Trooper arrests Sheriff Sgt, see video

I am a local L.E.O. and while I don’t agree with writing fellow officer’s tickets (If their behavior is appropriate). I firmly believe that the trooper did the absolute right thing in this circumstance. It is always a bad decision to get into a vehicle and drive after consuming alcohol. If this officer were in his POV, wasn't driving reckless, and wasn't extremely impaired I could see giving him a break. This officer chose to put on his uniform and gun, get into a police vehicle, and use his lights and sirens to get to an off duty detail after consuming alcohol. Then he crashed into an innocent civilian. If I get into a shootout this drunken idiot is coming to assist me? I am a supervisor and if any one of my guys show up for duty after they have been drinking, I can assure you that a DUI investigation will begin. Driving a vehicle after drinking is dangerous, trying to go to work as a police officer after drinking is 10x more dangerous.

Shame this had to happen ? I wouldn't have done it, he could have given the Sgt a break, and arranged a ride. I understand he was not that bad at all. But some of our people would arrest their own mother, professional courtesy is a thing of the past :roll:

Watch } http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRiw7U1nYFk

One thing that everybody is forgetting to mention is that Orange County Sheriff's Office called us to investigate the crash and basically handed their own guy to us with no room for any type of discretion. You all know how big of a deal a patrol car crash is: supervisors come out, there is a lot more oversight and media attention, which leaves a lot less room for any type of discretion.
OCSO deputies all have the same CJSTC training standards that we have. They could have worked the crash just as easily as we could have, even though they never do. They called us to investigate it; blame them for the lack of discretion, not us. We just did our job.

You are spot on.....we (fhp) were called to do your "dirty work". If you think i am going to lose my job because you are so stupid as to drive your patrol car after drinking and getting into a wreck you got another thing coming!

Depends ? Been there done that, read below.
I have stopped three off duty LEO's who were over the limit in the last 10, or 12 years.
One was a fellow trooper, but not from here (I work troop K ) he was on a fishing trip with buddies, and the others were a local deputy, and a town PO.

They were all off duty, and driving their civilian trucks/car, and there was no crash or other vehicles involved. In all cases they were all swerving, and one also turned without signaling. I arranged rides for all of them, one called a friend, the FHP trooper I gave him a ride to the camp ground where he was at, and the other had his girlfriend pick him up.

I'm pretty sure they were all over the legal limit .08, and perhaps higher ? All I knew was, that I was NOT going to arrest any of them, and I'm glad I handled it like I did. I warned all of them, that I wanted to see their trucks (one had a car) parked where we left it, when I finished my shift, later on, and to retrieve their vehicles the next day, which they all did.

Any time I can extend professional courtesy like that, I will. And no one came to any harm, so before one of you come up with : " What if they came back and killed someone" , as I know some of you will :roll: I gave the keys to their friend, and girlfriend, and they assured me, as did the LEO's as well, that would not happen that night, and I felt comfortable with that. The trooper I drove to his camper, where his buddies were at, and they too thanked me. It was all handled quite well, no worries

Thanks for doing the right thing. I don't give a rats ass what any other Leo or civilian thinks. The old way, WAS & STILL IS the right way. Hell, I have given plenty of Civilians breaks as well, all depending on the totality of the circumstances. It's called DISCRETION for any Trooper or other LEO who is not aware of it's existence. Use some damn common sense & discretion when you have the opportunity to do so. We are all human beings (well most of us) and we all have done some stupid things in our lives that we were never called to the carpet on. How many Troopers here have never driven under the influence, especially if you ever served in the military. I know, I know....there are a fraction among us that probably never have, but did you live the life of a angel each and every day? Very few job professions are scrutinized and as stressful as law enforcement. Particularly Troops or agencies that work large urban areas. Not many Mayberry's exist anymore.......and to me that's a sad thing. But anyway, when you arrest a fellow LEO you have subsequently destroyed their career and possibly their life. Think about it, unlike a typical citizen, if arrested you are hammered by multiple sources, including the court system, DMV, DHSMV, your agency, the media and the public. If you don't have it inside you to give a fellow brother LEO a break, when feasible, you are a self-centered and self-righteous IDIOT! For those that still don't get the meaning of "when feasible" and "totality of the circumstances".....I am not talking about not arresting a fellow LEO if the incident involved; A injury related or multiple vehicle crash, hit & run, Bad Attitude, prior DUI stop by you or other LEO where discretion was already used, or any other stop that had Extenuating Circumstances to it. The vast majority of the time, none of the above circumstances come into play, so learn to use some damn discretion whenever possible. It should not matter what day & age it is, because we have and always will depend on each other, sometimes for our lives, and it's pretty damn pathetic and downright stupid to destroy the life & career of a person who typically would & should be willing to lay down their life for you as a fellow brother LEO. That's my say, my opinion, and the way I am as both a Cop and a Military Veteran.

Also.......Just food for thought; "Do any of you think that a Military Combat Veteran would do something that he knew would destroy the life & career of a fellow Combat Veteran whom he serves or had served with"

[Luca]

Florida troopers are robots. Anyone who says they are cops is delusional. Real cops look out for each other because the very nature of the job makes most people dislike us and counting on each other is basically all we have. Why would you want to hurt someone who could be the first person on the scene when someone is pummeling you on a car stop? Florida troopers are a shameful lot with low self esteem. Decades of story after story of no professional courtesy, yet these knuckleheads expect backup from the very people they screw. It's their culture. They are lucky that the very cops they victimize continue to be there for them when they call for help. Shame on the lot of you!

Florida troopers are robots. Anyone who says they are cops is delusional. Real cops look out for each other because the very nature of the job makes most people dislike us and counting on each other is basically all we have. Why would you want to hurt someone who could be the first person on the scene when someone is pummeling you on a car stop? Florida troopers are a shameful lot with low self esteem. Decades of story after story of no professional courtesy, yet these knuckleheads expect backup from the very people they screw. It's their culture. They are lucky that the very cops they victimize continue to be there for them when they call for help. Shame on the lot of you!

The Us vs Them mentality is a Mental Illness. Get professional help. The Badge is not a "Get out of jail free" card.

[Luca]

Who suggested "get out of jail free"? FHP clearly relishes hurting police officers. They must teach a block on how to do that in their academy. I don't believe anyone is asking that a blind eye be turned in the rare instance when a cop commits a crime but to write a cop for traffic violations when nobody was injured and the officer who was pulled over was courteous, is ridiculous. As for your "us vs. them" comment; If I'm wrong about most of the public disliking the police, please explain the tons of video taken by the public and posted on-line and/or sent to the media every time a cop so much as passes gas. Every profession watches each other's backs. A doctor will rarely (if ever) criticize another doctor's actions and firefighters are fiercely loyal. Commendable traits if you ask me. We all have tough jobs to do. Wouldn't it be nice if our so-called brethren would cut us a break now and then?

[Luca]

And kudos to "Discretion in Life". You got it right!

[Luca]

As did "Pro courtesy, yes".

Who suggested "get out of jail free"? FHP clearly relishes hurting police officers. They must teach a block on how to do that in their academy. I don't believe anyone is asking that a blind eye be turned in the rare instance when a cop commits a crime but to write a cop for traffic violations when nobody was injured and the officer who was pulled over was courteous, is ridiculous. As for your "us vs. them" comment; If I'm wrong about most of the public disliking the police, please explain the tons of video taken by the public and posted on-line and/or sent to the media every time a cop so much as passes gas. Every profession watches each other's backs. A doctor will rarely (if ever) criticize another doctor's actions and firefighters are fiercely loyal. Commendable traits if you ask me. We all have tough jobs to do. Wouldn't it be nice if our so-called brethren would cut us a break now and then?

Double-dealer, Whited sepulcher, Pretender, and Hypocrite are all words that carry the definition of a person inwardly corrupt or wicked but outwardly or professedly virtuous or holy. In other words, for you non-educated schmucks, you present your outwardly, professedly, and virtuous holy-self when you stop driver 1, the citizen, and cite them but yet show your inwardly corrupt and unethical self when you stop driver 2, the cop, and not cite him or her.

How in the hell can you stop someone for a traffic infraction and cite them only to turn around and stop a cop minutes later doing the same infraction or worse (most of the time) and not cite them simply because they carry a badge? Oh, let me guess—there’re cops and deserve a free pass because they’re a cop and the same laws they swear to uphold and enforce don’t apply to them simply because they carry a badge and gun. GTF out of here with that BS!

That “doctors take care of doctors” and “Milkman get free Milk” crap is outdated BS that cuts at the heart as to why the public does not trust law enforcement today. If you’re a cop, enforce the laws regardless of the offender you’re dealing with or exit stage left and drop an application at Walmart on the way out of the profession.