Neighbor issue WWYD?

[tvguy]

I was in a 60 officer department in the suburb of Washington DC. In my county alone there were 23 municipal departments, the County Police, the County Sheriff, US Park police, Maryland Park Police, Department of Natural Resources Police. Maryland State Police, Maryland Transportation Authority and several I am sure I am forgetting. I attended the academy in a different county and routinely interacted with members of departments in several other counties and states, including Washington DC.

I have never heard of any agency other than New York City and the Metropolitan Police of London having a policy where you could not wear a uniform off duty. Almost all of the agencies I named also have take home car programs where you use a cruiser off duty as if it were a personal vehicle.

Other than Resident officers I mentioned, take home cars are only for officers (usually homicide detectives) who are actively on call. There was a HUGE stink here over take home cars so the program was cut back to that. Didn't help that the Sheriff (yes THE Sheriff, not a Deputy) crashed his county car into a freeway guard rail while drunk.

 

[kymom99]

This is why I do not believe in the "just let it go" philosophy, because people like your neighbor will continue to do this until they are confronted. Technically what they did is stealing, because they came onto your property and took it. What if you had your own grill outside by the garage and they took it, would people still say "let it go"?

Agreed. People have to stop rolling over and letting these types take advantage.

 

[TippyThomas]

I'd make sure a big ole American Flag was involved in whatever I did. I gotta figure out the details, but I'll update you once I'm done extrapolating.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

At least here, most (if not all) departments now provide a locker room for changing, and like I said, for safety reasons, they don't want staff out in uniform off duty where the department doesn't know where they are.

It is a thing around here too as far as uniform rules when on/off duty.

For example (and just pulling up one of the large departments in the metro) has this rule: "Members shall obtain approval from the Chief of Police before wearing any uniform off-duty, however, such approval is not required for: 1. A court appearance directly related to the performance of police duty as a Department member. 2. Authorized ceremonies, memorial services, speaking engagements, or other functions approved by the Chief of Police or a Bureau Director." You're not on duty until you clock in nor are you on duty if you've clocked out for the day so if you're driving to work or coming home from work you're off-duty at that time.

I don't believe the rule is about safety as in not knowing where the officer is but rather because the public wouldn't know the difference between on and off-duty and that can have big impacts on things. They are however required to have on them at all times whether on or off duty department issued identification and must produce that if asked by the public.

We do have a police officer who lives in our neighborhood, his police vehicle is parked out front of his house all the time, but in my experience that car doesn't appear to be used as their personal vehicle. It could confusion if a police officer is using a marked police car while driving around but not on duty. Whether that's department policy I'm not sure but having lived here for almost 10 years the pattern doesn't appear to show that they use their car for their personal car.