Got made at the gym, or "you look like a cop"

[olstyn]

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.

That line is pure truth. I don't really go to concerts anymore, but in my younger days, it was more common for people at shows to ask me if I had any weed to sell than not. I've never even smoked it, let alone sold it, but apparently I look the part of a dealer. I also once had some jerk come up to me at an outdoor foodie event while I was sitting on a blanket with my then girlfriend, now wife and attempt to sell me some glassware, saying something to the effect of "I know you smoke it, man." He was harder to get rid of than I would have liked, even though there were multiple cops within 50 yards of where we were sitting. Having shoulder length hair and being frequently unshaven will do it, I guess.

[Coyotesfan97]

I've had the reverse happen twice that I can think about in my early uniform days with a brushed back tapered haircut and regulation cop mustache. Oddly both occurred in Seattle. I flew up to Seattle for Christmas and had to take the Portland detour due to foggy weather at SeaTac and Boeing. By the time our bus arrived in Seattle it was close to 1AM and no one wanted to drive to the airport. I took a taxi and on the way the taxi driver tried to sell me weed. I guess he believed it when I told him I drove a garbage truck. I also had a guy try to sell me weed down at Pike Market in one of the lower stairwells.

[HCM]

The author of the linked article appropriated a quiz which has made the rounds of LE emails for years:

It is one point for each statement which matches you-

My work shoes are good all around shoes. I wear them when I am not at work. They especially go well with suits.
My other favorite pair of footwear is white athletic trainers and/or flip-flops.
I always carry a backup gun. Even off-duty. Even at the beach.
(For men only) I own one suit. I bought it sometime in the late 90s and figure I can get another ten or fifteen years out of it. Besides, it goes really well with my boots.
(For women only) I own one dress or skirt. I wore it once to a department function and no one recognized me! I only got it because it was on clearance.
I cut my hair at home with clippers I bought at a store. Stylists are for metrosexuals. (Add 1 bonus point if you use the same clippers on the dog)
Maximum hair length allowed is ¾ inch. Anything longer is for hippies and Democrats!
Looking in my closet, my clothes are polo shirts, oversize sweatshirts, jeans, t-shirts, workout clothes and nothing else. Shirts are never worn tucked in, in order to hide my gun. (Add 2 points if you own one or more Hawaiian shirts, just because it is such a cliché!)
The colors of my wardrobe are blue, grey, brown and black. Once in awhile I go big and wear red.
Facial hair is for undercover officers and people who are lazy (except for mustaches... mustaches are OK).
Sunglasses of choice? Oakley, of course.
I listen to the scanner at home.
When eating in a restaurant, I must sit where I can watch the door.
I consider beer an essential food group.
I go to Hooters for the food.
My car is All-American, such as Ford, GM, or Dodge. Even though some "American" cars are made in Mexico, and some Hondas in Ohio, it's still USA All The Way!
Gum chewing is an essential job function.
I never smile when my picture is taken, but put on my "cop face." Even at weddings.
I talk to everyone in an interview stance, because you never know who you will have to fight.
My favorite show as a rookie was Cops. My favorite show as a veteran is Reno 911. I swear they stole those characters from my department.
One of the characters was based on me!
"Hey, be safe" is how I end every encounter and conversation with other cops.
I call everyone I don't know "ma'am" or "sir" out of habit.
Whenever a police drama like Law & Order or CSI does not follow procedure, I yell at the TV. (Add 1 bonus point if you have ever gotten so upset you wrote the show's producer a scathing E-mail)
I refuse to watch a movie unless there is a car chase, someone bleeds, guns are fired, or someone is taken hostage.
I cannot understand how some people miss the obvious humor in stories involving the unique ways humans manage to meet their maker and advanced decomposition.

I scored a 11 (the Hawaiian shirt thing got me).

Click on the article for scoring. And be safe.

http://www.officer.com/article/10248...es-are-you-one

[Unobtanium]

Pretty easy to spot an officer. I remember seeing an undercover car at Wal-mart when I was in college. Told my roommate about it. He argued. I walked up to two guys and said "It's theirs", and asked, and they looked at me suspiciously, said "yeah", and I walked off. I did a lot of dumb shit in college. Nothing illegal, just annoying, lol. But yes, police *typically* are extremely obvious to anyone who has two brain cells to rub together.

[Sammy1]

It was the 5.11 clothes and spare handcuff key, they give us away all the time.

[Hambo]

It's about how "you" look and people's faces and into their eyes. Only predators do that....

Generally speaking, the only people paying attention to what goes on around them are BGs and cops.

Years ago at an LE shoot a friend and I went out to dinner. The restaurant was not close to the match location, and we made a group of cops based on the holster maker logo polo shirts. We had a laugh about them being so obvious. Then one of them walked over to us and asked if we were shooting the match.

[fwrun]

I got made at the gym by someone I took to jail a couple months back... Other than random times like that, I don't really get made.

[voodoo_man]

My work shoes are good all around shoes. I wear them when I am not at work. They especially go well with suits.
My other favorite pair of footwear is white athletic trainers and/or flip-flops.
I always carry a backup gun. Even off-duty. Even at the beach.
(For men only) I own one suit. I bought it sometime in the late 90s and figure I can get another ten or fifteen years out of it. Besides, it goes really well with my boots.
(For women only) I own one dress or skirt. I wore it once to a department function and no one recognized me! I only got it because it was on clearance.
I cut my hair at home with clippers I bought at a store. Stylists are for metrosexuals. (Add 1 bonus point if you use the same clippers on the dog)
Maximum hair length allowed is ¾ inch. Anything longer is for hippies and Democrats!
Looking in my closet, my clothes are polo shirts, oversize sweatshirts, jeans, t-shirts, workout clothes and nothing else. Shirts are never worn tucked in, in order to hide my gun. (Add 2 points if you own one or more Hawaiian shirts, just because it is such a cliché!)
The colors of my wardrobe are blue, grey, brown and black. Once in awhile I go big and wear red.
Facial hair is for undercover officers and people who are lazy (except for mustaches... mustaches are OK).
Sunglasses of choice? Oakley, of course.
I listen to the scanner at home.
When eating in a restaurant, I must sit where I can watch the door.
I consider beer an essential food group.
I go to Hooters for the food.
My car is All-American, such as Ford, GM, or Dodge. Even though some "American" cars are made in Mexico, and some Hondas in Ohio, it's still USA All The Way!
Gum chewing is an essential job function.
I never smile when my picture is taken, but put on my "cop face." Even at weddings.
I talk to everyone in an interview stance, because you never know who you will have to fight.
My favorite show as a rookie was Cops. My favorite show as a veteran is Reno 911. I swear they stole those characters from my department.
One of the characters was based on me!
"Hey, be safe" is how I end every encounter and conversation with other cops.
I call everyone I don't know "ma'am" or "sir" out of habit.
Whenever a police drama like Law & Order or CSI does not follow procedure, I yell at the TV. (Add 1 bonus point if you have ever gotten so upset you wrote the show's producer a scathing E-mail)
I refuse to watch a movie unless there is a car chase, someone bleeds, guns are fired, or someone is taken hostage.
I cannot understand how some people miss the obvious humor in stories involving the unique ways humans manage to meet their maker and advanced decomposition.

All the bolded above.

Except my wife threw out all my Hawaiian shirts and said she'd divorce me if I ever bought one again.

[LittleLebowski]

I've been "made" for a few professions and they were always wrong.

[jondoe297]

I was "made" at a bar in another city last month. Was in there with my wife and a buddy (who is an auxiliary at my agency). The bar manager came up to us as said "So, are you guys cops?". I just said "Nah I work in I.T.". The manager said "Not a lot of I.T. guys sit in the back corner and watch everyone in the place. I don't believe you, but if you're ABC, everything's on the up and up with us".