JJB531

Within the confines of NYC, the Highway Districts' Motor Carrier Safety Unit handles truck enforcement. At the precinct level, members of the highway safety enforcement unit handle truck enforcement. Probably the most active precinct level enforcement unit is the 41 because of the Hunts Point Market within their precinct.

Kudos to Sleepy Hollow and Elmsford for their success at getting their rigs out the door... but, I think the issue is not just a matter of getting the bus out the door, but also the dependancy on certain individuals to get that ambulance out the door who have no business on an ambulance in the first place. Let's face it, EMS as a whole is struggling in this county, both paid and volunteer... this is no suprise to anyone. The turnover rate is very high amongst paid EMS providers who leave for civil service FD or PD jobs and use their EMS background for pocket money (as I do), and there are serious issues with recruitment and retention amongst the volunteer EMS sectors. Unfortunately, both paid and volunteer agencies have "employed" manpower who I wouldn't let touch my dog, but as long as the calls get covered and the ambulance gets out the door, well then in their eyes the problem has been solved. I'm not here to pick on any one agency in particular, but I know of not just one, but a few agencies who depend on individuals who are 70, even 80+ years old to get the ambulance out the door... you have to be kidding me. It's all good and great that these individuals still have the motiviation and the faculties to be riding on an ambulance, but I don't understand how it is allowed. The liability is outrageous, having an 80 year old man driving the ambulance with a crew and patient to a hospital. I for one am not comfortable being in the back of that ambulance, nor would I be comfortable with someone old enough to be my grandfather trying to do a standing takedown on me. And then there are agencies who take someone fresh out of EMT class, card still dripping wet with ink, and throw them on an ambulance as a crew chief without any orientation or field training just so they can get the ambulance out the door. I've helped instruct many EMT classes, as I'm sure many of you have also, and I think we can all say that the EMT classes in this area are, for the most part, a joke. I'm not talking about the instructors or the delivery of the information, but there is no significant amount of time allotted to field training while EMT students are enrolled in the course. The trial by fire method in this line of work just doesn't cut it, and it is unsafe to take someone with zero field experience and throw them to the wolves. I spoke with a coworker the other day who told me a story about a cardiac arrest recently where a new EMT (who had an attitude that he/she had 10 years experience) basically froze up and couldn't deliever medical care. And yet the agency he/she volunteers for wont' do anything about it because he/she is an active riding EMT. Does this county need a solution to the abuse of mutual aid by certain agencies and inability of certain agencies to cover the calls in their respective district... absolutely. But I think that some agencies, both paid and volunteer, appear to be doing a good job because the ambulances are getting out, but the caliber of individuals staffing these vehicles is on the decline, so I often question if it's just safer paying the 10 bucks for a cab to gimme a lift the ER.

That was the gator that was in Central Park... so far, no photos of the one in Ossining.... more than likely someone's pet... you can order them off the internet or purchase them at a reptile show in Pennsylvania where they are legal.

Read this article on NY1.com... Police Source: Carjacking Suspect Shot To Death By Police July 07, 2007 A suspect in a series of carjacking was shot to death by police following a shootout in Brooklyn Saturday afternoon. Witnesses say the suspect crashed a stolen livery cab into a light pole at Albany Avenue and Park Place in Flatbush. When emergency medical services arrived at the scene, witnesses say the driver pulled a gun on EMS workers. Police passing by witnessed the scene and responded. Witnesses say shots were exchanged and that the driver was hit about four or five times. He was later pronounced dead, sources said. A police source says the driver is being investigated as a suspect in three other carjackings. According to fire officials, three people were transported to Kings County Hospital in unknown condition.

I agree also... I think that sometimes aeromedical services are unncessarily used around this area because certain people want the excitement of calling the helicopter and don't consider the cost associated with it. Definetly if the patient fits the criteria for aeromedical services and there is a definite need for it, then absolutely put in the request.

Driving without a license is a VTL traffic infraction in NYS... it's not a huge crime... it's a traffic ticket and that's it. I'm not sure if the law is any different in Alabama. A lot has to do with her age. If she was 21, and same scenario played out... I wouldn't be suprised if there was, at a minimum, bail set. This scenario is no different than when an young juvenile walks into school with a loaded gun and shows it off to his/her friends... it gets referred to family court. But, if a 21 year old gets caught with a loaded gun, bail is set, the case is often tried in Federal Court, and it is a minimum one year detainment in a correctional facility with parole/probation upon release.

The NYPD's policy is that anytime you are in NYC you are to be armed UNLESS you're going to be consuming alcohol, on vacation, placed on modified assignment, etc.

By your badge, did you mean your FD badge? I'm not sticking up for the trooper or saying you did anything wrong, but working a radar unit in NYC, I come across 2 dozen PBA cards a night, half of which are bogus. They were either found or purchased on EBay. If courtesy is going to be extended to a motorist, I want to make sure that they deserve it. Plus it's annoying for a police officer having to leave a hiding spot to stop a car, only to find out they have a PBA card, especially when it happens multiple times a night.

NYC construction workers now make just about 14K more a year than a top pay NYC P.O. with their new settlement...

Never. I may depend on that same police officer to save my rear one day.

NYS charges an $850 civil penalty if you are convicted of operating a motor vehicle without insurance....

I'm sure Bloomberg has already held a conference call with Spitzer and the Governor of Virginia.... let's get the cops to write more speeders so we can give them a 2% raise and use the rest of the money to plant more trees and cut taxes for the upper class....

Not true. I have been stopped a few times by NYSP for traffic infractions while eagerly on my way home at night and never had a problem. I always make sure to show them courtesy by apologizing for basically wasting their time, and pretty much every off duty encounter I've had with State Police has been cordial.

The Mobile Plate Hunter advises if the car is stolen or has a suspended registration.

There is absolutely nothing in the NYS Penal Law regarding public intoxication being a crime. If a person is intox in public and acting disorderly, they can be charged with disorderly conduct which is only a violation.

Redmack, in addition to the unlicensed I also write them for Failure to Notify DMV of Change of Address. A lot of times also people will have out state licenses because they can't get a NY license because they are suspended or revoked in NY. Like RWC said, working a radar car in the Bronx, we get out of state documents all the time, many of which are forged. But also, typically we find in the car computer that the motorist has a history in New York and usually has either suspended or revoked driving privileges in NY state. Now if I come across that at about 2330 hrs... I'll be thanking my perp for buying me a new TV with the OT I'm gonna make off it. There's also a scam with these BS Bronx car dealerships, where they give out temporary out-of-state documents which are all bogus.

It's called insurance rate evasion. People get away with it because they are not registering the vehicles out of state, but instead they have a family member who resides in RI, FL, MA, PA or anywhere else register the vehicle for them. A lot of outside states, especially PA, it is very easy to register a vehicle, and the vehicle will come up not in the drivers name, but in the name of the relative who registered it. The only way would be to contact the registered owner in the state the plate came from and find out who is using the vehicle in NY. It's a huge pain in the a** and makes me laugh that an individual will buy a $60,000 Escalade but then registers it in RI under his aunt's address because he can't afford the insurance on it. Amazing how everyone is "just borrowing the car" from their relative when asked why they have their vehicle registered out of state.

Buddy of mine who used to work in the same precinct with me transferred down to Florida. A number of the County Sheriff's in Florida have take home, marked patrol cars. He said it wasn't uncommon to see these marked patrol cars being stopped by other agencies for speeding or other traffic violation. I couldn't believe it when he told me. My feeling is, if I'm driving home at night from work, and I see a Trooper/Westchester County/Local P.O. fighting with some mope on the side of the road, I'm stopping and getting in the fight unlike most civilians who would just keep on driving. I've done it once or twice before and I'll do it again, doesn't matter if I'm in NY, Virginia, GEORGIA, or Alaska. That's what pisses me off about these storm troopers from Virginia... stopping a caravan of marked NYPD vehicles coming back from New Orleans like ONEEYED said... now if that VA Trooper had a car stop go bad and that caravan of NYPD vehicles came rollin' up, I guarantee you not one PO in the group wouldn't of taken action... would've looked like a fight scene from Braveheart as they charged the field.

I do the exact same thing with my PBA cards ONEEYED, only my immediate family get PBA cards... that's it. My cell phone is written on them also, and I educate them on proper PBA card etiquette. I love it when someone argues with me that they weren't speeding when I have them on radar, and then they want to give me a PBA card after giving me a hard time....

I am assigned to a radar/traffic unit... if I ask a motorist for their drivers license, reg, and proof of insurance, and the motorist shows me what I asked for and then gives me a PBA card, apologizes for their infraction, and is respectful... they're on their way without a peep from me. If I ask for their license, reg, and insurance and they shove a PBA card in my face minus what I asked for and ask "why you stopping me?", my little black pen goes to work, legitimate PBA card or not. If they want courtesy... well it goes both ways. I see on average 10 to 15 PBA cards a night, 99% of the time no problems. But there's always that one dope who thinks because he/she has a PBA card he/she's untouchable. Doesn't work that way. Generally, unless the person really really pissed me off, if the cop calls me and I explain to them why I wrote over the PBA card, the summons can be taken care of later on. Sometimes my only reason for writing the card is to get the cop to call me so I can inform them how their friend/family member/whoever acted during the car stop. Simply stated, if you have a PBA card and get pulled over... #1 - Stop right away, don't make the cop chase after you #2 - Turn your car off, interior light on, and hands on the steering wheel #3 - GIVE THE P.O. WHAT HE/SHE ASKS FOR! #4 - Offer the PBA Card and explain to the P.O. who it is. Make sure you have a way of contacting the LEO who gave you the card. #5 - Apologize for the infraction, even if in your mind you did nothing wrong. #6 - BE POLITE! #7 - If you are not a police officer, don't tell the cop you're "on the job". I laugh everytime someone tells me they're "on the job" and I ask for their ID and they show me some EMT badge they ordered out of Galls.

You're not advertising what you do if you are carrying concealed. Why the need to carry off-duty? Because all it takes is that one time for the s**t to hit the fan... even something as stupid as a minor car accident and the next thing you know some dope is charging you with a tire iron from his trunk. Tire iron=threat of serious bodily injury with a weapon=say hello to my lil' friend...

I rarely carry off duty... figure I made it the first 22 years of life my before I became a police officer without the need for a firearm. Usually I'll only carry if I'm going into NYC or travelling through a "seedy" area that I may not be familiar with. Defnetly a matter of personal preference though.

NYPD ESU was providing rescue services a long time before FDNY. In a city as big as NY, a duplication of services is not such a bad idea. Historically there has always been a lot of "tension" between the FD and PD when it comes to rescue work... generally speaking though, whoever gets there first, conducts the rescue.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the use of construction equipment (i.e. a front loader) is actually a violation of OSHA policy... obviously in an emergency you have to do what you have to do, and I'm not saying anyone did anything wrong. But, there is the possibility one may open themselves up to liability (individually or as an agency) for constantly relying on a piece of equipment that OSHA does not approve for transporting individuals during rescue operations.

As Truck 4 said, they fall under the Criminal Possession of a Weapon statute in the Penal Law. You also open yourself up to a great deal of liability if you do use it on someone... I know the old saying better to be judged by 12 then carried by 6, but in order for NYC police officers to carry an expandable baton at work, I had to receive specific training. That's why you see some NYPD guys with it, and some without it. Section 265.01 Criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree A person is guilty of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree when: (1) He possesses any firearm, electronic dart gun, electronic stun gun, gravity knife, switchblade knife, pilum ballistic knife, metal knuckle knife, cane sword, billy, blackjack, bludgeon, metal knuckles, chuka stick, sand bag, sandclub, wrist-brace type slingshot or slungshot, shirken or "Kung Fu star"; or (2) He possesses any dagger, dangerous knife, dirk, razor, stiletto, imitation pistol, or any other dangerous or deadly instrument or weapon with intent to use the same unlawfully against another; or The Penal Law has definitions for anything, but doesn't contain a definition for "billy". In the event you did tune somone up with it, it would be considered a deadly instrument until part (2), and you would have to justify your actions for using it.