"Either you buy these, or I take your car"

[voodoo_man]

Accountability starts at the top. Who decided it was a good idea to have officers selling these things and how much pressure was there? This kind of BS is usually brass driven. Funny how nobody gives a crap when how many tickets you write becomes a major part of your evaluation. Same with the Garner thing in NY....who actually made selling single cigarettes a priority, because I guarantee it wasn't any of the patrol officers there. Many officers simply "play the game" and keep the bosses happy with whatever b.s is a priority. Same year I was turned down for a Medal of Valor because "we don't give awards for shooting people", one of our detectives who was worthless (she was promoted to get her off the street to keep her from getting killed) got a big award for organizing red ribbon week, which she made a full time job rather than actual cop stuff. Same thing when we were supposed to give "POG's" to kids to make ghetto kids like the police......little urchins would run up to felony car stops hanging off you for the stupid things (I was proud of my record of not handing out a single one). To go along with this...we had a guy have his career saved after a DUI arrest and collision while coming from a Captains charity wine tasting.....an event most serious street cops missed, unless you were sucking up for promotion.

Cop in the video was likely trying to kill two birds with one stone. Cut the guys a break, and keep the boss in charge of ticket sales happy. He will pay the price for this. It is why "not giving a shit" about this stuff was part of my career survival mechanism. Was not part of the promotability program, but unlike many, I didn't care.

You care about widows and orphans, raise money elsewhere. I am sure there is some rich folks who need a tax wrote off and some influence.

This is 100% backed by the brass.

[LittleLebowski]

This is 100% backed by the brass.

It's almost like you're trying to tell us something

[Dagga Boy]

For those outside cop work, the "what is important" briefing from the bosses is a long standing tradition of stupidity. Those who are in positions of power use the good idea fairy, or what will make me look good program to have their personal priorities handled by their assigned minions. It is a ton of what is wrong in LE. I got bounced from a proactive crime suppression unit because I would not play the new bosses game of going to schools to read books to children and work city code violations. Our unit was absorbed into his because they needed our felony arrest numbers to justify that units federal grant money.......and then they wanted my team to do the same b.s. his team did that was essentially working a lot of citrus and floral "crimes".
This is the same with charity of the week. Someone gets a hair up their ass to do some politically special charity and all of a sudden that becomes a priority over everything so that someone can look extra caring. These folks were never around for quietly buying food for some down on their luck ghetto family, or watching a group of folks from a graveyard shift empty their wallets to help a family who you just notified that dad was killed by a DUI and their only means of income is instantly gone. If there is no "attention" to how generous you are most of the brass and politicians are disinterested. I always find it amusing that as a lowly patrol cop and my elementary teacher wife managed to give far more to charity every year than Joe Biden.

[Paul]

What's the difference between cutting a break in exchange for $20 to charity and $20 in your pocket? Cutting them a break in exchange for $20 either way.

What's the difference between dumping out a bag of dope on the side of the road and putting it in your pocket for later? Either way you're cutting the guy a break by relieving him of his dope and illegally disposing of it.

The difference is intent.

[BehindBlueI's]

What's the difference between dumping out a bag of dope on the side of the road and putting it in your pocket for later? Either way you're cutting the guy a break by relieving him of his dope and illegally disposing of it.

The difference is intent.

Well, the big difference would be that dumping it out would be officer discretion and no different than transporting it to the property room for disposal except for paperwork, but possessing it for use later would be a crime such as "possession of (insert type of dope here)". I think the fact the second option is a crime that can get you not only fired but charged criminally pretty well addresses that. That said, it fails to be relevant to the topic at hand. The intent in this case is the same. Take $20 to look the other way. Officer discretion allows you flexibility in not enforcing the law in every instance when the needs of justice are best served by not doing so, not when you can buy your way out of it.

[LittleLebowski]

I hope that the guy who took the video gets the full charges he deserves by the law instead of officer discretion.

I've been a recipient of officer discretion a few times. Last winter, I witnessed a Virginia State Trooper pull over a kid (guessing near 20 yrs old) and make him empty out a case of beer on the side of the road, one by one. Then they shook hands and parted ways. I took pictures as I was delighted to see this sort of thing still occurring.

[voodoo_man]

For those outside cop work, the "what is important" briefing from the bosses is a long standing tradition of stupidity. Those who are in positions of power use the good idea fairy, or what will make me look good program to have their personal priorities handled by their assigned minions. It is a ton of what is wrong in LE. I got bounced from a proactive crime suppression unit because I would not play the new bosses game of going to schools to read books to children and work city code violations. Our unit was absorbed into his because they needed our felony arrest numbers to justify that units federal grant money.......and then they wanted my team to do the same b.s. his team did that was essentially working a lot of citrus and floral "crimes".
This is the same with charity of the week. Someone gets a hair up their ass to do some politically special charity and all of a sudden that becomes a priority over everything so that someone can look extra caring. These folks were never around for quietly buying food for some down on their luck ghetto family, or watching a group of folks from a graveyard shift empty their wallets to help a family who you just notified that dad was killed by a DUI and their only means of income is instantly gone. If there is no "attention" to how generous you are most of the brass and politicians are disinterested. I always find it amusing that as a lowly patrol cop and my elementary teacher wife managed to give far more to charity every year than Joe Biden.

Funny, I left my narc spot because of how the bosses wanted us to do stuff that wasn't in our purview.

[voodoo_man]

I hope that the guy who took the video gets the full charges he deserves by the law instead of officer discretion.

I've been a recipient of officer discretion a few times. Last winter, I witnessed a Virginia State Trooper pull over a kid (guessing near 20 yrs old) and make him empty out a case of beer on the side of the road, one by one. Then they shook hands and parted ways. I took pictures as I was delighted to see this sort of thing still occurring.

Can confirm, have done this.

[BehindBlueI's]

his team did that was essentially working a lot of citrus and floral "crimes"..

What's a citrus or floral crime?

[Coyotesfan97]

I hope that the guy who took the video gets the full charges he deserves by the law instead of officer discretion.

I've been a recipient of officer discretion a few times. Last winter, I witnessed a Virginia State Trooper pull over a kid (guessing near 20 yrs old) and make him empty out a case of beer on the side of the road, one by one. Then they shook hands and parted ways. I took pictures as I was delighted to see this sort of thing still occurring.

I've gotten the benefit of that discretion and I've given it.