The Life Of A Cop

Wonder Bread asked:

How serious a thing would you 'let go'? I mean, I'll assume you're not going to let someone get away with murder, but what about say, a DUI where no ones been hurt? Would you get someone to take them home, and tell them to be thankful you stopped them?

Citycop replied:

I've seen this go both ways. A DWI is pretty much a ticket to get fired. If you can't drive then you shouldn't bother with coming to work. I would have to weigh the consequences to the crime. Many factors would be in play.

How much of a friend is this guy?

How much has he had to drink (is he drunk or buzzed)?

How many times has this happened before?

Is he well liked in the department or community (will I get fired for doing this), or (will I get fired for NOT doing this)?

How far is he from home?

These are all difficult questions and the guy is an asshole for putting me in that situation. For the most part if I stopped someone I know and they are not completely wasted I won't know about it, because I'm not digging for it. Wave and move on. In all fairness these are the same questions I think about when I stop people I don't know. If you're right at the limit and you don't seem impaired AND you're not giving me attitude I'm more apt to just send you on your way.

Earwicker asked:

What's the best cop show, in your opinion? Both in terms of content and realism.

Citycop replied:

I don't watch many cop shows on TV, I just end up picking them apart and hating them. Real police work as exciting as it's made out to be. I watched the first few seasons of the Shield and enjoyed that, but I quit watching when Netflix ran out of DVD's to send me.

CrazyPanda asked:

What has changed most about you now from the point you entered the work force?

Citycop replied:

My confidence level has changed. I am more laid back, I feel that people are more comfortable around me. I can handle a lot more situations with ease.

MegoSteve asked:

Has being a police officer changed your view one way or the other about dealing with different races of people?

Citycop replied:

It's difficult to keep from developing stereotypes, yes. I still recognize that there are good people all over, I know many of them by name. I've don't conduct traffic stops on people because of their race. I do know that certain parts of town have more crime than others and they are inhabited by a overwhelming majority of one type of people, that's just a fact. The only way to change that would be to convince the people that live their to change the way they think.

RobBorer asked:

Do you get pleasure from harassing 14 year olds?

Citycop replied:

For the most part kids just make my job difficult. I don't like dealing with them. Some of the kids have by far the worst attitudes and there's not much I can do about it. If it were legal to beat them, then I could solve the problem. Of course if you get a hold of the parents of the problem children it becomes obvious why they are completely useless, the parents are useless too.

I know a few kids that I speak with regularly and try to help them go in a better direction. One kid I speak with lives with his grandmother in a bad neighborhood and he is surrounded by crime. He does his best to make the right decisions, but sometimes trouble finds him anyway through no fault of his own. I've helped him out more than once. Recently he was "present" at a large fight where just about everyone there was charged with disorderly or battery or assault. I told him to get in the back of my car and not say a word. I took him home. I know he wasn't the problem and getting a juvie record is not going to help him get a scholarship etc.

No, I don't enjoy harassing 14 year olds.