Why?

[Super Six 5]

I do agree that it is not wise to wait until the last minute, but some students might be taking accelerated courses. Most of the classes that I will be taking through Portland State University are only 5 weeks long.

That's an out and out crock. I've taken courses that are only a few weeks. Never have I had a professor said "Oh by the way, tomorrow I want a 4 page paper written about an interview conducted with a law officer."

I've used the internet extensively for research. I've also put some damn pants on and spent hours gathering information in the campus library. I've set up and conducted interviews with police officers *GASP* in person. Yes, it's taken more than a few days notice and it's a pain in the *** to take time away from Nintendo to do it. But the contacts made in those departments, the tours and extra information given when I hadn't even requested it, and the good grades I earned as a result of the comprehensive and hard work were worth it.

Welpe, the cheetos are next to the beanbag chair. TX, don't you dare call me Scooter. Sbrad, c'mon. Alot of them are idiots. You're not going soft on us, are you?

Expectations bring disappointments, and assuming makes an *** out of you and me.

[JustTheFacts]

That's an out and out crock. I've taken courses that are only a few weeks. Never have I had a professor said "Oh by the way, tomorrow I want a 4 page paper written about an interview conducted with a law officer."

I don't recall saying that either. So far my professors have not had a problem with us using the Internet. I work full time and I'm a single parent so all of my classes are online anyway. If I'm ever expected to interview an LEO, I would assume that means face-to-face and would have to plan accordingly.

[Welpe]

Welpe, the cheetos are next to the beanbag chair.

Ohh there they are, BEHIND the case of Natty Light.

[scarlet_tunic]

Everyone's got some really good points:

A) The internet is a great tool, if used wisely, and in context.

B) Use of the internet otherwise, makes YOU look like a tool. :D

I just felt like adding this; and no offence to anyone in a Criminal Justice or similar college/university program (I just graduated from one myself in '05). If most people coming on RP for LEO questions are future LEO hopefuls, wouldn't doing MORE leg work be a good thing? Yes, I know, most police forces don't read every paper you wrote in college, but it is a good habit to get into at a young age, if even for your own success.

Taking the "lazy way" out, as some have implied, just shows that that individual likes to overlook things, rush projects and simply take the path of least resistance. Obviously, anyone who knows even basic police knowledge knows this mindset won't get them very far. How would that same person, once employed as an LEO, deal with an investigation? Would they simply sit on their bums, making endless phone calls, emails and web searches to investigate, or would they actually visit the scene of said crime, meet victims/suspects face to face and put some effort into it? Behavioral interviews (such as police agencies use for selection) test for "past actions predict future success". Would you choose the candidate that has a tendency to overlook details, procrastinate and use the least effort to solve the problem?

Just my two (Canadian) cents.

[DeltaV]

How many other students do you think included that you must first start as a 082 in the USMS? Or what daily life is like at FLETC? Or how long the last DEA hiring freeze lasted?

I guess no other students bothered talking to real federal agents then? Or even went to the USMS's website? Those things would have been easy to find out without using RP. You can get the same information from this site that you can get from making one on one contact with a LEO or in some cases visiting the agency's website.

It's all a matter of how much effort you want to put into your project. It's easier to ask a question here and have the information spoon-fed to you than to pick the phone up and call multiple people or sort through information on an agency's website by yourself.

It took me all of about 20 seconds on USMS's website to learn that you start out as an 082. http://www.usmarshals.gov/careers/benefits.htm

[ChesCopPodz]

While I don't chime into those threads often at all, my reasoning behind not giving answers is because A) Usually they have ASAP in their title meaning junior waited until the last day to do the project, and B) Last I checked, any school project or theme paper had to have sources cited. It would go over like a fart in church if I were a teacher and a student brought me a paper with "Some guy named ChesCopPodz who says he's a cop and I talked to in a police online forum" as the cited information source.

yes the internet is a great source for information for school projects, but that information should come from articles from actual information sources like magazines, newspapers and published documents like the FBI bulletin. Things a teacher can get on the web, find, and see if the information actually came from that source. If a person is being quoted or used for information, then it should be done in person or over the phone. That way a teacher could call Officer Smith and verify if Little Johnny actually interviewed him. At the very most, any personal interviews over the computer should be done in an E-mail, something that the teacher could send an e-mail to the interviewee.

[Hockey9019]

Your crazy Norm :p




IMHO, I understand from new members. With very few posts, then yeah. We dunno who they are. But then there are veteran members or members who have been here a while. We kind of know who and what they are kinda deal. I dunno...Its up to the person responding to answer it. I still like Valors response:

We probably need to start following mom's rule, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Not every stupid question is a troll, wait until the poster becomes an *** before treating them like a troll.

I have been in my degree for some-time now and never had a project to interview a p/o. Just curious what classes actually do this???


EDIT-oops forgot to read pages 3&4.

I think this is the first debate like discussion that hasn't been name calling in it...yet ;) But this is a good discussion IMO if we keep it clean like we are.

[Super Six 5]

You've got a little something on your nose there.

[acreature]

It's kinda brown and, eeeeeewwww, looks sticky :eek: :D

[Valor55]

I do agree that it is not wise to wait until the last minute, but some students might be taking accelerated courses. Most of the classes that I will be taking through Portland State University are only 5 weeks long.

Accelerated or not, a student will have more than 2 days to find and interview someone for a "major assignment."

My point is, if someone planned ahead and came here asking for help they'll get it. Showing up at the last possible second and using a bunch of strangers on the Internet is lazy. Pure and simple.

That being said, just because they are lazy doesn't mean we should be a bunch of Alpha Hotels. Lets wait for someone to reveal they are a troll before we treat them like one. We can still be professional and tell someone they are being lazy and should have started their research when they got the assignment.

[mxwelch]

Accelerated or not, a student will have more than 2 days to find and interview someone for a "major assignment."

Yeah, my English professor gave me a whole 4 days.:D I pulled an all nighter and barely made it. Phew...

[gringoscott]

I love asking questions here on RP. Even when I don't ask questions, I take what everyone says and analyze it and think on it. Where else can I get the opinion of a FAM, a small town Kansas cop, an LAPD officer, a hospital security guard, and a Coastie all in one visit? Nowhere but here.

I'll be honest, being able to read the viewpoints of so many different people really helps me refine my opinions on so many issues. For example, if it wasn't for Norm, I never would have bought that PBR last night for two dollar tuesday.

I'm just saying that RP is an awesome place to get multiple opinions in a short amount of time. Am I ever going to cite any of you in one of my papers? Absolutely not. No offense, but I don't know any of you. And niether do any of my professors. But will I take the advice and expertise that I've learned on here and apply it to my life, absolutely.

[suzanne1020U.S.]

I love asking questions here on RP. Even when I don't ask questions, I take what everyone says and analyze it and think on it. Where else can I get the opinion of a FAM, a small town Kansas cop, an LAPD officer, a hospital security guard, and a Coastie all in one visit? Nowhere but here.

I'll be honest, being able to read the viewpoints of so many different people really helps me refine my opinions on so many issues. For example, if it wasn't for Norm, I never would have bought that PBR last night for two dollar tuesday.

I'm just saying that RP is an awesome place to get multiple opinions in a short amount of time. Am I ever going to cite any of you in one of my papers? Absolutely not. No offense, but I don't know any of you. And niether do any of my professors. But will I take the advice and expertise that I've learned on here and apply it to my life, absolutely.

That was such a kind and thoughtful post, Gring, that I deem it rep +1 worthy.

[JustTheFacts]

That being said, just because they are lazy doesn't mean we should be a bunch of Alpha Hotels. Lets wait for someone to reveal they are a troll before we treat them like one. We can still be professional and tell someone they are being lazy and should have started their research when they got the assignment.

I couldn't agree more.

[Twelve Volt Man]

Accelerated or not, a student will have more than 2 days to find and interview someone for a "major assignment."

My point is, if someone planned ahead and came here asking for help they'll get it. Showing up at the last possible second and using a bunch of strangers on the Internet is lazy. Pure and simple.

That being said, just because they are lazy doesn't mean we should be a bunch of Alpha Hotels. Lets wait for someone to reveal they are a troll before we treat them like one. We can still be professional and tell someone they are being lazy and should have started their research when they got the assignment.

Well said. My point, when I originally started this thread, was that we have no idea how much research a student may or may not have done. Therefore, I feel that it's a bit unprofessional and premature to immediately accuse someone of being lazy. If anyone here doesn't wish to help the student, he/she certainly doesn't have to. I do, however, understand flaming some obvious troll who comes here under the guise of a doing a school project.