Off Duty Risks

[veloman]

Any of you ever had problems with former "clients" while off duty? For example, running into somebody while shopping or perhaps threatening your family etc.? I'm just curious to what length some of these pieces of human garbage will go for revenge.

[zander_zye]

I used to run into convicts that I dealt with all of the time (when you live in the 'hood, it is quite common -- lol). I never had a problem with anyone because I tried to stay within the "firm but fair" and "treat everyone the same regardless of their crime" edict.

I even helped one drunk that was a regular at the Rita Hilton get home - I was surprised that he recognized me because he was drunk as usual)

[mcsap]

No. I don't live within my jurisdiction. ( 8 miles away) I have had people that have known me ( on duty) for years who didn't immediately recognize me when not in uniform. I also don't hang out in bars etc. I have seen a few that I knew ( arrested) but I don't think they recognized me or if they did, they didn't act like it.

[spyman]

Not once in many years. At least no one ever confronted me about it.

[gdowkpc]

I live outside of my jurisdiction, and have trained my family in what to do in any case if anything goes south while shopping or anything else in public.

They know to get away and call 9-1-1, to inform dispatch that an off-duty police officer is taking action and for what reason, and what I am wearing.

I haven't ever run into anyone and have never had to act off-duty. I actually avoid it. I have called 9-1-1 from a distance on occasion and observed from a distance.

I have been a little lax on carrying a firearm off-duty. I always have one to and from work, but not so often while running errands, especially in the summer when it becomes more difficult to conceal.

But I hear that the FBI is taking down one terrorist cell a day in America, and they just took one down a few miles from here. I'm thinking times are changing, so I should probably be a little more vigilant. It's only a matter of time before we see suiide bombers here.

[Scruit]

I've bumped into officers here when they've been off-duty. Given my contact with the police has only ever been for a couple of speeding tickets and to report a burglary I giuess I remember those officers much better than they remember me. That officer may have given out hundreds of speeding tickets but I've only ever had one from him. I bumped into him two years later at a Boston market and he acted like he'd never seen me before - I assume because he didn't.

[sbrad]

I live in a rural area, so it's not uncommon to bump into the occasional person you've locked up. For the most part it's usually water under the bridge. But a guy I work with had a guy he arrested dump a bunch of bleach in his trout pond and kill all his fish.

[Jcrazy]

There is an ex-inmate that I had in the unit I work living on the same street as I do. He waves when he goes by in his truck but we have not spoken since he was released. I also ran in to an ex-inmate on my way to work once. I didn't know who he was when he spoke to me. He did look very familiar though. He shook my hand and told me who he was and that he had been out for like 14 months now. He said he was off parole and everything. It did me good to run in to one that actually got out and stayed out. Most of the time when I see them again it's because they comitted another crime.

[richjorg]

JC,

Can you carry off-duty? In CA you can for this very reason.

[Norm357]

Originally posted by richjorg
JC,

Can you carry off-duty? In CA you can for this very reason.

What dept would not let there officers carry off duty? Thats crazier than JC.:D

[EricTheBald]

Don't most depts actually REQUIRE that you carry off-duty, on the theory that you're never really completely off duty?

[gdowkpc]

No.

[zander_zye]

nope - some even discourage it

[mcsap]

We are allowed to carry off duty and don't need a CCW but we are not required to. I usually don't carry, especially in the summer. My 9mm doesn't hide well in shorts.

[Oldbillplod]

I had a male threaten to burn my house down, and he followed me home as he remembered me from when I dealt with him on a previous occasion. I got him arrested and he went inside for that and other matters.