Off Duty

[Get_Some]

Do you guys feel like you work 24 hours a day? How often do you intervene in situations when you're off duty?

[Citicop]

I am always prepared to intervene if an appropriate situation presents itself.

Those instances are rare, though. Generally, when I'm off duty, I'm off.

-Citicop.

[retdetsgt]

In 28 years, I think I might have intervened and identified myself as a police officer off duty maybe three times, if that. I never had a situation where I needed to draw my gun off duty. But I also didn't go out of my way to get into those situations either.

And to be honest, considering the situations I intervened in, I probably would have done something even if I'd been an accountant.

[MikeLowrey]

When I put my uniform inside my locker, I switched to OFF mode, of course except on some real emergency.

[tcop733]

Yup, in 20 years I believe I only intervened once, and that was probably over 15 years ago.
This will sound odd to some, but I usually carry off duty for mine and my family's protection, not for the possibility of intervening.
When off duty I usually don't have my bullet resistant vest on, no radio, no cuffs, no OC spray, no baton.
Many agencies, at least in my area, don't require you to carry off duty, plus they emphasize the notification of on duty personnel.

[retdetsgt]

The call that always made cringe was "Assist an off duty officer.........." It was invariably a can of worms that some young cop had opened up and was going to cause me grief before it was over.

Not always young though. One night I got a call to assist at a bar. There I found a drunk off duty Sgt who had made a dozen "off duty arrests" for Lord knows what of his fellow bar patrons...... The arrestees were pretty much ignoring him. I ended up doing the same and just drove away. I didn't even want to know how that one turned out....

[Get_Some]

Well sounds like the streets are safe.

[tcop733]

Well sounds like the streets are safe.

I'll take that as some type of stab at humor.
It's a tremendous risk to have off duty officers out enforcing the law for the reasons I stated above.
Also, if I'm planning on having one sip of alcohol I don't even fathom the notion of enforcing the law.
All sorts of BAD things happen when officers enforce the law off duty, not the least of which is an officer getting killed or injured.
I advise all young officers to be nothing more than trained observers when off duty.
Sure, a life or death situation which mandates you act in the interest of public safety is a different story, but not by much, considering you're at a tremendous disadvantage tactically when acting off duty and you yourself may become a bigger problem than the original situation itself.
And yes; the streets should be safe with all the ON DUTY officers looking out for public safety, with all the tactical advantages afforded to ON DUTY officers.
I don't really expect you to understand with your limited view and understanding of the Peace Officers role in society.
Your perception is probably tainted by Hollywood and TV depictions of the profession I know first hand.

[retdetsgt]

Well sounds like the streets are safe.

We're not your mother. If you're scared, stay home.

[Get_Some]

We're not your mother. If you're scared, stay home.

Sorry. Bad joke. No fear here. I thought police were move involved when off duty. I'm glad to see that's not the case.

[Get_Some]

I'll take that as some type of stab at humor.
It's a tremendous risk to have off duty officers out enforcing the law for the reasons I stated above.
Also, if I'm planning on having one sip of alcohol I don't even fathom the notion of enforcing the law.
All sorts of BAD things happen when officers enforce the law off duty, not the least of which is an officer getting killed or injured.
I advise all young officers to be nothing more than trained observers when off duty.
Sure, a life or death situation which mandates you act in the interest of public safety is a different story, but not by much, considering you're at a tremendous disadvantage tactically when acting off duty and you yourself may become a bigger problem than the original situation itself.
And yes; the streets should be safe with all the ON DUTY officers looking out for public safety, with all the tactical advantages afforded to ON DUTY officers.
I don't really expect you to understand with your limited view and understanding of the Peace Officers role in society.
Your perception is probably tainted by Hollywood and TV depictions of the profession I know first hand.

Thanks. That makes a lot of sense actually. I have a friend who is a cop and he says he seems to be working off duty all the time. That's the reason I asked.

[Outshined]

Sorry. Bad joke. No fear here. I thought police were move involved when off duty. I'm glad to see that's not the case.

Involved in what? And why are you glad to see that is not the case?

[Get_Some]

Involved in what? And why are you glad to see that is not the case?

Glad to see that's not the case, because I would not want to get involved with minor things when not on the clock. I thought you guys had a code that you always had to step in (clearly I was way wrong on that).

[Outshined]

Glad to see that's not the case, because I would not want to get involved with minor things when not on the clock. I thought you guys had a code that you always had to step in (clearly I was way wrong on that).

Have to take appropriate action in situations. Always do, I think what the guys and gals are saying that minor crap is overlooked. If we see someone being assaulted or raped we are bound by law to intervene.

We try to avoid minor **** and silly stuff.

[Get_Some]

Have to take appropriate action in situations. Always do, I think what the guys and gals are saying that minor crap is overlooked. If we see someone being assaulted or raped we are bound by law to intervene.

We try to avoid minor **** and silly stuff.

yeah I dig that. I'd probably be the same way. (If I'm lucky enough to become a LEO)