Officer Safety

Hell, job wise, we would be safer to be on foot patrol. If you hit a pot hole now of days and your car is damaged, you will have to park it for five days. If your car is damaged and you were "at fault," you will be punished. I am afraid to drive down a dirt road.

This place has changed over the last few years. I'm not the only person that sees it. Even newbies see it. There is such a culture of fear permeating this place that it gets harder and harder to get anything done. Some of the stuff we do to ourselves. Every deputy that knowingly does something stupid screws us all. This office believes in collective punishment and when one person screws up, everyone pays for that mistake. Other things we have no control over, but we still pay the price for.

I'm hard pressed to see how anything gets done on patrol these days. There are always stacked calls. Half the deputies on a given squad are trying to screw their zone partners before their zone partners screw them. Half of the supervisors are so tied to their desk and so afraid of being dislike that they have no idea what their squad is doing and no backbone to enforce the rules. The other half of any given squad are running around like chickens with their heads cut off between the calls for service, the 911 hang ups with a bad location, the juvenile offender checks, the adult probation checks, the sexual predator checks, the DPAs, the elementary school security details, the one intelligence report or street check per tour, the few traffic stops, and a business check or two. And then when the shit hits the fan we have to wonder whether or not we should bust our asses to get there. The answer is no. There are people in this office who believe there is never a reason to run code 3 and they have finally gotten their way. The SOP dealing with vehicle operations was recently updated. Read it carefully. You'll note that running code is only authorized for life threatening emergencies. Is a burglary a threat to life? Maybe if it's occupied. Most often probably not. Most of us know which calls require an expedited response and which calls that require a routine response, but that discretion has been taken away from us. Short of a traffic crash with severe injuries, a person down where the person is severely injured and not just drunk, or another deputy calling for a back up unit ASAP, I don't think there is a reason to run code anymore. And there are still staff that would disagree with that. There is just too much risk or getting slammed and trying to do the right thing is not an excuse.

Let's take it a step further. Remember those traffic stops? If you're running radar on a highway or the interstate and you tag a car going 90 MPH in the opposite direction, are you allowed to speed to get turned around, overtake them, and pull them over? If there's no excuse, my guess is no. Why risk it? This a rather crappy position to be in. Oh, and let's not forgot the rumors about the beefed up GPS units getting added to patrol vehicles. Why wait for random inspections of historical GPS data? Let's have the unit send a page the moment a vehicle has been idling for too long. Think it doesn't happen? Ask Papa Tango the next time you see one.

I have great supervisors. I am fortunate in that respect. Yet every time I get asked to come into the office the first thought that goes through my mind is, "Oh god, what did I do?" and I start racking my brain for any possible screw up. I hate that. I hate knowing that I do a good job and still having to work in fear.

I can't believe that the powers that be don't remember what it was like to be a deputy. God knows that things were a lot more like the wild west when they were driving a green and white. But somehow it's different for us. If someone resists, well, you're a terrible deputy because you used force and didn't use your verbal judo. Red flagged? Time for a lecture on why you're bad at your job. Go into 10-84 status? You're a slimer. Don't go into 10-84 status? You're a slimer. Get into a pursuit? Ha! Just don't. Ever. At least not in my district. It seems like the best deputies are the ones that don't respond to anything, that are never available for calls, and are definitely not proactive. When you jump calls, search for crime, look for trouble, and lock down your problem neighborhoods, you are more likely to end up with a Blue Team. You are a bad deputy if you get a Blue Team. What kind of message does that send?

That brings us to crashes. The hold message that plays when you call the office talks about how many vehicles we have and how many millions of miles we patrol a year. Well you know what? Crashes happen. Crashes cost money. We will always have crashes and we will always spend money. If in service is to be believed we were only at fault in 25% of all crashes last year. That's pretty damn good. We spend more time in our cars in a month than a lot of people do in six months. We have all these distractions in our cars and despite our best efforts and our attempts to follow SOP, sometimes we have to walk and chew bubblegum at the same time. Crashes are part of doing business. If a deputy is constantly crashing and is constantly at fault then yes, progressive discipline is called for. But when a deputy has their first at fault crash ever and you slam that deputy with an IA investigation, a letter that no longer remains at the district, but goes in their permanent record, a five or 10 day loss of vehicle (the "may" has been interpreted as "shall), and then ban them from getting promoted, what is that deputy supposed to think? SOP claims that the above is "non-punitive." I say that's bullshit. Draconian punishments do nothing except breed resentment.

With all that said, if a citizen legitimately needs help, I will be there. If another deputy needs help, I will be there 10-18. As long as both myself and my zone partner are still alive to receive the ass-chewing then it is a good day.

To everyone that voted against the union, I hope you're happy. And to the union leadership that was selfish, unreasonable, and refused to work with the command staff to make this office a better place, I hope you're happy too. We sowed the wind and now we're reaping the whirlwind.

Thank you for the kind words of appreciation, and nope, no one called me in to say thank you, and I was a supervisor with a spotless record.

The long post before this one - you are right on in all you say. I would have layer my head on the chopping block to protect a brother or sister LEO or a citizen who truly needed it. Most of the "old timers" would but now.............

As for the powers that be - most of them were not street cops for long as they are the chosen ones who moved around. I spent the majority of my career on the street which has always been the back bone of law enforcement - without the street cops you don;t need anyone else. The days of the family are gone - admin has created so much animosity and discontent, I have not talked to anyone in several years that is happy, and most can't wait to leave, unless of course you are a chosen one.

As for the union, I was against it at the time but, they sure need it now. Someone who is hard working and respected needs to step up though, the last ones were not qualified or respected by troops.

Stay safe. Make it to retirement. It really is great. If you can change careers - do it - and get rid of the stress. Life is very short!

When I started here well over a decade ago, I enjoyed coming into the office and seeing the secretaries, the command and the like. Now, I have a sick feeling in my stomach when I have to come into the office. I want to be on the street as quick as I can and try and do my job as under the radar as can be. It is not what it once was. I am sure there is a logical argument for why we are where we are now. I have not seen the memo, but I am sure someone on the command staff has it. I still enjoy my job and working with the public, but I do not enjoy my work environment. Most people don’t like their jobs, or so I am told. I guess we were too happy and needed to be put straight with the rest of the population.

WOOOW!! I have read all the posts on this thread and still cannot believe that Sheriff Gee has let the Sheriff's Office fall apart so badly. It does not surprise me at all that the current Chief Deputy treats people the way he does, which is like sh#t, but I am so unbelievably disappointed in Sheriff Gee. It honestly seems that the only Deputies or Supervisors that are happy now, are the ones who have left the Sheriff's Office for another agency or retired. What kind of backward ass way of running things is this Sheriff Gee? I saw a story on the National news where the economy is starting to gradually improve. Along with this news story, It was mentioned that quality workers are going to eventually be in short supply and that managers should start right now trying to hold onto their good people. After watching this news story, I immediately began to think how much worse things will become at HCSO when folks finally get tired of being bullied around by the current Command Staff and tell some folks to go pack sand! The real losers to this though, will once again be the shorthanded skeleton like staffed street patrol. The other losers will of course be the citizens of Hillsborough County, as they wait hours for a available unit. Will common sense ever rare it's head by this Command Staff.....I truly doubt it.

Just imagine if the recent Boston marathon bombing had occurred here in Hillsborough County and that HCSO was the lead agency.. :shock:

Instead of everybody working together to accomplish one common goal, I could just see all the immature jockeying for power by Command Staff taking place and one big cluster #%*k. During a devastating time such as that, it becomes more important then ever that everybody work together as one team and watch out for each other. Basically, this is when a agency that has consistently treated it's people like family, will show the glowing benefits of one solid hard working and dedicated group of workers. What this means is...you cannot treat your people like crap all year long and then demand & expect the highest degree of job performance when the crap hits the fan.

God Bless our brothers and sisters in Boston and may they quickly put an end to the evil that has knocked on their doorstep.

[Average Joe]

Just imagine if the recent Boston marathon bombing had occurred here in Hillsborough County and that HCSO was the lead agency.. :shock:

Instead of everybody working together to accomplish one common goal, I could just see all the immature jockeying for power by Command Staff taking place and one big cluster #%*k. During a devastating time such as that, it becomes more important then ever that everybody work together as one team and watch out for each other. Basically, this is when a agency that has consistently treated it's people like family, will show the glowing benefits of one solid hard working and dedicated group of workers. What this means is...you cannot treat your people like crap all year long and then demand & expect the highest degree of job performance when the crap hits the fan.

God Bless our brothers and sisters in Boston and may they quickly put an end to the evil that has knocked on their doorstep.

No worry as the FBI would take charge just like they did in Boston.

[Average Joe]

0

Just imagine if the recent Boston marathon bombing had occurred here in Hillsborough County and that HCSO was the lead agency.. :shock:

Instead of everybody working together to accomplish one common goal, I could just see all the immature jockeying for power by Command Staff taking place and one big cluster #%*k. During a devastating time such as that, it becomes more important then ever that everybody work together as one team and watch out for each other. Basically, this is when a agency that has consistently treated it's people like family, will show the glowing benefits of one solid hard working and dedicated group of workers. What this means is...you cannot treat your people like crap all year long and then demand & expect the highest degree of job performance when the crap hits the fan.

God Bless our brothers and sisters in Boston and may they quickly put an end to the evil that has knocked on their doorstep.

No worry as the FBI would take charge just like they did in Boston.

They most likely sure would. Not to mention that it would certainly be in the best interest of all involved in order to maintain sanity within the ranks. Kudos to the FBI and their hostage rescue team for capturing the 2nd bomber alive. It must have taken incredible self-control not to simply take him out when he was shooting at them & continually threatening to blow them up with homemade explosives as they closed in on him inside his hiding place.

[The Nitely Blog]

Press Release via the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

#1 -- White female, large build, dark hair wearing a blue t-shirt and light color shorts.
#2 -- White female, wearing a blue jacket or hoodie.


Details:

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office detectives are investigating a series of vehicle burglaries that occurred overnight on July 28, 2013 within the Somerset Subdivision in Valrico.

Six vehicle burglaries were reported to the Sheriff's Office. In each of the burglaries it appears that the owners left the vehicles unlocked. The suspects entered the vehicles and stole personal items, such as Ipods, GPS, cosmetic bag, money, notebook and tools.

The video and surveillance photos are from the residence at 2133 Summer Cruise Drive in Valrico.

Anyone with any information reference the suspects is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 247-8200 or anyone with any information regarding the identity and whereabouts of these suspects and who wants to be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at http://www.crimestopperstb.com or text "CSTB plus your tip" to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).

Someone mention UCR earlier. I would take it that these 6 vehicles being "broken into" only equaled ONE Vehicle Burglary hit on the UCR with 6 different victims and only ONE case number used. Sort of like the Obama administration, all smoke and mirrors to make the numbers look better. The HCSO states that crime is going down in the area but ya wouldn't know it by reading the citizen responses on facebook and TBO.com.