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US LEO here. This is not exactly correct. At least this bit: "both when there’s an active crime or even if they see another cop committing a crime in the line o

US LEO here. This is not exactly correct. At least this bit: "both when there’s an active crime or even if they see another cop committing a crime in the line of duty (e.g. excessive force)." Cops generally have no duty to protect anybody. That's not their job, no matter what the decals on the squad say. But if you're on duty, and you witness a crime being committed right in front of you, especially if it's something as serious as a violent felony, and literally ignore it, and anybody finds out, you'll at least probably be fired. Depending on the jurisdiction and totality of circumstances, it may also be a crime.

edoceo 5y ago
Doesn't work like that in Seattle. Police actively ignore drug use in the (clean) parks, even with complaining witness. Police point and laugh at homeless fighting each other. Source: my eyes.
- orangepurple 5y ago
  That behavior comes from the police chief and district attorney explicitly telling street level cops what they can't police.
  - edoceo 5y ago
    I know where it comes from. And regardless of management, my observations are counter to the parent comment, claiming an LEO would be fired for ignoring violent crime.
Abekkus 5y ago
"Protect and serve" (the incumbent power structures, not arbitrary citizens)
leoqa 5y ago
Off topic, but I’ve been curious about moving from tech to working in LEO (cyber, fraud, etc) but the FBI/SS requirements around mobility are untenable for me. I’d be interested to hear your experience and any advice around opportunities (in Texas) that are compatible with family life.
- taway9001 5y ago
  I don't know much about Texas specifically, but I work for a state level agency. Federal requirements can be onerous for sure, and the work I do (cyber) is still interesting. Life-balance wise it's basically a normal 9-5 with a moderate amount of travel, but rarely away from home for longer than a day or two. And even that's only a few times a year.
anamax 5y ago
"Anyone finds out" means "it gets press". There's a case working its way through the courts where LEOs disarmed someone at the behest of some thugs and then watched him get beat to death by said thugs. The LEOs are arguing that they had no duty and that they're not responsible for the consequences of said disarming.
- taway9001 5y ago
  The nature of "anyone finds out" is relative to departmental corruption, yes. But that doesn't change the actual rules. And it should be noted that most people's understanding of law enforcement procedure comes from tv fiction or the news. The unreliability of the former should be obvious, and the latter.. well the only things that make the news are things that are newsworthy and out of the ordinary. Which is probably not a good basis for making sweeping judgements about all LEOs and agencies everywhere.
  - anamax 5y ago
    The point of mentioning the court case is that case and statutory law are NOT a slam dunk for "LEOs are required to act." in even cases where "the rest of us" would expect. The last I heard, the LEOs in that case were prevailing....
    - justin66 5y ago
      The case of NYPD cops hiding from a guy on a slashing spree [0] kind of comes to mind. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maksim_Gelman_stabbing_spree https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maksim_Gelman_stabbing_spree

edoceo 5y ago

Doesn't work like that in Seattle. Police actively ignore drug use in the (clean) parks, even with complaining witness. Police point and laugh at homeless fighting each other. Source: my eyes.

orangepurple 5y ago
That behavior comes from the police chief and district attorney explicitly telling street level cops what they can't police.
- edoceo 5y ago
  I know where it comes from. And regardless of management, my observations are counter to the parent comment, claiming an LEO would be fired for ignoring violent crime.

Abekkus 5y ago

"Protect and serve" (the incumbent power structures, not arbitrary citizens)

leoqa 5y ago

Off topic, but I’ve been curious about moving from tech to working in LEO (cyber, fraud, etc) but the FBI/SS requirements around mobility are untenable for me. I’d be interested to hear your experience and any advice around opportunities (in Texas) that are compatible with family life.

taway9001 5y ago
I don't know much about Texas specifically, but I work for a state level agency. Federal requirements can be onerous for sure, and the work I do (cyber) is still interesting. Life-balance wise it's basically a normal 9-5 with a moderate amount of travel, but rarely away from home for longer than a day or two. And even that's only a few times a year.

anamax 5y ago

"Anyone finds out" means "it gets press". There's a case working its way through the courts where LEOs disarmed someone at the behest of some thugs and then watched him get beat to death by said thugs. The LEOs are arguing that they had no duty and that they're not responsible for the consequences of said disarming.

taway9001 5y ago
The nature of "anyone finds out" is relative to departmental corruption, yes. But that doesn't change the actual rules. And it should be noted that most people's understanding of law enforcement procedure comes from tv fiction or the news. The unreliability of the former should be obvious, and the latter.. well the only things that make the news are things that are newsworthy and out of the ordinary. Which is probably not a good basis for making sweeping judgements about all LEOs and agencies everywhere.
- anamax 5y ago
  The point of mentioning the court case is that case and statutory law are NOT a slam dunk for "LEOs are required to act." in even cases where "the rest of us" would expect. The last I heard, the LEOs in that case were prevailing....
  - justin66 5y ago
    The case of NYPD cops hiding from a guy on a slashing spree [0] kind of comes to mind. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maksim_Gelman_stabbing_spree https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maksim_Gelman_stabbing_spree