I get "looks like SOF", or some other silliness (at least they look more homogeneous, in theory), but "looks like a cop" I've never really understood. Given that there are big fat cops and small skinny ones, armed ones and clearly unarmed ones...too many variables. Of course, I can usually spot a cop too, so...
About fifteen years ago, I was in line for the Portland Blues Festival, standing there with my cans of food to donate, minding my own damn business. I was standing next to my former pot smoker accountant friend, wearing a Fender Guitar Ball Cap, a Marshall Amplifiers T-shirt, cut off Jeans and TEVA sandles. I wasn't carrying a gun, knife, badge or anything except my ID card in my wallet. I had worked something like 15 days straight and was looking forward to a law enforcement free day.
This kid is walking up the line, semi-discretely offering to sell people weed. I tumbled to what was going on a few people ahead of me and resolved to just keep a pleasant expression and politely decline.
He got to me and said "I'll skip the off duty cop" and kept going down the line.
I was quite certain I'd never seen him before.
It's about how "you" look and people's faces and into their eyes. Only predators do that....
Most likely along with other body language. It would also explain why they had a hard time articulating exactly what it was...Originally Posted by LSP552
I am not LE/MIL but grew up in that environment. I can usually spot one of yall about 95% of the time. I think it's about demeanor/body language/authoritative and alert manner....... more than the clothes/hair, although that does contribute.
I get asked quite often if I am LE/MIL, NO, are you retired?......Still NO. Well then where do you work. Well lets just say, I work for the Government, and you know how the rest of the story goes......
You know that feeling you get when you see a dirt bag piece of shit criminal type, well that same thing happens with good guys too. Good guys give off a different vibe than bad guys, but a vibe none the less, and if a person is somewhat observant it aint rocket science to figure out.
I shave only sporadically. And I wear comfortable clothes that do well in the Colorado back-country. And I have no trouble looking people in the eye. And I often go on very little sleep. At least, those are the only reasons I can think of for the number of times I've been outed as a cop. And that one time I was outed as a SEAL by a cop. (There were lots of SEALs at that gathering, though.) And the two times I got outed as "what agency, bro? You can't hide that." by cops at shooting events. I think the AIWB had something to do with those.
Anyway, I take it as a compliment. If they just thank me for my service, I don't fight it anymore, I just say "you're welcome. Pay it forward." The other day I gave a lady some generic advice for her daughter who is thinking about joining the FBI. If they actually bother to ask, which is surprisingly seldom, I tell the truth: that I'm just a computer nerd desk jockey. But often they look crestfallen and I can't bear to crush people's dreams like that, so I give them a little wink. They perk right back up.
One time I had a short conversation about politics with an older dude at the Caribou line at the airport. No mention of military or anything, but it was Friday and I was wearing a R.E.D. shirt. After he took off I found out that he paid for my coffee with a "thanks for your service" message - I bought 3 people coffee right away, and 5 minutes later I bought lunch for a Coastie and her kid, just to buy myself out of feeling guilty for that one.
People and their radars.
The answer, it seems to me, is wrath. The mind cannot foresee its own advance. --FA Hayek Specialization is for insects.
That's all right, man, I get made as gay about half the time.
Ignore Alien Orders
Hehe. I hope they don't thank you for your service...
But it does speak to stereotypes, and how you have to pay attention if you don't want to broadcast something, whether it's true or not.
The answer, it seems to me, is wrath. The mind cannot foresee its own advance. --FA Hayek Specialization is for insects.
I had someone think I was a cop once.
It was years ago at the Second Chance Bowling Pin Shoot in June in lower MI. The weather had turned cold and I was
standing next to the beefalo cooking machine trying to warm up. An actual cop from back east somewhere wandered up and asked me to sign a hat for Richard Davis, head honcho of the match and Second Chance Body Armor. He thought I was one of
the Second Chance "saves." (Cops who'd been saved from death or injury by a Second Chance vest.) There was going to be
some event involving the saves who were on the site later that day. Some were milling around, drinking coffee and telling stories.
After almost falling over from surprise, I told the guy I was an Ordinary Standard Shooter, not a cop and definitely not a save.
"I'm just standing here trying to get warmed up."
An odd feeling.
25 plus years ago I got this a lot. Something about training 12-16 hours a week + lifting and range time and a flat expression.
It would go like this. Who are you with ? I'm not. What do you do ? I'm self employed, rental property. Sure.
Now at 58 I get questions about my non existent military or LE background. I'm not special. 6', 183 lbs, reasonably fit. I tell them the truth but they do not want to believe the ordinary.
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