[rant]



Or weeks, months or seasons where, on the whole, you like your job, but just barely, because you're sick of many of your co-workers, supervisors and brass, and can't stand the sight of some of them? I'm starting to question why some of them got into police work. I know why I did. And I'd do it for free, if I could afford it. I get countless personal satisfaction from doing this job. I think some of them just like to make people's lives miserable. No wonder the administration is wondering why overall production is down! I have never heard so many rumors, nor witnessed, experienced or heard as much MMQB'ing and second guessing by supervisors in my career as I have this summer.

I swear it's going to make me actually want to start looking at the investigations division as an acceptable career path. Til now I've NEVER wanted to get out of patrol.

Oh, and field training? don't get me started.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaRRRGggHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh





I got 5 cents in my pocket. Anyone see where Lucy Van Pelt set up her psychiatrist stand today?



[/rant]

Edit for grammar. Never type while ticked.

Well brother,

I think I feel your pain and the thing that drives me is what ole Hoot says in BlackHawk Down.  "it's about the guy next to you, and that's all"  There's nothing else.  Law Enforcement's biggest draw is the brotherhood borne under fire.  The admin can do whatever they want, but the guys I work for, I'd give (and almost have) my life for because they'd do the same for me, just that quick.

Don't let the brass get you down.  They really do not matter.  Don't let the public get you down, they'll NEVER understand our job, nor do they want to, that's what they pay us for.  You do it for your brothers that work WITH you.

and that's all.

And I don't care how low you feel, I'd NEVER take a desk inside, investigations or for any other reason.

Good Luck brother, I'll keep you in my prayers!

Quoted: Well brother, I think I feel your pain and the thing that drives me is what ole Hoot says in BlackHawk Down.  "it's about the guy next to you, and that's all"  There's nothing else.  Law Enforcement's biggest draw is the brotherhood borne under fire.  The admin can do whatever they want, but the guys I work for, I'd give (and almost have) my life for because they'd do the same for me, just that quick. Don't let the brass get you down.  They really do not matter.  Don't let the public get you down, they'll NEVER understand our job, nor do they want to, that's what they pay us for.  You do it for your brothers that work WITH you. and that's all. And I don't care how low you feel, I'd NEVER take a desk inside, investigations or for any other reason. Good Luck brother, I'll keep you in my prayers!

My blessing is that many of our brass, and specifically our Chief, are worth their weight in GOLD. It's the power-play that goes on with middle management who train you to do one thing, then bitch at you for doing it. We were lectured all summer about NEVER leaving our cars running unless needing to keep lights on, etc. Told at the beginning of roll call last night that the first person the Lt. finds doing so, will VERY likely get a WEEK suspension. So, DOA call last night. scene secure, half hour or so old... GUESS WHO shows up, leaves his car IDLING and saunters over with a cup in hand to see what's goin on?

This is the same guy who never responded to me when I said Hello to him when I was a new officer. Just walks right by like you're not there. Rumor had it he once said he had no reason to talk to anyone who had less than 5 years on.

Edit to add:

The public has never got me down, nor will they. I bent over backward last week to try to help out in a very very heated incident where we had to force entry into an apartment that four suspect had fled into. In the end I was able to calm the renter down, explain the nuances of case law and the specific amendments that allowed us to make the entry. I stuck around for about an hour or so trying to help them find their friend's mom, etc... Two days ago I drive by the apartment and they're yelling at me, Keep moving, keep kicking rocks somewhere else. I stop on a dime. Get out of the car and start bitching at them about how they're talking to me after all that. THen and only then do I get the. OOOhh it's YOU.. sorry man we thought it was some one else. I stopped them right there and pointed at my car. I said "it's not who's in it. It's the car that matters. You boys need to learn to just say Hi, how's it goin, rather than "fuck off" if you want to garner any respect from my coworkers. And you'll lose it just as fast from me by saying that crap when I pull up" they apologized. I drive by them all the time and make it a point to stop when I've got nothing goin on, sit on their front steps with them and shoot the shit for a half hour or so.

ah... this weekend off will be much enjoyed.

... weeks, months or seasons where, on the whole, you like your job, but just barely, because you're sick of many of your co-workers, supervisors and brass, and can't stand the sight of some of them? I'm starting to question why some of them got into police work.

We just had a guy retire as a Commander who had taken this job because he was refused tenure at a local college 20+ years ago, and his suit salesman job didn't have a pension. Our Chief told me once that he "never found a home here" (in the FD), and openly acknowledged that his promotion was based solely on politics ...

And here folks think the PD and FD are worlds apart... SSDD. (Same Stuff, Different Department)

Quoted: My blessing is that many of our brass, and specifically our Chief, are worth their weight in GOLD.

I envy you in that. Much of our brass is dinosaurs, or so old school that they've adopted the 1930's "you're lucky to have a job at all" mindset.

It's the power-play that goes on with middle management who train you to do one thing, then bitch at you for doing it.

For us it's a little different. [background] We're a (almost) 40 person shop - Chief, 3 Shift Commanders (former bargaining unit LT's who were bribed away from being Lt's with more pay/power) - and 10-12 guys per shift. We just had a retirement and a promotion, and we're looking at (re) establishing the LT. position, and possibly boosting our dept #'s. [/background]

The thing is - our Chief and most S/C's are classic "do as I say not as I do" folks...they belittle any form of "book learning" either college or job oriented (fire science) classes, and finally established SOG's... most of which have the following style:

1) The Chief or his designee is always right and in charge, 2) When in doubt, refer to Rule #1.

Our Chief loves to complain / remove folks from positions for not showing enough initiative... but if you demonstrate too much inititative, he'll ream you for getting out of line - example: he wants us to pursue grants. In order to pursue grants, we need his OK - even if just a rubber stamp - to intiate the application process - which he won't give us, because he wants go/nogo say on any project, and doesn't want to commit to something without knowing all details. Then, when the grant application period is over (or even better, with T minus 2 days), he'll ream us for not "being up on things".

Our Training Officer (next on LT.'s list) reams us about safety, then climbs off the engine at a (2) fire calls sans SCBA and tools; he whines about "safe working conditions" and then runs the (2-stroke gas engine powered) vent saw inside the bay with the doors closed and no hearing protection.

He's the same guy who, after opening up a line into a window of a room where a crew was working inside at the time, (very bad, for you no FF's) fell back on "I was only following orders"... which he was. The bad part is that he knew better, and did it anyway, despite his training and knowledge.

This is the same guy who never responded to me when I said Hello to him when I was a new officer. Just walks right by like you're not there. Rumor had it he once said he had no reason to talk to anyone who had less than 5 years on.

Intended comment not inserted... let's just say that the Chief seems to believe that if you don't share identical demographics with the population you serve, you must be prejudiced...


Sorry...  [/hijack]

I hear you.  When the day comes that you or I get promoted, and they send us to the "secret squrrel" place where we get told WTF is really going on, you call me or I'll call you and fill you in.  Until then, chin up...

Quoted: I think some of them just like to make people's lives miserable.

I have never heard so many rumors

Welcome to my world....I work in the dispatch center...

I got 5 cents in my pocket. Anyone see where Lucy Van Pelt set up her psychiatrist stand today?

Dont say I have never done anything for ya....

I feel for ya man, I have a trainee today who failed a progress exam in the academy 3x before they threw his butt out to the jail.  I have drank more after work in the last 2 days then in the 2 weeks preceding.   I'm glad tonight is his last night w/ me.   He actually refused to sign a Daily progress report w/ one of the dayshift guys, and this putz is still around.

Argghhhhhhhh now im riled up thanks npd223, ill send you my bill from lucy.

Quoted: [rant] Or weeks, months or seasons where, on the whole, you like your job, but just barely, because you're sick of many of your co-workers, supervisors and brass, and can't stand the sight of some of them? I'm starting to question why some of them got into police work. I know why I did. And I'd do it for free, if I could afford it. I get countless personal satisfaction from doing this job. I think some of them just like to make people's lives miserable. No wonder the administration is wondering why overall production is down! I have never heard so many rumors, nor witnessed, experienced or heard as much MMQB'ing and second guessing by supervisors in my career as I have this summer. I swear it's going to make me actually want to start looking at the investigations division as an acceptable career path. Til now I've NEVER wanted to get out of patrol. Oh, and field training? don't get me started. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaRRRGggHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh I got 5 cents in my pocket. Anyone see where Lucy Van Pelt set up her psychiatrist stand today? [/rant] Edit for grammar. Never type while ticked.

You could be my twin....I'm in the same boat with the very same feelings and objectives.
Lookin' to make some personal changes very soon !!!

Quoted: You could be my twin....I'm in the same boat with the very same feelings and objectives. Lookin' to make some personal changes very soon !!!

I'm not looking to make any changes. I'm actually happy, overall, compared to what I could have to deal with. I was just ranting to maintain a certain minimum percentage of overall sanity.

Relax...go home...and   .   We all have those kind of days in patrol.  But personally, I just love the work on the street.  And the guys I work with make it worth while.  Screw the Admin types.....they're just politicians whoring themselves out for one reason or another.   I'll have one   for you, bro'.

Tango7, we could work for the same PD. My upper admin is the same way. To top it all off our Dept is brass heavy. Chief, Capt, Det Lt, Det Sgt, Det, Lt x 3, Sgt x 3,  Patrolman x 10. We should be adding at least one additional patrolman to even things up (whatever).

Most of the guys upstairs wee barely in patrol 3-5 years before they were promoted to supervision due to a huge turnover. Turnover has been nearly 80 percent in patrol since I've been hired. There are only two other guys that were here when I started.

Training is a huge issue. I just got my MOI so I'll see what they'll let me do.

I'm sorry you are having the problems you are npd233, you sound just like a good friend of mine. He quit a few days ago. His wife just got a traveling nurse job and will be making quite a bit more money than he can in LEO.

Enjoy your session with Lucy.

Quoted: Tango7, we could work for the same PD. My upper admin is the same way. To top it all off our Dept is brass heavy. Chief, Capt, Det Lt, Det Sgt, Det, Lt x 3, Sgt x 3,  Patrolman x 10. We should be adding at least one additional patrolman to even things up (whatever). Most of the guys upstairs wee barely in patrol 3-5 years before they were promoted to supervision due to a huge turnover. Turnover has been nearly 80 percent in patrol since I've been hired. There are only two other guys that were here when I started. Training is a huge issue. I just got my MOI so I'll see what they'll let me do. I'm sorry you are having the problems you are npd233, you sound just like a good friend of mine. He quit a few days ago. His wife just got a traveling nurse job and will be making quite a bit more money than he can in LEO. Enjoy your session with Lucy.

I wouldn't call them problems, more of like "peeves" that I could solve instantly if it were legal to backhand someone for doing or saying stupid things.

I did have a couple brews over the weekend. Friday night started out with a Young's Ram Rod Ale, then their Double Chocolate Stout, then their Oatmeal Stout. That's some good stuff. It's Monday, and I'm back at work. I'm having a blast tonight. Get to pick schedules for next year starting next week. I'm heavily leaning on staying on night shift, but, I play the game too. I'll wait and see where the Sergeants go, and where everyone else senior to me goes, before I decide where I'll work.