Too "gung-ho"?

[CXT_180]

Recently my family and I were driving home from a resturant where we went out eat. As we were leaving, a silver Honda Civic flew by, sounding like a lawn mower, and with blue flashing lights on it's wheels.
My Dad said "That is so stupid, I don't understand why people do that crap."
I laughed and agreed, then said, "He won't make it very far with those blue lights"
"Why? That's not illegal"
"Yes it is, you can't have blue flashing lights on your vehicle."
"Well, that may be but they (I won't name the PD, it is a city of about 150,000 people, 120+ officers FYI)
...will never stop him for that."
"Sure they would, it's a free stop...I'd stop them in a heartbeat."

"Have you had your interview yet?" (For a seasonal LE job this summer, I currently work for the University Police where I go to school)
"No, why?"
"Good, your never going to get hired anywhere with an attitude like that, no one wants to hire a goddamn gung ho Cop. Not the Highway Patrol, SFPD, Brandon, anybody."
After this the argument got quite heated, but I'm sure you get the gist of what it was about. My question is this, is there such a thing as "too gung-ho?" I know officers tend to lose some of this "attitude" with more experiance. I also would never make a statement like that in an interview or eval. No one in my family has ever been a LEO, besides me. No one is really that in favor of it either. They all say I'm "too good for LE" etc. My dad wanted to go into LE, but changed his mind when he found out Mom was pregnant with me, he didn't feel he could support a family on a LE salary. He still tells me that I'll never be able to be happy on a State Trooper's salary. He was an intern for the highway patrol for six months. He never went through an interview process, or was a recruit. He did ride-alongs, essentially, for six months in the mid 1970's, from what I gather. You can learn from ride-alongs, some things. But it doesn't make you an authority on law enforcement. That was almost thirty years ago. yet, he was "a lot closer to being in the Highway Patrol than you are." That really made me mad( and it hurt my feelings), but I let it go. Now that I am done venting, my question is; "is there such a thing as too gung-ho?" Can you want that job so much that you think about it every day, doing graveyard ride alongs on friday and saturday nights to make it easier to wait and finish school. And every time you see a car that says "South Dakota Highway Patrol" you feel like you've seen your greatest childhood hero? Does that hurt your chances? Can you want something too much?, especially when it is something just out of reach, and every day you feel like you might be able to reach it, and you are a little bit closer? I don't think so. :shrug:
What do you guys think?

[elisa8002]

What exactly do you mean buy "Free Stop" if you mean by the way it sounds to pull someone over just to pull them over maybe you should reconsider your reasoning for becoming a policeofficer.
Its not a bad thng to really want some thing just make sure your intention is in the right place. You said you would never say somthing like its a free stop in an interview but you would clearly say it to a family member which makes the question arise do you want to be an officer for the right reasons or is it a power trip?

[CXT_180]

What I mean by "free stop" is, it's a way to stop someone when you really want to stop them. Like it's really late at night, and you thing the person may be drunk or on drugs, etc. but you have no other reason for the stop. Not everyone stops for that kind of stuff, but the ones that do call them "free stops". If you stopped everyone for that kind of stuff, that's all you'd do. Headlights, taillights, even license plate lights are referred to as "free stops" by most Police officers/Deputies/Troops. around here. I am not on a "power trip" nor do I "get off" on using my authority, just to make it clear for everyone. These "little things" are not something you always stop for, just when you want to.

[elisa8002]

OK I wasnt tring to offend you. The way it was worded sounds like you would stop someone to stop them.

[Jynkxxie]

From the cops I know, they do these "free stops" quite often. Not to f with people, but so that they can learn who is out on their streets. Sometimes even the most innocent looking person, could be hiding alot. And I can share some experiences that have been conveyed to me. I know it sounds wrong, and I am kinda iffy on it, but it does happen. It just happens for a good reason, it is because the officer feels there is a reason to.

[vbgecko]

I've observed that (in some cases) the longer you've been a cop the less gung-ho ya get. The older guys would rather stop something significant, where the new guys are all for stopping an outted license plate light, or suspended object.

Not saying there's anything wrong with that. 1 stop out of the 10 you make for those kinds violations usually yield something bigger.

[Stump]

CXT -
Your father sounds a little like mine. Don't let it get to you. My Dad says some pretty out-there stuff to me, but it is just to play Devil's Advocate so I'll look at the other side of things before deciding. My dad also has to be the expert on things. He isn't LEO or ever done a ridealong, yet he still argues with me over certain things patrolmen are allowed to do. 'Eh, at least he takes an interest in my life. Not everyone is that lucky to have a Mom and Dad in their life, so consider that next time he pisses you off. :D
As far as being excited? Gee, I remember waiting for my application to go through and all the hoops I had to jump through for my job. I was so ready to start! Even after eons of dispatching, I still have managed to maintain the same attitude, although I am one of the few that has. Just don't voice your enthusiasm out loud a lot, because then you'll get a lot of sourpusses trying to rain on your parade ("Damn rookies" "You MUST be new" , etc).
If you would like, I'd be more than happy to listen to your vents in a PM.... :D

[dwf]

I was just talking with a new officer about this tonight. I told him the one thing I look for more than anything else in new officers is a passion for this job. You can learn the skills, and how to write a good report, navigation and so on, but unless you bring passion you are shortchanging yourself, your fellow officers, and the public you serve.

I have seen guys I would consider gung-ho. They do need to be reined in some if they don't settle down a touch on their own. The problem isn't in enforcing the laws as written, but people in the community tend to get frustrated with a PD that is "harassing" them. Complaints start coming in for the Chief (which they dearly love) and in time he comes looking for you. Not the kind of attention you want.

Free stop...you bet I love em. Any chance I get to stop a car with equipment modification violations I take. I get alot of mileage out of those (drugs, DUI, suspended licenses, and the occassional warrant).

Somebody mentioned stop numbers per shift...I try to make at least 10 stops each shift and have a goal of 1 self-generated case number/arrest each shift as well.

[Darin]

Originally posted by dwf


Somebody mentioned stop numbers per shift...I try to make at least 10 stops each shift and have a goal of 1 self-generated case number/arrest each shift as well.

When I went on my ride along, the officer I rode with stopped 4 cars. He said that was about normal for a winter night shift. We also went on several calls too and served an arrest warrant so it was fairly busy.

DWF, are you a traffic unit or do you do everything? YOu sound like a "Go getter" ;) and that gets 2 thumbs up from me!

[dwf]

Nope, not a traffic unit have learned that working traffic can lead to alot of other things. If I'm not assigned a call I go find traffic violations.

[911]

Your Dad sounds like a wannabe, you have the right idea, forget about him, what does he know with zero experience? It's no wonder he didn't make it.

[NLegaspi]

Originally posted by 911
Your Dad sounds like a wannabe, you have the right idea, forget about him, what does he know with zero experience? It's no wonder he didn't make it.

ooooo, watch the dad bashing there....... on the other hand, we call new rookies green..... I would much rather one of them be watching my ladder like a hawk than a comfortable veteran with a lazy eye

[Stump]

No picking on Daddies here! Remember, he brought you into this world, and he can take you out! LOL

Dad just sounds like he is one of those men that always have to sound like they know what they are talking about, is all.

[allusivewolf]

you know we use "free stop" we refere to it as PC probable cause. becuase for example if you do get that drunk, well it is 230am and you wrote him for the inspection sticker being expired or the stickers in his back window. i love to work i never work anything less than a double 16 hours stright, the reason is so if something goes on durning the evening i can apply the knowledge to the night etc. and i am a work aholoic. but if you dont have a good enough reason to be stopping him in the first place , the DA is going to eat you alive at trial, and that perp might just walk.

but yeah i love to work, at least 16 hours a day, i love my jobs, but also i have to take a time out other wise i burn myself out. but the reason i work so much is the inevitable if i am there would it happen and am i detering anyting from happening, as well as i like the people see that there tax dollars are at work. as well it is really good for community relations as well. but dont harass people it is the fastest way to get jammed up

[LBomb]

Originally posted by elisa8002
What exactly do you mean buy "Free Stop" if you mean by the way it sounds to pull someone over just to pull them over maybe you should reconsider your reasoning for becoming a policeofficer.

Get used to it, Elisa. "Free stops" are a very valuable tool in any police dept. It's called "Reasonable Suspicion" and "Probable Cause". I see violations of the MVC committed by every other car. I have the discretion of stopping a vehicle or not. You can point out a car to me and I'll find a reason to stop it. Not by lying or stretching the truth, but by legitimate violations, whether moving or equiptment. Writing tickets isn't my ting, but I know every nook and cranny of Pa.'s MVC. Some of the biggest jobs get cleared by a cop pulling someone over on a freebie..Timothy McVeigh was arrested after he was stopped for his lisence plate not being properly fastened. "Son of Sam" was caught becaue a cop wrote him parking tickets.
You can tell him to reconsider his reasonings, but I say keep paying attention.