Retired TPD not happy with HCSO

I am a longevity retiree from TPD and my 17 yr old son was given a ticket by a D4 motor deputy near Spoto HS. The ticket was for his friend from school not wearing his seat beat. While I understand it is a violation, what ever happened to professional courtesy? My son told the deputy who I was and the deputy responded with "that's good". I have let dozens of HCSO family members off during my 23 year leo career. For a minor infraction like that, we just normally would have called the leo parent and notified him/her. It's a real shame that things have changed so much. My last trip to D4 was as a CISD member helping the deputies when Dep David Abella died in a traffic crash. To think I may have comforted a deputy that turns around and writes a minor citation against my son sickens me.

uhm... you yourself said it was a minor citation. Don't use the name of a fallen deputy to complain about our deputies doing their job. 10-4?

PC is for other officers/deputies...

And if your son remembers to buckle up now, his life may be spared if involved in an accident.

PC is not for high school kids who just got out of Driver's Ed and can't follow the basic safety laws.

Think about it...

[Grumpy]

I am a longevity retiree from TPD and my 17 yr old son was given a ticket by a D4 motor deputy near Spoto HS. The ticket was for his friend from school not wearing his seat beat. While I understand it is a violation, what ever happened to professional courtesy? My son told the deputy who I was and the deputy responded with "that's good". I have let dozens of HCSO family members off during my 23 year leo career. For a minor infraction like that, we just normally would have called the leo parent and notified him/her. It's a real shame that things have changed so much. My last trip to D4 was as a CISD member helping the deputies when Dep David Abella died in a traffic crash. To think I may have comforted a deputy that turns around and writes a minor citation against my son sickens me.

Let me tell you something Greg, if that was my son, I would be taking his car away...not bashing the Deputy for doing his job. And for you to come over to our board and compare this situation to Abella's death MAKES ME SICK!!!!! Judging by your attitude, you probably bashed the deputy in front of your son; instead of counseling him to make sure everyone uses their seatbelts. Quite frankly, I have seen too many dead kids in my career...way too many! You should have taken the opportunity to educate your son, instead of being critical of the deputies for doing their jobs. The fact that you think your son is above the law, just because you were a policeman is obsurd! I just hope that your son see's through your ignorance and learned a lesson. (It just might save his life!) But if the apple did not fall far from the tree...I seriously doubt it!!!

PC or not, that is bullsh*t comparing a freakin civil citation for something minor to comforting a fellow Law Enforcement Officer on the death of a fallen brother ?!?! That is rediculous, you claim to be CISD or a former one and a retired cop ? we all may have our internal fights about petty stuff, but don't bring David into this! As for the ticket, that is a huge problem with high school kids and we have lost too many live for not using their seatbelt. I am all about PC for other cops and family, but on something like that and you give a teenager a break because his dad is a cop or retired one, that is a free pass for them and most will exploit that free pass until they are checked on it and then we are back to square one.

None of you must have read my entire message. It was not my son not wearing his seat belt. My son WAS wearing his seatbelt. It was his passenger friend that wasn't wearing it after my son told him to put it on. That is where the PC should have come into play. The deputy spent no time talking to my son about it, it was here's the ticket and that's it. No courtesy call to me, nothing. I have let a lot worse from HCSO familiy members go in my career. But, I see the PC now days is not anywhere close to what it use to be. I bring David into it because I did spend my own time helping my brother and sister leo family. It also shows that I have been retired for only a short time. Old school guys looked out for each other. I guess new school is I need the stat.

I posted my real name and was proud of my career. I was the 2005 Youth Crime Watch of America's Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. That includes 43 states and 11 countries. You must be pretty good to earn that. I'm trying to keep the acorn as close to the tree as possible as my son was considering a career in law enforcement. My son's first dealing with HCSO was not a positive one though. I never talked to the deputy as there was no courtesy call that I always made and when I left a message at the D4 office, he didn't call me. So no, I didn't do anything in front of my son. As far as the kid of officers/deputies go, seat belt violations for minors became Prima Facia only just before I retired. I stopped HCSO kids for speeding, running red lights ect... that also leads to injuries in traffice crashes. I would call the LEO dad and let him deal this punishment without adding a ticket on top. My complaint is that I wasn't given the same opportunity that I gave many of yours.

None of you must have read my entire message. It was not my son not wearing his seat belt. My son WAS wearing his seatbelt. It was his passenger friend that wasn't wearing it after my son told him to put it on. That is where the PC should have come into play. The deputy spent no time talking to my son about it, it was here's the ticket and that's it. No courtesy call to me, nothing. I have let a lot worse from HCSO familiy members go in my career. But, I see the PC now days is not anywhere close to what it use to be. I bring David into it because I did spend my own time helping my brother and sister leo family. It also shows that I have been retired for only a short time. Old school guys looked out for each other. I guess new school is I need the stat.

I completely understood your original post, and I realized that it was the passenger who was not wearing his seatbelt. I sickens me that you somehow in your twisted mind can liken this situation to Abella. You are a <EDITED BY MOD 11>! (How is that for PC?)

Greg, I can only say that Grumpy is as dumb as a post.

He must be incredibly [EDITED BY MOD 11] to think that you were likening the ticket incident to the death of a deputy. He may be so dense that he doesn't even know what CISD is.

Incidentally, thanks for participating in the CISD activities in general and the Abella loss in particular. Just for your information I was active in several debriefings for TPD, including Childers and Bell, Lois Marrero and others.

With regard to Professional Courtesy, I'm afraid it is a dying practice. Motormen in particular are very statistic driven. As you see on this thread the standard excuse for not giving PC is that giving tickets is all about saving someone's life.

If the motorman knew that your son had a history of permitting seat belt violations in a car he was driving I would be quick to side with him. In the absence of that I would have supported a warning.

:idea:

Thank you retired deputy for your support and being able to see the difference in my post. I wasn't comparing the two situation as grumpy is trying to do. I was merely pointing out the fact that I have helped deputies in the D4 office on my own as a part of the brotherhood. Grumpy can not see the difference and that is why they probably made him a LT. Keep him in the office away from citizens. I spent the first 2 years of my leo career with HCSO as an auxillary deputy while in college and then a jail deputy right afterwards. I would have gone to the road but they came out with a memo saying they were not going to take any more jail deputies for the road because of man power issues at the jail. That is how I ended up at TPD. During my time riding on the road in the AUX, I spent 95% of my time with 2 FTO's, who are still active at HCSO but higher ranking I believe, and they taught me about PC by the ripe old age of 20. They were 2 of the finest leo's I have ever met. Even talked to one shortly after I retired just to tease him a bit about getting to retire first. Your right about the change of PC and what goes around will come around. What we have now is an honor roll student, soon to be Eagle Scout, never been in trouble student that thought about a leo career that thinks poorly, to be kind, about HCSO. This one incident may have derailed about 3 years of my work in helping him towards an honorable career path. The deputy had options in this case and calling me to the scene instead or just writing the ticket with no counseling, would have done my son more good. He would have deficated his pants if I had shown up. Instead, he is split between the guilt of getting a ticket with a poor attitude towards HCSO and leo's in general.
And grumpy, your the real POS. Just give you great stats so you can get promoted is your attitude. Thinking only of yourself and not about others. I'm sure you may have some deputies that work for you and think the same thing but can't say. Just sit behind your desk and hope you don't get carpet burns on your knees.

uhm... if he is thinking about a career in LE and getting a minor citation may have "derailed 3 years worth of work helping him towards an honest career path" then you may not actually be giving him an honest impression of what this job is.

If you were giving it to him straight you would be telling him that sure, sometimes you have to give citations and arrest people who don't think they deserve it, but you do it because they broke the law and it is your job.

being a young deputy working in the jail, one thing that I have noticed is that the younger inmates attempt to utilize the same peer pressure tactics on me that they use on each other because I am closer to their age. It doesn't work, but it shows you some of the pressure that a younger deputy deals with when it comes to enforcing both facility rules and laws within the facility.

Now fast forward...your son becomes a LEO and he is young and there is a hot girl or a guy about his age that are able to say "can't you just let us go once with a warning..." and he does, and next week that guy or girl he let go is dead in a traffic accident. Not that he caused it, but that citation may be that one thing that reminds them to put on that seat belt before they leave the driveway.

There are a reason we have laws and and a reason we have consequences. I don't know you so I won't question your integrity, but all I will say is this. If any LEO were to give my wife (no kids) a ticket, not only would I understand but I would definitely be having a discussion about safe driving with her and not attacking my LEO bro or sis for doing his or her job.