A Guide To American Law Enforcement and Personal Security

[Cochise]

I remembered your post a while back Bill and was looking the other day to see if you had updated it. Also we do get COPS over here "Bad Boys what ye gonna do" .........

Going to have a good read later. Thanks for you effort Bill.

 

[disneyholic family]

great post!!
do the state troopers in Florida wear smokie hats? (do all state troopers?)

for your next post you can talk about the fun of cross state driving, with a car with the 'wrong' license plate and how the smokies are just itching to pull you over and slap a huge exhorbitant speeding ticket on you..

of course i remember I-75 from the years way back before it was finished and having to drive through all those southern states through speed traps (that AAA even circled on our triptiks to warn us about).....
where the speed limit was 15 MPH (and the sign was of course hidden behind a big tree) - but in that case you would be stopped not by a smokie but some big ole boy southern sherrif.....scary fellahs...

anyway....ancient history...

but you're right, most cops are very nice and courteous, except for the ones who aren't (the ones for whom the badge is a form of compensation for other things that apparently are lacking).

 

[Kilted_Yank]

hi there and greetings from bonnie scotland ....
cheers for the info and insight ...youve also now got this scotsman intrigued as too the mention of you wearing the kilt.....you need to tell me more ....and I trust your wearing it like a true scotsman.


cheers the noo and best wishes from scotland

harry

Good on you, Harry, and yes, I wear my kilts... er.. properly. As for wearing kilts... a habit I picked up several years ago... Why should Scotsmen have all the fun!

I get my kilts from a U.S. manufacturer, and I think they MIGHT be just a wee bit different than what you might usually think of when talking about kilts. See them here at: http://www.utilikilts.com

 

[Kilted_Yank]

hi greetings from Troon on the west coast of Scotland . when will you next be at wdw ? are you of scottish origin ? many thanks for thinking of us and trying to keep us safe.

We will be back at wdw in August... the 6th through 20th.

As for my origins... like most Americans, I am quite a genetic mixture... most of my ancestry centers on South Carolina. My white ancestors were French, Irish, English and Scottish. We aren't sure where in Africa my black ancestors are from.

The last of my ancestors came to America at the end of the 18th century.

I regularly wear kilts mainly because I like them and they are exceptionally comfortable.

Bill

 

[Kilted_Yank]

Hey Bill! Youre on our board!

Yeah! Good to see you! Cant wait to see you all in August!

T sends L a big KISS!

Sammie xx

Sammie!,

L was talking about T just last night. She is gertting excited about our trip... and so am I. T and R are well, I hope.

Bill

 

[Kilted_Yank]

This is brilliant stuff, Bill, extremely helpful and informative. By a curious coincidence, we had just added some info along these lines (about the different police departments in central Florida) to the next Brit's Guide, but you have added even more detail than we had, so please excuse us if we 'borrow' a little!

Borrow away, Simon!

Can I also double-check your descriptions of the different counties' car colours? From our observations they are nearly always all-white, and just with a stripe or two to add colour in each case (plus the gold badge for the county depts). It is amazing what we take for granted in this area, but this is invaluable (and fascinating) info for the first-timer.

County Sheriff's cars, in Florida are uniformly white with the green stripes. The main difference is the name of the specific County. Municipalities such as Orlando, Jacksonville, etc... tend to be more independent with their Department's.

 

[brighton boy]

Fantastic Post

It is so well layed out we can all understand it, I must keep an eye out for you in Nov Thanks once again

Best Wishes Tony

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Hi Bill - good to "see you"

This was so interesting, you know how I love to know all about the US cops

We get Cops over here on one of "Reality" shows - it's really quite fun to watch! The sad thing is it seems to mostly be centred around the more not quite so "well off" areas

We spent two weeks over in California at Easter - San Fransisco and then gorgeous Lake Tahoe, so it was really interesting to see the different kinds of officers there. I think I'd go for the Ski Police, myself, up on the mountain - what a great job

You take care now
Annie x

 

[Kilted_Yank]

...do the state troopers in Florida wear smokie hats? (do all state troopers?)

They do wear the "smokie" hats in Florida... and in most states, particularly in the southern states... Up until a year or so ago in my own Virginia, the Troopers wore a sort of cowboy hat (rather silly looking, but then no one asked me) but have since changed to the round "smokie".

...for your next post you can talk about the fun of cross state driving, with a car with the 'wrong' license plate and how the smokies are just itching to pull you over and slap a huge exhorbitant speeding ticket on you..

Um... driving across the U.S. can be an interesting thing for someon from the U.K. or any other country. The thing to remember that each of our 50 states has their own laws. They are mostly very similar... but not always. Additionally, different Counties and muncipalities (incorporated towns and cities) have their own laws or ordinances as well. The best thing to do is plan your routes and pay CLOSE attention to the speed limit signs.

of course i remember I-75 from the years way back before it was finished and having to drive through all those southern states through speed traps (that AAA even circled on our triptiks to warn us about).....
where the speed limit was 15 MPH (and the sign was of course hidden behind a big tree) - but in that case you would be stopped not by a smokie but some big ole boy southern sherrif.....scary fellahs...

Speed traps??? don't be silly my dear. No such thing as a speed trap

...but you're right, most cops are very nice and courteous, except for the ones who aren't (the ones for whom the badge is a form of compensation for other things that apparently are lacking).

Well, I must agree with you. Unfortunately there are a number of my comrades that try to make up for other er... shortcomings.

Cheers,

Bill

 

[Lesley_Perschky]

I must have met the only miserable sherieff in Florida then as he was going to throw myself and DH in jail!

 

[fizz13]

Now that sounds scary Lesley Thanks so much for the great post Bill. You can be sure I'll be looking out for you in August,
Claire xx

 

[Kilted_Yank]

Now that sounds scary Lesley Thanks so much for the great post Bill. You can be sure I'll be looking out for you in August,
Claire xx

See you in August, Clare!!!

 

[Disney D]

Thank you so much for all the information.

I'll be there end of August so I'm sad that I'm gonna miss you. We arrive on the 25th ! Awwwwwwwwwww

My husband is working this year and can't come away with us so it's just me and my daughter, I'm sure us two girls will be OK, but I'm still a bit nervous about it.,and also very nervous about driving as hubby always drives out there, but at the same time I'm excited too. I'll be bringing my Tomtom to help with getting around.

Thanks again for your valuable info.

 

[Kilted_Yank]

Thank you so much for all the information.

I'll be there end of August so I'm sad that I'm gonna miss you. We arrive on the 25th ! Awwwwwwwwwww

My husband is working this year and can't come away with us so it's just me and my daughter, I'm sure us two girls will be OK, but I'm still a bit nervous about it.,and also very nervous about driving as hubby always drives out there, but at the same time I'm excited too. I'll be bringing my Tomtom to help with getting around.

Thanks again for your valuable info.

I am certain that you'll both be fine. Just use common sense when travelling and all will be well. As for driving, be careful and don't make the mistakes I made when I was in the UK... especially when stepping off the curb... (that London taxi almost killed me in 1984!)

Cheers,

Bill

 

[Clare D]

Hi Bill
Thank you for posting such valuable information. I have travelled to the States now 5 times and thankfully haven't personnally met a US Policeman.
I think the information relating to having an up to date picture of your child is so important as I know after watching an episode of Extreme Makeover-Home Edition how vital it is to have this information in the first few hours should a child go missing.
Posts like this help to keep us all safe so thank you once again
Clare

 

[esteeds]

Thank you
We do get cops on some satelite channels. It is different to what happens in the UK but things are slowly changing here

Regards
Mr Ed

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Kilted, please allow me to make some corrections or clarifications:

1. There is no such thing as the Florida State Police. We don't have a State Police like many states do. The khaki and black patrol cars referred to belong to the Florida Highway Patrol. As the name says, they patrol the highways unlike state police which are also involved in crime investigations.

2. Walt Disney World is made up of two incorporated municipalities; Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake. These two towns do not have their own police so Disney has contracted the Orange County Sheriff's Office to patrol Disney property. (Those white cars with green stripes.) In the past traffic patrolling was very lax on Disney property but that is no longer the case. They will pull you over for speeding. Disney is also patrolled by Disney Security. They can also pull you over for traffic infractions as a warning but I don't believe they can write citations. If there is anything serious they would call a OCSO deputy. Also, a small part of WDW is actually in Osceola County and thus that department has been contracted for duty in those areas. This is at the far south end of WDW property such as the areas south of Osceola Parkway including the All-Star Resorts and Wide World of Sports complex.

3. The drive from Kissimmee to the Mall at Millenia would not take you into Seminole County at all. That mall is inside the city limits of Orlando. Your only encounter with Seminole County would be if you fly into Sanford International Airport.

Unfortunately traffic patrols and the giving out of traffic citations is BIG business here in the U.S. I think many police officers will cut a foreigner some slack for some law violations but probably not for speeding since that is something that would be hard to blame on a lack of knowledge. Still, most visitors will never come in contact with our police officers.

BobK/Orlando

 

[wicket2005]

Don't take this the wrong way but just a bit curious about the drink driving laws in Orlando. Over here you can have a pint or two and I think you are okay to drive. I don't drink and drive at all but hubbie may on occasion have a pint or two after work but this is this country.

Last year he discovered the free beer at Seaworld and had a couple of glasses which in our country would be okay but, of course, we are in another country and the rules may be different. Is it permissible to have a glass or two or none at all? I don't want to find he is breaking any laws.

 

[Andy B]

I remember when I first went to the states in 1982 driving from Las Vegas to Los Angeles some of the roads said 'Patrolled by Aircraft' Less easy to perform a casual speeding stop.

We will be in the area from 2nd August until 20th and on site from 13th, I will look out for you Bill, if I see you do you prefer to be called Kiltie or Bill? (William is my son's name also).

 

[Goofyish]

Over here you can have a pint or two and I think you are okay to drive.

To assume you are 'OK' to drive after a pint or two is a bit risky. Your body absorbes alcohol at different rates depending on what you have eaten etc.
You could well be over the limit after just one pint - or at the very least your reaction, judgement may be comprimised.

I certainly wouldn't risk it, either in the UK or the US - if I'm driving, I don't drink