"Ratting out" fellow officers

[white]

If some officer in your department left work two hours early every day, would you report that officer to his or her supervisor?

I'm curious as to what your responses will be.

I realize that police hold a high degree of loyalty to fellow officers and would probably not be too appreciated around the department if they were discovered "ratting out" another officer. But is there a line you draw in these kinds of behaviors, and if so, at what point is it drawn?

[Mike Romeo]

If some officer in your department left work two hours early every day, would you report that officer to his or her supervisor?

You would be hard pressed to leave two hours early as a patrol officer in my department and no one notice. Especially since every patrol officer on each shift reports to a watch Sergeant, who reports to a watch Lieutenant. And there is accountability from the top down.

We are on duty to serve the public. If we need to leave early, believe me, the Sergeant knows about it, and that's where the buck stops.

[white]

You would be hard pressed to leave two hours early as a patrol officer in my department and no one notice. Especially since every patrol officer on each shift reports to a watch Sergeant, who reports to a watch Lieutenant. And there is accountability from the top down.

We are on duty to serve the public. If we need to leave early, believe me, the Sergeant knows about it, and that's where the buck stops.

You're avoiding the question, by saying this won't happen. The question was just a theoretical general question to see where officers stand on this issue. That is in response to your negative rep with the comment, "What's your point?" I thought maybe this question was too critical to ask an officer -- now I know.

[Bearcat06]

If some officer in your department left work two hours early every day, would you report that officer to his or her supervisor?

I'm curious as to what your responses will be.

I realize that police hold a high degree of loyalty to fellow officers and would probably not be too appreciated around the department if they were discovered "ratting out" another officer. But is there a line you draw in these kinds of behaviors, and if so, at what point is it drawn?

Why are you asking this question...?:rolleyes:

[white]

Why are you asking this question...?:rolleyes:

Ok, I won't lie, because I have to read some damn ethics book (I'm halfway through it) and this question is one of the more ethically charged questions I have come across in it. I already have my own opinion on this, which is to focus on thyself instead of others... but that's besides the point. I'm curious as to if my opinion is in the norm or somewhere deviating from the norm. I wouldn't ***** about my suitemate's (the dude who lives in the dorm room next to me) use of illegal narcotics to anyone -- or even tell anyone about it due to liability. The only things I would possibly complain about are rape and murder and the likes. I'm even making the thing about my suitemate up -- I don't have a suitemate. I think I'm one of the most loyal people in my community, even when it can be challenging to keep a secret or keep to myself (sometimes you just want to blurt crap out)... but this is what I strongly believe in. I'm not talking about driving by people getting blown up and driving right on by like I didn't see anything... but the little stuff that you question the most.

[Mike Romeo]

Ok, I won't lie, because I have to read some damn ethics book (I'm halfway through it) and this question is one of the more ethically charged questions I have come across in it. I already have my own opinion on this, which is to focus on thyself instead of others... but that's besides the point. I'm curious as to if my opinion is in the norm or somewhere deviating from the norm. I wouldn't ***** about my suitemate's (the dude who lives in the dorm room next to me) use of illegal narcotics to anyone -- or even tell anyone about it due to liability. The only things I would possibly complain about are rape and murder and the likes. I'm even making the thing about my suitemate up -- I don't have a suitemate. I think I'm one of the most loyal people in my community, even when it can be challenging to keep a secret or keep to myself (sometimes you just want to blurt crap out)... but this is what I strongly believe in. I'm not talking about driving by people getting blown up and driving right on by like I didn't see anything... but the little stuff that you question the most.

What does this all have to do with leaving two hours early? :confused:

I can only imagine what Norm would say.

[Mike Romeo]

You're avoiding the question, by saying this won't happen. The question was just a theoretical general question to see where officers stand on this issue. That is in response to your negative rep with the comment, "What's your point?" I thought maybe this question was too critical to ask an officer -- now I know.

And by the way, you are asking your theorectical question in the WRONG CONTEXT!

I don't know about the rest of the Officers on this forum, but I can't just leave work without answering to someone. I don't have the same luxury as those with more flexible jobs. Otherwise, if I observed someone doing that (although it isn't feasible in this profession) I would have no choice but to report it to his/her Supervisor.

Integrity demands so.

What does your Ethics Book say about the concept of Integrity?

[Twelve Volt Man]

MIke Romeo answered correctly when he said that an officer could not leave two hours early without going noticed. Playing your hypothetical game... if I were on the shift with an officer who left two hours early without approval, he and I would be having a serious discussion.

[Citicop]

Under what circumstances COULD an officer leave 2 hours early every day without a supervisor noticing? Are we to assume for the sake of the question that there are no calls for service EVER in the last two hours of the shift? Or that the supervisor never figures it out on his own? I don't see any possible way this could be based in reality...

But to answer the hypothetical, yes...I would report him. Other officers (presumably including me) depend on this guy for backup. Plus, if he's gone, then someone is going to have to answer his calls for service. It becomes an officer safety issue, which trancends even the bond shared by officers.

PS- Feel free to use this to answer your college paper/essay/oral board question, which is what my gut tells me this thread is REALLY about.

Citicop.

[TPDHellhound]

If some officer in your department left work two hours early every day, would you report that officer to his or her supervisor?

I'm curious as to what your responses will be.

I realize that police hold a high degree of loyalty to fellow officers and would probably not be too appreciated around the department if they were discovered "ratting out" another officer. But is there a line you draw in these kinds of behaviors, and if so, at what point is it drawn?

Mike was right... it would never happen. There's too much accountability to bosses and it's generally too busy not to be noticed. So, it's not really a hypothetical (or theoretical, for that matter :rolleyes since it's not realistic.

To protect myself from being accused of avoiding the question also, I'll say that leaving early is a laziness issue that affects every other officer. So, yes, I would tell the supervisor. And no one I worked with would expect anything less.

[mobrien316]

I cannot imagine a situation where one of the officers on my shift was leaving two hours early every day and I never noticed. I can't imagine not noticing for even one day.

If one of my officers had to leave early for an emergency I would let them go and arrange for coverage. If they were habitually leaving early for no good reason then I would deal with it, first by trying to figure out why it was happening and what was going on.

If for some reason I found that they were leaving just because they wanted to (which I can't imagine ever happening) then I would deal with it. I wouldn't be concerned about being a rat because the officer's own actions would be causing the problem. My dealing with it is simply my job.

[Creeker]

I had a Supervisor that disappeared like that around lunchtime for 2 or 3 hours at a time. It wasn't up to me to find out that he was doing it with permission or not, only to overcome the obstacles of making big decisions with no input from the Super, since he wouldn't respond to cell calls or beeper. Found out later that he'd go off with his Supervisor for long leisurely lunches and to go shopping, etc. The way I found out was when their Boss came looking for my Boss several days running at about the same time they should have been back... I didn't need to tell him a damn thing, he discovered it on his own...

Just like the times he would bring his 8 year old to work after school the weeks he had custody and expect the rest of us to Baby sit the kid in an Evidence Locker. That didn't last long and I don't know how that got stopped... or how Defense Attorneys didn't get wind of it either...

Yeah, I really liked working for that Louse :rolleyes:

[Wombat311]

I had a Supervisor that disappeared like that around lunchtime for 2 or 3 hours at a time. It wasn't up to me to find out that he was doing it with permission or not, only to overcome the obstacles of making big decisions with no input from the Super, since he wouldn't respond to cell calls or beeper. Found out later that he'd go off with his Supervisor for long leisurely lunches and to go shopping, etc. The way I found out was when their Boss came looking for my Boss several days running at about the same time they should have been back... I didn't need to tell him a damn thing, he discovered it on his own...

Just like the times he would bring his 8 year old to work after school the weeks he had custody and expect the rest of us to Baby sit the kid in an Evidence Locker. That didn't last long and I don't know how that got stopped... or how Defense Attorneys didn't get wind of it either...

Yeah, I really liked working for that Louse :rolleyes:

I think we had the same supervisor.

[Samuel]

If some officer in your department left work two hours early every day, would you report that officer to his or her supervisor?

Like everyone else is saying - I wouldn't need to report it because it would have already been found out.

[Ironhead]

It becomes more than an issue of money - it is a huge safety issue. Most cops I know take their safety very serious. Cops take it personally when someone intentionally compromises their safety.

Cops count on other cops for back-up. If a fellow offcicer has so little respect for me (and the other officers working) that he is willing to ditch and scoot 2 hrs early ---- well, I guess I won't feel to much respect and loyaly towards him when I report it.