Saturday, January 2, 2010

FAQ, Part 1

This is a brand new blog. Obviously no one has yet read this and posed any questions yet. I'll use this space to post answers to FAQ's I've been asked about being a police officer in a big metropolitan department and anything else law enforcement related.

How do I really know you're a cop?
You don't.
I choose anonymity because this is my outlet to the world and I want a place where I can be honest.  If a copper talks honestly about what he feels about his job, his co-workers, his superiors and the citizens he comes into contact with he will not be a police officer for very long.  If I have to spell this out any more for you, then stop reading this and go watch "The Hills" and leave me alone.  I hope through my stories you'll be able to see the amount of detail I provide and that will prove believable enough.


How many times have you shot someone?
I haven't. My few friends who have shot someone don't ever bring it up. If you ask them, they'll talk about their shootings. It isn't really something that is a source of pride to most officers. No one comes on the job specificially to blow someone out of their socks. I came on the job to put bad guys in jail, drive fast and carry a gun.


Are you ever scared? What scares you if anything?
Of course I've been scared in the past and will be in the future. I'm a college graduate, the last time my IQ was measured it was 130. I'm a sharp guy and lots of these situations are scary. Any copper who doesn't admit to being scared on the job at one time is lying. It's alright to have fear, you must use that fear to get yourself to keep moving, to keep doing the next thing you need to do to win the situation. There are plenty of living police officers that were afraid in certain situations. It's when a copper freezes up when he's in the most danger. The usual things scare me. Bad guys with big guns frighten me, that sort of thing. However, I've been in some hairy situations and I've never froze. It isn't being afraid, it's being paralyzed that is a problem if you're an officer.

What the heck is with this color scheme? Are you some kind of goofy Emo police officer?
No, I can assure you I'm no Emo crybaby. As for why I chose the dark background, I'm going to paraphrase Maddox: A dark background is easier on the eyes than staring at a white screen. Your monitor is not a piece of paper. Staring at a white background while you read is like staring at a light bulb. Staring at light bulbs is not good for your vision.

How many times do you point guns at someone?
I'm from a big metropolitan department. We do this quite often. We come across a lot of violent people who commit violent crimes.


What about tasers? Have you ever tased anyone?

I've never tased anyone. I have threatened a few people with tasing though. I've been lucky to have the threat work. I'll cover the fact that I've been tased in a later story. Briefly, in the police academy, towards the end, part of the "training" is to withstand up to five seconds of tasing. The rationale is that as a police officer, you can't be expected understand how effective the tasing will be, and whether it's lethal unless you yourself get tased. I personally found this bullshit. I mean, no copper has to get whacked with a metal baton OR SHOT WITH A GUN to be able to know that both baton strikes and gunshots will hurt quite a lot.

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