What do you do as an LEO??

[Rosco MacGRUFF]

Ive been poking around the site now for a couple of weeks and was wondering what do you do or did you do as an LEO? Patrol, Detective,Gangs, etc.
Im in Patrol now as the FTO and spent 2.5 years as a Detective.

[Arcey]

Nov. '70 – Oct. '72 Communications.
Oct. '72 – Dec. '74 Patrol
Dec. '74 – Jan. '80 K-9
Promoted
Jan. '80 – April '84 Patrol 'n promoted again
April 84' – July '88 Detective Division
July '88 – April '94 XO, Internal Affairs Division
April '94 – July '01 Detective Divison.  Final assignment, Fraud/Forgery Section supervisor 'n Admin. Sergeant.
July '01 – Oct. '02 XO, Internal Affairs Division.
Oct. '02 – Retired - unemployed bum.

Took part time last year doin' background investigations on applicants.  Job wasn't funded for this year.  Unemployed bum again.

[Baron von Haltomstadt]

I spent 4 years as a patrol officer, 9 years as a motor officer, and now have 17 as a chief. I started over 30 years ago, but took 3 months off after my first retirement in Dec 2001. April 14 will mark my true 30th anniversary of actual days employed.

[Utah Bob]

Before I retired I did Captain stuff. Now I do whatever my wife tells me to do.

[Texas Lawdog]

I started in 1970 on Patrol, until 1977, Promoted to Detective 1977, Acting Chief 1978-1979, back on Patrol until 1984, went to Sheriff's Dept 1984- Present(Corrections, Civil Process, Criminal Warrants). Present assignment as Extradition Officer since 1986. I hope to retire in 3-4 years from my present assignment.

[John Barleycorn]

 I work in the Patrol division, been doing that throughout my career.  I worked for a 3rd class city ( 50,000 ) for five years before I got my current position for a smaller suburb ( 20,000 ). I have been a motor officer for the last five years. Yep, they pay me to ride a Harley around during the warmer months Im in a cruiser the rest of the time. I like patrol I do what I want, I check my businesses, and residential areas, take a break when I want, answer my calls Its pretty close to being my own boss. Our sergeants are pretty laid back, but definatly there when you need them just not breathing down your neck.
I'm not sure though if I would encourage my boys to become Police officers, but I supose I would support them and encourage them to try many things. I have a while yet there 7 and 9.

[fourfingersofdeath]

Joined corrections at the tender age of 36! Worked for the first 9 1/2 years in maximum security worming my way up through the ranks, then promoted to a rank equivalent to Lieutenant, moved to a variable security institution. Returned to max as an acting Deputy Governor/Warden I suppose you guys would call it (too old to promote any further, handy if they had problems it seems. Spent the last four years or so travelling as an acting Deputy, ended up as a Command Tactician, in rge of matters tactical and intel for a big slice of the state. Coordinated 20+ field intelligence officers, etc ensured compliance with security programs for twelve jails, ensured day to day incidents in the command were handled promptly and correctly (acted a bit like a spin doctor, but was centred on getting things to work properly, not cover tracks) best job I ever had! Moved back as a deputy /security manager of a jail and my wife took real ill (so did I, been dodging the doctor for years) and was medically retired in late October (after 22 1/2 years). Now a full time driver/carer/cook/coffee maker/housekeeper, etc.

I have been a bit busy and haven't been on the board lately, missed you guys.

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog]

twenty five years in the Military Police retiring with the rank of Captain.  Took a part time retirement hobby job as a traffic cop running radar on the highway for two municipalities for 10 years.

Totally retired now.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Howdy,

Readers digest version.  1974 to 1998 (with 4 year disability break 1988 to 1992):

6 years total dectectives/investigation (investigative specialty sexual assault/child molest for three of it)
1 year Juvenile
2 years plain clothes pro-active
11 years total patrol

[Marshal Tac]

My facination with the badge started as a kid when my Pa was a police officer in the town that I grew up in... Became a Police Explorer my freshman year in high school. Graduated high school and joined the army as an MP, got out and within 3 months was in the academy for the very same PD my father had worked for.... Have worked for 2 other PD's since.
89-93: U.S. Army Military Police, Panama and points south.

93-95: Patrol in my home town

95-97: Lateralled to the State Capital PD when I got married and had to move. Worked Patrol, days, graves and weekends, ending up as shift supervisor for dayshift weekends.

97-present: Worked Patrol for 3 years, then FTO, then promoted to Corporal. As a Corporal I have supervised 3 different patrol squads, two on graveyard shift and one on a "relief squad" Days/swings. I have been my departments Range Master/Lead Firearms Instructor/Armorer since 1999 in addition to my Patrol and supervisory duties. I have been a firearms instructor since 1996. I was the lead Sniper on our SWAT team for 5 years before stepping down to make some time for my family. (Patrol, SWAT, and Firearms all at the same time was just too much at once.) I have been promised a "full time" Range Master/Armorer position, that I hope is staffed soon. If/When that happes, I hope to finish out my 20 in that position, as that is what I enjoy most and have the most passion for. There is no better feeling in the world than having an officer come to you after just winning a gunfight and shaking your hand and telling you "Thank you" for having helped them pervail when the world went sideways....

[SFT]

Started bass-akwards, was with US Customs, SAC office in San Antonio after I graduated, then a few months later I got notice of acceptance into graduate school and choose to go back to college; it was a bad situation there at the office and IA had been all over everyone for months, they interviewed me three times asking about events that took place before I even got there!

After my graduate degree I got a job with the Attorney General of Texas, and was there for 4 years.  At the time the AG only had five commisions so like most of the other investigators I had my comission carried by an outside agency, and chose the city PD were I'd gone to college, asigned to the mounted patrol.  Loved it!  First time I'd ever ridden a horse were I had to saddle the horse myself, got to learn all about care and training plus got to ride all over the place including the parks along the river, keeping those rowdy sun bathing beauties in check.

After that I took a job as a school district officer (better pay), then after two years had my first back injury chasing a 17yo scrote.  Time off for surgery and then a job change to investigator again, 6 months w/ TX Dept. of Corrections, and then off to AZ for two years as a medical investigator for AZ-DOC.  What a job that was, I got there and they were still using spiral notebooks to track the case load.  Took them kicking and screaming into the 20th century and hurt my back again.

Back to Texas working for the State again, Director of Enforcement and Investigations for the chiro-board until the job got too tedious and politics crept in.  Tried another agency but was having a really hard time with my health, & got fired for taking sick leave (LONG STORY, LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT) to find out I had thyroid cancer, and three surgeries later plus one federal lawsuit I'm here, medically retired.

What a long strange trip eh?

[Darth Holliday]

Started in 1982, patrol, detectives, intelligence, now  JTTF middle district of Florida !!!

[Lance Killkenny]

Well shoot boys,
I've been gone for a time and thought I'd drop by the fire to say HOWDY.  I spent some time in patrol, narcotics, detectives (homicide and sex crimes), and SWAT.  20 years and then I simply had enough.  In my neck of the woods it was gettin hard to tell who wore the white hats so I hanged mine up.  Now I gots the sweetest gig thar is.  Two weeks on and then two weeks off with full time pay. Yep.....life just gets better after 40 something. lol

[Jailhouse Jim]

Well, in '74 I promised myself I would never be a Prison Guard.  Low and behold the Sheriff deal didn't come through so in "87 I became a Prison Guard.  Worked minimum for a year and went to medium.  Transfered in '94 to open a new medium and promoted to Sergeant in '95.  Worked maximum for a year, medium for six,  Receiving and Release for four, and now I am going to perimeter control for the Sexual Predetor Hospital next door.  Been a rangemaster for 12 and a trainer for chemical agents.  Not very glamerous but a job needing done.  Got 9 to go and a promotion step for a full retirement and its a moving quick.  Then I can concentrate on shooting full time.

Jailhouse Jim

[Coal Creek Griff]

I started in Patrol in 1989, where I worked until 2000, when I was assigned to a street crimes unit. 

In 2002, I was seriously injured on the job and I was out for two years.  During that time, I studied hard for the detective's test and finished on the top of the list.  I had been a part-time firearms instructor for several years, so when I was ready for light-duty, they assigned me full time at the range.

At about the same time, some promotions came through and I was promoted to detective (a permanent civil service promotion on my department).  At the same time, I was approved to come back to full-duty status.

I was assigned to the auto theft unit for a couple of years and I've been assigned to the burglary unit for about 1 1/2 years.  I have 17 years on and I don't even think about retirement--it's too far away (another 10-15 years or so).

CC Griff

[Eagle Eyes Jefferson]

Well,

Started in Dept. of Corrections 1983- 3yrs.
Hired at Police Dept. 1986
Uniform Patrol -   2 yrs.
K-9/UP-    4yrs.
Narcotics-   6yrs.
Det.- 6months
Promoted- UP- 1 yr.
Internal Affairs-  XO- 2 yrs.
Narcotics- XO-  4 yrs.
Internal Affairs-  XO-  1yr. 6 months (current Assignment)

Plan to retire in 5yrs. 6 months. Arcey,  hope to do federal background investigations on a part time basis.

Eagle Eyes

[SFT]

Prison [u]Officer[/u]; at least I didn't have to see the scumbags I arrested on a daily basis.  You have to put up with those thieves 8 hours a day and you get sent more every week.  My hat is off to you Sir, please refer to yourself as "prison officer", as it's a more appropriate title.

Well, in '74 I promised myself I would never be a Prison Guard.  Low and behold the Sheriff deal didn't come through so in "87 I became a Prison Guard.  Worked minimum for a year and went to medium.  Transfered in '94 to open a new medium and promoted to Sergeant in '95.  Worked maximum for a year, medium for six,  Receiving and Release for four, and now I am going to perimeter control for the Sexual Predetor Hospital next door.  Been a rangemaster for 12 and a trainer for chemical agents.  Not very glamerous but a job needing done.  Got 9 to go and a promotion step for a full retirement and its a moving quick.  Then I can concentrate on shooting full time.

Jailhouse Jim

[Arcey]

Arcey,  hope to do federal background investigations on a part time basis.

Eagle Eyes

Good luck with it, EEJ.

[Eagle Eyes Jefferson]

Do you have any experience with the federal end of it?  Is there more BS than I would want to deal with? (I guess it is, its a federal government body isn't it?!!!)

[Arcey]

(I guess it is, its a federal government body isn't it?!!!)

Now, that's insightful and most likely correct.

No, I don't any federal experience.  What I did was for municipal police applicants.  I'd have to think the federal stuff would involve some travel I wouldn't want to do.  Other than that I wouldn't know what, let's say 'intricacies', they have to deal with.