Police Officers given new list of ultimatums

Maybe you should go back and re-read your own comment. You make it sound like the officer wasn't supposed to be driving his police car off duty. You insinuate that he was driving it to spite the mayor. Before you start squabbling with people on here and calling them moron's, you might want to make sure your comments reflect your thinking.

Maybe you should go back and re-read your own comment. You make it sound like the officer wasn't supposed to be driving his police car off duty. You insinuate that he was driving it to spite the mayor. Before you start squabbling with people on here and calling them a moron, you might want to make sure your comments reflect your thinking.

your a nut. dont support us we have enough problems. idiot.

As you can see by some responses on this forum, officers are very frustrated and in constant defense mode. When one trys to make a difference by fighting against the scum of the city on a daily basis, it really becomes tiresome to have to fight against your cheif and the Mayor also. Believe me, I see what you are saying. The economy is bad right now and a lot of people are suffering. Perception tends to be reality. The average citizen that sees the officer get into a marked police car with shopping bags thinks, wow that must be nice to get to use free gas/car to shop, wish I could do that. Most citizens stop with that thought and do not continue in the thought process of, that officer is going to have to stop for an accident that he is bound to drive up on at Outer Loop and Preston at Christmas time or he has to always have a gun on and always be alert when driving that car because he is a marked target. They don't think about the fact that, when that officer is pulling up to a store he has to be cautious in case it is being robbed at that moment or because the shoplifter just saw him pull up and he will be the first to be smoked. Even my own friends also used to think this, until one of them was with me at the mall one day. Yes, I drove there using "free" gas in my police car. We were eating in the food court when I looked over to see the violent wanted subject that had been dodging everyone for weeks sitting beside me. On that day I donated 3-4 hrs of mine and her off time for a cost of about $2.00 in gas. Incidents like these have happened to me time and time again at the grocery, movie store, and at restaraunts. If I am in a hurry and do not have time to donate on a certain day, I don't drive my police car, because I know that donating my time is what is exchanged for being able to use a police car. There are many misconceptions about police that give us a bad name such as if you see a police car drive past a stranded motorist. Automatically citizens think I can't believe that car didn't stop, instead of knowing that another officer has already stopped and called it in over the radio that they are ok and have a tow truck or help in route. All of these are perceptions that are formed and in turn seem to be reality. We will never be able to change what people perceive, for the motorist that is thankful that the first officer stopped you will have ten citizens that saw the second car, which heard that on the radio, go on by. Policing is a thankless job and the only time most citizens appreciate the police is when one of us gets killed in the line of duty. I couldn't begin to tell you the number of citizens that came up to me and thanked me for the job we do, during the week of Peter's death, haven't heard it since. What a shame that this is what it takes. I along with most police officers did not take this job to be thanked but to help others and make a difference. So in regards to your post, yes I do understand the perception of the shopping officer and it is nice to hear that there are some like you that support police. But in the near future no one will have to worry about the shopping, dining out, movie getting, officer. Because they, nor will I, be in a police car loading groceries and be able to jump in and chase down the drunk that just came through the lot almost striking a child (yes this one also happened). Our Mayor is running this city and police department into the ground. I along with others do appreciate your support, because it seems to be few and far between. So please do not change your opinion over one persons frustrated comments.