Hiring?

Is LPD currently hiring? I know a lot of local agencies are still under Hiring freezes. How is it working in Lakeland?

Take a few minutes and read some of the topics in this forum...

Then make an educated decision and go find somewhere else to apply for work :)

JUST FYI, LPD is far from what it use to be!!

Is LPD currently hiring? I know a lot of local agencies are still under Hiring freezes. How is it working in Lakeland?

Only if you are under-qualified, can't shoot, and afraid to do your job...oh yeah, and a minority.

I guess I'm out then

The agency is only as good as you make it. If your not doing your job then any department is going to seem like a horrible place to work. Lakeland is not that bad of a department, don’t let the small population of bitter people on this post decide where you go work. Also, I do seem to recall that most of the new officers we just hired don’t have any of the issues you mentioned above.

You must have your head tucked up your ass if you think your statements above are indeed true..

It's a joke this place.....

The agency is only as good as you make it. If your not doing your job then any department is going to seem like a horrible place to work. Lakeland is not that bad of a department, don’t let the small population of bitter people on this post decide where you go work. Also, I do seem to recall that most of the new officers we just hired don’t have any of the issues you mentioned above.

Your most informative word was MOST.........I heard we just had a new recruit go home crying the other night because his "meany" FTO yelled at him.....yeah we are hiring great people, they don't have any problems, you're right. The oral board should require a candidate stand up in the middle of the interview and show their belly button to confirm that the umbilical cord is severed from mommy before we hire them much less put them on the streets alone. Who really wants to be known throughout their entire career as a "Weeping Weaver"???? Why are we hiring the "Politically Correct" good boys......nobody on the street that "good boy" is gonna meet is even close to sensitive, caring, understanding, or law abiding. We need to look for guys who have moved past the bed-wetting stage in their lives, those who have some life experience. But then life experience does not include having personally viewed 27 episodes of "Sponge Bob Square Pants." When I yell "10-99 Lakeland!" I want to know there's someone coming to me at mach 2 and when they get there, any physical problem I am facing is going to suddenly be met with overwhelming violence to the point that this "problem" decides, "Maybe I'll try my luck another day, today I lost the fight." Sad that is not how it is anymore. When are we going to come to the reality that this is not a game? Yeah, I know it doesn't happen very often here in Lakeland, but when it does......it's your a** on the chopping block. We are now (with a few exceptions) a polite, politically correct, inexperienced, and weak police force (at least the night shifts are, more now than ever). Some of our rightfully well-decorated, honorable, retired officers would roll over in their recliners if they knew the joke we have become. Who's it going to be.....because it's going to be one of us...............we are due an officer down and we have set the stage for the same. I wonder if one could argue that one of the valid "officer factors" is "my back up is a crying mama's boy" before considering deploying deadly force in a situation. I'm not bitter as you suggest, I just insist on going home after my shift with the same amount of blood I went 10-86 with.

PS: Sorry this post is not politically correct, caring, or sensitive to the needs and feelings of others........but you can damn sure count on ME when you need help......

[Lonewolf1]

Very well put Guest, It is clear that despite the best efforts of the street cops at LPD quality and morale has seen a sharp decline. Promoting children and being politcally correct and promoting people strictly because of their gender or race has set a dangerous precedent and crippled the agency. It does not matter what race, creed, or national origin you are as long as you are qualified. Most of the recent promotions indicate that many of them are just good test takers.

Poor promotion processes are not the lone cause of any departments decline. Leadership starting at the top is the single most important factor in determining the direction an agency will take. Unfortunately, at LPD with the cronyism, families, personal agendas, and down right corruption it is doomed to fail from the start.

The truly sad part of the whole equation is that the administration are so far removed from the troops that they believe they are doing a wonderful job. That is the problem when you have people there that have been in the same position for years and years, they become isolated and have no clue no matter how many times they go to the FBI academy or some special police executive seminar, they just can't see beyond their own agenda.

I was really disappointed with LPD (supervision I guess, not the street guys) the other night when we chased two armed homicide suspects into the city after they'd just committed a murder in Ft Meade. After a while LPD melted away from the perimeter and were gone even though it was downtown Lakeland. That's okay, we stuck with it all night, brought guys in from three districts across the county, hunkered down, and put two filthy animals in jail for a long long time where they belong. I dont know. I remember when LPD was the biggest and baddest in the area (70's & 80's) and they'd never leave a perimeter like that. Sad. Anyway, for the guys that were on scene for as long as they could be and for the help of your K9 officer who was injured, thanks for the assistance! Kick azzzz!

LPD is damaged, almost beyond repair. The administration has either caused it, or allowed it. The promotion process has ensured that there is no experience on the street at sgt level. Because of this the danger level has risen sharply. I hate to predict doom, but we are long overdue for a bad incident, and we are no longer ready for it.

Boatner and Lepere, do not be mistaken. You are directly responsible for the damage you have done and are continuing to do in patrol. You cannot place this on anyone else. You have caused it and you are allowing it to continue. By allowing it you are confirming that you couldn't care less about the men and women who are hitting the streets every day.

I have a question


If this new officer can't handle some verbal pressure from a fellow officer why is he/she still working there? I'm not an officer - i dont work for the public at all but i can imagine you all have to take a lot of crap verbally and physically from people - so how is this person suppose to make it on the street?

Now - since you KNOW that this man can not handle this position - why are you coming on here to spread the knowledge? Why not go up to the man that you know went home crying and say "Hey - you can't do this. You are going to get yourself killed. You are going to get someone else killed. Maybe you should trade in your badge and find a less demanding career."

Like I said i'm not apart of the police department so i don't know how this crap works - but even at my job if someone that is new is not right for the position and we feel there is no point in wasting our or their time - tell them - part ways and move on.

Now i believe you have to go to schooling to become a police officer - in that case - HELP THE MAMA'S BOY. Do what YOU CAN to make him understand - "YOU CAN"T GO HOME CRYING - TOUGH IT UP - OR LEAVE".
Because Guest you never know if your back-up that keeps you from dieing in the line of duty - is THAT same mama's boy.

Stop complaining about how horrible and inexperienced every person is, and help them become better - If you took 5 minutes a day to help improve your fellow officers as you take posting about how much you can't stand them - you guys would be one heck of a team.

Guess there is more than 2 people up on the third floor that are to blame for Lakeland becoming crap isn't there? I say take the blame on yourself because nobody learns everything ON THEIR OWN - stop acting like your shot is the best in the city and everyone else can't hit a beach ball with a tennis racket.


I understand you dont get to hand pick who gets hired and who gets tossed - but you CAN control what those chosen "Mama Boys" "under-qualified", "can't shoot", "afraid to do your job", or "hired only because minority" people learn to better themselves. Sitting in a classroom and playing cops and robbers can only help so much - maybe you should step up and teach them with all the experience you have on your back.

"........but you can darn sure count on ME when you need help......" <<<<< I believe their actions have shown you they need help - wouldn't you rather help them so they can control the situation before it gets to a point where you may NOT be able to help them??

Just something to think about :)

When you said:

I'm not an officer - i dont work for the public at all but i can imagine you all have to take a lot of crap verbally and physically from people

You pretty much summed it up. You might try sticking to the Ledger forums. This is LEOaffairs.com (a place for LEOs to have discussions)

The field training program is not designed to be a basic training like in the military. Military basic training will MAKE a man out of you. The field training program is designed to provide you the skills to be able to function efficiently and safely as a police officer. You have to go into it as a man, it doesn't make you one. Why, you ask someone doesn't just tell the mama's boy he needs to tighten up and either quit crying or just quit? He's already been told.

By the way, you sound like his mommy or daddy. If so, make sure he puts on his big boy britches before he comes in to work from now on please if he wants to play this game.

- HELP THE MAMA'S BOY. Do what YOU CAN to make him understand - "YOU CAN"T GO HOME CRYING - TOUGH IT UP - OR LEAVE".
Because Guest you never know if your back-up that keeps you from dieing in the line of duty - is THAT same mama's boy.



I know weeping weaver and I can assure you tht he will not be the one that prevents a line of duty death but rather contributes to it .... most likely because he is too busy on the phone with his daddy and mommy telling them how mean his fellow officers and how badly he is being treated.

"You pretty much summed it up. You might try sticking to the Ledger forums. This is LEOaffairs.com (a place for LEOs to have discussions)"

really? Funny how even though i am not carrying a shiny badge my computer can take me to this website - must be open to the public or there would be some type of sign up/private forum. Wait there is one - go talk there if you dont like me reading what you type .... :)

"By the way, you sound like his mommy or daddy. If so, make sure he puts on his big boy britches before he comes in to work from now on please if he wants to play this game."

I am in no relation to this man, if i was i would have no need to respond to your posts - i'd be the one telling him to find himself a new job because he's not going to make it on the streets. Since i don't know this man I can't; but you feel as though he can't perform his job and you DO know him - so tell him. That is all I was getting at.

"Why, you ask someone doesn't just tell the mama's boy he needs to tighten up and either quit crying or just quit? He's already been told."

Well good maybe he will realize that he either needs to mature very quickly or he will leave. or plan B: Termination. I know you guys must have some type of a probationary period; 90 days? 1 year? If this man is as bad as you are making him - he won't last very long.



and as for Yikes - that's really nice to know. you know this man, he's as you say doing anything except for your job and you think it's rather comical? So in my imaginary situation Guest is in a situation where he needs back-up; and your Cry-baby cop is the only close officer to help - so basically Guest is screwed. Seeming as you KNOW him and YOU KNOW what the outcome would be - shouldn't YOU TELL SOMEONE?

again... random thought. I'd rather be the one that brings this kinda crap up to come shiney shoed cubicle humper and seem like i'm complaining than to be the one with the bullet in my head because i'm too busy *****ing on a forum. :)

again - i'm not in any of your shoes but if i was you would call me
"Officer ***** & Moan"

which by the way is not that bad of a nickname - better than Whiney
Weeper

against just some of my thoughts - which i shall point out again i can type here - I'm one heck of a Special Citizen!

Have a great day ! :) oh and don't think i'm trying to say you all are the reason for everything to be so screwy - i love you guys umm and girls - i just mean everyone is to blame - including the non uniformed people such as myself :) This town would be much easier to handle if us stupid citizens would stop being such needy people.