smatson @ Sun 04 Jul said:
My issue, is when apprehending an individual, I need to be able to say that I am a campus "police officer" when the question is posed. It is my function. It is what I do. It is what I am trained for. I am not a "public safety officer". This is a safety issue for the public in that they will stop and question if I am an "actual police officer"; thereby delaying response time.
If you carry yourself in a squared away authoritative manner few will question your authority
My response: Very true, I am a big believer in a "squared away presence", however, it has happened all too often, that upon apprehending an individual, we are given a harder time by the suspect; the one who questions our authority upon looking at our patch. For instance, did you ever have someone come straight up to you just to look at the patch on your arm. Perhaps they are a flame, but I usually get the folks that are usually the shadier looking type and are just checking to see if I am security. I recently was involved in an arrest where the individual struck an officer because he claimed that we were not police and had no right to arrest him. A patch/name change does make a difference in my opinion. In my opinion it is 'assumption of ability', just as looking like a slob is an assumption of ability.
smatson @ Sun 04 Jul said:
The first level of force as a deterrent is presence. Without accurate presence, my function as a deterrent to crime is not being met.
As I stated above I feel that the accurate presence is more or less all about how you present yourself (i.e. uniform pressed, boots shined, hair up and off the collar, standing upright, and making appropriate eye contact when dealing with the public). The patch on the shoulder although relevant is not where you should be commanding your authority from. Your command presence and sense of authority should be coming from your projected image as a professional law enforcement officer.
I totally agree! Right up my alley! But do you not agree that it is all tied together? So much makes up presence. Not just projected image, but, attitude, professionalism, etc. I think a departmental name falls under presence.
smatson @ Sun 04 Jul said:
And if any other officers have any other info towards the positive or negative effect, it will be greatly appreciated.
Your safety and the safety of those around you is only truly compromised when YOU doubt your authority which as you know is in the MGL not the patch on your shoulder.