I've been fairly lucky and have not had a ticket in 10-15 years. I've also learned where they like to hang out and look around before I really step on it.............2-3am coming from Las Vegas in my C-5 changing freeways I saw only two vehicles. One was a big tour bus that was already speeding and the other car was head lights in my rear view mirror. I slowed down to the speed limit just to see who that one car was............It was the highway patrol and he pulled over the tour bus...........After that the fwy was all mines

Another time I was speeding but I slowed down adjusting the radio and police were right in my blind spot. Never saw them and they knew it. They got the guy next to me in the bucket just as I was slowing down. They didn't want him, they wanted me in the Z28...........Another time, I was in the bucket speeding but I think they looked at the dents & scratches and felt sorry for me and kept going..................Ohhh, I got stories............

 

There are bad people in any profession. Police officers are nothing more than people who make up today's society. I could spend days talking about the "honest, church going citizens" I dealt with during my 36+ year career. Unfortunately, police officers are not super human. I had the honor and privilege of working with some of the bravest, professional police officers, who were willing to sacrifice there lives on a daily basis for people who couldn't care less about them. It's always struck me funny that people view police officers as a necessary evil in our society. If they doing something good they're the best thing since sliced bread, but stop someone for a traffic violation or something else and they become egotistic, gun toting idiots who should be out fighting real crime. If those who are in law enforcement are doing such a poor job, why don't all the honest, hard working citizens out there step forward to fill their shoes? My guess is it's because they don't want to deal with the dregs of society and wouldn't last a day on the job.

 

My guess is it's because they can't get that job. It's one of the few left where you can make 6 figures, retire in 20-25, all without college.
I have had good luck and bad, but I believe it's just easy to catch speeders. A speed gun, park your car, make tons of money - easy.
I've never seen someone pulled over for going under the speed limit and blocking traffic. I've never seen someone pulled over for j-walking, etc. But I have seen 10 cars and a helicopter all setup to catch those evil, satanic, bane to society - speeders....

 

Is that what you think this is all about...speeders??Hope not. Weather you'd like to believe it or not, its a very small part of Police work
In most cases, those 6 figures do not come easy. Overtime, sometimes countless hours/ weekends/ holidays/ childrens b'days/ rotating shifts / etc., etc., etc....(and dont forget, that overtime is usually there because that certain municipality/state/county failed to man certain positions to begin with). Now in no way am I saying you should feel sorry for them because yes-this is what is signed up for but the reality is Police Officers (Many) dont exist in what we know as normalicy...Even though they signed up for this, its something you truly cant see until you're in it and is difficult to explain.
Police Officers HAVE to exist and function in the parts of society, of what a huge % people do not want to believe exists or have absolutely no reason to acknowledge (the sheep theory).
Also-many jobs now do require college...

 

Interesting comments, particularly the "without college" one. In my son's Basic Law Enforcement Training class there was only one from his department who didn't have a 4-year college degree. That individual had 3 years of college and his father was a Sgt in the dept.

 

Six figures? It's time to implement drug testing on this board. Maybe if you make chief of police, commissioner, or something. More typical would be low to middle 5 figures.

Today's local news had a cute story. A female patrol officer observes a car traveling at high speed. She persues. Suspect vehicle gets faster and more aggressive weaving in and out of traffic. Stops the car at gun point. Well lo and behold its 3 fellow officers. The driver hugs her and says it was a practical joke. Front seat passenger was their Sargent. End result back seat officer got a 1 day suspension. The other 2 were fired. So let's recap. It's just a practical joke to endanger innocent drivers. A car load of officers feel they were above the law. And wouldn't it have just been hilarious if she would have used the pit maneuver to catch the bad guys?

 

This has absolutely been my take with most LEO's I have ever had occasion to interact with. Respect them and that they are just doing their job, and they will readily respect you!!

As a matter of fact, one instance I have to recount here. In my '91, with the totally electronically lit dash, one night in town where there are very many street lights, I forgot to turn on my headlights. I got pulled over and while I was looking for a safe spot to stop, I realized that my lights weren't on and turned them on. I stopped, rolled down my window and put both hands on the steering wheel. As the officer walked up to my window, I could hear him chuckling and he said, "Well, I see you figured out why I stopped you." I told him that with it so bright out from lights and with the electronic guages, I simply forgot. He totally understood and told me just to be sure I turn them on from now on and to have a good night!! I thanked him and have not forgotten again, ever!!!!

I may have a unique viewpoint on LEO's as my father was an actual Texas Ranger, and a motorcycle cop before that, so I grew up with a respect for the job.

DSTURBD

 

Unfortunately I got pulled over the other day. First time since I have had the car. Just got caught not paying attention...

 

Well now, you are apparently one of the only people I've ever had the privilege of communicating with that has apparently "seen it all"! What do you do for a living? Maybe some of us that have never done what you do can tell you all about it and how you could do it so much better! (how do you "pull someone over" that's walking???)

 

Here is my thoughts about Police officers

1) I was never in trouble until they showed up

2) You cant pay me enough Money to paint a target on my Back

3) you treat them right 98% of the time you will receive it

People dont relize that you have diff. duty's I.E. Traffic, Gang task force, Homicide suicide Detective. My Brother inlaw was with the Gang task force all he ever saw was the Bad kids. The reason I stated #2 is you drive around protecting people and then there are the Meth heads Crack Hoe's and thieves Gang Bangers all that have access to gun's and sometimes just feel like shooting you. I think it takes a real differant type of person to put on a uniform and have to worry about being shot. I believe in the 2nd admement the right to bear arms I also believe in open carry and have a CCW I feel that a lot of people have no regard for life and dont give two ****'s about you. So that is why every time I see a cop in the store or at a light I tell them to be safe. Here in Modesto we had a 25 yr vetran officer he decided to stop doing patrol to work in another dept. one day he was working with a locksmith doing evictions and they both went to a house and in less then 5 min. both were dead shot and killed by some one who didn't want to be evicted. The one thing I do hate is SPEED TRAPS we have a small town just 15 min. away and they are all about revenue that is not right. I beleive the reason they have them is some dumb a$$ Congress man cut thier budget to save their own damn job and their 6 figure job. The last thing I have to say is next time you need a Cop call your neighbor and see if he is willing to help you. enough of the rant

Pops

 

Sorry about the analogy, OK have you ever seen anyone given a ticket for J-walking? Both speeding and J-walking are crimes right? The laws are there for a reason right? Don't get me wrong if the cops were not out there our eway loop would be insane! My point is that speed limit enforcement seems to be way up there on the priority list, and the reason is - it's easy and profitable.
The cars and helicopter story is real! Also I can understand using lots of force when you go into a drug raid. So are speeders and dealers the same? Both a HUGE danger to society!
Maybe you can enlighten me where this priority comes from. I don't think the officers themselves are pushing the tickets. I can't imagine the Sargent at start of shift saying "OK we need our quota of 500 tickets today" so is it the politicians???

 

Some cops just like to follow corvettes to see if you are going step on the gas thinking it is going to be an easy bust. It happened to me last night. He followed me for 6 to 8 blocks until I pulled into my storage unit. Even after I put my vette away, he was still sniffing around for me and I didn't do anything wrong. I kinda made me mad.

 

I was under the impression that a Bachelor's degree is a requirement for LEO employment in most departments. Is that not so?

DSTURBD

 

All depends on agency / county / state...
Some require, some dont...
Some require a 2 year, some a 4 year and some just a certain credit count...

Boba Fett

 

Cool. Thanks for the reply!

DSTURBD

 

Anymore it is hard just to get enough applicants that can pass the entrance requirements to even go to school! Much less have any post high school education. Most flunk the physical test or polygraph. The requirements have been lowered considerably for employment. Also certain leisure activities don't necessarily disqualify an applicant anymore like it used to. For our dept. they try to have 50 per school. Haven't been able to hire that many for several years now! And that is out of several hundred applications. (Tats are eliminating a lot of applicants.) High school is all that is required, but you have to have at least 6 hrs of college freshman English to advance. You can get that after you are hired however.

 

I'm not offended, just having a little fun!

O.k. I'm out of the closet here. Work for a state agency. We get one or two dollars out of every ticket written in the State, by any agency, that is part of the court costs. All the fine money goes to the county the ticket is written in. There is no quota by state law. Some guys will write 100 tickets a month, some 25 -30. Speed doesn't cause accident necessarily, but the higher the speed the more the damage and usually the injuries if there is a accident. So we work speed under the theory of reducing accidents and injuries. Most write two or three times the warnings to tickets for speed.


More lives and property damage lost to traffic accidents than murders, burglaries, or anything else. Some cops are assigned to work traffic, some drugs etc. There are way more calls related to traffic than any other crime/violation. So, we are out there trying to enforce the traffic laws. You can obey the signs, or you can take your chances, but you can't blame anybody but yourself when you get a ticket. And don't whine to me about the one you didn't deserve, just remember all the ones you did deserve and didn't get.

 

I can totally understand this situation!! You definitely don't want anyone on the job with mental or emotional instability of any kind (my screen name might hint that I would fall into this category ). That being said, with today's society, are there any applicants out there who will fit into that niche??? I know that it's not funny, but it kinda makes me think of the movie "One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest." Even though I'm not quite sure why??? (Maybe it's just Jack Nicholson's extreme ability to look mega crazy!!!!! This movie and The Shining.) I live in northern Colorado and have owned property close to Estes Park and the Stanley Hotel which is the hotel used in the movie The Shining, and I will never forget the line "Here comes Johnny!!!!!!!!!"

All I know for sure is that my family on my father's side has quite the distinguished history in Law Enforcement. As I was removed and distant from that heritage, all I have is the stories and history. I have always wondered just what I missed out on!!

I very much appreciate your response and the information you have provided!! Thank you, sir!

DSTURBD

 

We are still getting good employees, just can't get as many as we need anymore. And it is a pretty good job all things considered.

You live in a beautiful area. We love it out there. We have made 4 or five trips out there on the Harley and will go again as soon as possible. Colorado, Wyoming and the surrounding states are great places to visit........don't want to come in winter though!

 

I started my law enforcement career in 1970 making $5,000 a year. When I retired in 2007 I wasn't making anywhere near 6-figures. I was fortunate enough to choose a career that I loved. Actually, I loved being a police officer so much that I would have worked for free. I was 21-years old and fresh out of the Marine Corps when I started my career. Yes, I'm one of "those" police officers with only a high school education. It doesn't take a college degree to develop honesty, integrity, common sense, sympathy or empathy. In fact, I dealt with many well educated people over the years who lacked some or all of those traits.

I had no idea what a pension was, but I knew that I wanted to make a difference in the world and help people. Sound corny? Perhaps, but it's the truth.