What should be done in this case? 20 year old cop drinking in a bar.?

Question

He's still on duty. But starting the life of power corruption early, should he be fired?
http://desmoinesregister.com:80/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070515/NEWS01/705150410/-1/ENT05

Greenman. Was that a threat or a warning?

Treublue the point is that he as a cop should know better and try to set an example for others his age. it looks like he figured his badge would make an ID exception

CGIV his boss is the one that didn't fire him. I wanted to know what other people think.

charles and the guv. DID YOU READ THE LINK IT SAYS HE IS 20

blue steel. If he knew the law then what else made him think he could get away with it? I never cliamed he was uniformed. I'm from WI we are very open minded to drinking here.

fr chuck in WI I have seen on duty uniformed 19 year old cops told to leave bars because they came in to look around. Why do you think he was not certified

Answer 1

Now you know if this was a regular person every cop here would say lock them so far back in the jail they can't even have visitors. Now this kid being a cop deliberately took that shot knowing full well it was brought to his attention he was to young to drink there. His boss is not his baby sitter either the kid is cop or he is not. One would also have to wonder did the kid jump in his car and drive himself home even after being discovered to be underage and drinking in direct violation of law. Had that been us the cops would waited for us to drive off not only do you get DUI/underage drinking. This kid and the police seem to be saying special laws apply to our own. This is not setting a good example for the town. As for his boss fire him for being incompetent this kid should be suspended without pay until a complete investigation by an outside police force. Seems the police there are not to keen on arresting their own. One set of laws for the cops and one set of laws for the police..By the way on duty -off duty the police must be held to a higher standard

Answer 2

You don't have to be 21 to posses a pistol. You just have to be 21 to purchase one. Big difference. You have to be 21 years old to be a cop here in Missouri. But I am aware of several states that allow anywhere from 18-21.

Anyways, I don't see it as a huge deal. I don't agree with the drinking age being 21. And really, he's a cop, why not let him have a shot.

But I suppose he broke the law. Here it's generally just a fine for that sort of thing. So I don't think the department should really do anything to him. Just make him pay is fine, like a speeding ticket or what not.

As for being told to leave the bar if I'm 19 and on duty (not drinking, just checking out the bar, making sure things are okay). That would not happen.

Answer 3

I already gave my opinion in the other post about what should happen with him but I will answer the other question that keeps popping up here.

In many places, as it is here, you can become a police officer at less than 21yo under the right conditions. Here you can actually start at 19yo if you have enough college behind you. I do not remember the exact amount I think it is two years of college. I became an officer two days after my 20th birthday. I had my degree in criminal justice and I had completed the basic police school.

It is true that you can not legally buy a handgun at that age, the department bought it and issued it to me, there is no law that says you can not possess one. As far as dealing with alcohol the statutes provide clauses that exempt police officers and other people (like store clerks, waitresses etc) that allow them to be possess alcohol if it is directly related to their employment.

Answer 4

What life of power corruption? What does this have to do with him being a cop? He's a kid who was drinking in a bar, lots of kids do. Yeah, he's a cop. Doesn't make it any more wrong. No, he shouldn't be fired. He did something stupid, as all people, even cops do.

I was 20 when I got my badge, I didn't badge my way into any bars or do anything stupid like that. It's very hard to get hired that young, unfortunately, this officer did something ignorant, but he didn't do it while he was working. So what?

Answer 5

Get a legal expert...i've got had 2 DUI's, one whilst i replaced into 20 and one approximately 7 months later whilst i replaced into 21. Being under the age shrink did no longer quite harm me that a lot yet i think of in basic terms because of the fact i replaced right into some months remote from being 21. that's going to cost you in all hazard 3 grand if it is your first one. uncertain approximately any recourse, you have a case because of the fact which you have been eating in a bar with different policeman, yet it quite is tough attempting to coach that they've been eating too. i'd certainly pass seek for suggestion from with a legal expert nonetheless, i think of an preliminary consultation is loose.

Answer 6

i think that he should have to go to court and pay the fines. as far as his job goes it did state that he was "still serving as a police officer while the case proceeds" which gave me the feeling that he could still lose his job. most departments have a union which can protect employees' jobs to an extent as long as they are off probation. i do believe this individual was wrong but this incident took place off duty and i don't believe this would be a felony. i think he will suffer enough grief from
his co-workers gossip, the fines and fees and embarrassment. and after all he is still a kid trying to fill a grown man's shoes. I'm sure he will straighten up now, most of us learn from our mistakes. and just because you make bad choices doesn't make you corrupt.... just a little harder to trust and rely on.

Answer 7

He wasn't on duty, so he will probably get a suspension.

According to the article, he didn't badge the bartender or say "I'm a cop, let me have a drink or else." He's a typical 20 year old, who also happens to be a police officer, and he made a mistake.

So how does being OFF DUTY and underage make this the start of a life of power corruption?
Save the drama, already.

edit: Despite your additional comments addressed to me, my original statement still stands. He did not abuse any police power, he just drank in a bar while underage. If he had badged the bartender or tried to bully his way through it by saying he was an officer then he would have violated the law under color of authority. BUT HE DIDN'T. He will probably get a suspension. One mistake does not lead to a "life of power corruption."

How perfectly you must live your life in that you feel qualified to criticize people who risk their lives for you every day. You must be able to walk on water by now.

Answer 8

I see you are still boxing your clown! Did you get a job ?

Do you ever wonder why you don't see any of the good that cops do on the internet or news? It does not sell! Controversy does sell. It gives you wood cuz you F-d up somewhere along the line, got yer AZZ handed to you by a cop and this is your revenge!

Answer 9

Don't know if he was on duty or not, but he was underage, and I actually feel that he should be allowed to drink, as I also believe the military people should be allowed to drink. If a person is in a position to save someones life and catch criminals and put their life on the line, or fight for this country, they deserve to be able to have a drink,,

Answer 10

If he is 20 years old, he is too young to be legally packing a handgun.

If he's 20 years old, he is too young to legally purchase liquor.

If he is a cop and on duty, he is not supposed to be drinking regardless of age.

Yeah, he needs to have his a$$ hung out to dry!

Report him!

Just be sure that you have folks who will support your testimony.

Good Luck!
Doc