MassCops - Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network, A Mass Police Web Portal

Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network

Massachusetts Police News, Information and Discussions on MassCops



Pages: 1
Main Page

Worcester Police Auxillary

(Click here to view the original thread on the MassCops Message Board)

Posted by: dp9431

Can anyone share any information about the Worcester Police Auxillary? Is it a good source of experience? Any info would be most appreciated.


Posted by: texdep

The Worcester Auxiliary is currently in limbo. There are four members and another half-dozen who have been in the application process for about a year and a half. Budget problems in Worcester has cut off any budget support for training, etc.

When they were functioning Aux. Officers patrolled public properties, and had full police powers including ch90 when on duty.

Things may have changed so I suggest you contact WPD Community Services Division which is the division the Auxiliary Police roll up into.


Posted by: Deuce

Don't bother they're being phased out. Pains in the asses anyways. They grab our nicer cruisers, kegs and call us to bail their asses out.....


Posted by: sinker

Here's the deal. It is a good source of experience, I have learned alot out there. we did use "nicer" cruisers but they were not for regular patrol any ways, they were Traffic Cars who happens to get first bid on new cars. At this time we use community services. We do not get payed but do have full police powers while on duty. As for calling the FUll TIMERS in 2 and 1/2 years I have seen it happen twice mostly for question regarding the issue at hand. Have the Department does not even know we are there. We work every friday and saturday. some manditory days, when the city has big events ( first night, parades, other things like that). At this time we have five members with others waiting to be trained, Its not budget, its the fact the Full timers needs come first. We understand and respect that. We do not answer calls unless a Full timer is calling for HELP, or Dispatch has called several times for another car. also if during our travles we come across something.

With that be safe out there.


Posted by: Deuce

Oh poo, sorry I used such strong words like pain and asses. In 8 years I have seen/been called by an Aux with questions such as: "I stopped a drunk driver, can you take it?" "I'm out with a domestic, can you take it?" "This guys driving like an as*hole, can you cite him or something?" "I got flagged down by a citizen in regards to a ______, can you send the route man here?" "I'm out with an accident, can you send the route man?" (Oh by the way I have all the info, witness statements etc. The one guy is drunk..) Would those be the questions at hand you are refering to?

Aux were assigned Traffic cars. So when the beater I was assigned won't start I'd go to Traffic begging. (along with other route guys) "Sorry, they're already out, Auxillary has them"... Then we'd go bone picking for a halfway safe/decent sled... Maybe there's a little animosity there. Now you get Community Services cars? Again, newer cars that route guys can't even touch..

I've never seen an Aux respond when a route guy was screaming for cars.. Never.. Never seen Aux at a fight or in the Main South area... Never heard an Aux take a call.. Never heard an Aux call for an I number.. But I have seen Aux "confiscate" the kegs and beers from the kids before we could get to them..... Get where I'm coming from?

Half the department does know you're there.. We just don't understand why you're there. Auxs are for small towns w/ small budgets and few officers... Auxs work Fri and Sat nights only.. Why? (see above) You're messing with one of the few benes we have.... You want to play policeman? Hump the calls, drive the bones and handle what you step in.. As for working details, I'm assuming you're filling in because "full timers" couldn't. At least I hope the detail office wouldn't take jobs away from "full timers" and fill them with someone not being paid..

I'm not crapping on all Aux programs. Worcester just doesn't need it in the manner currently used. If you Auxillary want to be of use to us "full timers" use your full police powers. Get dispatched, take calls, patrol Main South or Austin/Pleasant Sts, handle calls in the Valley, Lakeside, the PIP and Plumley Village. Hell go babysit our prisoners when they "don't feel well" and go to the hospital. Don't just ride around in our cruisers and check the schools and fields for kids partying. I think if you did that you'd get more respect and might even prove your existence.


Posted by: Macop

After being an AUX for 5 years and a fulltimer for 3 I still believe AUX are useful and they only do what the Fulltimers administration lets them do. Maybe you should cry to he union and the bosses.


Posted by: Deuce

Quote:
Originally Posted by Macop
Maybe you should cry to he union and the bosses.



Posted by: sinker

Deuce, Not sure why you are so angry. I know that myself and the others on the unit at this time handle our own arrest.

I have called for a Route Officer once when I came accross a guy laid out in the middle of Park Aave who truned out to be a sec 12 who ran away from the hospital. The other time was when we had a question about a fire arms charge. You should know that the Route Officer had to call his Sgt because he did not even know the anwser.

Any way I beleive it is Department P and P that when we come accross something we are to call a Route Officer. Therefore when we do not, we are going against P and P.

As to the cruisers, take a look at car # 31. Then tell me who gets the better car, bearly runs, trany slips. spot light and several blues are out.

About resonding to calls. Several AUX's have responded to shots fired on Park Ave where there was only one Route Officer and a Detail Officer at the scene. I have responded to a Fight at the wendeys on Southbridge st. I was the first Officer on scene as the Route Officer was coming form Burncoat St. Note before I answered 3 call went out on both bands for a back up for the Route Officer.

As the to KEGS, I too have seen Full timers par-taking in the fruits of confiscated beer. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

Not really sure what "BENES" there are for working a Friday or Saturday night.

The fore mentioned days / DETAILS did I say no pay, and when was the last time you saw a AUX working a bar job. You should talk to your Union who will rather see jobs lost than have them filled with us.

As fore handling the calls and playing Police Man. Several of us including myself are Officer for other agencies. We would love to hump the calls, guard the front lobby, babysit a prisoners, take the "BS" noise complaint. Again you should talk to your Union. It is frustrating on our part when you guys have 55 calls waiting to be anwsered and they will not even send us to the basics or as a back up. Made you can get something changed.

Again not sure why you are so mad. We are there to lend you a hand. Trust me when I say we want to help more. We have shown nothing but respect to you guys, even to the point when YOU were laid off we stopped working in order to show Respect and Solidarity with YOU.

In conclusion I have to ask, when was the last time a Route Officer on Friday and Saturday to check the schools and park three to four times a night and chase the kids out for drinking, with all that they have going in.


Be safe out there, and if YOU should ever call out needing HELP, I still show up. BROTHER


Posted by: sinker

dp9431, sorry for Deuce. He does not speak for the Department. If you want mor infromation email.


Posted by: RPD931

Deuce & Sinker,

I've been there... and have seen both ends of the spectrum...

The minute an Aux jumps on a call it seems like he just made one of gods greatest sins... The Brass asks: Why'd you go to that call? "It doesn't matter that you were in the parking lot, why did you go inside?"

Alot of FT'ers are just like deuce, "if you wanna be helpful, use your powers/do something useful".. well if they do, another FT is gonna go right to the SGT or Lt. then file a grievance with the union because we were taking "food from their families"... it's BS either way.

Like sinker said, many Details go unfilled because GOD FORBID an Auxiliary fills it... The unions would rather it be unfilled than an "AUX" taking it... god forbid. Smaller towns have less problems with Aux. taking details, but there are still a few that have issues with it...

Who cares if they only work Friday's and Saturday's? Thats still one more car on the road, another set of eyes and ears...

Unfortunately in most PD's, the Unions and Old Timers can be the Auxiliary's biggest foes.

In my eyes, Guys like Deuce would be my favorite kinda guy..
Quote:
If you Auxillary want to be of use to us "full timers" use your full police powers. Get dispatched, take calls, patrol Main South or Austin/Pleasant Sts, handle calls in the Valley, Lakeside, the PIP and Plumley Village. Hell go babysit our prisoners when they "don't feel well" and go to the hospital. Don't just ride around in our cruisers and check the schools and fields for kids partying. I think if you did that you'd get more respect and might even prove your existence.
Man I wish everyone thought like that...


Posted by: Deuce

Ohhh boy...
1. I'm not angry.
2. Don't apologize for me.
3. No I don't speak for the department. I just gave my 2cents and threw in a few other First Half guys thoughts after previous discussions about the Aux.
4. Never seen an Aux use 31, I'll have to look around but I think it was scrapped a couple years ago... But anyway..
5. I'll plead ignorance on your P and P 'cause noone knows..
6. Do Aux have their own band? Because I've never heard an Aux call for the wagon or get I#'s.
7. I've only been on 8 yrs so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Maybe those incidents happened before I got on or when I wasn't working..

I'm not trying to get in an argument or bad mouth the Aux program as a whole. "Pain in the asses"... Ok, stop taking our beer and I'll take it back...

If you read my post you'll notice I said the way the program is currently run, blah blah... Right now, the way you guys are used is ineffective. You guys need to be trained with us, go to our roll calls, get assigned an AOR and hump some calls. How that happens is way above my pay grade.. Noone is going to go crying to mom or dad about an Aux taking a call. Maybe the old timers don't like the Auxillary, I just don't get why anyone would want to work for Worcester for free..

I don't think I'm Gods gift or your lower than whale shit, just gave my observations. The program, as is, needs revamping... WAY above my paygrade.. Maybe that's why it's being phased out... And yes, you call for cars I'll answer..


Posted by: RPD931

People do the Aux thing for 2 reasons... 1) the experience/exposure and 2) Community Service.

Most people would rather do Aux in a City than a boring boonie town...


Posted by: wordstew

Hey Guys,

Put all this crap aside. Bottom line when the sh#$t hits the fan I have no doubt that either one of you full-time or aux would not hesitate assist the other period!

No need to get defensive we are all on the same side.

We all know the the brass and some crazy department polices sometimes prevent the full-times and the aux guys from doing everything they could.

Send each other a PM to clarify some of this stuff.

Finally, if are gonna be on the street in the same town you both would be a hell of alot better with a handshake between ya instead of jabs on the net.

Stay Safe


Posted by: wordstew

On a lighter note,

to you Worcester guys;

1. Thanks, one of your officers helped out my buddy with a bike problem during the burn last year.

2. I plan on going agin this year, What is the best time to go, where is the best place to park my bike?

Thanks


Posted by: Deuce

Geez, flashback to mom grabbing by my ear and giving me a talking to....

wordstew, any day is good for the burnouts, obviously more people on the weekends. Grab a detail guy and explain who you are. If he's not delirius from the exhaust fumes and noise he'll direct you to a good spot. Otherwise try the station parking lot. Might be someone at the entrance, again just tell him who you are.

dp if you're a Worcester dispatcher you might know me, just take me aside if you have questions and I'll try to help you out..


Posted by: Foxy85

To rekindle an old subject, as I haven't read too much more on the Worcester Auxies, I am interested in them, and to my knowledge, they are still going strong. I am not sure if they ended up getting phased out and then getting reinstated, but I know they are around now.
I hope that all the bad blood between the Auxies and FTers has been put to rest. From what I am told, the current Auxies are a pretty good crew, and dispatch has actually given them calls when the FTers get bogged down with other things.

If anyone can tell me any other current info about the Auxies, I would appreciate it.


Posted by: RCPD33

I have to chime in on this. I am a campus cop (OMG, one of THOSE guys!) who is not a cowboy and an Auxiliary Officer for my town. The majority of the regular force do not mind working with the Auxiliary when the need may arise. It always seems to be the same old story though. The old timers (and not all, but most) on the force (who yes, have many years on the job, but not as good of modern police training (I know, I know, there is always in service) as cops who have gotten on in the last 10 years or so do) are the ones with the issues. Alot (not all) do such a good job hiding and doing as little as possible, that when they work a night shift as overtime, (which is when we work mostly) they get their panties all in a bunch when they see us. As an Auxiliary Officer, we do the bullshit things that the regulars shouldn't have to be bothered with. School checks, directing traffic at accident scenes,etc. and even medical calls (all our Aux Officers are certified 1st responders, with 2 of us that actually train or recert the regulars when needed).

We unlike Worcester AUX apparently, do not get to use the traffic or better cruiser units. Until we got another designated cruiser as our own as of last week, we got what was left over and barely ran. Sometimes we got cars with lights out, no siren, front ends that were ready to fall apart, transmissions that slipped if driven over 25mph, the list goes on.

As far as taking calls, we'd love to! As of now we respond to all officer in trouble calls and are dispatched if needed as backup in others. We do call dispatch and request regular officers on occasion, but that is only because we are required to, not because we don't know what to do. Alot of times, dispatch will tell us point blank, "I don't call you guys sometimes, because I don't know what kind of calls you can be sent to". We have recently been given a small set of policy and procedures of what, where, when and how we are to respond to calls, to clarify things on a whole. This has just recently happened and should make things easier on all of us Aux, regulars and dispatchers.

Now details, that is a police union issue and hot topic as always. There are so many details in our city. A good amount go to outside agencies or go unfilled. We would be happy to work what is left over, but again, the police union won't let that happen. I can see maybe giving it to an outside agency, since the officer belongs to the same union, but to let it go unfilled is bullshit! We wear the same exact uniform as the regulars and drive the same color schemed car, with the letters A-1 on the roof post, rather than a car number. Some things do not make sense, some do and some things will always remain the same. As the wrestler the rock says, "know your role and shut your mouth", which is basically the Auxiliary creed. If you don't like it, leave! That's my 4 cents on the subject.


Posted by: Patriot

I have to say that there really is no need for Auxilary in Worcester. Yeah I'm sure they are great guys who would give their left nut for a real WPD badge, but that isn't the issue.

WPD has what, 450 sworn members? Our Auxilary do nothing to ease the workload on our guys, and yes I understand that is a policy issue. Other than wearing those cute baby blue shirts, and driving around the city pretending to be WPD cops what do they really do? I also have had Auxilary guys call us to a scene to bail them out of a jam of their own making. I also have seen them driving like idiots through the city. Mostly though I've seen them parked near a bar trying to impress the college girls with their uniform and shiny cruiser.

I'm sure that in smaller towns that the Auxilary are necessary, but in Worcester they are a useless waste, and a liability. You get no preference for having served as a wanna be WPD cop on the test, and you get no experience of handling calls or any other experience that a sworn cop gets.

But hey, if a guy has nothing better to do than work for free on weekend nights driving around pretending to be a WPD cop, they got bigger problems. Pretending to be one of Worcester's finest is not the same as being one.

Flame on.


Posted by: redpara

I recently had one of these guys almost hit me on a detail; stopped the car and this overweight tool, badly in need of a shave and some oral hygene lessons produces his WPD AUX ID, didn't leave me very impressed to say the least.

Good luck Worcester!


Posted by: GuyS

Kind of off topic, but what about the officer's at the airport (Worcester)? What are they...special's, auxilliary, sspo, Massport sspo, or are they thier own entity? Are they even still up there?


Posted by: Tackleberry22

All allegiances aside. You can gain good experience working as an auxiliary and use it to jump to a Part time slot or Campus Police. Auxiliary's have the biggest mountain to climb in order to gain the respect and likeness of the FT officer's. However, if and when you prove yourself to be of worth, your role will expand. The other hard part is, most PD's want the Reserve Training prior to applying.
Best advice, stay out of Worc if you want to join an Aux. unit. Deuce has given you the majority opinion on how the officers feel about the Aux. unit. I know officers in the WPD and most of them do not like them and if they could, would lock them up if they ever jumped a call. The officers do not want the Aux. officers near any of their calls, unless they are either tied up or an emergency crops up.
However, in all honesty the unit could be worth its weight in gold if some revisions are made.
I'd say 60% of It all has to do with the Sgt. that runs the out fit and 40% of it deals with the people that work for him. I personally, do not care for the Sgt from my dealings with him in the past.
So, if you decide to join, expect to step in a lot of crap and trust no one. Oh, and expect to wait a while.


Posted by: Foxy85

This is my understanding of the point of trying to get on an auxi unit.

ONe this state is over the top, as far as how competitive it is to get on. As of now, I am taking anything I can get to try and pad my resume until something else comes along. And maybe the Sgt. built up the auxi unit a bit, but they seem squared away. I've seena couple questionable ones as well though.

Anyway, I look it at as trying to get some basic OJT, so you're not completely green when one eventually gets on some where else. Moreover, I can't undersatnd calling FTer's to bail them out when the whole point of being on is to gain experience. Why pass the buck? I can see maybe calling for assistance if one can't fully understand how to charge someone, but completely dumping a call on a FTer seems pretty damn lame.

I am looking into it further....but, no one seems to have any positive spin to put on the worcester auxies, which is kind of a shame, and a dissapointment.


Posted by: SinePari

A buddy of mine was there for the last 5 years or so. He is a good guy, but he can't get past 83 on the Civil Service. He has no college, military, doesn't speak Spanish, and you can bet that he will never get hired.

Me personally, I wouldn't do anything for free/fun/experience that other people are making $100K/year doing. Kind of like being an intern on a radio station (coffee bitch).


Posted by: Foxy85

I guess it depends on how bad you want the job, but my concern isn't getting paid its just the lack of respect, (which is probably their own fault), that the auxies get.


Posted by: rg1283

What call sign do the Worcester Police Auxillary use on the radio? X-Ray? Auxillaries have their place, but it all depends on who is the ft department police officer who oversees them.


Posted by: DodgeRam

Wow this went in the crapper quick.. LOCK THIS PUPPY MODS...


Posted by: JoninNH

Went in the crapper quick? Someone re-lighted this thread after it sat here dormant for over a year!


Posted by: Delta784

Quote:
Originally Posted by SinePari
Me personally, I wouldn't do anything for free/fun/experience that other people are making $100K/year doing. Kind of like being an intern on a radio station (coffee bitch).
I was on the Braintree Auxiliary PD (no longer in existence) for awhile after I got out of the Army; if you met certain guidelines you could get a special police commission and work details after the list of all regular PD people was exhausted. The deal was you had to work (unpaid) a church/synagogue crossing and a mobile patrol (checking town buildings, churches, and schools) per month to remain active on the detail list. About 6 hours per month.

Of course we ended up with the bottom of the barrel details (Bickford's Midnight-4am, directing traffic at Five Corners while they installed traffic lights, etc.) but it was a pretty good deal for a 21 year old kid to make detail rate, whatever the circumstances.


Posted by: JoninNH

Auxiliary positions can be a great starting point for someone looking to get into law enforcement. Use them to get some experience, no matter how limited it may be, and if possible, get the R/I academy under your belt.

As for respect... You, as an auxilairy police officer, are not a full-time sworn police officer.

Know what it is that you are expected to do, and what you are not allowed to do... stay out of the grey areas the best you can.

Don't go flashing your ID/shield to people to impress them or to look for a freebie, or to get out of a ticket.
If you're sworn (like Haverhill) great, but know what's expected of you, if you're not sworn, don't bite off more than you can chew especially when discribing yourself to others.

It may be tempting to you to say you're a police officer and to leave off the auxiliary part of it, but in doing so you may be risking your position with that department. Everyone knows ten people, eventually one of those ten people is going to a., be a full-timer in your jurisdiction, b., know shit from shinola, or c., know someone who is, and when you find yourself jacked up infront of some command staff type explaining how you were pretending to be a sworn officer... you can pretty much kiss your chances with that department good-bye.

How do you expect to get on-board an agency in a full-time capacity, when you've been tossed or disciplined at the auxiliary level? It's pretty hard to. Why? Because everyone knows everyone, and chances are if you've been tossed out of a department eveyone is going to know it sooner or later. If you're lucky enough to skate by with a black mark on your record, know that most departments will request your ENTIRE file from any department you've worked for (even at the auxiliary level) and be sure that is going to be brought to the BI's attention.

Don't piss off the full-time officers in your department. Some of them will see you in a positive light, recognizing that you are tryingto get your foot in the best profession around... others will see you as a threat to thier overtime and details... don't go stepping on thier toes... remember, right or wrong, the most junior probationary rookie police officer outranks the most senior auxiliary every time.

I know I went off topic here, but I think it's important information. (and it's two-am and I need to get some sleep!)


Posted by: Delta784

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoninNH
Don't piss off the full-time officers in your department. Some of them will see you in a positive light, recognizing that you are tryingto get your foot in the best profession around... others will see you as a threat to thier overtime and details... don't go stepping on thier toes...
I learned more from talking to the regular officers than I ever did chasing kids away from drinking in a park while with a fellow auxiliary.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoninNH
remember, right or wrong, the most junior probationary rookie police officer outranks the most senior auxiliary every time.
That's something our former auxiliary police force had a hard time grasping, which is probably one of the reasons why they are now defunct.


Posted by: rg1283

It was me who relighted the thread. I think I need new glasses, I thought we were still in 2007.


Posted by: kttref

Thread closed...It's been re-hashed so many times.




ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops

About MassCops, the home for Massachusetts law enforcement.

The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network opened in 1998 and is now a part of the New England Police Network The site is a pro-police discussion forum intended for sworn police officers and civilian law enforcement officials as well as those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement here in Massachusetts.

The goal of The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network is to provide an informal network of law enforcement officials here in Massachusetts for educational and informational purposes.

The forum covers many topics such as Police Related News Articles, Agency & Profession Discussions, Police Training as well as Law Enforcement Career Information.

The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network and The New England Police Network (NEPN) and it's network sites are privately owned websites/domains and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government association or agency.

MassCops (masscops.com) and (masscop.com) are privately owned are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (masscop.org)



vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.
vB Easy Archive Final ©2000 - 2008 - Created by Stefan "Xenon" Kaeser

3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 49 50 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108