Being an LEO in Your Hometown?

[Ferus]

Are any of the LEOs on here working in their hometown? If so would you recommend it? Do you experience many problems by dealing with people you know from high school/college or just from around your town/city?

[Roger Dat]

I do and I havent had any problems. Work long enough n any area and you'll know the regulas better then you know kids from High school. I treat people I know the same as people I dont. If they need to go to jail they do, if they need a ticket they get one.

[Johninaustin]

I had 66 people in my graduating class. The troublemakers are all dead or in prison. (Mostly dead)

So no, I don't have any problems. ;)

[Ferus]

I'm glad to hear that from both of you. I'm sure if you do ask Roger Dat said everything should be fine anyway, just have to treat everyone the same and everything should go fine.

Thank you both.

[BP348]

I don't work in my hometown so it's not a problem. But my last duty station was a busy traffic checkpoint and many of the guys were from the area that was south of the checkpoint. In other words they had to pass through the checkpoint to get further into the country.

So, on several occasions we had guys that had to arrest people they knew. As soon as they were put under arrest they informed a supervisor and someone else finished the case. We even had one guy who's brother-in-law was arrested while he was there at the checkpoint. The not so funny part was that the brother-in-law was driving his car when he was busted. Seems he asked his sister if he could borrow her car for a while :eek::mad:

[kels]

If it is a rural area, it would be better to start somewhere else.

Cuts down on a lot of problems.

Fact is, not working where you are from is a good idea.
That way, when you go to visit, you can let your guard down somewhat.

(I would have said, let your hair down, but I dont have any)

[Plazoo]

I now work in the same city I live in, although its not my "hometown". I grew up and went to school somewhere else.

That said, I havent had any problems yet other than the neighbors knowing what I do for a living and they dont see any problem with coming and knocking on my door whenever they have some LE related question. Fortunately, I have a wife who tells them that I'm off duty and if they have a questions then they should call the department. God bless her.

Plus, we are required to carry off-duty, so if there ever was an issue of one of my customers causing a problem when I'm out and about...it wouldnt be a problem for long.

[Ferus]

Fortunately, I have a wife who tells them that I'm off duty and if they have a questions then they should call the department. God bless her.

I was just about to ask that question.

Plus, we are required to carry off-duty, so if there ever was an issue of one of my customers causing a problem when I'm out and about...it wouldnt be a problem for long.

Wow, required huh... I didn't even know that departments did that. I guess it is a pretty good idea. I'm thinking when/if I am an LEO someday I would plan to do the same by carrying off duty.

If it is a rural area, it would be better to start somewhere else.

That's understandable. But what would you consider rural? Like under 5,000 people or something...?

[retdetsgt]

Plus, we are required to carry off-duty, so if there ever was an issue of one of my customers causing a problem when I'm out and about...it wouldnt be a problem for long.

You are??? Do you get paid for it off duty?

Nothing wrong with carrying off duty, of course, but I'll be damned if I want my employer telling me what to do when I'm not at work. As long as I'm not breaking laws nor causing a problem for him, what I do or don't do is none of their business.

Back to the question, I didn't even live within the city limits of where I worked. I grew up in Texas so running into old friends was no problem, but I didn't even want to deal with my neighbors when I was working. In fact, most of my neighbors where I lived didn't know what I did for a living. No reason to tell them.

[Plazoo]

You are??? Do you get paid for it off duty?.

No, we don't get paid for it. I think its more of an officer safety thing than anything else. With all the stories you hear about off-duty cops getting caught in a hot situation, off duty, I think its my boss's way of ensuring we dont get caught with our pants down.

[retdetsgt]

No, we don't get paid for it. I think its more of an officer safety thing than anything else. With all the stories you hear about off-duty cops getting caught in a hot situation, off duty, I think its my boss's way of ensuring we dont get caught with our pants down.

I dunno, I think if you're mature enough to be a cop, you should be mature enough to make a decision if you want to carry off duty or not.

I guess I'm a little sensitive about issues like that because Portland tried various stupid ideas that I thought violated my rights. One, in the mid 70's some rocket scientest decided we should be required to live in the city. Fortunately, those living outside were grandfathered, but if we ever moved, we would have to move inside the city limits. When no one wanted to work for the city any longer, they got wise and repealed the law.

I just feel really strongly about my time being my own. If I want to strap on a gun, fine. If I want to take my kids to a movie without it, I think that's my right. Being a cop is a job, it's the way I earned a living. It wasn't my whole life.