Police Officers doing good things

[Haggis]

I’ve only been pulled over once, but I absolutely will not identify myself as a cop at a traffic stop until and unless it’s clear the interaction is done and I’m free to go, and if I was eating a ticket I wouldn’t do so at all. Were I to be catching a warning for something, after it was done if it was clear there was scope for conversation I’d say what I do and thank the member on the road for doing the tougher work I rarely do anymore.

Anyone trying to tin me at a traffic stop is challenging my integrity and I would see it that way.

In my agency it's a Code of Conduct violation - and officers have lost their jobs in extreme cases - to use one's position or identification to gain any advantage or to avoid a ticket or the payment of duties and taxes.

I was "outed" once crossing the land border when the officer at primary recognized me because I trained him at our College. Other than that, I STFU.

 

[mariomike]

This guy ended up suing the city and his captain over a bananas corrupt system of “courtesy cards” at the NYPD.

Our city issued individual ( not 30 to gift to family, friends and the public "in exchange for a discount" ) parking placards to members of the emergency services.

Was there some abuse of parking priviledges? Possibly.

Presumably, those placards were also observed during traffic stops.

 

[Halifax Tar]

I used to leave my tunic in the driver side rear window of my truck/car driving from NS to Ont and back. I never received a ticket, and I was pulled over.

After I stopped doing that, I got a ticket. Lesson learned.

 

[brihard]

In my agency it's a Code of Conduct violation - and officers have lost their jobs in extreme cases - to use one's position or identification to gain any advantage or to avoid a ticket or the payment of duties and taxes.

Same

I was "outed" once crossing the land border when the officer at primary recognized me because I trained him at our College. Other than that, I STFU.

If asked what I do I’ll answer honestly of course, but I won’t advertise. I don’t have any sort of bumper or window sticker flagging me as a cop.

 

[lenaitch]

Same



If asked what I do I’ll answer honestly of course, but I won’t advertise. I don’t have any sort of bumper or window sticker flagging me as a cop.

Does anybody do that anymore? It's a good way to get your tires slashed.

 

[brihard]

Does anybody do that anymore? It's a good way to get your tires slashed.

Surprisingly yes.

 

[Haggis]

Surprisingly yes.

Thin Blue Line flags are still a common sight in LE parking lots.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

LETR for Special Olympics license plate cover.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Thin Blue Line flags are still a common sight in LE parking lots.

Are they faux pas in the LEO community ?

 

[brihard]

Are they faux pas in the LEO community ?

I wouldn’t say so, no… More a matter of you’re likely to get your car vandalized.

 

[Haggis]

Are they faux pas in the LEO community ?

Depends on your agency. They are verboten in mine.

 

[Booter]

Thin blue line flags on cars catch my attention for the opposite reason. Several years ago I was involved in some warrants across several properties- about 70% of the suspect vehicles had thin blue line stickers on them.

The whole concept of thin blue line is nonsense anyways. Maybe it’s an ideal. But there’s a formula I haven’t figured out yet, where of the number of blue line items, police memorabilia, and hero posts on social media is directly related to how terrible the cop is.

 

[mariomike]

If your department does not issue individual dashboard parking placards *, next best thing is likely, "tunic in the driver side rear window".

As mentioned by another member.

Or, an old work shirt.

HTA stops aside, you never know, one day you might park at an accident scene to help.

That dashboard parking placard, or shirt in the window, might save you a parking ticket or tow.

* You were only issued one dashboard parking placard. It had your VIN number, licence plate number, year, make / model, colour. Your name and address, your departmental ID number, start date, DOB, station, placard # and expiry date.

And a couple of paragraphs of legal warnings.

 

[brihard]

If your department does not issue individual dashboard parking placards *, next best thing is likely, "tunic in the driver side rear window".

As mentioned by another member.

Or, an old work shirt.

HTA stops aside, you never know, one day you might park at an accident scene to help.

That dashboard parking placard, or shirt in the window, might save you a parking ticket or tow.

* You were only issued one dashboard parking placard. It had your VIN number, licence plate number, year, make / model, colour. Your name and address, your departmental ID number, start date, DOB, station, placard # and expiry date.

And a couple of paragraphs of legal warnings.

Only time I’ve ever written tickets at an accident scene was either people driving by filming (driver using cellphone), or vulturous tow trucks that wouldn’t piss off and were illegally close to my scene. If someone stopped to help in good faith, no way I’m giving them a ticket, and if a colleague did, we’d have words.

 

[mariomike]

The member might prefer to display their departmental issued parking placard on the dashboard, or sun visor.

If they preferred, leave it in the glove compartment, trunk or locker.

Their choice.

It was a parking Courtesy within City limits. Not an exemption.

 

[lenaitch]

If your department does not issue individual dashboard parking placards *, next best thing is likely, "tunic in the driver side rear window".

As mentioned by another member.

Or, an old work shirt.

HTA stops aside, you never know, one day you might park at an accident scene to help.

That dashboard parking placard, or shirt in the window, might save you a parking ticket or tow.

* You were only issued one dashboard parking placard. It had your VIN number, licence plate number, year, make / model, colour. Your name and address, your departmental ID number, start date, DOB, station, placard # and expiry date.

And a couple of paragraphs of legal warnings.

I don't buy it. So a member gets a 'parking-get-out-of-jail' pass to use at will but some doctor or nurse at a scene runs the risk of being tagged or towed? In any police office I was in, a member that would do that would have a very lonely life.

My Association used to sell windows stickers of the Ass'n logo - which looked a lot like the Force's badge with an additional banner. It hasn't done that in years. There is a line between something passive, like a window sticker, licence plate frame or tossing your hat in the back window, and something active, like tinning, but it is very narrow and very grey.

Heck, when I retired, I was presented with a 'retired' badge and warrant card. Last I heard you can get your badge mounted in clear acrylic but I'm not even sure they do that anymore.

 

[Booter]

I don't buy it. So a member gets a 'parking-get-out-of-jail' pass to use at will but some doctor or nurse at a scene runs the risk of being tagged or towed? In any police office I was in, a member that would do that would have a very lonely life.

My Association used to sell windows stickers of the Ass'n logo - which looked a lot like the Force's badge with an additional banner. It hasn't done that in years. There is a line between something passive, like a window sticker, licence plate frame or tossing your hat in the back window, and something active, like tinning, but it is very narrow and very grey.

Heck, when I retired, I was presented with a 'retired' badge and warrant card. Last I heard you can get your badge mounted in clear acrylic but I'm not even sure they do that anymore.

We put retired members badges in acrylic after a certain amount of time. I THINK it’s ten, the only ones I send off now are over twenty- every one else leaving have 6 months to 4 years service

 

[mariomike]

So a member gets a 'parking-get-out-of-jail' pass to use at will

It said, "It is Courtesy, and does not exempt members from following Parking Rules."

Only authorized for use within City limits.

Leave on your dashboard, or in your locker.

You hand your parking placard in when you retire, and they stamp your wallet ID card "RETIRED".

 

[brihard]

We put retired members badges in acrylic after a certain amount of time. I THINK it’s ten, the only ones I send off now are over twenty- every one else leaving have 6 months to 4 years service

Are you seeing many getting out that early in their careers? Is there a discernible pattern to what they’re doing/where they’re going next?

 

[Booter]

Are you seeing many getting out that early in their careers? Is there a discernible pattern to what they’re doing/where they’re going next?

Super common. Laterals. And more than a few who want anything other than policing almost immediately.

Do we still have the retirements board? They stopped for a while- but the reg numbers were very high

Edit- I just looked at it- they are only listing people that hit retirement service now instead of including resignations like they used to.

I have handled some very junior discharges lately. Often enough that it’s regular to me.

The general sentiment is it’s not what they thought it would be.