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Help support officers with PTSD

Retired Trooper — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:24:31 GMT

I am on the staff of Operation PTSD. A non profit organization that reaches out to veterans and LE officer to cope with PTSD and routes for treatment. Currently 10-15% or officers working the street as I type this are unaware they have PTSD as they patrol our neighborhoods. I travel around to talk to officers and superiors about symptoms of PTSD to be looking for and give officers my phone number to call 24/7 if they are having issues.

I had to retire from the SCHP after being diagnosed with PTSD after 14 faithful years of service. I was diagnoses with PTSD after a gang did a drive by shooting while I was working and my family was at home.

If you can spare anything it will be of great help going towards our mission. If you would like to donate visit Operation PTSD

question

ctwhitt — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:11:27 GMT

Can you sum up in about 6 sentences of why ethics and police character are so important in the field of law enforcement?

Thanks

So, about those contracts...

Penta — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:20:52 GMT

Yeah, I'm still on the hunt for research info for my writing. This next is a bit winding because I was up til 3 AM and only got 4-5 hours of continuous, decent sleep, and I'm still not really awake even a good while later after waking up and crawling out of bed; my apologies in advance. (Mods, it strikes me that this may or may not be the right forum for this. If it isn't, could you please move it to off-topic?)

---
When you find yourself emailing the PBA in order to get info on the NYPD, you know things are bad - either your search skills or the NYPD websites. (I'm still not sure which is to blame; No, journalistic sources reachable via Google didn't even begin to provide this sort of info about the current contract.)

Before anybody throws things at me and says I'm wasting the time of the PBA guy who answers their general inquiries email link, I'll note in my defense that I kept the email strictly focused: I asked if (A) the NYC-PBA contract currently being worked under (I do know, indeed I specifically mentioned being aware of the fact in my email, that the PBA is in negotiations at this moment (or will be soon) for a new contract. I specifically mentioned I wasn't looking for anything on that contract. Just the current one.) was available for public review; (B) If it was available in an electronic format (for easier reading, review, and reference), if it was available to the public; (C) If A and B are both true (the contract may be reviewed by some random person not a member of the PBA, and the contract is available in an electronic format), could they please point me to a web link to download a copy, or an email address where I might request a copy.

Fairly simple, no? (I mentioned what I was looking for in the contract (I'll quote: "I'm looking for the gory details on how the NYPD pays police officers and Academy recruits, and how much (in some detail)."), and why ("I write fiction, mostly short stories and collaborative fiction, though I'm not good enough (nor do I think I ever will be, if I'm realistic) that you'll ever see me published under any name (especially since I don't write with any intention of getting money, just to focus my mind elsewhere from school (I'm training to be a paralegal at my local community college, and the law can be a very dry topic of study) or summertime boredom); I mostly have written science-fiction up to now, and the story I'm planning (a story that focuses on the adventures/misadventures/existence (pick your favorite term) of a rookie NYPD officer, and his first days, weeks, and months after graduating from the police academy) is my first jaunt into realistic fiction set in a modern setting, so I have a certain need and desire to get the details right (there'll be artistic and dramatic license taken enough in the actual writing; when I'm planning, I want to be ruthlessly realistic, so I avoid making hilarious (or embarrassing) mistakes); I'm also the sort of details-focused, possibly obsessive, type of author who, regardless of genre or setting, tries to do a good bit of world-building (or, in this case, research on the real world) before I get out of the early planning stage, figuring out details (that might never go into my stories) on at least my main character, details like "how often does the character get his paycheck?", "where might this character live (something I determine in some detail)?", "what are the details behind the gun he carries on-duty, and the details behind the gun he's evidently required (by NYPD regs) to carry wherever he goes while off-duty? (as well as "Exactly how does he carry it? With what ammunition does he load it, going down to a brand and model if possible? And precisely *how* do you draw a gun from the holster anyway, whether the holster on his duty belt or whatever kind of holster he uses for his off-duty weapon?")", "what kind of car does he drive, going at least to year, make, and model? (we'll leave color out, because the author is mostly blind and could never figure out color choices anyway)", and so forth. Those details help me define and write the character, and it's a process I try to do for my main character at the very least. To answer the vast majority of those questions (all except the weapons questions), I find I likely need to figure out a draft sort of fictional budget for my character in a program like Quicken (which in my experience requires some detail in breaking down the numbers, much more than the NYPD website provides), or at least get his income from being a police officer settled in the same way one would "plug it into" a program like Quicken, and from there figure out what he'd be willing (or even able) to spend on things like housing, car stuff, etc. To do all that, I need to know the details of what the NYPD pays a recruit or an officer, and how. To know all that, I likely either need the contract, or I need a fairly detailed summary of the contract, or I need the contract-conforming pay and benefits regulations of the NYPD (which seem unlikely to be available from the NYPD, particularly electronically).") .)

I then asked that if they could not (or were unwilling to, for whatever reason) provide the contract currently in force, could they provide at least a summary (pay tables or something) of the relevant provisions? If they felt they couldn't (or didn't want to) do that, could they provide me with information on where to look for the currently-in-force NYPD pay and benefits regulations? If that wasn't possible, could they at least tell me if there was an email address (because none seemed to be floating about) for a member of the public to contact the NYPD public information office, so that I might contact them to figure out answers to my questions?

In summary of all of this: I felt I needed to be descriptive with what I was looking for and why (it's not that odd a request when you think about it, but it probably is not something the PBA hears often), but I tried to Keep It Short (I know that reads very long; I was more descriptive here than I was there); I think I did a good job of being as polite and respectful as one can come across in an email (while still being clear and without being stilted), especially given that I was "approaching out of the blue" with this.
---

That said, when I told my mom (a realtor) what I was doing (she poked her head into my room and asked why I was "banging away at the keyboard like that"), I inadvertently started an argument between me, her, and my dad (a retired civil servant at the federal level). Mom felt I had "no right" to be asking for the contract or pay details like that. Dad retorted (I didn't even realize he was nearby) that I had every right: Public sector pay info even on individuals was public information; He thought it was a bit odd to be asking the union and not the city, and had no idea why I might need that amount of detail to write, but he thought that I had every right to ask. I responded that, well, I needed the detail to do the sort of character creation I do as part of the writing process, wholly aside from just being curious, and that I emailed the PBA because I could not find a single email link for the NYPD. (He checked later and was surprised the NYPD didn't have an email address available for public inquiries like that.)

The argument went around from that point for a bit before they changed the topic and argued about something else I had no interest in, but it prompted me to ask for opinions here. Posing these as questions, but I'm as interested in opinions regarding my approach and the argument as much as I am answers to the questions posed.

1. Is my dad even partly right (I took his argument help at the time, but am now curious)? Are contracts in the public sector (particularly with the unions) public information? What about salary details for individual employees? (This might be a state by state thing, I realize.)

2. Was I right to ask the PBA for assistance in finding out the information I'm looking for? Right or wrong, did I have the right to ask, or (as my mom thinks) is that the sort of thing I either find if I'm lucky, or just let go if I'm not? (The way I figure it, of course I could ask! They could always say "Not going to talk about that" or "Go away" or something. But maybe I'm wrong and it was wrong (or just impolite, no matter how I asked) to ask in the first place.)

3. If I did have the right to ask (or even the right to know the answer to the questions I had), did I do the right thing by asking the PBA when the NYPD has no electronic means of reaching them (the only phone I have and know is available for me to use, for reference, is my cellphone - Not many minutes on it (it's intended for emergencies, "pick me up please" calls, and the like), and I'm not sure the billing situation of my calling plan in terms of a call to a 212 or 646 number - as the landline at home tends to be kept open for emergencies and people who don't know our cell numbers), or should I have held my tongue? My mom seems to think that I shouldn't have contacted the union on this sort of thing, even if they were the only ones taking questions ("on the PBA or police officers" as their website puts it) through a public-inquiry email address; instead, I should only have contacted the city/the NYPD. (Weirdly, she's the one who's the daughter of a guy who ran a union local. (In one of the building trades, but hey.) I'd have thought she'd be okay with my trying to get the truth from the union involved - my grandfather likely would, and probably would tell me not to trust the city on the matter in any event! *shrug*)

Crime?

wisco — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:10:33 GMT

This thread: http://www.realpolice.net/forums/bac...ml#post1103345

...jarred my memory on something I did a few years ago. I stopped at a gas station late one night to get something... can't for the life of me remember what.

Anyways, the place was open and I was the only customer, but there was no clerk in site. I remember ringing a bell and waiting for a few minutes but nobody ever came. I ended up leaving money on the counter and walking out with my "purchase".

I guess I'm wondering if that was even legal or not?

paris hilton arrested on drugs says "the purse wasn't mine"

MPI1 — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:41:46 GMT

aris Hilton -- 'It Wasn't My Purse'

Aug 28, 2010 10:50 AM EDT

page 1 of 2) View Entire Story

Paris Hilton wouldn't be caught dead with the purse that contained cocaine -- and that will be her defense in her Las Vegas cocaine arrest ... TMZ has learned.*

Sources who have spoken with Paris since her arrest on the Vegas strip late last night tell TMZ ... she insists the purse -- with what we're told contained a small amount of cocaine -- was not hers.

As we first reported, she's hired powerful Vegas lawyer David Chesnoff to handle the case ... and he already got her sprung without posting bail.

You'll recall Paris used the "the-drugs-weren't-mine" defense in South Africa last month, after being detained by police. No charges were filed against her.

As for the Vegas case, as far as we know she was the only woman in the car that was stopped, but she had been partying at a club prior to the bust where other women and purses were present.

Foxnews.com reported. Can't copy link cause I am on my blackberry but its on there!

So, define corruption (or misconduct)...

Penta — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:31:53 GMT

It's a fairly boring Saturday, so I've been thinking. Reading and thinking about all sorts of things, when my mind tripped over something out of nowhere...perhaps prompted by reading the NJ rules of professional conduct for attorneys and paralegals (ugh, coma).

Basically, there are people who define corruption and misconduct very broadly. There are people who define it very narrowly, where nothing short of the truly obvious qualifies. I'm curious to see where people here fall along the spectrum, and (for the current and retired LEOs among us) where various agencies draw the line (if people would be so kind as to check their agency's regulations). Maybe it'll prove to vary, sometimes dramatically, from person to person, agency to agency, location to location (basically, this is my hypothesis as I write this), or maybe it won't except for a few outliers (which would surprise me).

But, I'm not content with stopping there. I'm curious, enough so that I'm going to lay out a scenario and ask people to give me their opinion (and if you're a LEO, your agency's stance as far as you know it) on what seem to me like gray areas, or points where opinions are likely to vary. These situations aren't sorted in any way, just typing them as I think them up. (I'll throw in my opinions after there's been a few responses, so as not to lose focus on the scenarios.)

1. You're a rookie cop, maybe even in the police academy (or about to go into the academy), hunting for an apartment or condo. The landlord and you talk, etc. as they show you the place, and you give over the usual info for a credit check, income verification, etc. Along the way, your police affiliation comes up (or just comes out) somehow. The landlord gives you terms that seem special in some way (free utilities where that isn't common, a lower-than-expected rent, waiving security deposit, a longer-than-usual lease), but doesn't come out and say why.

2. The classic one, where opinions seem to vary whenever someone brings it up - you're in uniform, or someone spots the badge/credentials you carry while off-duty, and you get free drinks/free coffee/a free meal at a restaurant. I guess answers will probably vary with whether you're on-duty or not.

3. Another one people always bring up, and that (to me, at least) seems to wobble along the line (of course, I don't/can't drive, something to keep in mind), the "show a PBA card, get out of a ticket" thing. (It always sounds like an urban legend...And then I see it brought up here, apparently credibly, and not by drivers that got pulled over. How the heck is that supposed to work, anyway? What are the limits?)

Thanks for reading.

Dumbest call you've ever been on?

greg72982 — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 09:04:22 GMT

I think tonight I may have received the dumbest call of my career in four years of small town policing. I mean we get some pretty dumb calls, but this one puts the dog barking calls to shame.

Got called to one of the local 7-11's for a report of a parked dump truck with it's turn signal left on. The clerk was afraid the battery might die. I don't know what's dumber, the call itself or me for actually honoring it and checking the truck out. The doors were locked and there was no phone number on the truck, not that I'd be able to get ahold of the business owner anyway.

So to the LEO's...what's yours? I think this thread will help those prospectives who think our job is like a COPS episode all the time.

Advice requested - Pertaining to academy & self sponsoring

Chris- — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:57:30 GMT

This week i spent some time getting a hold of the two academys near me (City of Flint & Oakland Police Academy).

1) Flint confirmed that i can not use a Pell Grant for the Fee. They also confirmed they do not offer a night course (which i would need unless i could get a dept to pick me up and pay my way...which is highly unlikely). Lt Matta was very helpful and told me to call him if i have any questions about anything related to this. A big THANK YOU to him.

2) Oakland confirmed with me that they also do not have a night program.

This leaves me with a few questions, one of which is can i use a student loan for the fee? And if i keep waiting, get my BA in business, learn spanish, volunteer with the local PD (IE improving my self) is there a chance (does anyone know if this has happened...) that i could get picked up by a LEO agency hiring and have them put me through in say...5 years time?

Lt. Matta made it clear that no one in the three county area (Lapeer, Genesse, Shiawasse) was paying for people to go though. He said it was very rare now, he had 2 people in the past 4-5 classes get sponsored. The only reason that getting sponsored is such a big deal is because i have bills like everyone else and cant afford to leave my day job and go to an academy without some form of income.

Im not really sure of what my next step should be, im very serious about this career.

LEO careers locally

Chris- — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:15:36 GMT

Im working on setting up a ride along, and as such im saving the majority of my questions for that time but i have one that i think could be answered well here.

At this point in my life, i am married, have a house, and no kids (yet). Moving is almost certainly out of the question. What type of LEO careers are available to someone in my position outside of being a police officer?

Another Manhunt

Cat_Doc — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:36:58 GMT

We just got through spending thousands in OT hunting the asswipe involved in the recent Officer Involved Shooting, and now we have another manhunt in my region for this turd.

Suspect Still Wanted in Casa Grande Sex Abuse

Today, we arrested his uncle for felony Tampering with a Witness after he threatened the victim and her family. Then, another uncle assaults a media crew.

Casa Grande Man Assaults CBS5 News Crew - Phoenix News Story - KPHO Phoenix

Got to raid the house earlier tonight, but asswipe wasn't there.

I swear that society is breaking down more rapidly than ever before and there seems to be a common denominator; but I can't mention it or I will surely be labeled a racist.

For all you defense attorneys and ACLU lawyers out there; I know he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law; but, he is still a certified asswipe. Go ahead and ask me about it in court, I�ll tell you the raw truth.

Local PD at work.

capnc423 — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 03:36:09 GMT

May as well put a warning for language so,
WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS BAD LANGUAGE!
None of these people are me, LOL.

Here's a clip of my local PD at work.

AND OF COURSE, the whole neighborhood has to join in. This is also my local PD.

9th Circus tortures logic again

MikeG — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 02:05:20 GMT

9th Circuit overturns conviction of E.V. man who planned Super Bowl massacre - East Valley Tribune - Arizona Local News

Sentence overturned in Glendale Super Bowl threat case

http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastor...3/08-10472.pdf

Man, on Superbowl Sunday, loads his car up with a rifle and ammunition and mails letters that say he is going to kill a lot of people at the super bowl. Decides not to do it after mailing letters. Convicted on 6 counts of "mailing threatening communications." Tossed out.

Quote:

But Judge William Canby Jr., writing for the majority, pointed out the law requires that a threat be "addressed to any other person and containing ... any threat to injure the person of the addressee or another." In this case, though, while Havelock was threatening to injure some people, he mailed four of his threats to media outlets and the other two to music-related websites.

Without an actual live "person" as the intended recipient of the mail, Canby said, there is no violation of the law.

I read code. Not lawyer or LEO but I fail to how "aforesaid" doesn't just shoot this whole 9th circus thing down.

I guess they are practicing "no harm, no foul" justice.

Future Conservative?

Creeker — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:44:59 GMT

FOXNews.com - Police: Fla. congressional candidate robbed at gunpoint while waiting for campaign appearance

MIAMI � Police in North Miami say a Democratic congressional candidate has been robbed at gunpoint while waiting to make a campaign appearance at a church.

Police Lt. Neal Cuevas said that Marleine Bastien was in a car Saturday with her sister outside the Church of the Living God when another car pulled up along side them. A man got out, opened the driver's door, and demanded the women give him their purses and threatened to kill them.

Cuevas says the man then took off. Investigators believe he was involved in a similar robbery 30 minutes earlier.

Bastien is one of four Haitian-born candidates running in a Democratic primary next week for an open House seat in a South Florida district.

Glasses?

TheDonna — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:08:59 GMT

Okay so here is a subject that is worrying me. I was suggested glasses a few months ago due to not being able to focus on things at certain times. I can see perfectly while driving, reading and all other daily activities but I end up squinting all the time when I'm looking at the computer screen or. It started to give me headaches so I've started using the glasses.

When I went to the doctors for my academy physical they said I had 20/20 vision because I don't have trouble reading the board.

Glasses make me worried though. Everyone in my family wears them and the idea of wearing them on duty makes me uncomfortable. I would need them on duty if I'm supposed to be able to read the computer screen for a 12hr shift so its not something i think I can just bypass but the thought of getting into an altercation with glass around my eyes makes me very nervous. It just seems to me like they would be targets for anyone who wanted to cause major problems.

Do officers wear glasses? Haha I hope that's not a stupid question but I honestly have never seen an officer to-date that was wearing glasses. The one officer I know who used to wear glasses in highschool, wears contacts but would those actually be any better? Aren't contacts easily irritated and can scratch your retina?

Just wanted to let everyone know

marinepilot — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:38:58 GMT

That I wrote my very first speeding ticket on a radar that I operated as a certified radar operator!

:biggrin5::biggrin5:

(I've written speed tickets before, but always under the certification of my training officer.)

But last night, found a great spot and WHAM! Here the driver came, doing 66 in a 45!! TAA DAA!! "Press hard, four copies"

I'm just a bit excited.... :db::party::db::party::db: