grumpyff

Westchester, repeat after me, "People are stupid. Very Stupid." The roads we have, pretty much have not changed greatly in the last 10 years or so. It is not an engineering problem for the most part. You can spend all the money on signs,lights and reflective striping, but the stupid driver that is in a rush, on a phone, laptop, ipad, just too self absorbed to say they are a bad driver, just plain too stupid to not understand how to drive will continue to do stupid things behind the wheel. Just take a walk through a mall or a store, people are too stupid to keep to the right when they walk. Ride a bus or a train, yup there is Mr. Stupid trying to push his way onto the bus or train before letting others off. Society has taught these people their s*** does not stink, and that they are the most important person in the world. It is always someone elses fault, never there own.

You cant fix stupid.

2013 Ford Police Interceptor

Chevy Tahoe Town of Wappingers Patrol

older Dutchess County Sheriff cars from the 1970's

Here is the most recent poster from our Early Intervention Unit and the sticker that is affixed to every locker in the Police Department. It is in your face everyday. With that said, we continue to experience suicides. There is help if is needed, it is just a matter of making the call. Also the group known as POPPA, has a separate phone line for retired members as well. I think they may be one of the few groups that will talk to retired guys

So many calls, one of the few that did not involve someones loss of property, life or severe injury... In 1994, I had the pleasure of being part of crew that delivered a healthy baby boy in their house. I still remember going back out to the bus to get the stretcher when the Mount Pleasant PD officer on scene told his dispatch "A healthy baby boy was just delivered, I need the official time." The dispatcher responded "0113 hours". At that point the officer looked up, it was also his shield number.

The next few years should be interesting. The large numbers hired during Mayor Dinkins', and early in Mayor Guiliani's terms for the Safe Streets campaign. http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120919/new-york-city/nypd-could-lose-thousands-of-cops-retirement-over-next-few-years Hiring the last few years has barely maintained our headcount. We had a lot of officers retire shortly after 9/11, this will be an even greater number. Expect to large classes again if a lot of guys do pull the pin and retire. I was hired in 1998, and my class was one of the last large classes. (1400 officers on top of the 1000 to 1200 that were hired 2 months prior.) We were followed byu another 1300 in 1999

For the NYPD we have POPPA (Police Officers Providing Peer Assistance) that is staffed by NYPD members and will help all ranks with personal and professional problems. It is separate from the job, but has its support, and the support of the City Council. Of course its use is not mandated (it is confidential, supposedly), but the job does have its Pysch Services, and if you get sent there by the job, it is not voluntary. They often do alcohol counseling, domestic violence classes, etc. POPPA usually visit every command (every tour) at least once a year, and every so often they will make appearances at the range to let the members know it is still available. In addition, EVERY member's locker has a sticker about 5"x8" with a list of different groups that can provide support for numerous problems that members may face. We just got a few new posters in my command on this topic. I will try to get a photo tonight when I go in.

Take any test you can. It makes for good practice, and hopefully get you better in test taking, through repetition as a lot of the questions can be similar. Buy a study guide, and use it. If a job offers a study guide or class, use it. It the early/mid Ninties I took just about every PD/Fire test in the NYC area, even jobs that stated they would not hire non residents (or the chance of it was slim to none, and Slim left on the 9 am train). You never know when you may have a Lucky Saturday, as they say. A lot of places outside this area make you pay for your own training(usually at a community college) and then shop your resume. My wife' cousin did this out in Michigan, and was lucky enough to be hired by the Barry County Sheriff, first in a Corrections type setting, and then took another test to become a road patrol Sheriff. Keep trying and do not get discouraged. Keep all your options open.

Make a complaint to that cities Human Resources Department. If he is a CFR or EMT, make a complaint as well to the State Dept of Health. Affirmative Action may have gotten him his job, it does not give him the right to act like a boob.

Back in 2011/2012 there was a lot of speculation on the web about the new ambulance FDNY EMS was in the process of buying. It was a Dodge/Wheeled Coach with a 4 door cab. I recall reading somewhere that FDNY was going to purchase up to 285 of them. I know they started to take delivery, and then it seemed like they stopped. Was there some type of problems with them, or was the design found to be deficient in some area. I have only seen a few on the street of NY. Here is a photo I got of one today at EMS Station 15, just a few blocks from the 5 Alarm fire on White Plains Road in the Bronx. EMS Station 15, ex quarters of Engine 63

Rest in Peace Trooper

What is to stop a department from approaching a county to sponsor a class using the county resources (if they are available and willing to teach another class) and give priority admission to that department's members. If other departments wanted to piggy back members into the class they could help defray the cost involved and also petition the county to allow this.

In New York State, under Penal Law, Article 35 section 3, you are allowed to defend your home, with deadly physical force if necessary. However, once the person leaves your home, you are not allowed to follow. http://law.onecle.com /new-york/penal/PEN035.20_35.20.html also section 35.15 sub 2i http://law.onecle.com/new-york/penal/PEN035.15_35.15.html As far a solo police officer, yes they will follow a suspect without back up. It is part of the job. Same for stopping multiple suspects at one time. I have stopped up to 4 suspects, by myself, while calling for back up. May not be tactically sound, but it happens a lot. There are ways to handle this, by taking cover if available, handcuffing suspects, making them get on their knees, laying them out on the ground, or stopping at gunpoint depending on the crime commited and possibility of weapons. NYPD Auxiliary do this now, without a firearm, often with just a radio, and maybe a vest. In 2007, two NYPD Auxiliaries, Officers Eugene Marshalik and Nicholas Pekearo were killed in the line of duty doing this. Keeping a suspect in sight while radioing for back up, as they followed an individual who had just shot and killed two people http://www.nydailynews.com/news/4-die-bloodbath-article-1.216036 and http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/volunteer-city-police-eyes-ears-force-article-1.291634 As far as Zimmerman listening to the dispatcher's instruction to not follow Martin, I think there is no legal basis for him to follow the direction. Zimmerman was a glorified neighborhood watch, not sworn as a peace officer or police officer. Just like a a dispatcher attempting to give CPR instructions over the phone, you can ignore them as a civilian, you have no duty to act, and at that point the instructions are a suggestion. Was Zimmerman overzealous..probably. Was Zimmerman profiling Martin due to race, maybe, although in the 911 call he calls a "f....in punk", not any racial epithets. Did he follow him and call 911...YES, he was legally allowed to do that. You and I can do that as well, it is not required, but legal. Do you as a civilian, have the right to ask a stranger why he is in your neighborhood? yes you do. Does the person have answer you....NO, they can not answer, or can tell you to "go F... yourself" and there is nothing you can do. Now that person your following feels threatened, do they have the right to use physical force against you....No. If they do you, in New York State, you are obligated to attempt to retreat to safety (also in Penal Law article 35), however if you are unable to retreat, you may defend yourself. Using physical force. Deadly Physical Force is not legally allowed unless you believe the other person is using, or about to use Deadly Physical Force against you. That was why Zimmerman got off...he claims he was headed back to his car, when Martin initiated the use of force against him. Unfortunately Martin is dead, and unable to give his side of the story, and very little evidence to back either side.

The NYC Sergeants Benevolent Association representing the NYPD Sergeants is calling out Quinn for using special courtesies that have gotten others arrested, and for wasting money with her ridiculous Inspector General for the NYPD http://sbanyc.net/documents/quinnAd.pdf

Calls are still being lost without explanation, routed to wrong recipients, and in the hurry to didpatxh...miss important info. UCT just inflames the failure of ICAD

and the hits just keep coming. http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/bronx-families-escape-early-morning-fire-article-1.1400955?localLinksEnabled=false This new ICAD system is a complete failure that is endangering everyone....FD/EMS/PD and civilians. I am beginning to wonder how much Bloomberg's associates are making off this project? Another CityTime fiasco? I know the PD dispatchers/911 operators are not the sharpest tools in the box sometimes, but this system is seriously flawed, yet Bloomberg continues on like it will be solved with "retraining" and discipline. I Call BS

Welcome to the real world Speaker Quinn.

Here are some photos I took last night in Mt Kisco. If anyone has other photos feel free to add them!

Port Chester

Putnam Lake

Darien, CT the flash made the reflective stripes appear gold. IIRC they are black

Mamaroneck

Mahopac Falls