Glock Talk banner

I'm about to rage quit.

2K views 34 replies 26 participants last post by  Ofc.JL 
#1 ·
White Line art Black Cartoon Head


Today Clinton again said that the shooting of two more black men by a police officer is deplorable. The thugs are doing their thug things in both cities I'm sure.

Meanwhile, my old boss which I couldn't stand was hired back and is right back to the same stuff. He's a politician through and through. I'm sure he was a good cop one day, but that's long gone.

I'm seriously rethinking whether taking a bullet for a society that will riot if I use force on someone and some buffoon uploads something to facebook is worth it. Couple that with admin micromanaging everything again and I'm really looking at whether this job is worth it. When my Sgt was the acting chief (2 of the last 4 years), he let me do my thing and I was motivated and invested. Now I'm back to deleting my work email and not answering calls from work. 11.5 more years seems pretty far away right now.

My agency was never very highly thought of by other agencies. Even during my 8.5 years there, I've seen a lot of improvements made and I really want to be part if continuing to make this a good agency to work for and respected by the community and other depts. I had hoped to continue that, but I'm really thinking about bailing now.
 
See less See more
1
#3 ·
Not saying it would or should or even could happen, but imagine if 20-30% of the LE work force just up and quit.

How long would it take before it had a profound effect on public opinion?
 
#4 ·
Today Clinton again said that the shooting of two more black men by a police officer is deplorable.
She is sore about being correctly labeled as a cop hater. Between the FOP endorsing Trump and revelations that she called Secret Service agents "Pigs", she really doesn't like us so she will jump on this bandwagon.
 
#6 ·
Clyde, is there anything you can do for a change of pace?

I was a hair away from quitting a couple of years ago and I took a downtown/college campus beat bike patrol gig. It was a major change of pace and really helped me get through the worst single case of burnout of my career. I am still on the bike now and don't have any plans to go back to a car beat anytime soon.
 
#7 ·
Best advice I can offer is, "don't let them win". That might mean walking, or it might mean gutting it out and outlasting them. Dunno.

I'm in AZ, but I don't think I'm in your county. PM me if someone sorta local can help.
 
#8 ·
Not saying it would or should or even could happen, but imagine if 20-30% of the LE work force just up and quit.

How long would it take before it had a profound effect on public opinion?
I shudder to think about what kind of stooges the politicians would find to replace the principled guys that left...

That might be the catalyst that would give the DOJ the reason to federalize a bunch of major departments.
 
#9 · (Edited)
At the risk of typing a long, rambling reply, 4 short years ago my 65 officer department was a demoralized disaster. The boss was a skinny, arrogant weasel who could be in Madison Square Garden and think he's the smartest person in the room, and conducted himself that way. The one captain, the chief's heir-apparent, was a literal bully psychopath bastard. With the exception a very, very small number of people, everyone knew exactly where they stood...in line to head up to the gallows. If there was an upside, it was that ~60 of us knew where our careers were going: No where, ever. EVER. Everyone in the county knew about our plight; the captains radio rough talks where he'd BERATE people were legendary.

I was exiled, as a lt, to the county narc strike force to ride out my last 3 years till I could retire, since I was consistently #1 on every promotional test and it was getting tricky for the a-hole chief justifying skipping me to the state civil service commission.

Then, over the course of a few months, the captain "retired" with 19 years on and the chief was delightfully and unceremoniously forced out.

The "new" chief (2013) is one of, if not the best boss I've ever had. All the command staff (4 lts and 2 cpts) work together and are, dare I say, friends. A completely and entirely different environment. Literally, the opposite in every regard. We are the envy of the county.

TL;DR and my point:

Things change. a few years seem like forever. Things get bad, they get good. Hang in there.
 
#13 ·
I have waited out a regime, its a daily struggle. I kept telling myself they are too old and crooked to make it much longer. The three main ones I am referencing got forced out years ago, but I am still waiting for them to get their comeuppance, I am hopeful they will. Criminal charges were avoided, but you cant avoid karma.
 
#10 ·
On paper, law enforcement, at least as a street cop, is one of the worst jobs, in the United States. To be in LE, and effective, is an emotional decision. It defies logic, to do what we do, for what we are paid, with everything (including our families) on the line to be judged by those who have never done.
 
  • Like
Reactions: collim1
#12 ·
Do what you can to not allow the national events cloud your thinking of how it really is in your area. Many of the officers I worked with were oblivious to what was going on around the nation. I would bring up incidents which were national news, and many of the other officers had no clue or care. They were living in their own little world and were happy for being ignorant.

I can't live in that little world due to having so much information coming in from the net, the radio and TV. I readily seek this information, and it has weighed on me due to so much negative information. As bad as it was in other locations around the country, it wasn't as bad in our area. The negative national news plus the regular stresses of the job, along with some medical issues, made me leave the job. i could have held out longer but that extra stress was what broke the camel's back.

I'd look for another agency if I didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck!
 
#14 ·
I hear ya brother. If I wasn't vested in our retirement I would have been gone two years ago when all this mainstream anti-police nonsense began.

Its a hard job to quit, isn't it?
This is how I feel. My stress doesn't come from what I deal with on the street. It comes from the office. No one can blame you for feeling this way as anyone with less than a dream chief will after doing this job more than a few years imo.
 
#15 ·
Just a contribution regarding Hillary. A couple decades ago she came into our dinky village for an affair involving the library. We were on perimeter positions to protect this hag until being advised by the secret service agents that "Hillary" really disliked Police and we were to fall back to be sure our uniforms weren't included in any of the zillion pictures being taken.
I decided way back then that her security was very low on my list of things to be concerned about.
And today I can't type out what I really think.
 
#16 ·
Just a contribution regarding Hillary. A couple decades ago she came into our dinky village for an affair involving the library. We were on perimeter positions to protect this hag until being advised by the secret service agents that "Hillary" really disliked Police and we were to fall back to be sure our uniforms weren't included in any of the zillion pictures being taken.
I decided way back then that her security was very low on my list of things to be concerned about.
And today I can't type out what I really think.
I ran a local detail for a BHO appearance before he had secret service. I fully understand your post.:cop:
 
#18 ·
don't forget, Hillary came from that time and place that called police pigs, wore flowers in their hair and smoked dope. free love, communes and protest marches against everything.
most of us from the fifties and sixties grew up and matured mentally and emotionally. she did not. she is stuck in those sixties.
the rest of us, the working men and women, respect and appreciate LEO, and back you 100%!
two police officers in my family, and I could not be more proud and happy.
be careful. don't allow the rat bass turds get to you. walk with pride and dignity, BLUE LIVES MATTER!
 
#22 ·
Made my retired life much more pleasant. But I had a bachelors degree when I went in, which gave me a quick advancement path. I had the chance to go to field supervisor or detective. That didn't take much thought. Let me use my mind and prior military skills instead of constantly chasing and cuffing someone then writing reports at the end of shift. Sadly I see recruitment ads here all the time because so many street cops are quitting. If you feel the need, I don't blame you with all the crap going on. There are lots of private industries and contractors looking for you. But if you can hang in, the retirements and benefits are wonderful, at least around here.
 
#24 ·
One of the problem in our sociery is people I call the silent majority, need to be vocal about their feelings.

Many people support law enforcement, Trump, triditional values, punishment for people in society who do crimes. But these COWARDS are afraid if they speak their feeling fearing they will loose friends, or be called racist, or hateful.

I will soon turn 70 and have seen America go to S***, my father before his death in 2014 said he no longer recognized the country he grew up in. He was close to 94 at death, several the entire WW-II on Troop Transport & Liberty Ships.

I speak mind, don't care if I offend some liberal, making a point in a nice way to explain what their liberal think is illogical. When they call me bigot, racist homophobic, etc. In remind them Abraham Lincoln or was it another POTUS said all men or equal. We do not need special programs like affirmative acition, as it has become reverse discrimination.

BTW the silent majority, needs to become the vocal majority. IMHO
 
#26 ·
I feel your pain and frustration brother. With all the bullspit going on, there are only a few things that keep me going these days.

-My K9.

-Random acts of kindness from complete strangers who support cops. I had one happen last night. I stopped for a coffee break at my regular 24 hour gas station. I ended up talking to a guy and his wife for 15 minutes or so. Just shooting the breeze about the crap going on with all the riots over police shootings. Before they left, they made sure to thank me. When I got to the register with my coffee and a snack the clerk said that before they left, they left a $10 with her, telling her that my stuff was on them and the change could go in the charity coin box at the counter. They refreshed my commitment to this profession.

Sadly they beat feet out of there before I could thank them. However, somebody must have been cutting onions in the parking lot as I walked to my squad....
 
#27 ·
Thanks for your service. I always stop at Quik-Trip convenience stores/gas stations. If there isn't an officer in there when you arrive there will be when you leave because of the clean bathrooms. As I'm leaving I always tell them to be safe. The amazed looks on their faces from hearing that is incredible.
 
#29 ·
I am actually surprised how kind most store employees are to me, at least in uniform. I always get a "be safe" pr a thank you, even if only running in to use the bathroom. it's definitely appreciated.
They really like us being there, especially in the rougher parts of town when 2-4 of us get together for an "extra patrol" aka catch up, shoot the ****, and bang out reports.

I've had the girls at starbucks give me my stuff for free before. I never get food or fancy drinks, just straight hot or iced coffee. as they are ringing it up I will see the "discount" flash on the screen and they get a big, genuine thank you. I am unsure if the store is eating that or the girls are paying for it, I will have to ask... the other day it happened again, though it was strange as I was like 4th in line and she came out from behind and asked what I wanted. not thinking anything of it I stayed in line to pay. she said it was taken care of, I thanked her, and went to wait for it down the line. a guy pointed at a drink on the counter and said that's yours, I looked at it and said "no this says "carlos" (something like that, forget the name) and he said yes that's me but I paid for you. shook hands and he got a heartfelt thank you. it is nice to know some people do care, tat was the first time that's happened to me and it made quite an impression.
 
#30 ·
I am actually surprised how kind most store employees are to me, at least in uniform. I always get a "be safe" or a thank you, even if only running in to use the bathroom. .
If I have to clean the bathrooms I'd be nervous seeing someone running to use it too and be sure to wish them well!

Randy



Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
#31 ·
View attachment 295706

Today Clinton again said that the shooting of two more black men by a police officer is deplorable. The thugs are doing their thug things in both cities I'm sure.

Meanwhile, my old boss which I couldn't stand was hired back and is right back to the same stuff. He's a politician through and through. I'm sure he was a good cop one day, but that's long gone.

I'm seriously rethinking whether taking a bullet for a society that will riot if I use force on someone and some buffoon uploads something to facebook is worth it. Couple that with admin micromanaging everything again and I'm really looking at whether this job is worth it. When my Sgt was the acting chief (2 of the last 4 years), he let me do my thing and I was motivated and invested. Now I'm back to deleting my work email and not answering calls from work. 11.5 more years seems pretty far away right now.

My agency was never very highly thought of by other agencies. Even during my 8.5 years there, I've seen a lot of improvements made and I really want to be part if continuing to make this a good agency to work for and respected by the community and other depts. I had hoped to continue that, but I'm really thinking about bailing now.
Sounds like you got a dilemma...I definitely feel your rethinking the worth of the inherent risk you take daily..
 
#32 ·
More than once I've gone to pay for my meal only to find an anonymous person already did. We just have to remember that BLM and their type are the minority. A vocal minority catered to for now but a minority all the same.
 
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top