FINE JOB BY TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT

What's wrong with your traffic enforcement guys? On the 30th of March 2007 at approx 2230hrs I dropped of a fine upstanding visitor from the great state of Connecticut, who was a we bit intoxicated and just wanted to go home. I wish he was driving then I would of taken him to Orient Road instead. For you traffic guys, that's the central booking center for criminals.

Anyway, I ensured that this fine visitor got inside ok, so I returned to my MARKED POLICE UNIT only to be stopped by a parking enforcement officer who mistook me for a TIA Police Officer. He advised me that another parking enforcement officer had a suspicious person. I had asked him if he notified the TIA Police and he stated he believed the other enforcement officer did so. So being the keen POLICE OFFICER that I am I attempted to gain information on this subject to take any enforcement action that may be necessary to, PROTECT THE LIFE AND PROPERTY OF CITIZENS, VISITORS AND parking enforcement officers. After all that is what POLICE OFFICER are trained to do and took an oath to protect those who cant protect themselves.

Well out of nowhere shows up this well informed traffic enforcement officer. Right off the top this great officer starts to belittle the Tampa Police Department. He was informed of the incident of the person who is acting suspicious. Well his reply is that the Tampa Police Department has no authority at the Tampa Airport. I'm so glad to see that this guy is so concerned for the safety, life and property of others (OH WAIT HE DIRECTS TRAFFIC, I FORGOT.) This fine upstanding piece of gentleman continued on till I informed him that it was just time for him to walk away from me. With that he feels the need to tell me that he's a retired police officer. Well after I inform him that if he was a retired police officer he would understand what was going on, I then told him I didn't care that he was a retired officer or not. Well this made him a we bit upset. He walks off and yes he does call the TIA Police to respond. NOT FOR THE SUSPISIOUS PERSON BUT FOR A POLICE OFFICER IN UNIFORM IN A MARKED POLICE UNIT. Got to hand it to him for his great concern.

Well was I glad to see the TIA officer respond. OK, he we go lets go catch the suspicious person after all he might be a terrorist, highjacker or just some drunk guy from Connecticut. Was I ever wrong. He was concerned about me and the traffic enforcement officers spate I guess you could call it.

Well I want to add that I think the traffic guys should be replaced with senior citizens they are more alert to criminal activity and know when not to interfere with the working of LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

We have alot of new traffic guys that don't know how things work yet. That is probably one that you ran into. If you happen to have a name then let us know and we'll take care of the problem and give some guidence to him.

Next time, wait for the TIA cop to respond if your not in a rush and explain to him/her what just occured. That will make it easier for the problem to be corrected on the spot.

I don't know how a traffic guy mistook you as a TIA cop. Some of them are on their toes, you probably didn't find the sharpest tool in the box.

Generally the newbies work from 1300-2400, I'm guessing you had your problem between those times. Stay safe!

Hey clueless ...did you even read the last part of the original post??? The TIA officer DID respond and was MORE concerned with the cop than the sig 13!!! When are you supervisor types gonna get a clue?? Keep making excuses for shoddy, at best, police work and officers that in most cases wouldn't even get through the application process at REAL agencies.

TIAPD is a haven for sh*t birds and a few real ex-cops working on a second retirement. The supervisors , with a few exceptios, are a joke, the chief is a self serving pri*k and the a/c is an egomaniac who's big head is dwarfed only by the chief's.

God forbid a cop at TIA be able to respond to real polce work. Egads!! That might be a bit dangerous and we could get sued!!! Better stick to picking up bags and writing reports for boo-boos.

The only way the agency will ever get any respect is to be taken over by the city or county. However, that wont happen because then the powers that be wouldn't be able to treat and use police officers like security guards.

The smoke and mirrors act is wearing mighty thin and the TRUTH is getting out. Can anyone say VA Police scandal??? If the press was to REALLY find out that the few good police officers spend most of their time avoiding overbearing and cluless supervisors along with tasks like counting cars in a parking lot or writing reports for tummy aches rather that at the airside looking for Osama, then maybe things would be forced to change.

However, I don't see that happening under the current administration. My heart goes out to the good cops who haven't gotten out..YET...

Ok DF, your gone now...let it go.

Damn, you must be a TIAPD detectice...NOT!!!.. nice try slick, but not your man, keep trying. I know you have plenty of time.

Traffic messed up! We have allot of inexperienced guy's in traffic.It doesn't make it any better that TIAPD does not supply them with adequate training.50% of those guys are retired military or military veterans.Another 10% are retired from some sort of civilian job,and the rest have no real job experience.Don't look down on traffic because of those few individuals that are poorly trained and have bad judgment.TPD has bad apples also,you guys are not perfect to.A cop is a cop no matter what department they work at.The mission's of the departments are just different.The LEO that responded to the scene also goofed.Allot of officers from other agencies show up there pushing the LEO weight around with traffic trying to use their status as a LEO to park on the arrival drive.Allot of you TPD guys do this also,but yet you are so professional.But yes,the main focus should of been the signal 13P.

I dont know much but a police officer in uniform in a marked police unit what the hell was that traffic guy thinking. Is Tampa Airport inside the city of Tampa? But the real question is who cares if theres a airport police officer or a Tampa police officer or even a deputy sheriff there if theres a bad guy that needs to be apprehended for doing something wrong. Now i know why i fly out of orlando airport instead. Its worth the drive. Im glad to see that the officer who was there was willing to take enforcement action if needed.

Don't get carried away now, as stated, it was a 13P according to the author. Something we get at TIA all the time, we are flooded with bogus 13P calls every day because its the airport and everyone is paranoid.

This was not some "bad guy" that needed to be "apprehended."

Im glad to see that the 13p you get all the time was not that important. This 13P was reported to me by an employee of the airport not some drunk guy from Conn. if you recall in my org. post. Either way the 13P should of been checked out.

And yes we do respond to several calls that are bull and really turn out to be nothing but we still respond cause thats what we get paid to do. I my- self get pissed with some of the same bull calls time after time.

And as far as a few bad apples in my department. Well I will be the first to say that no matter where you go theres always goign to be the few that think there better then the world. I myself have been known to be a pr!@k b@st@rd at times. But ask anyone who knows me I treat people they way they treat me I am never the first to be the @$$. I just think that it was wrong what this traffic guy did. It was clear that he has a problem with T.P.D. Maybe he got a ticket, denied employment hear or something but his attitude sucks and should be adjusted. Im not one to run to the management to complain on anyone thats why I have left his name out. But he knows whoi he is.

The issue is the 13P should have been checked out and not a police officer in uniform would you not agree. And it only takes one 13P out of 1000 to turn out to be the real thing.