Police Special Operations unit? I assume that is a fancy wording for OD traffic advisor.
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Tahoe POV/Police Special Operations unit.
- Thread starter strobecrazy
- Start date
HILO
Member
Texas changed the law some years ago to allow off duty LEO's the ability to equip their POV's with EV equipment, with the approval of the Chief or Sheriff of the agency that issued the LEO's warrant. The approved LEO's can then work ODJ's with their blinked out POV's. There is no requirement that the vehicles be marked, though most do put magnetic signs on their POV's while working ODJ's, like the Tahoe has. Some have bought retired cop cars and put bars on them. Very few, if any, agencies will allow the Officers to mark their POV's with that agencies name or badge/patch/logo. These LEO's can enforce traffic law, where ever they are working, and conduct traffic stops in their POVs. With approval, they can work anywhere in the state. The tricky part comes when they need cover, or make an arrest, or even write a ticket. More often than not, they are working outside of their city/county, and do not have radio communications with the local LE agency. If they need a local LEO, they call 911. In order to write a traffic ticket, they have to get a local LEO's ticket book. And to effect an arrest, they have to have a local LEO transport and book. The majority of ODJ traffic cps do not do these things, unless there is just no choice, because they would typically have to come back to the area in order to testify in court. And that would have to be done with no pay, at their own travel expense. Which means if a ODJ LEO works and lives an hour (or more) away, and the court date is on a work day/shift, the LEO has to take a V-day, and drive their own vehicle, burn their own fuel, and spend their personal time going to court.
There is also a couple of ways LEO's get these jobs. Either they have a contact who gives them the job, and all the pay, or they go through a ODJ group who will take a pretty big cut of the hourly pay.
There is also a couple of ways LEO's get these jobs. Either they have a contact who gives them the job, and all the pay, or they go through a ODJ group who will take a pretty big cut of the hourly pay.
pdk9
Member
I've never been a huge fan of using POVs for LE duties, b/c of all the constraints placed on the LEO, plus there is no uniformity in marking them, so it looks like anyone can slap a generic PD/SO magnet on their vehicle & abuse privileges.
Personally, for off-duty/OT details, I think they should only use officers from that jurisdiction, in department-owned vehicles, so that the officers are familiar with the area, using official vehicles, & have full comms capabilities with dispatch & other units in the vicinity. Personally, sticking OD detail officers all over the place in private units sounds like blackwater operators in Afghanistan/Iraq (they're external contractors that don't have all resources immediately available to them if they need to call for help or perform a certain task)
Personally, for off-duty/OT details, I think they should only use officers from that jurisdiction, in department-owned vehicles, so that the officers are familiar with the area, using official vehicles, & have full comms capabilities with dispatch & other units in the vicinity. Personally, sticking OD detail officers all over the place in private units sounds like blackwater operators in Afghanistan/Iraq (they're external contractors that don't have all resources immediately available to them if they need to call for help or perform a certain task)
HILO
Member
pdk9 said:
I am inclined to agree, but sometimes, it is just not practical to use an agency, off duty, within its jurisdiction. For example, the Dallas Police Department rents a marked squad for $150 an hour, plus fuel. That is in addition to the $40 plus an hour paid to the ODO. So a road construction project would have to pay $200 an hour per DPD Officer. And DPD does not allow it's officers to install red/blue lights in their POV's. So very few Dallas cops work ODJ's in the construction sector. Most cops that work these ODJ's while using their POV's can be hired for $60 an hour with car. Retired1 can offer more correct info if I am outdated.
Eric1249
Member
cybercop
Member
A lot of policies actually prohibit an officer from using a govt owned vehicle for ODJ.
Once of the local ISDs here stopped hiring us for their football games because they wanted us to do traffic control with a marked unit. We told them no, its against County Policy.
They went with other agencies to do it and ended up with the same result, plus we told those other LEOs from another jurisdiction that we play by the fishing rules, you catch it, you clean it. Figure it out.
Once of the local ISDs here stopped hiring us for their football games because they wanted us to do traffic control with a marked unit. We told them no, its against County Policy.
They went with other agencies to do it and ended up with the same result, plus we told those other LEOs from another jurisdiction that we play by the fishing rules, you catch it, you clean it. Figure it out.