Lt. Maddog and MIAMI TROOPER

Lt. Maddog and MIAMI TROOPER

You both have outstanding views on the FHP and state both pros and cons as opposed to verbally bashing the agency altogether. I would really appreciate it if I could contact one or both of you via email or mobile/cell in order to help me make my decision. I have tried with countless others but receive the same old “Do what feels right” advice, without any reason or justification.

Please help!

Phenom212@aim.com

Go elsewhere. It is an easy decision!

Rookie, stay away from FHP! Go work for a major city pd like Tampa. You will benefit in the long run. The patrol is a dead end job.

Rookie, stay away from FHP! Go work for a major city pd like Tampa. You will benefit in the long run. The patrol is a dead end job.

You dont even need to go to a city PD. There are a ton of other states that have great highway patrols/state police agencies. Do you want to be a city/county cop or a state trooper? Those jobs vary greatly.

Rookie, stay away from FHP! Go work for a major city pd like Tampa. You will benefit in the long run. The patrol is a dead end job.

You dont even need to go to a city PD. There are a ton of other states that have great highway patrols/state police agencies. Do you want to be a city/county cop or a state trooper? Those jobs vary greatly.

Actually, I'm more interested in a State Police/Highway Patrol Agency. I know I am qualified for other agencies, but I have this blip on my record...I suffered an Acute heart condition in 2005, but have since been cleared of all medication, have passed the PAT with the top time out of all recruits, and have a clean bill of health (written) from my cardiologist. I also had NO permanent damage from this brief period of illness.

What do you think my chances are with another State Police Agency?

Call and ask a state police agency what their policies are concerning your perceived medical condition.

I have read all the negative remarks about FHP. Look the bottom line is every job is what you make of it. I will tell you the truth everyone is right we do not make as much money as a PD or an SO. However that is base pay, with offduty employment I make more then they do. I know what they PD's and SO's will tell you. They will say you should not have to work OT to make money well so what we do and that is how I make my money. I will also tell you if you do not like traffic we (FHP) are not the agency you should be looking at. If you like traffic then we are where it's at. I have alot of respect for the SO and PD's in my area. I have never made a negitive commet about the agency itself. So good luck in your job search. Oh and for the person that wrote FHP is dead end job. It is only a dead end job if you make it one. We have lazy people that are afraid of promotion so if you want to be a success then you have to work for it. That will go for any agency you work for.

I have read all the negative remarks about FHP. Look the bottom line is every job is what you make of it. I will tell you the truth everyone is right we do not make as much money as a PD or an SO. However that is base pay, with offduty employment I make more then they do. I know what they PD's and SO's will tell you. They will say you should not have to work OT to make money well so what we do and that is how I make my money. I will also tell you if you do not like traffic we (FHP) are not the agency you should be looking at. If you like traffic then we are where it's at. I have alot of respect for the SO and PD's in my area. I have never made a negitive commet about the agency itself. So good luck in your job search. Oh and for the person that wrote FHP is dead end job. It is only a dead end job if you make it one. We have lazy people that are afraid of promotion so if you want to be a success then you have to work for it. That will go for any agency you work for.

You need to crawl out from the rock you live under. You think the job we do does not deserve a decent pay and in order to make a living you have to work 15 hours of off duty a week? Wake the hell up. Almost EVERY other state agency is this COUNTRY is paying their troopers at least 50,000 a year after 10 years. Many are paying 60-70K a year after 10 years. You like sitting in your car 60 hours a week then that is great for you. Dont criticize others that expect to get what they deserve for living a clean life and laying their life on the line everyday.

Using the saying, "this job is what you make it", is the line people use for a job that sucks!!! If you arent doing what you should be doing as a cop and you cant even afford to buy an AVERAGE house in the area you work, then how can you possibly make this job anything you want to make it?

You think working crash after crash and helping people change tires is being a cop? Most metropolitan areas are so understaffed I can only laugh as a car goes by my crash scene at 100mph.

Why should anyone promote with FHP? You can work here for 10 years, promote to SGT, and still not even make $45,000 a year. That sir is not only a slap in the face but a kick in the balls. I know SGTs with other state highway patrols that are bringing in 70K a year and that is NOOOOO beloved 208, but just a regular 40 hour week.

When it comes to police agencies FHP is as dead end as it gets. I have worked with other state agencies that I thought were bad until I came to the FHP. This place takes the cake!

You guys that keep relying on your 208 are going to get a serious wake up call someday as many have. When I was growing up every cop told me to remember one thing. Never depend on your off duty money. If you are depending on $600 a month in 208 to help pay bills what will happen if you cant work that 208 for 6 months or so because of an injury at work or medical condition? In just 6 months you will be $3600 behind. You could lose your house, your car, or go into some serious debt in a very short time. In addition to that no 208 money goes towards your retirement. You could retire as a SGT making $45,000 (although almost none do) and your pension will only be $36,000 a year. Subtract $800 a month for health insurance that the state DOES NOT pay after you retire and that leaves you with $2,200 a month GROSS!!!

You need to pull your head from the 208 clouds and wake up to what this job really is. If not you will be one of those guys that is 55 years old and still working with FHP after 30 years because they can't afford to retire. If that is the life you want than have at it. I will be passing you at your 208 in my Range Rover after I retire on my $4,500 a month pension in 25 years.

And which department (may I ask) do you work for? If you're so quick to attack FHP Troopers for pointing out SOME positive aspects of the job, then I'll assume you won't have any problem providing this information.

8)

I am not saying you should have to work offduty, however it is there. You compalin about the pay but yet you are still here or maybe you are not. I agree with you on the fact that we deserve more money. I just cant stand the fact that certain Troopers complain all the time about everything. You have options, you can leave if you dont like it. Most of the time the Troopers that compalin have 2 days on the patrol. Lets get real I am tired of working a zone with a guy that complains all the time but is to lazy to work. The door is open for any Trooper that wishes to go to a new agency. Agencies will hire you in a second. So do us all a favor and go to the SO's and the PD's. send me a post card. The grass is not always greener on the other side. I agree with everything about the pay and one day maybe it will come, I will not hold my breath but at least have a positive attitude towards your agency. Take some pride in who you work for and if you cant do that, then leave.

Take some pride in who you work for and if you cant do that, then leave.

Amen brother....take pride in knowing that you are one of the few, proud, and elite Florida State Troopers. Wear that campaign cover with PRIDE!

http://www.odmp.org/patch.php?id=1281&s=150

Take some pride in who you work for and if you cant do that, then leave.

Amen brother....take pride in knowing that you are one of the few, proud, and elite Florida State Troopers. Wear that campaign cover with PRIDE!

http://www.odmp.org/patch.php?id=1281&s=150

Ignorance is bliss. You sound happy in this disfunctional organization and the out of touch leadership in Tallahassee.

And which department (may I ask) do you work for? If you're so quick to attack FHP Troopers for pointing out SOME positive aspects of the job, then I'll assume you won't have any problem providing this information.

8)

I work for FHP. Im proud to be a state trooper but not proud to be a member of FHP. If you are proud to work for an agency that cares nothing about you then good for you. Im currently trying to leave but getting a job with a REAL agency that doesnt hire just anyone that passes the tests is hard!!! While Im here I would like to see this place get on the track it should be for the sake of the troopers and the citizens of Florida. Yes, that is right. Troopers are not the only ones losing out. The citizens are losing out by not having a patrol that protects the roadways!

I am not saying you should have to work offduty, however it is there. You compalin about the pay but yet you are still here or maybe you are not. I agree with you on the fact that we deserve more money. I just cant stand the fact that certain Troopers complain all the time about everything. You have options, you can leave if you dont like it. Most of the time the Troopers that compalin have 2 days on the patrol. Lets get real I am tired of working a zone with a guy that complains all the time but is to lazy to work. The door is open for any Trooper that wishes to go to a new agency. Agencies will hire you in a second. So do us all a favor and go to the SO's and the PD's. send me a post card. The grass is not always greener on the other side. I agree with everything about the pay and one day maybe it will come, I will not hold my breath but at least have a positive attitude towards your agency. Take some pride in who you work for and if you cant do that, then leave.

You know maybe its not complaining but instead it is wanting issues to get better for the agency. You wonder why FHP is the way it is? It is because of people like you that just sit back and think everything is peachy. Things dont change because people just leave. We need some people that dont run and hide but instead stand up for what is right. Nothing EVER gets changed when you just say, "oh yes things are bad, but oh well Im content". If you see something wrong then stand up and voice your concern. How do you think some of the great companies of today became what they are? From people just walking out? Heck no! It was from people taking a stand and fighting for what is right. You can walk out and nothing will change. You will be replaced in a second by some recruit.

There is a difference between having pride in your agency and being blind to the issues. You are blind to the issues or just dont care about the wellbeing of yourself, your family, your coworkers, or the citizens of Florida. It really upsets me when I have driver after driver come to me and say how they just got ran off the road by someone or when I have a family on vacation approach me all upset and almost crying because some reckless driver about killed them all. All I can say to them is Im sorry, but we are all tied up on crashes today or we dont have any undercover cars to catch those kind of people. I will not stand behind any agency that lets things be operated they way FHP is. Sure, lumping all these problems into an "agency" problem may not be fair, but I dont know the particular individuals responsible for them so I must be vague.

In addition to that you can't compare this job to some PD or SO. I have NO desire to be a city or county cop, so leaving for one of those jobs is not an option for me or many others. They want to be state troopers as did I! Let's get FHP back on par with other state agencies. There is no reason FHP has to be at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to anything including money.

Take some pride in who you work for and if you cant do that, then leave.

Amen brother....take pride in knowing that you are one of the few, proud, and elite Florida State Troopers. Wear that campaign cover with PRIDE!

http://www.odmp.org/patch.php?id=1281&s=150

The elite? You were one of those that barely passed all the tests in the academy and had to take the state exam 3 times? You need to get out a little more because the current members of the FHP are hardly the elite! You need to remember that FHP hires people that were fired from other agencies. I dont call that the elite, Im sorry.

Take some pride in who you work for and if you cant do that, then leave.

Amen brother....take pride in knowing that you are one of the few, proud, and elite Florida State Troopers. Wear that campaign cover with PRIDE!

http://www.odmp.org/patch.php?id=1281&s=150

Ignorance is bliss. You sound happy in this disfunctional organization and the out of touch leadership in Tallahassee.

Amen! Im glad to see we have some people that have a clue about the way an LE agency should be operated. We need more people like you so we can clean up this Failing Highway Patol and get it back on the mission of protecting the roadways in the state of Florida.

I would be lying if I told you that I am completly happy with FHP. Somethings have to change, however if you think the SO's and the PD's do not have problems then you are wrong. They are just like us, except the pay is different. Most Troopers complain about money and that is it. If you ask 85% of all Trooper's that left FHP why the left, they will tell you money. There is not an agency out there, that is perfect. Every agency has politics good luck finding one without it. The point I was trying to make was have pride in what you do as an individual. the comment I made before about this job being what you make it. You can be successful with FHP, but you have to work for it. If you dont like the way you district treats you transfer if you dont want to transfer then leave. See how it is on the other side of the fence, but stop bashing your agency. Every Trooper out here knows that FHP needs some change. I just dont like to go around and bash my own agency or any agency for that matter. Bye the way you cant take money with you when you die, you might as well have fun now why you can. I like being a Trooper because of the freedom, My zone is very big!!!!!!! FRED O is gone maybe one of us will get the job!

I know you have to take a psych exam for the FHP :shock: :!: :shock: