[KozmoKramer]

Saw this little nugget in the Boston Herald.

I can see how this could be abused, but I have a question for PO's.
If you stopped a car for a MV infraction and they tinned you a Sheriffs badge;
Would you honor a courtesy for the driver with a badge but without the corroborative ID card?

When my buddy (Atkinson PD Officer) got stopped, he handed the Trooper his license & ID card and never even brought out the badge... :-k

Frauds Flash Fake Badges: "Deputy" Perk Out Of Control.

 

[mpd61]

Badge, schmadge...................................

No I.D. to go with it, you BAD!
:lol:

 

[MCOA41]

I was a Deputy with the Hampshire County Sheriffs Dept.'s Tac SCUBA and we had to be R/I Academy trained, sworn in and had to have our SD ID to go along with the badge. The only people at the time allowed to have badges were the CO's and Deputies like me. Association members only recieved and association ID card (NOT a Dept ID card).

I think it is totaly unprofessional for anyone, Sheriff or Police Chief to allow or give people a dept badge if they are not sworn LEO's

 

[MarkBoston]

What ID? I am in this country for long time more then 6 weeks.

 

[JoninNH]

Abu, quit you're whining and worry about keeping the 7-11 clean, okay?

Oh, this is now the THIRD thread about these badges...

To answer from my limited experience... if you show me a badge without ID I am going to ask where the ID is... you're answer better be "right here in my wallet/case" else whatever you got stopped/visited for is going to bite you in the ass hard. I've been known to ask for his supervisors name and the stations number... the stammering idiot responses I've gotten are pretty ammusing. What? You don't know your supervisors name? The chiefs name? The main number? Come on now. It gets better when you say you're going to call this number and ask to speak to the guy on the phone. <takes a breath> Sorry. I have no use for cop imposters.

 

[Ranger2]

Any sworn LEO knows that showing a badge is a big no no... Showing an ID is the only way to go.. Anyone been out to Las Vegas lately? Go to a pawn shop out there and look around. You can pick up a badge out there from almost any department if you look hard enough. Even ebay sells badges... sad state of affiars if you ask me.. :spank:

 

[JoninNH]

I agree with Ranger2... but my concern isn't so much about impostors getting off of violations... its these numbnuts who go and flash these badges to civilians.

1. It tarnishes the image of the department if the guy acts like a moron,
2. Endangers the public when one of these yahoo's pull over a car, or "arrest" somone or "investigate" someone or use the badge in some other manner,
3. The least of my concerns, although it is a concern, is that it puts the shitbird in danger... you flash a badge and the scumbags with guns aren't going to ask for ID, there going to attack you first.

Just my 43 and 1/3 kopecks...

 

[MVS]

If they can't answer the simple questions like Chiefs name? Supervisors name? Dept number?.. then confiscate the damn badge and charge the idiot for impersonating a PO.

 

[BartA1]

no ID=full gig and bye bye mr badge. I have been in LE for 9 years and I have yet to come across a PO that doesnt carry his id and badge together. As far as this Sheriff Badge Scandal this issue has been brought up before I remember the cape cod times did a piece in Barnstable county about a year ago. :sb: rant over

 

[MarkBoston]

If they can't answer the simple questions like Chiefs name? Supervisors name? Dept number?.. then confiscate the damn badge and charge the idiot for impersonating a PO.

Chapter 268: Section 33 Falsely assuming to be justice of the peace or other officers

Section 33. Whoever falsely assumes or pretends to be a justice of the peace, notary public, sheriff, deputy sheriff, medical examiner, associate medical examiner, constable, police officer, probation officer, or examiner, investigator or other officer appointed by the registrar of motor vehicles, or inspector, investigator or examiner of the department of telecommunications and energy, or investigator or other officer of the alcoholic beverages control commission, or investigator or other official of the bureau of special investigations, or examiner, investigator or other officer of the department of revenue, and acts as such or requires a person to aid or assist him in a matter pertaining to the duty of such officer, shall be punished by a fine of not more than four hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year.

You might want to be careful because of the words "and acts as such or requires a person to aid or assist him in a matter pertaining to the duty of such officer".

Nothing worse then having someone you arrest beat the charges because all the elements were not present.

 

[stm4710]

Badges should be earned,not given.

I belive that badges should be orderd only by the chief and with the chief's signeture and off a department account.

It is way to easy to obtain a badge from Galls etc. You merely write a letter to your local PD or FD about something like a FID card or Burning permit question and when they write back they just have supplied whackers with scanners the dept. letterhead and envelope. :roll: No acceptable in the post 9/11 world and with idiots breeding out of control.

 

[SOT]

How about those "Concealed Carry Badges"....in just about every large class for CCW permits I get some bone brain asking about these....

 

[DoD102]

I agree. Badges should be earned. I worked for a small western mass town where the Chief gave all the Selectmen badges. Stated they were "Commissioners" Used to drive me nuts!! :evil:

 

[JoninNH]

If they can't answer the simple questions like Chiefs name? Supervisors name? Dept number?.. then confiscate the damn badge and charge the idiot for impersonating a PO.

And that was my point. You wouldn't believe the looks on the shitheads faces when you catch them in a lie like that...

 

[frapmpd24]

I agree. Badges should be earned. I worked for a small western mass town where the Chief gave all the Selectmen badges. Stated they were "Commissioners" Used to drive me nuts!! :evil:

Giving the selectmen badges because they are "Commissioners"...talk about a mistake there. Can you see one of them getting stopped and saying he is a police commissioner in a small town in western mass. After I got done laughing they would earn a nice gig since they didn't have the respect enough to earn a badge.

 

[MCOA41]

sarge439

God that could be almost any of them. Southwick, Colrain, South Hadley are one that come to mind.

South Hadley Selectmen appointed themselves as police commisioners then approved $75.00 or so for each member to get a badge.

If communities are going to have Police and or Fire Commisions they should not be the selectmen but be appointed with their powers clearly written out. NO badges unless they perform LE functions.

 

[frapmpd24]

I can see one of these selectmen thinking they are high and mighty and flashing tin at a couple having a domestic in public, trying to break up fight, or something similar. Stop, I am the police commissioner! ... as the get their clock cleaned and the officer responding has even more to deal with.

Appointing themselves police commissioners... haven't they ever heard of separation of powers? Although they are not bound by that like the President, it still makes sense, but were talking politicians here, so common sense doesn't apply I guess. :roll:

 

[JoninNH]

The badge/star/shield conveys NO AUTHORITY unless accompanied by credentials... the problems start when elected Law Enforcement Officers start issuing the credentials to thier political friends.

Also, be aware, that in some out of state jurisdictions Police Commissioners ARE sworn LE... :2c:

 

[USMCTrooper]

State vows to check into 'deputy sheriff' mess
By Ann E. Donlan
Friday, September 17, 2004

The state board that oversees criminal records is launching a review of Middlesex Sheriff James V. DiPaola's practice of running criminal background checks on applicants seeking to join an independent deputy sheriffs' association.

The Herald reported yesterday that DiPaola said the Middlesex Sheriff's Department does criminal offender record information (CORI) checks on all applicants seeking to join the private, non-profit Middlesex Deputy Sheriffs' Association to receive a reserve deputy sheriffs' badge that gives them no police powers.

``The CORI checks by the Sheriff's Office are authorized for criminal justice purposes,'' said Executive Office of Public Safety spokeswoman Katie Ford. ``So if it is true that these individuals don't have any real public safety responsibilities, than that would appear to be in violation of the CORI laws. (whoops! :shock: ) The Criminal Offender Record Information system is going to conduct their own review based on this article to make sure that the CORI regulations are being fully complied with.''

DiPaola's office declined comment.

Meanwhile, state Sen. Jarrett T. Barrios, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said the practice of doling out sheriffs' badges to civilians deserves further review. ``This is a very disturbing report and it merits more investigation so that the public can be sure that those who have badges are actual law enforcement officers,'' he said.

 

[MarkBoston]

Just tossing this out but how about a academy certification card? Nice wallet size card which has an officers certification be it F/T, SSPO, or P/T. That way if there is any question on who is who it can be resolved rather quickly.

BTW I happen to know of a Police Chief who has given out retired police ID's to a couple of former selectmen in his town after they leave office. Technically they were "police officers for special service" as police commissioners but I really don't consider them "retired police officers".