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This isn't a blooper, but definitely a positive contact. I am just completing the Citizens Police Academy training put on by the Galveston Police Department. It is a long (12 weeks) course but the most enlightening training/course around and gives us civilians a real insight into how a police department works. More than that, it has shown me how many restrictions and problems our LEO,s face every day while trying to keep us citizens safe. Other cities have these classes and I recommend participation by anyone wanting to know how a PD works. It has been extremely interesting and meeting a variety of Police Officers has given me a real sense of their humanity and dedication.
Vern

I plan on joining the GPD Alumni Association as well and look forward to a ride! This Alumni group raises a lot of money for GPD that would not be available orthewise for much needed equipment.

I've wanted to attend Grapevine's citizen's police academy, but they hold classes on Thursday nights, and I have rehearsals on Thursday nights. I don't want to do it badly enough to give up my position in my church's band to do it.

Sometime schedules can be revised. PD's want citizens to attend and, if you ask them, they might change to some other night for the next class. You never know 'till you ask.

Congrats on completing your Citizens Police Academy!

I noticed a COP (Citizens On Patrol) car riding through the Dickinson Kroger parking lot last week. It is really cool to see people who care enough about where they live to donate their time to improve it.

Jason

Galveston doesn't have COP yet but they are working on it. In the mean time, we were trained to work as citizens policing handicapped parking spaces. We will be sworn in soon and will patrol, in pairs, and issue citations when a handicapped parking violation is found. I'm lookinmg forward to working in that capacity.

Papabear37 wrote:Galveston doesn't have COP yet but they are working on it. In the mean time, we were trained to work as citizens policing handicapped parking spaces. We will be sworn in soon and will patrol, in pairs, and issue citations when a handicapped parking violation is found. I'm lookinmg forward to working in that capacity.

That appeared to be exactly what the Dickinson unit was doing.

Jason

Papabear37 wrote:This isn't a blooper, but definitely a positive contact. I am just completing the Citizens Police Academy training put on by the Galveston Police Department. It is a long (12 weeks) course but the most enlightening training/course around and gives us civilians a real insight into how a police department works. More than that, it has shown me how many restrictions and problems our LEO,s face every day while trying to keep us citizens safe. Other cities have these classes and I recommend participation by anyone wanting to know how a PD works. It has been extremely interesting and meeting a variety of Police Officers has given me a real sense of their humanity and dedication.
Vern

Did they make you disarm?

i don't know about them, but every one of these CPAs I have heard of or been to are held deep inside the police station, so they did give verbal and written notice to keep your guns in your car. Also they expressly noted that while riding out with an officer you are not allowed to carry. As far as the COPs, they usually have a no weapons of any kind rule, because of liability.

Papabear37 wrote:Galveston doesn't have COP yet but they are working on it. In the mean time, we were trained to work as citizens policing handicapped parking spaces. We will be sworn in soon and will patrol, in pairs, and issue citations when a handicapped parking violation is found. I'm lookinmg forward to working in that capacity.

And the above is the reason so many of us will not participate.
None of us are waiting for someone to "make our day" but I can sure see BIG trouble when "citizen" tries to write a citation on a vehicle parked in a handicapped spot. Owner inside applying for job. That was the only spot w/o walking a good long way. Owner comes out, his 17th day out of TDC for possession of crack & armed robbery, mad cause the place wont give him a job as accountant, hungry & the air conditioned gym "back there" is lookin pretty good right now.

Radio. You bet. Your backup is only 90 seconds away (best case) (probably closer to 4 minutes) as he slaps the radio out of your hand. Helper scrambles for the patrol car to defend both of you w/ another radio call for backup.

BTW - For above reason stated, I would not issue sitations as a Citizen On Patrol if I was armed open carry w/ 2 other CITIZENS standing there w/ shotguns.

Lot of BGs out there dont care about a Badge. LOTs of BGs out there dont care for those they perceive as "Wanna be cops."

Sooner or later I see BIG trouble w/ anything past patrol & radio for an officer.

Again my .02cents & some think it worth about half that.
LT

My sentiments exactly.

The training was inside the Criminal Justice Building that houses both the Galveston PD and the Sheriff Dept. No mention was made of disarming but I believe everyone assumed that no firearms were allowed.
We were told that when we started patrolling handicapped parking places not to carry and it was preferred not to have a weapon in your car. However, they did not forbid having a pistol in your personal car. Having said that, Longtooth is right. There are potentially some risks from BG's or other hostile citizens that believe they have the right to do whatever they want any time they want to. These people have been empowered by our social welfare system to believe this kind of nonsense, so they could be a threat. I still believe it is a good idea and will give it a try. A big part of the training on issuing citations was safety. If anyone acts even a little bit confrontational, we are to just walk away with the photos we took of the license plate showing the car was parked in a handicapped space with no handicapped license plate, placard ot disabled vet plate. There sre still risks for sure and from what I've seen, the worst will be from Walmart in Galveston (we will only be authorized to do this on the island). I appreciate all the input and will definitely keep all of it in mind.

I took a part time job to help the owner of a small retail shop.

We had a handicapped spot right in front of the shop and it was very often used by folks who came to the prosthetic shop two stores down from ours.

I know many of us are rather put out that such parking spots seem to be a waste of prime unused parking space, however the one in front of our shop was used constantly for the very handicapped.

All of that being said, when some unqualified, inconsiderate patron decided to use the handicap parking I would politely inform them they would have to move.

Here are some of the responses: "I'm only going to be here for a minute" as they would proceed to browse or no verbal response, just a hateful glare or the supremely arrogant retort of "I park wherever I feel like" and on and on and on...

So, after a diet of this, instead of giving these individuals a chance to argue or justify their nonsense as they came in, I would have the phone in my hand and tell them I was "required" to call in to the police when the handicap spot was violated and did they want to move right away or not?

It worked and yeah, we lost a few of those customers and frankly I didn't care.

Good job! There's always a way if we apply our minds to a given problem.