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      10-20-2019, 05:25 AM   #104
Sedan_Clan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rmtt View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan View Post
Well, as much as I would like to take police action, I just shake my head, laugh OR keep an eye on them should they crash or cause an accident. At that point I'll be a good witness and tell the responding authorities exactly what occurred (...and what the primary collision factors were).

Off duty my objective is just to be a regular dude rather than a cop......barring a valid emergency exception.


My brother while off duty has had to break up altercations before they escalated. He's even had road rage directed at him sitting at intersections.

But he doesn't want to get involved if he can avoid it as he's just trying to make it home.

Most lose their "rage" when they see him get out with a badge and gun. Their entire demeanor changes. Now he isn't trying to be some type of bad ass.....but just his appearance will calm down most people involved.

He says at that point he tries to diffuse the situation....although he has had a few that keep the defiant attitude and seem like they want to instigate something with him.

With those he says he just calls someone on duty and they can deal with it as he's put his time in already that day, and if you tried to "police" everything.....you would never be able to get home.
I agree with his sentiment. Trying to police everything will affect your personal life. My current department discourages intervening in anything that doesn't involve somebody who is with me (....or isn't something flagrant like somebody brandishing a firearm, etc.). In other words, even if I witness a DV situation, a battery, etc., I am basically instructed to just be a good witness. The reasoning: litigation! People love to sue even when you act in good faith, and the department wants to limit sworn personnel getting caught up in civil lawsuits. The only exemption for law enforcement when it comes to "good faith" actions is when it revolves around using CPR/defibrillators/etc. to save a life (...1799.102 of the Health and Safety Code), and the good faith action is limited only to what the department teaches. So if I were a paramedic prior to becoming a cop, for example, I would not be authorized to use any of the knowledge gained from my experience as a paramedic [and still be protected]. Only that which the department teaches in CPR class.
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