Please only make an intelligent reply...

* PLEASE ONLY REPLY IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING INTELLIGENT TO SAY*

I've been working for the Largo Police Dept. for a few years and I'm right on the bubble on whether I should commit my future to LPD or just "jump ship" like 90% of the other Officers.

I want to start off by saying, this is NOT a bashing session so don't interpret it as such. This is merely my opinion, along with numerous other patrol Officers. I really hope the Chief, D.C., Mayor, and City Manager/Commission read this post and get a perspective from the LPD patrol Officers. I'm pretty confident that that the issues I discuss here are the issues that most LPD patrol Officers are also frustrated with.

I'm going to jump around and ask many questions. If you have the answer, please reply.

#1. Why does the city spend so much time, energy, and money hiring new Officers, instead of working hard at keeping the solid Officers they already have?

#2. There are fourteen agencies in Pinellas County and Largo is the fourth largest agency. PCSO, St. Pete, Clw, Largo... Why are we the only agency not to have computers in the cars?

#3. Why is Largo's take-home-car policy so restrictive? Pinellas Park has county-wide take home cars and they have less tax base and a smaller agency.

#4. Why has Largo's pay rate fallen to the lower 1/3 of Pinellas County? (If you don't believe me just do some research.)

#5. Why does the average Largo "Patrol" Officer have 2 1/2- 3 years of experience?

#6. Why aren't LPD officers trained and allowed to carry high powered rifles in their cruisers? (With the exception for TAC.)

#7. Why doesn't Largo have a 2 or 3 hour minimum when we go to meet with the State Attorney's Office for an Invest (felony case). * (Clearwater has a 3 hour minimum for invests and the invests are located at THEIR agency!)

#8. Why does it take 10 years in Largo to get vested and 6 years at PCSO? (They don't even contribute to their pension)

#9. Why does Largo have one of the WORST pension plans in the county? And DON'T tell me we don't, just do the math. All you need is a calculator.

#10. Why is the morale at LPD so LOW?

#11. Why are there very few specialized units with only a few slots in each? (It takes someone to retire to get upstairs)

#12. Why does Largo only care about TRAFFIC? Anyone who knows a lick about police work, knows there is a whole lot more than just traffic. (Do I get praised for making 15 felony arrests in a month? NO! Let me check...What's more important, taking 15 violent felons off the street or writing some 70 year old senior citizen a $182 citation for running a red light? P.s. I know the answer to this question so don't answer it.

#13. Why doesn't Largo have an anti-crimes unit?

#14. Why do you have to do a use-of-force-report for pointing a taser at a Bad Guy?

#15. Why are there only 15 retired officers on the plaque in the lobby of LPD? That's odd considering how long the agency has been in existence.

#16. What does Largo have the lowest Officer to Citizen ratio in the County? 2 Officers per 1000 citizens. WOW!

#17. Why aren't Largo Officers allowed to convert sick time to vacation time at 1 to 1 trade in? Why do I have to give the city 300 sick hours to get 150 vacation hours? Isn't it all MY time?

#18. Why doesn't the ENTIRE department have tasers?

#19. Why don't traffic cops handle accidents?

#20. Why is our shift differential so low? $90 every two weeks. CPD is 10%...do the math roughly $200 a pay period.

#21. Why is the average age of a LPD recruit 24 years old?

#22. Why is Largo NOT allowed to carry a backup firearm?

#23. Why is Largo NOT allowed to engage in a pursuit? And don't tell me we are! I remember when an Officer got hit by a subject in a vehicle (Aggravated Battery LEO) and a supervisor called off the chase!

#24. Why does the city ALWAYS work AGAINST the Police Dept.?

#25. Why do they only have 6-8 Patrol Officers work from 11 pm- 7am? Isn't that an Officer Safety issue? I guess its going to take one of us on midnights to get killed before they up the minimums on midnight shift.

#26. Why are we not assigned cell phones for work purposes? PCSO is given a work cell phone. I use my cell phone everyday for work related reasons. ( Landline dispatch, call Sgt., dictate reports, contact victims/suspects, return contact messages etc..)

#27. Why does the city not allow the police department to hire more Officers, even though they continue to annex at such a high rate.

All myself and my fellow Officers want is to be competitive. If Largo was more competative with neighboring agencies, the turnover rate would be drastically lower! Please read and review. Put some thought into it, don't just say, "Here's another cry baby" and "The grass isn't always greener on the other side."

I appreciate your time and feel free to respond.

27 excellent points.....the same points which have been argued for years. Is the grass greener?? It may be, but you'll probably have 27 points there too, maybe just different ones. My opinion....the probability of all 27 issues being changed are zero...some might, but not all, so it comes down to what you can accept to live with and what you cannot. Just remember, morale does not come soley from what you have....how you are treated has a lot to do with it, and LPD has 100% and immediate control over that!! If the LPD brass cares, they can change it. OK chief, ball is in your court....let's see what you have to say!!!

The pursuit policy is understandable to a degree. I think there should be no pursuits for fleeing a traffic stop. Although it would make the job more exciting and possibly enjoyable the fact is there are way too many people and cars around in Pinellas County.

Our pay is decent although falling behind AGAIN. We should have a 3 hour minimum for invests and court.

The pension will never change, yes it is bad but at least when you leave you get what you put in back unlike other places where you lose it.

The taser policy is ridiculous along with the fact that we are all not issed them yet.

We should be allowed to carry backup weapons if we choose to.

Why can we not all carry an assault rifle? Some places allow you to carry one that you purchase as long as you qualify with it.

The cell phones will never happen. Just don't use yours on duty (If you did you would have to pull over off the road anyway) "En route to the Police Dept for my contact."
Now you are wasting the city's money and time with the 5-10 minute en route time to your destination.

Another reason the phones will never happen: NO COMPUTERS. This is absolutely ridiculous. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe we are the only ones in the county (and probably the region) without computers. How is this allowed to go on?

I'm done because I'm tired of typing.

Blame it all on Emporer STANTON.

Can we stop talking about computers already? They will be in the cars by the end of the year and the system is friggin sweet. It beats the pants off any agency in the county.

Oh, and Mr. know it all in 27 points.....if you don't like it then leave. Do you want the Chief to kneel at your feet and/or kiss your a$$? It's this type of attitude that inhibits your ability to get noticed for good deeds. Put as much work into your reports as you did that e-mail and maybe you'll get somewhere. Immature little pecker.

Bruce-

What you don't understand is that they have been saying the computers are coming forever. If you actually believe they will be in the cars at the end of the year you are dreaming. The majority of the points made by the original poster what everyone complains about. The weapons items are ofc. safety issues along with the computers. Example:

499: 499 info-
CH2: 499 Standby, landline.

Meanwhile you are out with someone who is wanted and knows it but you don't. If you had the computer in the car you would be able to run them a lot faster than having to wait for the ridiculously slow channel 2. Why are they always landline? Do we not have call takers?

Let's get over this computer thing. They have been purchased, they will be here and in the cars soon. When I was being hired (many many moons ago) we were told that they would be here within two years. Well, better late than never. Stop the whinning about them, it's over.

You say that 90% of the officers are looking to "jump ship." I'm calling bull$hit on that. Over the last few years things have improved so drastically. Two more problems to go and hopefully they will soon. I don't hear half the disgruntled rumblings that I used to hear.

The take home car situation sux, no doubt about that.
Why are there so few specialized units? You work for a smaller agency fella, you think we are going to get a helicopter or something? I want to work on the mounted unit to patrol central park, yeah right. What specialized unit do you want?

Traffic? Largo Highway Patrol. Hehe, that was a funny drawing on the delta office marker board.

Why a use of force report for a pointed taser? Because it's an assault and should be documented.

Why do you want a three hour minimum for invests? Are you working for those 3 hours? Or are you just trying to get free money that you don't have to work for? Porthole to porthole is a good deal and if you time them right, you still get 2 hours.

Why doesn't the entire dept have tasers: because they are expensive and they are buying them in batches. Be patient new guy, your turn will come.

I think I agree with the rest of your points though.

We have come a long way. We still have some work to do. You have pointed out your problems with the agency: what are you doing to improve the situation other than posting on a web site?

You should be thankful that you do not need all the sick time. I think they are offering a very fair trade to convert unused sick to vacation. At many places you would just lose it all.

I agree more time needs to be spent on crime and less on traffic. But that's the brass hearing complaints from citizens about traffic issues. Needs to be a better balance of time & resources. Show me 10-7....

Responses to your list:

1) Darth Stanton feels that older cops = more cost, hence keep the lower paid officers happy until they move on;

2) Darth Stanton doesn't feel you needed computers, PCSO has them;

3) Darth Stanton feels a county wide take home policy would make older officer happy and they would threaten to stay until retirement, and there is no direct benefit to the City, PCSO has them;

4) See #1;

5) See #1;

6) PCSO has them;

7) PCSO has 2 hour minimum;

8 ) PCSO does have FRS, 6 years, no paying into it, duty OT is added into retirement, but not off duty details;

9) See #8;

10 ) See your 1-27 list;

11) You cannot squeeze blood from a turnip, PCSO has 40+ speciality units and there are postings for openings weekly, sure some take longer to get into but there are other opportunites while you go on in your career;

12) Traffic is the #1 concern of its citizens, lowered fatalities, not a bad thing, good job;

13) Limited resources, but POP has got that covered;

14) pointing taser as a person = show of force, tasing someone = use of force, pointing a gun at someone = use of force, shooting someone = use of force, See PCSO General Orders;

15) See #1;

16) Annexation without representation, the City wants a higher tax base without regard to spreading the blue thin, watch out for one another;

17) the City wants everything for nothing, converting your sick time to vactation gives them extra $$$, the Sheriff converts up to 48 hours (depending on what you use of the accrued 96 hours) of unused sick time at the end of the year 1 for 1, and that is done automatically, without having to fill out a form;

18 ) Tasers cost money and not enough have been purchased, PCSO issues the M26 after LETS did research, preferred model by the PCSO;

19) PCSO deputies at this point only handle crashes in contract cities and if FHP cannot respond within 30 minutes, but seriously, how hard is a crash form to fill out?;

20) PCSO evening shift, 5% differential, PCSO mids 10% differential, good luck trying to get on midnights because that 10% is factored into your retirement;

21) See #1, but everyone has to start somewhere;

22) PCSO allows the carrying of back up weapons;

23) PCSO has a pursuit policy;

24) because the City feels the Police Officers are one and the same with the part-time basketball players at the rec center, PCSO knows Law Enforcement is the name of the game and I cannot remember the last time the County Commission got directly involved in the day-to-day operation of the SO;

25) if you maintain your officer safety and use the good training you are given at Largo, you won't die, great attitude;

26) PCSO issues cell phones and we can talk and drive while typing on the computer if we HAD to, funny how something that you do on your way into work and everyday, must stop as soon as you get in an LPD cruiser, but you can talk on the radio, better pull over to copy calls before proceeding to the scene, it is called multitasking, I could understand if Largo had numerous cars smashed up because of it, no it was implemented because some jacka$$ citizen sent the big man upstairs several emails and their beef was pandered to, you are all adults for crying out loud, though not all act like it, do not understand that one;

27) Officers cost money, hiring more officers would mean the City couldn't give away services and fees in order to bribe new annexations, when $hit hits the fan and you need back up, you'll have 20 a$$kicking Deputies at your beckon call when ever, where ever you need 'em.

Hey, not ONLY is the grass greener, but so are the uniform pants. PCSO HR doors are always open. You can cut your gripe points in half just by coming over to the Sheriff's Office on Day 1. At the SO, it is understood that Law Enforcement is the name of the game, and every one is there to support that effort from top to bottom. You have to make a decision for yourself on what you want to do with your career and the administratively supportive, positive environment you want to be in.

Cobra Commander, "porthole to porthole"? It'll take you two hours to find your porthole, jackhole. It's portal. POOOOOORTAAAAHHHHL. :lol: And now you know. And knowing is half of the battle.

I put you on the same level as Largo Patrol Officer there "Cum" on over. Go spend your time on your own board talking about your issues. Maybe some of our issues can be fixed by going to PCSO, but you have plenty of other problems that we do not have. We are 2 different agencies with 2 different agendas. Here is the main difference: We are gaining territory and you are losing it. But, we need to work together and not try to cause more contravercy.

Oh.....you can keep taking our rejects though (with the exception being squid.)