How you treat your friends

[JJohnson]

What do police do when they see their own friends doing something illegal? such as illegal fireworks, etc. Do they HAVE to do something about it, as an officer?. Can you ignore their illegal activity without being punished at all?

What about other people who aren't your friends? Can the police choose not to do anything?

[retdetsgt]

Did you see an officer do that or something? Odd that you looked for a LE forum just to ask that.

[JJohnson]

No. Not at all. All the cops that I seem to encounter are all hardened and serious. I want to become a police officer myself. But the friends I grew up with usually do some gray area stuff. (such as illegal fireworks).

I am wondering if I will have to apply numerous warnings or arrest them or such after I am an LEO.

[retdetsgt]

Illegal fireworks isn't the worst thing in the world, but don't be around when they do them. Be very careful of the other "gray areas" and look into getting new friends. Voluntarily associating with people that who don't respect you enough to do illegal things or even tell you about it will take you down at some point.

[JJohnson]

I'm afraid my question still went unanswered. Or if you did answer I misunderstand it. Can a cop play favorites? Like turning a blind eye to illegal activities? What are the consequences of it?

[retdetsgt]

No. You can be fired for it.

[Citicop]

We have discretion in how to handle many minor crimes.

But when a primary factor in using your discretion is "He's my friend," you are in an ethically problematic place.

-Citicop.

[JJohnson]

So then to finalize it. If you see someone doing something illegal, as a cop, you must resolve it? Both on and off duty?

[Citicop]

So then to finalize it. If you see someone doing something illegal, as a cop, you must resolve it? Both on and off duty?

What part of what I wrote did you not understand? For minor actions, police officers have discretion in how (or even whether) to act.

The more serious the offense, the more likely you will be to need to take action.

And if you have friends who like to break the law, you will need new friends or they will wind up getting you in trouble at work... I promise.

-Citicop.

[JJohnson]

My friends don't like to get into trouble often. the worse they do is swimming in the quarry (trespassing) or illegal fireworks (brought from another state into Iowa) or similar. They don't use drugs and I'm sure I could count on one hand the amount of times I've seen them touch alcohol.

I was curious if I had to do anything drastic if after I become a cop. I'd be a real downer to charge my friends or such.

[Citicop]

I think you'll be surprised at how your friends behavior will change in the years between now and when you can be a cop.

I wouldn't worry about it.

-Citicop.

[G35 Mass]

The only time I HAVE to do something is under four very specific conditions:

1) Restraining order violation
2) Warrant
3) Voting law violations
4) Upon the order of a Justice of the Peace



I have never been put in a situation in which I MUST act against a friend.





Discretion: The single most useful tool a police officer carries on his belt.

[retdetsgt]

I have never been put in a situation in which I MUST act against a friend.

Me neither. But I can't recall a friend ever putting me in a situation like that either. People apt to do that after I was a cop were not my friends any longer.

[G35 Mass]

Me neither. But I can't recall a friend ever putting me in a situation like that either. People apt to do that after I was a cop were not my friends any longer.

I lost friends when I started DISPATCHING. Haha. Most of my ****bag friends purged themselves by the time I became a sworn LEO.

[JJohnson]

Wow! Bummer to lose friends just because you chose a job. And thanks for the 4 HAVE to reasons and the discretion quote. Already learning and haven't yet started my CJ classes. Thanks for all the input.