Ghetto Cops

[Badgeman]

I had a little disagreement with a fellow on here, a while ago, maybe on the old board and I think he just did not understand what it is like working an inner city Ghetto. Let me try to fill you all in a little. I worked too many years in the bad part of town and let me tell you it is a DIFFERENT WORLD. It is not a good place to work, it is exciting and interesting

[7@NGHS]

You are very right Badgeman, it is definitely hard to explain. When you work those parts of town, you have to put the "mask" on when you go to work. It is almost like a split personality.

The best example I can give is when my department started it's C.O.P. program way back, we had the smaller, more PR realted officers on the bikes and in the "hoods". There were bottles and rocks thrown, there were chases that led into "booby" traps, meaning clothlines and ditches, there were even some of the residents whom started verbal confrontations, many of which led to physical ones, and of course it was always 1 or 2 officers vs. 20 to 25.

We then put the biggest and baddest looking ones in the hoods ( was a funny site...6'4", 275+ pound officers on bicycles) and yes they were bald, brazen and even had those black gloves we have been discussing. We found the confrontations reduced and over a period of time things were relaxed and the "respectable" residents began showing their support, crime rates dropped and officers who, regardless of size, now find themselves challenged a lot less.

You have to have somewhat of an "attitude" to perform in this job anyway. I find myself, no matter if it is my regular tour or an off duty job, with the attitude of "your are in my house now, abide by them, go home or go to jail". I am friendly and compassionate but take NO crap as I am at home, not them.

Stay safe friend.

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Eddie

[TrainCop]

Have to agree with Badgeman on this one. People in the hood seem to be able to smell fear and indecision on a cop better than a Doberman. You have to own every piece of ground you stand on and make sure everyone knows you're willing to call the bluff. Every day.

Also understood what Badgeman was saying about being mercenaries. After about a month on the street it hit me that we're more like an army of occupation than a police force. Even the regular, non-criminal, element tends to despise our presence. To most people we are the problem, not the solution.

Stay safe and watch your back.

TrainCop

[Badgeman]

Good insight.. Traincop and Eddie.. I can tell you understand what is up with da hood. We had a positive interaction program where I got to meet a lot of the good "Church Ladies" from an area... they did not like having folks on the street selling dope....most did not even live in their neighborhood... I wouldn't say they liked the cops..but we got to be pretty good friends. It gave me insentive to try to clean the street up... We did a pretty good job.. I know they only moved to a different spot..but the Church Ladies were happy. It is so true that you have to act like Clint Eastwood...then be a regular guy when you get home... I know some will smirk at acting like Clint but it is hard to describe but when dealing with these folks you have to be a tough guy... I have seen rookies come in meek and mousey...in no time.. less than a year ..they look different, talk different, breath different..it is a matter of survival.. I know you guys understand.

[Sparky]

Alright, Sparky's gonna chime in.

I've worked both, and let me tell you, those scrotes that live in the hood also inhabit trailers out in the sticks.

If I have my preference, I'd rather work the hood because a whole lot of help is just a call away. Out in the sticks, help is maybe 15 to 20 minutes away if at all. When that help comes, it may only be two or three guys.

I currently work an area that covers five counties. We got hardcore ghetto and we got the sticks.

The town that's most overrun with gangs and drugs has only one stop light and it is flashing yellow.

Those guys don't work the ghetto of a big city. The most they usually have on duty at one time is three including the Chief. I got my start and came up in the hood, but I got a lot of respect for those guys that work those areas so far from help and with scrotes just as mean.

A scrote is a scrote is a scrote. You got more of 'em more tightly packed in the hood which brings it's own set of problems. Out in dirt road country, they're a little more spread out, but there's also no one out there to hear you scream.

Y'know how in the hood, they take down the street signs and shoot out the street lights to screw with us getting around? Well, out in the sticks, there aren't any signs or street signs to begin with. And i guarantee most of the roads aren't mapped.

Try not to 'dis the dirt road po-po too bad. They got a hard row to plow too.



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-Sparky
Fiat justina.

[Badgeman]

Alright Sparky... Can't say I dissagree with you there... the hood is a bad place regardless where it is. I started in a pretty tame area..they didn't lock the churches...in case somebody forgot something. Well I started out on the day shift training in the hood... First call was a church..it was built like a Fort. The poor pastor told me it was the third time he got broken into in the past month.. every time he got a sound system or new A/C they took it...the folks who live in the hood if they get a new T.V. or stereo they have to sneek it in..so they can keep it a while.. they got a rough life..with cops running through their yards at night chasing felons .. Police Helicopters flying over with their spot lights.. Not a good place.

[KenM]

Saw this and had to post. Those places aren't always just an "inner city" thing. Our city of about 65,000 has those areas too. But the worst places I ever saw (worse than the 3rd or 5th wards in Houston)was on an Indian reservation in Montana. I was passing through with my wife and we were forced to stop for gas. The bums and the thugs were THICK there and they told me real quick that white boys weren't welcome there. That was the first time on vacation that I took my pistol out of the truck and stuck it in my waistband before I entered the store. So much for tourism......

[Badgeman]

I had the same problem on an Indian Reservation..it was not a plesant place.. I am in no hurry to go back... I also was traveling late one night and stopped for gas in Gary Indiana... I like the song... well it was late and it was not a good place either.. I stuck my .45 in my waist and was glad I did not have to pull it out... it was a jungle..but most of the wards have no gas stations as you know.