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Posted: 12/16/2014 9:29:46 AM EDT
[#1]
Walked a foot beat in the projects for a year, '94-'95.
It sucked, only good part was the FDNY firehouse on my beat because they let me hang out there. |
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Posted: 12/16/2014 9:41:11 AM EDT
[#2]
As an MP in Panama I did it but not for all that long. Not the the foot beat you're thinking of with the local cop getting to know the residents and shop owners on his beat.
I worked the overnight patrol and preferred the walking patrol to the gate guard shack. Spent the night doing perimeter fence checks and residential area foot patrols to deter thefts by indigenous locals that were capable of hauling off washing machines from the carports in the dark hours and through a cut fence. Also walked a beat in officer country housing off post up on that big hill with the giant Panamanian flag. Down the hill the neighborhood was kind of sketchy and I'd hear a few gunshots every night but that was the Panamanian National Police's problem. The biggest problem was heat rash in that enviro. 
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Posted: 12/16/2014 2:48:05 PM EDT
[#3]
The first agency I worked for back in the 70's had a "Foot beat" shift that ran from 8:00pm to 4:00am. It was a small town and basically you walked the business district checking for open doors/windows or anything out of the ordinary. There were only a few businesses open, a 7-11, a Quickmart, the movie theater and a couple of bars.
So the shift consisted of walking the business district from 8:00pm to 11:00pm and then you got in a patrol car from 11:00pm to 4:00am and patrolled the same area in a vehicle. You were then the primary back up unit for the regular beat officers. This was a shift that was regularly assigned to the new officers to learn the downtown area and also to the Reserve officers on a part time basis. When I later transferred to the Sheriff's Office, we had a few shopping centers that were checked by walking around them, but we didn't have an area that was patrolled by any type of regular foot beat. |
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Posted: 12/16/2014 5:45:00 PM EDT
[#4]
Nope. I routinely have to drive 90 minutes to calls in the middle of the night.
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Posted: 12/16/2014 8:05:11 PM EDT
[#5]
Closest we have to that is a 'down town' unit that works like 9-5. Its a political circle jerk position though. Essentially all they do is talk to business owners/shake hands.
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Posted: 12/16/2014 9:34:17 PM EDT
[#6]
My first agency we did frequent patrols in the down town area where kids hung out on Friday and Saturday nights.
My second was a college campus lots of foot patrols. |
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Posted: 12/17/2014 8:37:29 AM EDT
[#7]
I walked a foot post in Times Square and the theater district in manhattan.
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Posted: 12/17/2014 8:42:40 AM EDT
[#8]
Did them in Miami-Dade and do them now. More now than then.
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Posted: 12/17/2014 9:08:08 AM EDT
[#9]
I did for about six months. I had a good beat in a business district, which included several restaurants, a couple coffee shops, a movie theater, an entertainment venue where I met many celebrities before or after their shows, and other business establishments. Parking tickets was about the only thing going on.
A humorous note, one night my partner was practicing twirling his baton and lost control of it. Yes you guessed it, crash, right into the storefront window shattering the entire pane of glass. It had to have been maybe a 8'x6'. The bosses were pissed and made him work inside the station for several years. |
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Posted: 12/17/2014 10:39:53 AM EDT
[#10]
'88-'89 in a college town. Walked the bar district and the route to and from. Just out of the Army and barely older than the students. Much fun was had right from the first night.
Then joined the State Police and got a patrol area of 1600 sq miles. no walking. |
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Posted: 12/17/2014 12:40:58 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Closest we have to that is a 'down town' unit that works like 9-5. Its a political circle jerk position though. Essentially all they do is talk to business owners/shake hands. Pretty much this. I wouldn't be opposed to doing it, but the reality is, my city is waaayyyy to spread out and resources are thin. It would be great if we could put officers on foot in the areas that need it, but they are too busy running call to call for that. I can see the officers arriving to a location of a crime in progress just in time to see the suspects driving away. Now what do you do? |
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Posted: 12/17/2014 8:30:05 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The first agency I worked for back in the 70's had a "Foot beat" shift that ran from 8:00pm to 4:00am. It was a small town and basically you walked the business district checking for open doors/windows or anything out of the ordinary. we do this in my town in 2014.
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Posted: 12/17/2014 9:46:14 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Walked a foot beat in the projects for a year, '94-'95. It sucked, only good part was the FDNY firehouse on my beat because they let me hang out there. Something like this, worked a conditions foot post near Kings County Hospital (KCH) , Flatbush, Brooklyn in the 90's. Nothing like running to gun runs and 10-13s all day. Then I had to go patrol the subway  , so I quit. Many years later, I got a quasi-detective (not a square badge) position at a local crap mall and actually preferred walking my beat despite having a car. I liked sneaking up on the toads as most cops in the area never get more than 10 feet from their car. I reverted to my ghetto beat mentality and treated that dump much like my old footpost where you claim ownership. Something along the lines of: You may have lived there, but that block belonged to ME.
I think footposts are a good community policing tool and a education for an observant cop but only work in walkable , high population density areas. You can tell alot about who' s who and what's what by taking the time to read the lay of the land, graffiti and even garbage. You're not going to learn much by cruising through a neighborhood at 35 mph with your cruiser window up and the tunes on. |
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Posted: 12/17/2014 11:39:38 PM EDT
[#14]
Walked a beat for almost two years back in the early 80's. We call it the Central West End. On the side streets homes and condo's on the main street North and South businesses from art galleries to specialized food stores. The majority of businesses were taverns, pubs and eating establishments. Worked the overlay 6pm to 2am watch. Was a good time less the winter months. It took me along time to get from one end to the other in the snow. When a patrol unit wasn't on a call I would hop in and warm up save some steps. It was a good time.
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Posted: 12/18/2014 4:43:32 AM EDT
[#15]
Ive walked a beat both in the projects and in our downtown area. Prob total of close to 2.5 years out of my 20, both as OT assignments and as a regular beat assignment.
J- |
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Posted: 12/18/2014 9:36:55 AM EDT
[#16]
There are a number of reasons I asked this question.
A while back I spoke with a beat cop in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore and asked him if he liked walking a beat. He said he liked the one he had which was in a mallish area. It struck me that a beat would be more desirable to a guy of my nature as opposed to being cooped up in a car. He DID say that if he had to walk a beat a few blocks over he'd put in to go back to a car so I guess like a lot of things it depends on the beat. I can certainly see his point. The other reason I asked is because over the years none other than Hollywood has seemed to make the beat look undesirable. You always herd the mayor's wife (or chippie) telling the cop that stopped her say, "You give me a ticket and I'll have you walking a beat" (That meant a SURE ticket if I were the cop and I'd hold her to it.) Personally as a guy that has watched TV and therefore knows everything about police work  I can see where a beat could be a damned useful tool in urban areas.
Whatever. I was just curious. |
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Posted: 12/18/2014 11:38:10 AM EDT
[#17]
My old PT dept we were required to do an hour on foot every shift around the business district ( such as it was )
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Posted: 12/18/2014 11:56:14 AM EDT
[#18]
Our rookies alternate between walking and driving for their first six months out of the academy. Jam a book of parking tickets in your back pocket and your lunch into your jacket, and start hoofing.
I'm a big fan of the process. You see plenty at 2mph. |
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Posted: 12/18/2014 7:57:44 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Our rookies alternate between walking and driving for their first six months out of the academy. Jam a book of parking tickets in your back pocket and your lunch into your jacket, and start hoofing. I'm a big fan of the process. You see plenty at 2mph. As was posted earlier, you even get to see the garbage and laugh as you will, I bet a good cop can tell alot from that. |
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Posted: 12/18/2014 8:04:19 PM EDT
[#20]
I do "Foot Patrol" in the projects in my sector every now and then, I like it better then being in the car. Driving around you have a disconnect with the people. On foot you get to see them face to face and its fun to see the thugs run when you round the corner too.
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Posted: 12/18/2014 8:07:21 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Our rookies alternate between walking and driving for their first six months out of the academy. Jam a book of parking tickets in your back pocket and your lunch into your jacket, and start hoofing. I'm a big fan of the process. You see plenty at 2mph. Thats how we used to do it too. Walk from the station or if you were lucky you could hitch a ride lol, rain, shine, snow etc start walking kid, lmao. J- |
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Posted: 12/18/2014 10:44:22 PM EDT
[#22]
When I first read the title, I miss read it. Before ascending the glorious rank ladder, I did 30 day stints of barking dog patrol every three months.
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Posted: 12/19/2014 7:10:08 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Something like this, worked a conditions foot post near Kings County Hospital (KCH) , Flatbush, Brooklyn in the 90's. Nothing like running to gun runs and 10-13s all day. Then I had to go patrol the subway , so I quit.Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Walked a foot beat in the projects for a year, '94-'95. It sucked, only good part was the FDNY firehouse on my beat because they let me hang out there. Something like this, worked a conditions foot post near Kings County Hospital (KCH) , Flatbush, Brooklyn in the 90's. Nothing like running to gun runs and 10-13s all day. Then I had to go patrol the subway , so I quit.Yep, mine was back in the CPOP days. I didn't want it but they stuck me in that unit straight out of FTU. Thank God for the guys at Engine 230. |
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Posted: 12/19/2014 9:51:40 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
...., I like it better then being in the car. Driving around you have a disconnect with the people. On foot you get to see them face to face and its fun to see the thugs run when you round the corner too. My guys look at me funny that I drive around in winter with my drivers window down I hate being cocooned in the car and not knowing whats going on around me If the wind or snows bad I'll roll it up but still leave a bit of a crack Only time its usually up all the way is if I have the siren going |
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Posted: 12/20/2014 2:42:04 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My guys look at me funny that I drive around in winter with my drivers window down I hate being cocooned in the car and not knowing whats going on around me If the wind or snows bad I'll roll it up but still leave a bit of a crack Only time its usually up all the way is if I have the siren going Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
...., I like it better then being in the car. Driving around you have a disconnect with the people. On foot you get to see them face to face and its fun to see the thugs run when you round the corner too. My guys look at me funny that I drive around in winter with my drivers window down I hate being cocooned in the car and not knowing whats going on around me If the wind or snows bad I'll roll it up but still leave a bit of a crack Only time its usually up all the way is if I have the siren going Exactly. I got officer of the month for a pop I made a while back because I had my window cracked and heard a robbery before it came out. |
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Posted: 12/20/2014 6:10:55 AM EDT
[#26]
Every once in a while I will grab someone if we aren't busy chasing calls and go roam around the bad parts of the hood on foot. Get some interesting arrests that way.
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Posted: 12/21/2014 1:38:52 AM EDT
[#27]
I was a School Resource Officer for 5 years. Does that count?
Working on foot in a school teaches you to treat people with respect, You are going to see them again. |
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Posted: 12/21/2014 2:06:35 AM EDT
[#28]
The beat I walked is actually where the NYPD shooting happened yesterday.
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Posted: 12/21/2014 5:25:24 AM EDT
[#29]
I walk a beat on Fri and Sat nights, just got in from one.
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Posted: 12/21/2014 10:27:01 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Exactly. I got officer of the month for a pop I made a while back because I had my window cracked and heard a robbery before it came out. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
...., I like it better then being in the car. Driving around you have a disconnect with the people. On foot you get to see them face to face and its fun to see the thugs run when you round the corner too. My guys look at me funny that I drive around in winter with my drivers window down I hate being cocooned in the car and not knowing whats going on around me If the wind or snows bad I'll roll it up but still leave a bit of a crack Only time its usually up all the way is if I have the siren going Exactly. I got officer of the month for a pop I made a while back because I had my window cracked and heard a robbery before it came out. While this is a good idea, try and leave the passenger window cracked instead. By the end of your career you're going to have hearing loss in your left ear from 20 + years of driving with the window open. I've already lost some hearing due to screeching subway train brakes in my left ear and the open window will only make it worse according to the Doc. |
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Posted: 12/21/2014 12:01:24 PM EDT
[#31]
5 years. When I joined you couldn't get any further training or specialisms, other than Public Order training, inside that time. Just to give you time to learn how to be a cop. Now they get it all thrown at them inside 2 years, except of course many of them never learn how to be a cop in the first place.....
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Posted: 12/21/2014 12:05:37 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
While this is a good idea, try and leave the passenger window cracked instead. By the end of your career you're going to have hearing loss in your left ear from 20 + years of driving with the window open. I've already lost some hearing due to screeching subway train brakes in my left ear and the open window will only make it worse according to the Doc. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
...., I like it better then being in the car. Driving around you have a disconnect with the people. On foot you get to see them face to face and its fun to see the thugs run when you round the corner too. My guys look at me funny that I drive around in winter with my drivers window down I hate being cocooned in the car and not knowing whats going on around me If the wind or snows bad I'll roll it up but still leave a bit of a crack Only time its usually up all the way is if I have the siren going Exactly. I got officer of the month for a pop I made a while back because I had my window cracked and heard a robbery before it came out. While this is a good idea, try and leave the passenger window cracked instead. By the end of your career you're going to have hearing loss in your left ear from 20 + years of driving with the window open. I've already lost some hearing due to screeching subway train brakes in my left ear and the open window will only make it worse according to the Doc. I came in with tinnitus from the Marines lmao. I need all the help I can get from the get go
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Posted: 12/21/2014 3:13:39 PM EDT
[#33]
I walked a beat in New Haven, CT - Dixwell Ave / Projects (98-99) for about 1 year before getting into a car. At the time I hated walking a beat. Fresh out of the academy I wanted to jump right into the action and I thought walking a beat would be too slow. However in hindsight walking a beat was great. You really get to know the area and the people in it. You get the inside scoop as to who is doing what and form relationships for future information. |
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Posted: 12/21/2014 7:09:19 PM EDT
[#34]
Back in 1955 I patrolled the streets of Bed/Sty on foot. NYC where those two officers were killed. We put out 3 0r 5 patrol cars and 50 or so foot Patrolman. There were no radios or cell phones in those days, the law was more or less respected. Today the criminal is right the Police are bad attitude prevails ,The NYPD lowered the standards.for recruitment They hired Felons who pleaded to a misdemeanor other standards were lowered. We are lucky that today they have a great bunch of dedicated officers who do an outstanding job. The mayor does not back his Police. He and Obama side with that XXXXX Al Sharpton and the like. Russian Premier Nikita Kriuschev (Pardon the misspelling) said "We will destroy your country from within" His Liberal sympathizers in Education and Politics are doing that now. I retired 35 years ago.Hurray! for todays Thin Blue Line.
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Posted: 12/21/2014 9:38:58 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Back in 1955 I patrolled the streets of Bed/Sty on foot. NYC where those two officers were killed. We put out 3 0r 5 patrol cars and 50 or so foot Patrolman. There were no radios or cell phones in those days, the law was more or less respected. Today the criminal is right the Police are bad attitude prevails ,The NYPD lowered the standards.for recruitment They hired Felons who pleaded to a misdemeanor other standards were lowered. We are lucky that today they have a great bunch of dedicated officers who do an outstanding job. The mayor does not back his Police. He and Obama side with that XXXXX Al Sharpton and the like. Russian Premier Nikita Kriuschev (Pardon the misspelling) said "We will destroy your country from within" His Liberal sympathizers in Education and Politics are doing that now. I retired 35 years ago.Hurray! for todays Thin Blue Line. 1955! Kee-Rist! I was 4 then! You are actually one of the Old School beat cops I was thinking about when I started this thread. 8 corner hat, Colt Police Positive, nightstick, little backup and living off of your wits. You likely knew when trouble was brewing by looking at the brand names of the beer cans in the trash. You likely knew everyone on your beat, their names, their wive's names, their kids names and who the troublemakers were and were not. You likely knew who would back you and who would sell you down the river. You were your own public relations officer and had to know how to sell yourself to your constituents. You knew where you could get in out of the rain, get a cup of coffee or take a dump at 3am. While I think that a lot has changed in police work, some things have stayed the same. While this type policing wouldn't work in a rural setting, it strikes me that it is still a very effective way of policing in a more urban environment. Coupled with radios, cell phones and technology it would probably be a lot more effective than it was back in the day. Something to be said here. |
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Posted: 12/22/2014 5:26:30 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My guys look at me funny that I drive around in winter with my drivers window down I hate being cocooned in the car and not knowing whats going on around me If the wind or snows bad I'll roll it up but still leave a bit of a crack Only time its usually up all the way is if I have the siren going Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
...., I like it better then being in the car. Driving around you have a disconnect with the people. On foot you get to see them face to face and its fun to see the thugs run when you round the corner too. My guys look at me funny that I drive around in winter with my drivers window down I hate being cocooned in the car and not knowing whats going on around me If the wind or snows bad I'll roll it up but still leave a bit of a crack Only time its usually up all the way is if I have the siren going Can't hear mama's and babies crying for help with your window up. I say that to every rookie I get when they roll my windows up. |
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Posted: 12/23/2014 4:46:15 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
While this is a good idea, try and leave the passenger window cracked instead. By the end of your career you're going to have hearing loss in your left ear from 20 + years of driving with the window open. I've already lost some hearing due to screeching subway train brakes in my left ear and the open window will only make it worse according to the Doc. No subways here Maybe the lowing of the cows will deafen me Oh well I have to get a hearing test every year and I've already lost a wide swath of my hearing |
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Posted: 12/24/2014 8:18:32 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
No subways here Maybe the lowing of the cows will deafen me 
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Posted: 12/26/2014 6:55:55 AM EDT
[#39]
My AO has a lot of small tows that are GREAT for evening foot patrol. I usually park the squad in the center-most area, or by the village hall, or a bank, always in front of a camera.
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Posted: 12/26/2014 8:31:23 PM EDT
[#40]
I walked a foot beat on Michigan Ave for 3.5 months for holidays and have been on foot on chicagos southside since May. It has its benefits and negatives. Its more of a visibility thing than a real crime fighting tactic. You learn quickly who the drunks are, drug users. gang members etc.
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Posted: 12/27/2014 1:34:38 PM EDT
[#41]
What about walking the tiers in jail/prison? Does that count?
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Posted: 12/27/2014 3:31:02 PM EDT
[#42]
Did 18 months on foot in the seven five, East NY Brooklyn. Some of the best time spent on the job.
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Posted: 12/27/2014 4:23:52 PM EDT
[#43]
I walked a beat as an assignment and punishment. We had to make "pulls" from a call box at a set schedule, if assigned to a beat where there were no call boxes we called the precinct from a pay phone, dialing the precinct number got the quarter back from the phone.
If we did not make our pulls the street sergeant came looking for us. When handhelds became available they were the size of cinder blocks and worked like two cans with a broken string, so we still had to make pulls. As a boss I would walk the projects with new guys to give them some perspective, also because it was still fun. I did learn how to twirl a baton... |
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Posted: 12/28/2014 6:47:00 PM EDT
[#44]
A long time ago when I worked in the downtown district we walked the beat, it was rotated so everyone got to do it about once a month. I enjoyed it, as it was something different, and was a nice change of pace to get out of the patrol car. On day shift or afternoons you usually walked alone. On night shift we walked in pairs, I occasionally got to team with an old Sgt who liked to work the alleys,climb fire escapes, and go roof top to roof top in the business areas (especially in some of the old abandoned buildings), it was amazing the things we got into and arrests made. On day shift, it was mainly dealing with the bums, whinos and panhandlers, and you occasionally would stop into local business for a chat which the business owners liked. We also took turns on night shift at what was called the bar car, which you were teamed up in unmarkeds and just mainly did bar checks, this was fun duty as well.
CY6 Greg Sullivan "Sully" SLR15 Rifles TheDefensiveEdge.com (763) 712-0123 |
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Posted: 12/29/2014 11:13:55 AM EDT
[#45]
I did. For years. Best job in Policing.
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Posted: 1/2/2015 8:59:53 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I did. For years. Best job in Policing. I have heard that either you love it or hate it. Incidentally, there is an old movie cliche where someone, usually a bitchy woman, gets pulled over for something and tells the cop, "My husband works for the mayor. You give me a ticket and I'll have you walking a beat!" What made this stick in my head is that when I was a kid my dad and I were watching an old movie and that scene happened. My dad commented that he'd write her the biggest ticket he could and hope he WAS assigned a foot beat because it sure seems a lot better than sitting in a smelly old patrol car hiding behind a billboard (remember those?) while waiting for some damned fool speeder! Watching old movies with dad was fun. He would generally keep a running commentary that was often hilarious. For some reason or another this has stuck with me for decades. |
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Posted: 1/2/2015 9:17:42 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Best job in Policing. No thanks. |
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Posted: 1/2/2015 6:27:09 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What about walking the tiers in jail/prison? Does that count? |
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Posted: 1/7/2015 9:17:39 PM EDT
[#49]
I used to regularly get assigned to the daily Shore Patrol Officer duty in Olongapo. Usually walked with the Provost Marshal Watch Supervisor. Great way to get an in-depth orientation to the wonders of the orient without too many hassles. After several times, I got my a Petty Officer assigned and I got to move between beat areas. The PO was there to make sure no sailor or Marine that was drunk was able to take a punch at me, saving everybody from a lot of undue excitement and paperwork. The best part was meeting owners and managers of establishments where I could go and eat and people watch on liberty without getting hassled by the girls and biny boys.
Back in the Martial Law and strict Curfew days. |
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