This was the comment my neighbor made to me when I called him out for parking in a handicap spot in front of the Walgreens up here where we live. As far as I knew he was a landscaper, not law enforcement. My response to him was, "any LEO I know doesn't use their badge to be an asshole", to which he laughed and walked away. This was a few weeks ago.

As it turns out, he joined the Arizona Rangers, and feels this makes him law enforcement, which to him means he is above the law and can do what he pleases.

He is an ok guy, although a little odd, and frankly, little. Checking in at 5'5", maybe 145, mid to late 50's, I think he suffers from a Napoleon complex.

So last night he comes over and asks me to check out his newly purchased AR and shotgun, as he needs to have them in order for quals today, and is having trouble with one of the sights. Huh? One of the sights? He does call mags for his pistol, clips.....  I head over to his house to see what he has going on. Turns out he bout a new ruger AR with a Chinese dot system and accompanying 3x magnifier set all the way to the rear of the upper. I asked him about his BUIS and eye relief. He didn't know what any of that was, and being I had a couple vodkas in me as I was chilling after a long day of working in the sun, I suggested he maybe just go with his iron sights to qualify with since he is only going out to 50 yards. He just stared at me with a sad puppy look and said then why did I buy all this stuff if I'm not going to use it. My response was along the lines of did you ask the salesman why he was selling you that stuff? He replied that he told him because he needed it. I shrugged it off and asked him if he wanted me to mount his rear sight. He didn't know what I was talking about. I looked around the piles of plastic wrapping and found it.... pretty piece of plastic. I had to stop and ask him if he has even shot an AR before, clearly he hasn;t  shot this one and was going to qualify with it the next day with one mag and two 20 round boxes of ammo? He said he shot the head guys....once... holy mother of god. I should have been more helpful but I don't hold this guy in too high a regard, so my good human wasn't coming out. Next is his shotgun the saleman sold him. A pistol gripped 500. He said he's never shot a shotgun before. I told him I didn't think he should be showing up with a pistol gripped shotgun to qualify and that he might want to look into getting a stock for the gun. He started pointing at parts of the shotgun asking me what they were.... um, that's the safety,,,, thats the foregrip where you hold it and pump to chamber/eject a shell... he did tell me the salesman told him it held 7 rounds in the clip. Um...  He did have a box of buckshot and a small box of slugs for it! I took a breath and saw this as an opening to get him into some classes with Independence so at the very least he won't be a danger to those around him. As I was telling him of some of the classes offered he stopped me and told me they have some of the best trainers and he doesn't need to go to other courses. I asked him if he's going to be "patrolling" with all that gear, has he done any transition work (i expected a no due to these being new that day). He told me he has been certified by their trainer in transitioning from weapon to weapon. That was my clue to leave..... shaking my head wondering what the Rangers were all about. Maybe not so much the Rangers, but certainly around what he is thinking.

TL:DR - Neighbor is knucklehead

Saw it all summed up the other day in a simple bumper sticker.

"The more people I meet, the more I like my dogs."

Good for you for trying to help him out but I hope his afflictions aren't contagious.

Mid to late fifties, and has no clue about a shotgun.

Please tell me he doesn't live in or around Prescott....

So, what happens if he can't qualify?

Now the stranger started talking made it plain to folks around

Was an Arizona Ranger wouldn't be too long in town

He came here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead

And he said it didn't matter he was after Texas Red

lawN enforcement....

Az Rangers are a sad joke....

Arizona Rangers Official Site

And the worse thing is, they'll give him a tin badge and puffed up ego to carry that crap.
I've seen the "Ranger" Q course, I've seen the way it's conducted.
At this point I have no words, I just lock up mentaly.
This scrote will "qualify" on their course, and then either take an innocents life, or have a real player take his with his own firearm.

anyone who wants to be a cop for free automatically gets more scrutiny from me...

I don't know how half the people get to an advanced age anymore lacking basic skills.   Looking at some of the home improvement work done by a prior owner at my newly purchased house and I'm amazed the person could tie his shoes together.   My worst day as a do it your selfer looks like a master craftsman by comparison.

Remember half the people have below average intelligence and the average is 100 IQ which isn't much to write home about either

You'd think (and hope) that their basic requirements and "q course" would be at or near what LE minimums are. You at least think they'd have a shrink to bounce out the ones who throw up a red flag like your neighbor....

Are the Rangers similar to a Posse?

Armed Posse guys have to shoot the AZ POST qual and go through the range training process prior.  Seems like Rangers would be the same.

ETA: read their website.  Its just a private club masquerading as  a LE auxillary?  Shit, they can carry just like any citizen.

AZ Rangers have to qualify, not sure if they have to go through the FBI process like the Yavapai VIP's do. That badge doesn't have any credentials, its a glorified citizen who'd be making a citizen's arrest.

Get me his name, I know the Prescott officer for them and he's a retired Marine Colonel who would like to know these things and unfuck that guy.

You have so much wisdom to share in your old age...the world is a better place because of you.

Handy capped parking is only for the handicapped ,anyone who can't figure that out should be towed and fined.

Bullshit. The handicapped need the exercise more than anyone.

Yeah... as in the ones driving around on scooters at the stores and gun shows.

I have a feeling their version of qualifying is quite low. He had bought a G22 a couple days before he needed to qualify with it.... he never shoots other than his pellet rifle from time to time at the pigeons on his roof (takes him several shots to graze one). He claims to have passed with it out to 25 yards.

I am hoping he never has to be in a situation where he needs to defend his or another persons life. I was actually very gentle in suggesting training with Independence. Presented it as more of a fun day than a day of training (which we know it's both). Hell, I've even invited him and his wife to go out shooting with me and my wife to have some fun plinking in hopes I might be able to pass along some info I have have absorbed.

Oh, and Crzy.... piss off you ignorant snot nosed punk! And get off my lawn!!!!!

Wonder what they have for insurance coverage ? I think they answer to the governor and do charity work for children, not law enforcement.

AZ just rebadged to Highway Patrol to "Troopers."  They should have brought back the AZ Ranger name.

At least in my neck of the woods rangers are usually younger guys looking to get something on their resume so they can get on with an actual agency a little easier. The other guys are usually older retired dudes that have been around the block quite a bit and don't want to sit at home watching the wife spend their retirement check. Local PD and Sheriffs sometimes have them ride with them just so they can have backup if need be, pretty much a glorified ride along as most of the time they're in the hiring process for their respective department anyways. Pretty scary that guy is going to be out and about...

I have seen them do crowd control/security guard type work at events, and also parking/traffic control at events.

I'd never even heard of the Rangers...

I do know a single Posse member. Hyper-Lib, actually formerly employed by the Democratic Party, currently unemployed.

He's the classic 'may issue' guy. He firmly believes that people who are trusted by the Gov't should be allowed to have firearms (i.e. Him) and that people who aren't shouldn't be (i.e. everyone else).

He's a nice guy, and largely stays off politics around me, at least when he thinks I'm listening. He knows better.

The good news is that if it ever gets to his SHTF fantasy... I shoot much better than he does.