I'm a police officer and a swat team member, ask me anything?

[Vgree]

Used to hang out here a lot! Work and life took me away for a while, but I am back and want to introduce myself to those that don't know me!

I am a cop at a fairly small department and am on a regional swat team. 

Have any questions you have wanted to ask a cop, now is your chance. Keep it civil.

 

[Ed Lada]

Welcome back Vernon.  I always enjoy your posts here.  I don't always agree with you but I appreciate your candor and your civility.

 

[DA-WOODY]

When you commin to DAGO ?

 

[random]

"I am not a police officer ... tell me about your use of illicit drugs."

 

[Vgree]

When you commin to DAGO ?

Who knows, the ex had family out that way, but we parted ways. Maybe the new WIFE, yep just got married, would want to go later next year!

 

[random]

Jeffy will be along shortly to ask tell you about guns.

 

[Vgree]

Welcome back Vernon.  I always enjoy your posts here.  I don't always agree with you but I appreciate your candor and your civility.

I always appreciate those who can disagree civilly. 

 

[DA-WOODY]

Who knows, the ex had family out that way, but we parted ways. Maybe the new WIFE, yep just got married, would want to go later next year!

I'd be happy to show ya around and perhaps get you & the wife up for a tour in the Chopper

 

[Happy]

You might be able to help me......I'm having a dispute with my neighbour about fencelines, dogs, loud music and several other issues.

What's a good place to hide a body?

 

[Vgree]

Not in a drainage canal, people call about them there....

 

[random]

I've always been interested in how cops manage stash after a bust.  You know bags of cash under the bed, bricks of blow and no one in the room.  So do cops frisk cops when they leave the scene?  Who takes the inventory of what was found?

Is pilfering considered fair game?

 

[Vgree]

I've always been interested in how cops manage stash after a bust.  You know bags of cash under the bed, bricks of blow and no one in the room.  So do cops frisk cops when they leave the scene?  Who takes the inventory of what was found?

Is pilfering considered fair game?

In all honesty different departments handle it differently. At my department large amounts of cash are always controlled by two people until it is counted and booked into the temporary evidence locker and the key is dropped. Large amounts per policy is over $500.  

As for the drugs, they are much less controlled. They get photographed at the scene and then transported to the station where they are weighed and tested the stored in the evidence lockers.  

Pilfering is clearly not accepted and I assume that is a joke. 

The running joke around the PD is you can leave huge amounts of cash or drugs out and no one will touch them, but leave a good pen laying around and it will disappear instantly!

 

[random]

Pilfering is clearly not accepted and I assume that is a joke. 

In the first few years of my career I worked in a government department where we did a lot of field work.  Pilfering was rife and not even considered a bad thing.  It was considered a right.  Things have changed.

Cops who leave the office have a dangerous job.  The combination of accepting danger and low pay for many of them seems to be a recipe for trying to make ends meet in other ways.

 

[Cal20sailor]

How frequently do you have to qualify on the range and what is the passing standard?  

Thanks and welcome back and congratulations on your divorce...and on your recent marriage.  

 

[Vgree]

How frequently do you have to qualify on the range and what is the passing standard?  

Thanks and welcome back and congratulations on your divorce...and on your recent marriage.  

The state requires all officers to shoot a 72 or better on a 25 round course of fire that goes back to 25 yards. My department requires a second qualification yearly with two other mandatory training days.

We also offer a monthly optional range day where ammo is provided and continuing education hours are offered related to firearms training. It can range from moving and shooting to tactics. 

Now, I am a firearms instructor and I have to shoot a 90% or better on a 20 round course that goes to 50 yards every 2 years with my handgun to maintain that certification.

Then if you look at the SWAT team we must qualify 4 times yearly in full gear with any weapon we will carry. That is an NTOA(national standard setting agency for swat teams)standard not a state requirement. Depending on the weapon platform the course can be very different, but generally we are required to shoot an 80% or better to stay on the team.

Most cops aren't gun people, to many it is a tool they don't care about. Clearly being an instructor it is something I enjoy and take pride in.

 

[charisma94]

I remember you from before & you seem like a good and measured guy...

My question - Why do so many US police act like such fucking Gestapo? On Youtube, there's literately thousands of clips of cops behaving badly, over the top thugs. Pure & simple. These kind of overt physically abusive tactics always seem to escalate the situation rather than de-escalate. I'm sure there are British, European, Aussie, Brazilian clips too, but I don't recall seeing any. But wow, there are so many from the States.

If you're unlike these cops I'm describing, how do you work with these asshole cops? Why are they allowed to exist and not get fired, or charged?

 

[Vgree]

So overall the police in America are incredibly well behaved, but I have no issue admitting there are bad examples out there. Sadly those are the ones that get posted to YouTube. I took 24 calls for service today, got cussed out three times and never said a harsh or mean thing to anyone beyond "don't interrupt me" to someone who asked why they were being trespassed then they started yelling at me again. But you won't see any of those calls on YouTube or the 50 something other calls my partners took.

Beyond that, most people don't understand how violence works, there isn't a pretty way to take someone who doesn't want to be arrested into custody. Sometimes it is brutal and mean. Most people don't see violent behavior daily and have no idea what it looks like beyond movie choreographed fights.

Now, as for how do I work with those people. I don't, we have one guy at our department who can be an asshole to people. He doesn't bid the shift I supervise now because I have disciplined him for his actions when he was on my shift. Plenty of good cops do all we can to get rid of the bad apples.

 

[Vgree]

Now, I will say that there are some just horrible examples out there of people that shouldn't be cops. I cringe watching those videos and I promise they get used as what not to do videos regularly. 

 

[hobot]

No questions to ask just want to say thank you for choosing the work that you do because it's important that we have a civil as possible society.

(and don't ever work for the Seattle Police department, they don't have a city council that will back them up)