for no real reason, would you pull them over for reckless driving, or is there some other charge you could pull them over with?

 

[ace_of_something]

If everyone else was going at, say, 70 miles per hour in a 65 miles per hour zone, but there was a person going 55 mph for no real reason, would you pull them over for reckless driving, or is there some other charge you could pull them over with?

I don't think I would pull anyone listed over. Unless it's posted otherwise you can travel 15mph below the speed limit before it's considered reckless in this city it's expected that everyone goes 5 over the speed limit anyway.

I heard that some American companies hire people to pretend to be drug users, and ask around the workforce if they know anyone who can sell drugs, if a person directs the hired "spy", the company calls them in and sacks them.

First off, is this true at all.

If true, is that a legal action?

I know that some companies have really strict rules about drugs and even smoking. But I didn't know if this was true.

I have heard this too but seen no concrete evidence. It would be mostly legal; they had better expect to get sued like crazy though.
Some people forget that private companies don't have to uphold to constitution like the government does. Example; the right to bear arms. Our constitutions make few exceptions on this but if a store or business posts a sign that says 'no firearms' that's okay because you don't HAVE to go into their shop if you don't like their 'no guns rule.' There are many supreme court cases on private companies violating an employee's right to privacy other than the one where we decided companies can't test your DNA usually the business wins on this "If you don't like what the company is doing; quit"

More importantly is that ethical? Fuck to the no. What people do in private is none of a business's business. I don't approve of illegal drugs on any level but if you're doing your job great it shouldn't matter if you go home and smoke pot or if you go home and play video games.

 

[RheynbowDash]

have you ever fired your gun up in the air and gone, "AHRAGARAGARAG!!!!!"

lol Hot Fuzz FTW.

 

[TopHatTim]

Hate to copy the idea but the asking a Christian and asking a black guy threads were neat so I figured I?d throw mine out there for you.
My qualifications for answering your questions are a BS in the topic of criminal justice, 3 1/2 years of experience on a police force, a brother who is a deputy (they are different) and I am currently working in corrections and have been for about a year and half.

To answer the first obvious question, I?m not a police officer anymore because I was injured off duty, which did not qualify me for a desk job unless you have at least 5 years of seniority? and since it caused nerve damage to my left hand I was unable to pass the yearly marksmanship test. If you want more to the story you?ll have to ask.

You can ask me questions like, things you want to know about police behavior, jail, things about the system. My knowledge from experience is strictly American, but I do have a small amount of knowledge academically of other countries (really small).

edit: and i don't think i should have to say this but... keep it civil please.

edit: got my masers in sociology and a BS in psych now.

What actually happened to your hand?
And do you still use rubber bullets in riots and shit?

 

[xxDarlenexx]

If I got my front lisence plate ripped off and drive can I get pulled over for that? What if it's still in the car?


I know, random, but based in truth!