ask a cop/jailer

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Death916

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Apr 21, 2008
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if you see someone that jus looked like they were high on weed would u search them or give them a hard time? or just go on. also what if you saw them smoking it
 

mALX

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ace_of_something said:
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.

Really sorry to hear about the four Officers down last night. That was the first time I have ever seen citizens crying for the Officers. The other Police on the scene did everything they could to save their men, but were unable to. The life support may be shut off on the last one, too, from what I heard this morning. My condolences to you.
 

Mr_spamamam

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if someone broke into my house, and i hid behind a door and cracked them in the back of the skull with a hammer as they went past is that assault or self defence? since im from england it might be differently legislated, but just to get a general idea. cheers mate
 

ace_of_something

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Chester41585 said:
Does it usually take a while for information like Driver's Correction courses and other processes like that to update on Information Databases, or should that stuff be pretty much instantaneous?
??? Every state uses different computer/paper database systems; I don't work for the DMV but my brother is Deputy and teaches one of those better driver classes, If I recall It updates 'the next day' so if you finish the class on Tuesday then by Wednesday it should be updated. My guess is Florida is still using a paper or partial paper system.

gof22 said:
I haven't read the rest of the forum so I wish to apologize in advance if I ask the same questions twice. 1.) How does a police officer become a sergeant or lieutenant? 2.) Does that carry over into the armed forces also vice versa?

3.) How do private Investigators and Detectives differ. I know one is self employed and do Private Investigators fall under being a vigilante?
To get promoted usually you have to take a written/oral test and have so many years of service. For example in this area it goes Corporal<Sergeant<Lieutenant<Captain. You cannot be promoted to Corporal until you have over one year of service (the academy doesn't count) You cannot be promoted to Sergeant until you've been a Corporal for at least 3 years and so on. The tests are usually about policy and procedure as well as some basic maneuvers. Most departments give you 'bonus points' for having been in armed services. So on the test if you were in the military you might get an extra 5%. Not sure about vise-versa but I doubt it. I was a Corporal (and am again in the Jail).

Other differences are that Detectives investigate crimes as soon as they happen a P.I. can only if the 'victim' or the 'victim's kin' hires them. Police also only investigate CRIMES. PIs (my uncle is a PI and has been for 12 years) can also investigate civil things like 'is my wife cheating on me?", doing research on a person you sued to find how much money they had, or an adopted kid asking "who are my biological parents?" at all common. It's not vigilantism because you have to get a license and take a rather difficult test to be allowed to be a PI in every state (as far as I know).

MoganFreeman said:
How exactly does "probable cause" work in regards to searching a car you've pulled over?
All you have to do is something 'suspicious' or 'irregular'. Which can be, in all honesty, almost anything. I've heard "he seemed nervous" hold up in court.

Mr_spamamam said:
if someone broke into my house, and i hid behind a door and cracked them in the back of the skull with a hammer as they went past is that assault or self defence? since im from england it might be differently legislated, but just to get a general idea. cheers mate
If someone Breaks into your house it is self defense as long as you can argue you feared for your life (which is pretty easy) it's legal to kill them. That being said, hitting someone from behind usually makes that argument a little more difficult to win. Either way though you're going to sit in jail until your trial unless you have a lot of money to pay a bond.
 

ace_of_something

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DeathSnipa1992 said:
if you see someone that jus looked like they were high on weed would u search them or give them a hard time? or just go on. also what if you saw them smoking it
They looked like it? Well if they're just eating a burger king probably not thought I might see what car they got into and follow it for a few blocks (people who are high rarely drive well). If I saw them? Well they're going to be searched shortly thereafter; and technically I could give them a minor drug charge and likely would.

I used to work vice and have seen that every illegal drug even weed is a detrament to the community as a whole. Yes, it's your body but... what about your sibling that sees you and doesn't handle the weed as well as you do later in life and doesn't function as an adult? Or the dealer's dealer's dealer you bought from who has a cache of illegal weapons he also buys and sells using your money? what about the mother who decides weed is more important than feeding her children? what about the man who stops fixing his house cuz he doesn't care; which shows thugs that 'no one cares' about this neighborhood and moves in? It's not as obviously detrimental but it still is.
 

Asday

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Jun 18, 2008
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ace_of_something said:
Asday said:
Really interesting thread ace.

What's your current view on illegal downloads, specifically albums and films that are relatively new (last 10 years)?

How does it compare to your views on legally comparable offences? No idea what's comparable, say, $x in fines for Torrenting, and $y in fines for something else?
The analogy of "would you go into target and just take a movie off the shelf?" No, you probably wouldn't so why is downloading it any different? You're just using a different means to do the same thing. Or the 'if i like it I'll buy it' again would you steal something and if you like it go back and pay for it?

The punishments I feel are quite severe and honestly unfair in the united states pirating/theft is a federal charge (not sure if it's a felony) considering most shoplifting charges are very minor. They're trying to use the severe punishment as a deterrent which rarely works.
Hint, Piracy is copying. Theft removes the original.

Also, if I like an album, I'll go see a gig. People come to me teary eyes with stories about record labels' CEO's princess not getting new shoes, and I slap them. I go see the gig, I'm supporting the artists, I'm having a hell of a time, and I see the light of day.

I usually leave +1 t-shirt, too. I'm a sucker for t-shirts with designs on them.
 

ace_of_something

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Asday said:
ace_of_something said:
Asday said:
Really interesting thread ace.

What's your current view on illegal downloads, specifically albums and films that are relatively new (last 10 years)?

How does it compare to your views on legally comparable offences? No idea what's comparable, say, $x in fines for Torrenting, and $y in fines for something else?
The analogy of "would you go into target and just take a movie off the shelf?" No, you probably wouldn't so why is downloading it any different? You're just using a different means to do the same thing. Or the 'if i like it I'll buy it' again would you steal something and if you like it go back and pay for it?

The punishments I feel are quite severe and honestly unfair in the united states pirating/theft is a federal charge (not sure if it's a felony) considering most shoplifting charges are very minor. They're trying to use the severe punishment as a deterrent which rarely works.
Hint, Piracy is copying. Theft removes the original.

Also, if I like an album, I'll go see a gig. People come to me teary eyes with stories about record labels' CEO's princess not getting new shoes, and I slap them. I go see the gig, I'm supporting the artists, I'm having a hell of a time, and I see the light of day.

I usually leave +1 t-shirt, too. I'm a sucker for t-shirts with designs on them.
Do not address me so condescendingly to justify your crime.

So the 25cent disc is what your not okay with stealing? You realize MORE then just the band and CEOs makes money off an album right? Producers don't usually get a cut of show and t-shirt sales.
The record companies employees (even the janitor!), the trucker who drove them to the store, the retailer, the Stocker who put it on the shelf. I'm all for downloading what a band decides you may for free not for taking what i feel should be free.

Even still I was referring more to movies.

EDIT: My T-shirt collection is ridiculous I don't even wear most of them anymore. But... it's so sentimental.
 

Numbnuts3

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Mar 24, 2009
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As a cop, what would be your reaction to (after opening the trunk) a bottle of Jack Daniel's, a bottle of cheap rum and a bastard sword with a small but identifiable patch of dried blood? The sword in question was stainless steel, and the blood was about a day old (it was from sparring for a street performance. I believe you call them Renfaire's). Since I think I know the anwser, what would you say if they told you it was for an acting gig?
The officer didnt search my trunk, but I've always wondered how a cop would react to it.

As a jailor, would you say that jails (or prisons, if you have any idea) have a vast drug problem? What about hooch? Or is it, in true internet fashion, overblown (again).
 

Goldeneye1989

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Mar 9, 2009
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now i have just gotten my licence and i have put an equaliser (armleng then metal pole from and old slide with a bolt in it) next to my seat, i dont want a firearm or a knife just something that i can defend wmyself with if the case came around. so my question is, if there was a traffic incident and another person came out of the car to try and get angry with me looking to punch my head in or at least give me a few kind words, if i steped out and got the weapon and issues a warning like calm down exchange insurance...blah blah blah ... would i be able to be seen as threating him or self defence.


edit also, what is the limitations that you can (hate to say attack) a female ie. they think you have been cheating blah blah blah and they get agressive, i ask this because one of my mates got this one day, what he did was grab her in like a kind of bear hug around the forearmss lowerd her and then sat on her untol she was calm, she wthen tried to get him aressted for assult but because there was no bruising/evidence.
 

ace_of_something

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Goldeneye1989 said:
now i have just gotten my licence and i have put an equaliser (armleng then metal pole from and old slide with a bolt in it) next to my seat, i dont want a firearm or a knife just something that i can defend wmyself with if the case came around. so my question is, if there was a traffic incident and another person came out of the car to try and get angry with me looking to punch my head in or at least give me a few kind words, if i steped out and got the weapon and issues a warning like calm down exchange insurance...blah blah blah ... would i be able to be seen as threating him or self defence.


edit also, what is the limitations that you can (hate to say attack) a female ie. they think you have been cheating blah blah blah and they get agressive, i ask this because one of my mates got this one day, what he did was grab her in like a kind of bear hug around the forearmss lowerd her and then sat on her untol she was calm, she wthen tried to get him aressted for assult but because there was no bruising/evidence.
Displaying a weapon can be considered a threat. So if you came out of the car with a bat that person is within their rights to defend themselves. Having weapons in the car depends completely on local laws. In my area for example you must have any weapons visible unless you have a special license to conceal weapons (like me!) or you can get a hefty ticket/fine.

The laws for hitting women are the same for hitting men.
 

ace_of_something

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Numbnuts3 said:
As a cop, what would be your reaction to (after opening the trunk) a bottle of Jack Daniel's, a bottle of cheap rum and a bastard sword with a small but identifiable patch of dried blood? The sword in question was stainless steel, and the blood was about a day old (it was from sparring for a street performance. I believe you call them Renfaire's). Since I think I know the anwser, what would you say if they told you it was for an acting gig?
The officer didnt search my trunk, but I've always wondered how a cop would react to it.

As a jailor, would you say that jails (or prisons, if you have any idea) have a vast drug problem? What about hooch? Or is it, in true internet fashion, overblown (again).
That depends on the local laws for concealed weapons. Around here you could get in trouble unless the hand and a half sword was in a case. The blood would make me very suspicious; pretty good chance I?d be having you either sit in my car or at the station while I confirm you story. (And check to see if there are any stabbing/disemboweling deaths reported) You might also end up on a watch list if I let you go. As in; if anyone gets stabbed with a big ass blade in the next month or so we?ll call you.
BTW I?ve worked at a RenFaire before so I might be a little nicer than most.
Drugs? Well, it is a never ending battle. Strip searches are the best way we combat this we search anyone coming in, anyone who just left the building and came back (like for going to court) you get patted down if you go to the recreation area or anything of that ilk. For example the rec area has a mesh roof on it. And is several blocks from the nearest street. However we still have a problem with people trying to throw things from the street to the jail. Just yesterday we found about 15 items of drugs on our roof from people trying to get it into the rec area (and missing) My favorite was a tube of chapstik (which they are allowed to have) filled with marijuana and that had a lighter taped to it.


MRMIdAS2k said:
Have you met any "famous" criminals?
Like national famous? I don?t believe so.. although, we did get those guys who escaped from an Indiana prison yesterday. They?re dicks.
 

newguy77

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Sep 28, 2008
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ace_of_something said:
Quoted to get your attention
I've wondered this for a while, but if someone was doing "extreme" driving, you know, like drifting, 180's, all that stuff, on the road and they were obeying all traffic laws and staying in their lane and everything, could the cops pull them over and give them a ticket?
 

Low Key

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Why do cops set up speed traps during rush hour? It seems as if that causes far more accidents than just letting people do what they are going to do. It's not like bumper to bumper traffic will allow them to go very fast anyways.
 

Guitar Gamer

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how normal is it for someone to ask you what seems to be the officer: problem? what seems to be the problem officer? every instance that I have heard or seen the person pulled over says that
 

ace_of_something

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newguy77 said:
ace_of_something said:
Quoted to get your attention
I've wondered this for a while, but if someone was doing "extreme" driving, you know, like drifting, 180's, all that stuff, on the road and they were obeying all traffic laws and staying in their lane and everything, could the cops pull them over and give them a ticket?
That would be 'willful wreckless driving' probably a misdemenor no jail time. I'd probably clap and applaud him for impressing me by being able to do all that and still not break any laws.

Max Ninja'd me!

paypuh said:
Why do cops set up speed traps during rush hour? It seems as if that causes far more accidents than just letting people do what they are going to do. It's not like bumper to bumper traffic will allow them to go very fast anyways.
They do!? You have a weird city/county. We've never run speed traps in rush hour. Right before or after yes. Cuz that's a much more likely time for people to be speeding. Statisitcally anyway. Usually people you see pulled over in rush hour are more for wreckless things like doing a Kansas City Sweep (changing across 4 lanes all at once).
 

ace_of_something

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Guitar Gamer said:
how normal is it for someone to ask you what seems to be the officer: problem? what seems to be the problem officer? every instance that I have heard or seen the person pulled over says that
It's usually only middle aged middle classed white folks that say that. Something about that phrase has always 'grinded' me wrong though. I must prefer a simple 'hello sir'. It is better than 'why the fuck did you pick me!?' that some people give. Such rudeness does not go over well for them usually.
 

Low Key

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ace_of_something said:
paypuh said:
Why do cops set up speed traps during rush hour? It seems as if that causes far more accidents than just letting people do what they are going to do. It's not like bumper to bumper traffic will allow them to go very fast anyways.
They do!? You have a weird city/county. We've never run speed traps in rush hour. Right before or after yes. Cuz that's a much more likely time for people to be speeding. Statisitcally anyway. Usually people you see pulled over in rush hour are more for wreckless things like doing a Kansas City Sweep (changing across 4 lanes all at once).
Yes, my city is strange. The cops here call for back up to write a speeding ticket. Talk about a waste of taxpayer money. And they also run speed traps at the bottom of a huge hill with a 30mph speed limit. Even if I ride my brakes, I'm still going 10mph over the limit. It's frustrating.

Oh yes, and what's up with all the stops at the end of the month? I know there are quotas, but why do cops wait until the deadline to fulfill them? Months end is usually when the cops around here pull the speed traps during rush hour BS.
 

ace_of_something

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paypuh said:
ace_of_something said:
paypuh said:
Why do cops set up speed traps during rush hour? It seems as if that causes far more accidents than just letting people do what they are going to do. It's not like bumper to bumper traffic will allow them to go very fast anyways.
They do!? You have a weird city/county. We've never run speed traps in rush hour. Right before or after yes. Cuz that's a much more likely time for people to be speeding. Statisitcally anyway. Usually people you see pulled over in rush hour are more for wreckless things like doing a Kansas City Sweep (changing across 4 lanes all at once).
Yes, my city is strange. The cops here call for back up to write a speeding ticket. Talk about a waste of taxpayer money. And they also run speed traps at the bottom of a huge hill with a 30mph speed limit. Even if I ride my brakes, I'm still going 10mph over the limit. It's frustrating.

Oh yes, and what's up with all the stops at the end of the month? I know there are quotas, but why do cops wait until the deadline to fulfill them? Months end is usually when the cops around here pull the speed traps during rush hour BS.
Actually the quota thing is an urban myth. No department has such a thing as that would break union contracts. Sounds like the cops in your area must have a lot of accidents or speeding to deal with as they usually go toward problem areas with that kind of gusto. The end of the month thing is probably just when they do schedualed sweeps. Like when on a certain day of the month they post extra men in a problem neighborhood except it's on the streets you drive on.

Stationing at the bottom of a hill is just stupid and unfair though.