Officer, there's a robbery in progress! Sorry, I'm off the clock.

reply to post by loveguy


Im not suggesting the cop should have run in like Rambo.

Im suggesting he should have stayed put, in his car even, gotten on the radio and reported exactly what was happening, some guy ran up to him and stated there was a robbery in progress.

Even if there was no robbery the guy could have, as you suggested, been out to ambush cops or even just a raving nut wandering the street.

Any of those options deserve more that rolling up the window and driving off.

Unless of course it was a fake cop to begin with. Perhaps an impostor trying not to get caught.

I completely hear you, we should defend our officers. the good ones.

try this scenario on:

every cop has a cell phone so if the man did not have one he could have let him borrowed his. in the mean time they sit there and the officer obtains as much information from said persons. also radioing in to dispatch that he is near the scene with a potential witness. gather the info, wait for backup and go from there.

the off duty officer would potentially not have to do anything more than talk to the individual and obtain information. no john mcclain bullspit, no risk of going into a trap, etc...... I feel like it was a total douche bag thing to just drive away. he is not a taxi service.

ASK YOURSELF THIS you are struck by a vehicle in the street when asking for someone to call 911 and maybe if anyone was a doctor or a nurse and they responded with sorry off duty just bleed there until someone getting paid shows up.....................

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
reply to post by Sinny

 

My job is hardly as "important" as a cops job and in the interest of public reputation I always step up when off-duty and called upon.

The very least he could have radioed it in rather than tell the citizen to go call 9-1-1.

Me too.

In fact, I'm not a cop, but if someone ran up to me and said, "There's a robbery in progress next door," I would tell them to dial 911 while I checked to see if there was anything I could do.

A nurse, paramedic, doctor, or fireman would be required by law to help out, why not a cop? Hell, when I was a District Manager for Tire Kingdom, I occasionally had people that would show up afterhours with a flat tire, and I NEVER refused to help them. I'm not just going to lock the door in their face and say, "Sorry, we're off the clock, we can have a look at it tomorrow." That would be horrible customer service, although I suppose it is becoming more and more common these days.

So if that officer was able to respond, and the guy called 911 in the first place, the cop would of been there in a second. Instead, the guy ran a block to the cop, wasting valuable time.

For all you know, the cop may have been backup to a drug bust,that he couldn't leave, and just told the guy he was off duty.

reply to post by nixie_nox

For all you know, the cop may have been backup to a drug bust,that he couldn't leave, and just told the guy he was off duty.

That kind of thing would make me even more mad.

A "drug bust," in a manufactured "war" for a victimless crime, takes priority over a violent crime in progress? I'm sure it probably really does, but that is just more proof that the priorities are totally out of whack.

reply to post by nixie_nox


Rolling up the window and driving away kind of negates that theory.

reply to post by getreadyalready


it was just an example.

Fact is, no one is doing this cop's job, or know what he is up too.

Ok how about busting a child prostitution ring, does that make you feel better?

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Not unless he thinks that guy is a plant and is giving away his location, or alerting the perps that cops are around.

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by thisguyrighthere

 

Not unless he thinks that guy is a plant and is giving away his location, or alerting the perps that cops are around.

The cop was in a marked vehicle and in full uniform.

Not exactly a covert sting.

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by thisguyrighthere

 

Not unless he thinks that guy is a plant and is giving away his location, or alerting the perps that cops are around.

all the more reason to radio in suspicious activity in the area.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
reply to post by loveguy

 

Any of those options deserve more that rolling up the window and driving off..

The driving away tells me the guy was too busy to be bothered, and in the wrong line of work.

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

it was just an example.

Fact is, no one is doing this cop's job, or know what he is up too.

Ok how about busting a child prostitution ring, does that make you feel better?

Sure, maybe he was staking out a murderer's house, or waiting on a child molester to get home with his latest prize, but he said he was off-duty, rolled up the window, and drove away, so no matter what he was doing, he failed in his task, and he still didn't stop the robbery.

I know you to be an opinionated female living in a fairly rough neighborhood. You are not armed like a cop, not wearing a uniform or a bullet-proof vest, what would you have done? I think you would have tried to help in any way possible. Having seen your posts on ATS, and knowing something of your personality, I cannot imagine you rolling up your window and driving away.

reply to post by benrl

Yes the police get to carry while off duty but apparently some think that their "duty" stops with the time clock. The least he could have done was to call it in directly on his radio,

Originally posted by Sinny
Ohh come on, he was off duty!

That's like a client of my work hating on me because I didn't send her an appointment letter on my day off lol.

Its not like it was a murder happening.

If your wearing the uniform and your in the car I don't care if your off duty or not. Your portraying yourself the same as an on duty officer and the public doesn't know any different.

reply to post by LucidDreamer85


But it doesn't matter because *he* knows the difference

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Was the off duty cop obese and was there any signs on donut crumbs in the car? That may answer a few questions.....

This is the PPB we're talking about here - nothing will come of this - it's a blip compared to all the other problems that bureau is accused of (ie: accusations of police brutality and unjust shootings)

"Generally speaking, when there is a crime occurring and you are made aware of it and you can help, especially when it’s a violent felony, then you act," (1)

Remember - there are no hard rules about this, just "general guidelines" about what to do.



Reminds me of something Captain Barboza would say ...