Legal Question. Would somone answer this one please?

Question

Is it within department policies or is it legal for a police officer to call someone from a private number? I got a call from a cop yesterday, but I didn't answer because my caller I.D. indicated "private". The voicemail I got from that seargeant was that I had to return the call, (don't ask me why, thanks) which I did, but it was a disconnected number. I just want to know if when someone gets a call from a police department, should their number appear or are they also allowed to use private numbers?

Answer 1

call the police department back and find our why this person is calling you maybe they shouldnt be

Answer 2

All calls from a law enforcement agency may be blocked for security reasons. Trust me, the call he made was not from a "private number." Your phone would show it as such, though.

I would not want my desk line available to some of the populace with whom I deal on a regular basis. I'd never get any work done, answering all the crank calls they would make, or dealing with the harassment I'd get, because they did not like getting caught ripping off little old people of their life savings, and now having to pay for it with jail time.

If you need to call the cop back, by all means, do so. The more cooperative you are, the better it will turn out for you. Really. Are you sure you dialed the police department correctly and got a disconnected number?!?

There is another reason that "private numbers" are not used. So, just think for a minute. Use your brain. I want calls coming in to my line and going out of my line noted somewhere......to protect that part of anatomy I sit on, especially if I am working on a case! If I am using a "private number," DHS can get copies of those phone records, and my donkey is grass, and my boss is the lawnmower. I'd be in the unemployment line, if not behind bars, very fast!

Answer 3

You have to remember that many people don't want to talk to the police and refuse to answer the phone if their number shows up. In the department I worked in we had a choice of "outside" lines to use on the phone. If we used any one of the first few lines it would show up with our number and department name on the recipient's caller ID. If we used any other line it would block the number. The bottom line is, not only are officers allowed ot use private numbers but sometimes it is the best way to contact the person we want to speak with.

Answer 4

Police often use privat numbers so people don't call the police back on thier personal phones all the time after they get the number from the caller ID. That is why it would be easy for me to use my personal phone all the time, but then I am giving out my personal number to the world and will get non stop calls.
It is just a telephone line and number.

Answer 5

I'm sure there is no rule against using a private number. They are people too, you know. As far as a cop calling you, I would not give too much information over the phone to anyone. They are just a strange voice on the other end of the line. They could say they are anyone, how would you know if it is true?

Don't EVER give personal info to a stranger on the phone. Tell them to come to the house and identify themselves if they are conducting an investigation. But, don't tell them where you are!!!

Answer 6

When we call witnesses or "persons of interest" with a "private" number, we are typically calling from a department cell phone. I cannot vouch for the person claiming to be that sergeant. I recommend you call the business line of the department he claims to represent and ask for the sergeant or the division he is assigned. If the call was legitimate, you should be advised of their immediate intention. I hope this helps.

Answer 7

Although no one should be judged solely on the basis of race, specifically because such a superficial difference means nothing in the larger picture of common features of humanity (which you listed), some people just do so because they cannot help it. We all judge people based upon their appearances and due to our own prejudices because it is easy tool we use to interact with people without spending too much time and effort trying to actually get to know them. Further, we assure that whatever prejudices we have leave us feeling superior, because, at the end of the day, the human ego is the driving force behind almost everything we do. It is a fickle, irrational need, but it is there...

Answer 8

Unfortunately, they are allowed to mask their numbers...

AND half the time, if a number shows on Caller I.D., it's not a real working number - it's an outgoing line only that doesn't recieve calls.

Answer 9

The police can use whatever phone is handy when they need to make a call. Getting a call from a phone that is disconnected, whether by a cop or not, doesn't make a lot of sense.

What were you smoking?

Answer 10

The answer is likely less complicated or sneaky.
I'm a PO in Atlanta, and when I call my wife at work, the CID never says the same number twice, and has never corresponded to my actual desk number -
I asked our tech Dep't and they said it had something to do with our phone system.

Answer 11

They are a public servant, so I don't see how they could have a private number...unless they are a detective or undercover.

When I have received phone calls from law enforcement officials (worked with them a lot) they always show a number.