Neighbor issue WWYD?

[bsmcneil]

I do wonder, actually, why did you feel the need to tell people you showed up (off-duty) in your sheriff's department uniform (especially since that had not been part of the issue, at all)? What did that communicate? If you were truly wondering what would we do ... I mean, unless we are all also employees of a sheriff's department, we wouldn't be able to do that. It's just all very curious and a little insightful. Just as insightful as how you said you'd let something go but clearly carry grudges.

 

[tvguy]

When an officer is coming and going from work it's completely normal to be wearing their uniform. Do you have a source that proves otherwise that most officers aren't allowed to do this?

Yes. Ex-cop here. But no, I don't have a link to the various department handbooks. Pretty common though.

 

[tvguy]

Many police departments actually want their uniformed officers to take public transit to work and back while they are off duty.

Like everything else, different departments have different policies.

 

[leebee]

@china mom , nice avatar.
I'm glad you and the neighbor came to an understanding that she needed to return what she took, and she returned it. It seems she knows at least some of the situation with the eviction and probably just assumed that the pile out front was trash. Now, I'm a little astounded that she'd just help herself to the stuff in your driveway, seeing as there wasn't a "FREE" sign on it or anything, but whatever. Hopefully it blows over. Good luck with rehabbing the house. My mom rented her house once and the renters simply stopped paying the rent. It took her months to get them out, and once they left she discovered most of the furniture had disappeared, been destroyed, or was out back in the fire pit. She was just glad they were gone.

 

[china mom]

Kind of a personal safety issue. They don't want people out who don't have a radio, and aren't in a department vehicle with GPS tracking. They like to keep track of where folks are. And locally about 8 years there was an off duty Deputy in uniform who "helped" a friend with a used car sale in a manner that was characterized as intimidating. IA investigation netted him a two week suspension and a letter in his file.

I had a take home cruiser for 26 years and did have a radio. This was before GPS tracking was invested though.

Like I stated earlier, we had only one restriction on our activities and we were encouraged to use our police vehicles for all manner of personal use. As to the uniform off duty, I never put it on just to go out but I would gladly run errands in it on my way to or from work.

Currently, I wear the same casual uniform as the officers (polo and khakis with the embroidered badge). I am unarmed and never carry my radio. I transport drugs and firearms frequently (unarmed) as art of my current duties.

I do believe you that some agencies feel differently about the uniform but not in my area. I have interacted with a lot of other agencies and they are all the same as what I am used to.

 

[china mom]

Wasn't she on her own property?

That seems a bad look if a department disciplines one of their own for being in uniform on their own property just after working a shift.

Yes, I had just gotten off work and pulled into the driveway of my property.

Now, if I had gone and knocked on the neighbors door as someone else had suggested I do, my being in uniform might have been an issue if the interaction had gone badly.

 

[bsmcneil]

Now, I'm a little astounded that she'd just help herself to the stuff in your driveway, seeing as there wasn't a "FREE" sign on it or anything, but whatever.

It may be just where I came from (NC), but there was a cultural element to this - I've seen others take things from driveway trash (with or without the sign). I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it myself for a variety of reasons. I haven't paid as much attention where I currently live (IN).

 

[PacificCoaster]

Yes. Ex-cop here. But no, I don't have a link to the various department handbooks. Pretty common though.

You are an ex cop?

 

[PacificCoaster]

Like everything else, different departments have different policies.

So we are splitting hairs here? The OP is dealing with the region that they live in which should be kept in context to the post.

 

[tvguy]

So we are splitting hairs here? The OP is dealing with the region that they live in which should be kept in context to the post.

Most likely. Just kind of shocking to me how lax some agencies are

 

[tvguy]

You are an ex cop?

Yup. But too long ago to matter, my first career path in the 1970s

 

[tvguy]

I had a take home cruiser for 26 years and did have a radio. This was before GPS tracking was invested though.

Like I stated earlier, we had only one restriction on our activities and we were encouraged to use our police vehicles for all manner of personal use. As to the uniform off duty, I never put it on just to go out but I would gladly run errands in it on my way to or from work.

Currently, I wear the same casual uniform as the officers (polo and khakis with the embroidered badge). I am unarmed and never carry my radio. I transport drugs and firearms frequently (unarmed) as art of my current duties.

I do believe you that some agencies feel differently about the uniform but not in my area. I have interacted with a lot of other agencies and they are all the same as what I am used to.

Are you with a smaller department? We do have "Resident Officers" in remote parts of our county. They have a take home car and rarely are in an office. They are on call 24/7 basically.

 

[monsterkitty]

DH's cousin and her husband are CHP. They both have their patrol cars parked at their house. And they wear their uniforms to and from work because they drive the patrol cars to and from work.

Two of our neighbors are officers - one in a neighboring city and one in our city. Neighboring city officer has his patrol car parked in his driveway. Other neighbor does not as he drives his own car to and from work. Both cities are suburbs of Denver, and neither is small.

Different areas have different needs. Not sure what the big deal is that China mom had her uniform on at her house.

 

[VandVsmama]

You can be happy or you can be right.

 

[White Cat]

You can be happy or you can be right.

And you can be both.

 

[VandVsmama]

Glad you got the end result you were looking for. Hope your rental house sells quickly. Might be a good idea to disengage some more from the neighbor if you want the house to sell quickly for top dollar.

 

[china mom]

Most likely. Just kind of shocking to me how lax some agencies are

Not lax at all. Encouraged so that there is a greater police presence - a free police presence in the community.

 

[china mom]

Are you with a smaller department? We do have "Resident Officers" in remote parts of our county. They have a take home car and rarely are in an office. They are on call 24/7 basically.

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.

 

[PacificCoaster]

Yup. But too long ago to matter, my first career path in the 1970s

You were a cop for how long, fifty plus years ago? Were you not allowed to wear your uniform home back then?

 

[tvguy]

You were a cop for how long, fifty plus years ago? Were you not allowed to wear your uniform home back then?

Yup. Explorer for 3 years, Reserve for a year. Yes we were allowed to wear our uniforms enroute to off duty security jobs driving your personal car. Not anymore here. Both the Police and Sheriff's departments here now require officers working side security jobs in uniform to be part of their off duty program. The client contracts with the Law Enforcement agency, and pays the agency. For that they get an officer, in a marked patrol car, with a radio, who is logged on as special detail so dispatch can track them. While I think safety was an issue, the departments make money on the program and it give them control The HOA of the area my mom lived in would contract for 32 hours a month of security patrol at random times. That's 8 four hour shifts. The High Schools here all hire officers for their football games and other large events.