Ratting on a sheriff

[lulugirl]

God, this thread makes me understand why people want to move into the middle of nowhere.

Me too!

 

[magicmato]

O...M...G...the OP has not seen the sheriff do anything that she KNOWS is wrong. (like your examples of traffic violations) Why on earth would anyone go out of their way to make a complaint when they do not even know if it is valid?

God, this thread makes me understand why people want to move into the middle of nowhere.

Excuse me if my opinion is so very offensive to you. I thought the OP was asking for opinions, my bad.

There is a difference between inquiring about a possible problem and filing a formal complaint. She has every right to ask if an officer in her town can legally bring a patrol car home with them for hours at a time. Any tax payer has the right to question what any public servant does. It is why they are PUBLIC servants.

Just like the guy in town who filed a formal complaint about an officer who stopped him from touching a black bear. He has the right to file the complaint and they have a right to laugh at him.

I will now bow out of this thread, since I am upsetting so many people. I was just offering her an opinion, even if you all disagree with me and I "make you understand why people would want to move to the middle of nowhere."

 

[tiggersmom2]

Just an observation.......

I find the OPs overt concern of this neighbor to be an obsession bordering on "stalkerish".....I think she needs a hobby.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

What don't you get? All we know is that the neighbor, who is a sheriff, parks his car in his driveway during the day.
Frankly I think reporting it is a very "busy body" thing to do, based on the limited information the Op has about the neighbor.

I've said it already, but the bolded (by me) text is exactly why I wouldn't say anything either.

There is far too little information to be "turning him in".

I hope people don't just assume that my DH is on duty when we go out when he's in uniform! We do it all the time!

Things are not always what they seem.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Round here we have sheriff deputies and state troopers on patrol. Most of the time if we call for the police it's a deputy that comes. Turn him in.

(and the first 30 days of a suspension is with FULL pay)

So that makes it okay??

How would you like your peers at work, and possibly your subordinates, see you go through a suspension, especially if it turns out to be unfounded??

This is this man's career we're talking about.

 

[JR6ooo4]

She does not know that he is wasting taxpayers money. All that she knows is that he brings the car home and comes and goes in his uniform. Well, plenty of people do that legitimately.

What she is seeing is not reasonably suspicious IMO, it's a matter of her not knowing what she is seeing.

I just think it is rude to jump the gun and rat on someone when you don't even know if they are doing anything wrong.

But how will anyone know if there is a problem unless they investigate? Hmmm sounds like what the police do.... So no reason for the neighbor to get offended, right?

"He seemed like such a nice guy. Kept to himself, never bothered the neighbors... He just had this habit of taking boxcutters on the airplane. Lots of people do that legitemately". Remember how that ended?


It is our world to protect and it is a shame so many are unwilling to. Or those that try are put in positions of being retaliated against for an honest question.

If cop1 (neighbor) is honest and coworker/cop2 is not putting in his hours for the same pay do you think cop1 will be offended that OP investigated?


Mikeeee

Op you can call the office from a payphone (to hide personal info) and ask the details in a polite non-accusatory manor. Or ask the local paper to do the same.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

"He seemed like such a nice guy. Kept to himself, never bothered the neighbors... He just had this habit of taking boxcutters on the airplane. Lots of people do that legitemately". Remember how that ended?

I'm not quite following your logic here.

Are you comparing this cop and what he's potentially doing, to the 9/11 terrorists????

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

But how will anyone know if there is a problem unless they investigate? Hmmm sounds like what the police do.... So no reason for the neighbor to get offended, right?

Or maybe... juuuuust maybe... she could do as so many OP's have said, and just ask the guy.

Hmmm, sounds like what neighbors do.

 

[poohandwendy]

But how will anyone know if there is a problem unless they investigate? Hmmm sounds like what the police do.... So no reason for the neighbor to get offended, right?

"He seemed like such a nice guy. Kept to himself, never bothered the neighbors... He just had this habit of taking boxcutters on the airplane. Lots of people do that legitemately". Remember how that ended?


It is our world to protect and it is a shame so many are unwilling to. Or those that try are put in positions of being retaliated against for an honest question.

If cop1 (neighbor) is honest and coworker/cop2 is not putting in his hours for the same pay do you think cop1 will be offended that OP investigated?


Mikeeee

Op you can call the office from a payphone (to hide personal info) and ask the details in a polite non-accusatory manor. Or ask the local paper to do the same.

Wow, now we are actually comparing this situation to terrorism.

Whatever happened to just walking up to your neighbor and inquiring, if you MUST know what they are doing?

I cannot imagine launching an 'investigation' against a neighbor, one that could interfere with their livelihood (calling the local paper?), without actually giving them the opportunity to explain their actions first. I think it is a shame that people are unwilling to actually communicate with each other and the first action leans towards involving 'authorities' first.

Of all neighbors, I would think a sheriff would be a good choice of friends. That usually starts with friendly conversation.

 

[Kimmie5870]

Excuse me if my opinion is so very offensive to you. I thought the OP was asking for opinions, my bad.

There is a difference between inquiring about a possible problem and filing a formal complaint. She has every right to ask if an officer in her town can legally bring a patrol car home with them for hours at a time. Any tax payer has the right to question what any public servant does. It is why they are PUBLIC servants.

Just like the guy in town who filed a formal complaint about an officer who stopped him from touching a black bear. He has the right to file the complaint and they have a right to laugh at him.

I will now bow out of this thread, since I am upsetting so many people. I was just offering her an opinion, even if you all disagree with me and I "make you understand why people would want to move to the middle of nowhere."

Actually I completely agree with this and all of your previous posts.


I get that people need to mind their own business. I completely agree in most cases. But the reality is that the Police are payed by the tax payers to protect us,if we have a concern that an officer is not doing their job we have a duty to ourselves and children to to at least ask questions.

What our law enforcement officers do on duty( and sometimes off) IS everyone's business and while he may/may not be doing anything wrong,it won't hurt for the OP to call and say "I've noticed that the sheriff is bringing his squad car home and staying for hours at a time during "these" hours and as a taxpayer and citizen of this county I am concerned."

It's calls like these that will help to make sure that officers are doing their job and not slacking or taking advantage of some of the perks their given.Which we all know happens. Unfortunately not all officers are upstanding and honest.

But that's just my opinion.I live in a small town and maybe things work differently here. But I guarantee if the Sheriff was doing this here while he was on duty ,he would be reprimanded and if it continued he would lose his job.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I get that people need to mind their own business. I completely agree in most cases. But the reality is that the Police are payed by the tax payers to protect us,if we have a concern that an officer is not doing their job we have a duty to ourselves and children to to at least ask questions.

Right! Ask questions if you feel you must, but make darn sure you've put in the effort to make sure you have a valid complaint. There's already been one police officer's wife post on here, stating that her husband works the same shift work.

I think the majority of people here aren't saying that the OP should bury her head in the sand, but that there needs to be a bit more info before she goes running to the authorities.

He's a neighbor; if she has the time to note his whereabouts, wouldn't it be prudent of her to put in an equal amount of effort to at least give the guy a chance to explain why he's there?

I'm in a huge city with an even bigger crime problem. If I went to City Hall with what little information she's stated she has, I'd probably get laughed out of the room.

 

[LisaR]

Wow! It is amazing how fast this thread turned. I have been accused of being a busy body, stalker and obsessive. The sheriff has been accused of bilking the system and terrorist activities. Okay then.

Let me try to clear this up a little. First, I am not stalking him. I walk the dog numerous times a day and can't miss the car right there in the driveway. I am also outside frequently for bike rides with the kids, playing catch with my son, etc. You would have to be blind to not notice the sheriff car sitting there.

I do not think he works a split shift, like some have suggested. I do like the idea that he isn't a "patrol" deputy. I don't know why but I automatically assumed "sheriff car = patrolling the streets" and that obviously isn't true.

As for those that have suggested I am not a good neighbor because I haven't just flat out asked him, sorry but that falls into my own personal MYOB category. I will not ask someone I do not know well at all why they are bringing their work vehicle home. If it makes me a horrible neighbor, then so be it.

As for those that are concerned that I am going to have this man fired and ruin his family life all over my suspicions.........give me a break! I have watched this guy do this for over a year. Have I run off to report him yet? NO! DH doesn't have a clue what the guy is up to but has always felt we should ignore it. DH is big on karma and feels if he is doing something wrong it will catch up to him eventually.

Does it bug me? Yes. I know there are plenty of people out there that take advantage of their position and I hope this guy isn't one of them. I will kick myself if I ever find out this guy was wasting my taxpayer dollars and I didn't do anything about it. Like I said, I like the idea that maybe he isn't a patrol officer and I will stick to that story when I get annoyed seeing his car in the driveway. I guess I will go see what other neighbors I can stalk or obsess about.

 

[JR6ooo4]

I'm not quite following your logic here.

Are you comparing this cop and what he's potentially doing, to the 9/11 terrorists????

Not at all.
I used a well known crime to illustrate my point that we should not wait for the govmt to take care of us like we are the kids and they are our mommy and daddy.

I am saying it is my country and I will protect it whether it is white collar crime or terrorism or littering.


Mike

 

[poohandwendy]

As for those that have suggested I am not a good neighbor because I haven't just flat out asked him, sorry but that falls into my own personal MYOB category. I will not ask someone I do not know well at all why they are bringing their work vehicle home. If it makes me a horrible neighbor, then so be it.

I guess I am just wondering why you don't find a way that isn't asking? You say that you know his wife and son a little bit, you could easily make a comment and wait for a reaction. Open the conversation up without flat out asking. The only reason I suggest this is because you say that it 'bugs you'. It just seems silly to let something like this bother you without making an effort to find out if there is a situation going on. (and you really don't need to get in their face about it to get a clue of what is going on) It may be nothing, it may be something that does need reported.

 

[doxdogy]

Police officers where I live are allowed to take home their cars . I think the only time officers can not take home their car here, is if they live across the county line. I think that rule has even changed. Our police officers are allowed to drive their patorl car off duty. Also the police officers here go to work and come home in uniform. I just don't understand how asking him flat out is not MYOB yet reporting him is not?

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Wow! It is amazing how fast this thread turned. I have been accused of being a busy body, stalker and obsessive. The sheriff has been accused of bilking the system and terrorist activities. Okay then.

You should have known that would happen on the CB!

As for those that are concerned that I am going to have this man fired and ruin his family life all over my suspicions.........give me a break! I have watched this guy do this for over a year. Have I run off to report him yet? NO! DH doesn't have a clue what the guy is up to but has always felt we should ignore it. DH is big on karma and feels if he is doing something wrong it will catch up to him eventually.

Does it bug me? Yes. I know there are plenty of people out there that take advantage of their position and I hope this guy isn't one of them. I will kick myself if I ever find out this guy was wasting my taxpayer dollars and I didn't do anything about it. Like I said, I like the idea that maybe he isn't a patrol officer and I will stick to that story when I get annoyed seeing his car in the driveway. I guess I will go see what other neighbors I can stalk or obsess about.

I fall somewhere in the middle of your and your DH's line of thinking.

If I really thought there was an issue, I'd do what I could (without getting accused of stalking) to make sure that I was correct before going to the authorities. I'm all about earning your money!

My suggestion was that since he was a neighbor, you could possibly bring it up in conversation, not go knocking on his door pulling a Mrs. Kravitz.

That's just me; I'd be kicking myself if I went to the authorities and I was totally wrong. With these types of positions, it's not always as simple as being called into the office and getting a slap on the wrist.

If you're not comfortable with that, you'll just have to let your conscience guide you, I guess. I just think if he's been bringing his patrol car home for a year and it's obvious as all get-out, then there must be something going on that you're unaware of.

JMHO. YMMV.

P.S. I can't seem to find my dead horse smilie. Someone else will have to bring him out.

 

[Feralpeg]

Police officers where I live are allowed to take home their cars . I think the only time officers can not take home their car here, is if they live across the county line. I think that rule has even changed. Our police officers are allowed to drive their patorl car off duty. Also the police officers here go to work and come home in uniform. I just don't understand how asking him flat out is not MYOB yet reporting him is not?

That is also the case in Orlando. I have several Orange County Sheriffs living in my neighborhood. The bring their cars home with them and are often parked in front of their houses overnight or for hours at a time. I think it's great. I figure bad guys will think twice about hitting a neighborhood peppered with sheriffs.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

That is also the case in Orlando. I have several Orange County Sheriffs living in my neighborhood. The bring their cars home with them and are often parked in front of their houses overnight or for hours at a time. I think it's great. I figure bad guys will think twice about hitting a neighborhood peppered with sheriffs.

Same here. Even though I don't live in Houston's city limits, I have a neighbor across the street who drives his HPD car home.

(We have deputies that patrol the county here, along with constables and troopers)

It's there at odd times as well, but I couldn't tell you if it follows a pattern or not. All I know, is that it's big, ugly and bright blue and I like it there!

 

[poohandwendy]

Same here. Even though I don't live in Houston's city limits, I have a neighbor across the street who drives his HPD car home.

(We have deputies that patrol the county here, along with constables and troopers)

It's there at odd times as well, but I couldn't tell you if it follows a pattern or not. All I know, is that it's big, ugly and bright blue and I like it there!

I am not sure what the rules are in my township. I have a friend who is a police officer in another township (but lives here) and I know he cannot take the cruiser home, could be because it would be out of juristiction but maybe it's because they don't have enough cars available? I dunno.

I do know in my area Sheriffs do not patrol. Their duties are much different than patrol officers. Couldn't tell you where they park, LOL.

 

[LisaR]

I guess I am just wondering why you don't find a way that isn't asking? You say that you know his wife and son a little bit, you could easily make a comment and wait for a reaction. Open the conversation up without flat out asking. The only reason I suggest this is because you say that it 'bugs you'. It just seems silly to let something like this bother you without making an effort to find out if there is a situation going on. (and you really don't need to get in their face about it to get a clue of what is going on) It may be nothing, it may be something that does need reported.

We moved here just over 2 years ago. When we first moved in, my son and their son played together. Their son is 3 years older then my son so the relationship didn't last long. No hard feelings between any of us but the two just didn't have a lot in common. Their son is a big sports kid and mine isn't. I met the mom a few times while our boys were hanging out. I met the dad once when he came to our house to tell his son to come home. I opened the door and he said "J" needs to come home." I introduced myself and we shook hands. He didn't tell me his name! He just shook my hand, gathered his kid and left. He wasn't a jerk at all. He just seemed like a non-social type guy. The mom seems nice and we say "hi" if were out at the same time but that is it. We are not friends. We are neighborly and say hi or wave but that is the extent of it. If I go over there while she is out and bring up this subject then she is going to know exactly what I am getting at. That would make for bad neighbors, in my opinion.