That shit is crazy. When I worked nights, if there were more than two people in the car, when I called in the stop in addition I would say "3 occupants" which was a hint to the next sector guy that something could be up. Worked so good that they have the n00bs do it now for field training.
Your elequonce is astounding Deuce. Well said. I cannot overemphasize, especially to new guys/gals, the importance of the above. Hopefully when your going Code 3 somewhere you can remember that YOU ARE OF NO USE TO ANYONE WHEN YOUR CRUISER IS WRAPPED AROUND A POLE AND YOU ARE HURT/OR WORSE!!
It doesn't hurt to talk.........It hurts to fight. Try to do more talking before you get yourself or the other cops at the scene hurt.
One of the things that I learned in of all places was drivers ed. The instructor told us that if you have the mentality of- It cant happen to me, it always happens to the "other guy". Just remeber to someone somewhere you ARE the "other guy".
Learn from your mistakes because you are going to make them! Since my department has no official FTO program each new officer gets a whole variety of different opinions during training. The one I say on day one is that I will never get mad if you make a mistake. I will get mad though if you fail to learn from that mistake and continue to make it. I think I got that from a Marcinko book years ago and it has always stuck in my head.
Anyone ever read the "Gift of Fear" by Gavin De Becker? I had to read it for a class at Curry; great read and addresses that very point.
LA I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and guess the new guy just goes and rides with whoever is working that shift.
You'd be surprised how many places don't have an organized FTO program. Many departments down south, you can actively WORK as a sworn police officer/deputy sheriff without being academy trained for up to one year.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe this applies in Mass as well. You can work up to a year as a Perm. Intermittent with only the reserve academy.
If you consider down south little Rhode Island then this is the case as well...that's where I started my illustrious career.
You are correct, I would be / am surprised. Why is it still like that in today's lawsuit happy society? It really doesn't take much to come up with an FTO program, which would most certainly be beneficial to new officers.
Comes down to the almighty dollar. Small towns especially look at it in those terms only, figuring the cost of an FTO and rookie ride alongs will be more expensive over a six-nine month period (3 guys on a shift vs. the standard 2) is too expensive...penny wise and pound foolish.
Do these same towns think about what could happen down the line when that rookie does something wrong (for example, get into a bad OIS or make a false arrest) and gets sued saying the officer had a lack of proper training? If that hasn't happened yet then it's only a matter of time. A lawsuit like that could cost the town a lot more money than a basic FTO program. Happens all the time in other parts of the country.
You'll get no argument here. The problem lies in short sightedness. There's the POSSIBILITY of the town getting sued for inadequate training vs. the ACTUAL costs of added OT for an FTO/Rookie.
Roger that. Guess it'll take an actual lawsuit or worse yet, the serious injury or death of a new officer to get it to change.
They'll do exactly what every dept here will do regardless of training or not. They'll send their (city or town) lawyers to the courthouse, ensure the employing entity isn't at fault and walk away, leaving the cop with his dick in his hand wishing he was a member of the Legal Defense Fund..
haha 7... I am a rookie, but I do have one for new guys (especially in small towns). If you get called to fill a detail, please be professional, and courteous to the people in that town. Most citizens don't have a clue what town you are from, and will pretty much attribute anything you do to the local PD. In this fiscal climate, we fight for every detail we get, and don't need someone FUCKING it up. Go shit on people in your own town. I have witnessed this twice in the last week btw.
Don't speak to the media. Ever. They're not your friends. They suck and will turn on you in a second. You're not that important so let the chief or someone else higher up make a complete moron of themselves in the press or on TV/radio.
