Monday, July 6, 2009

How to spend $125 in Woodstock

Woodstock is a great town, and there are many ways to spend your money here. Consider, for example, how you might spend $125 and how much fun you could have...

10. Get a year's worth of haircuts at Schroeder & Young's Barbershop
9. Shop at Wisted's and donate the entire purchase to a food pantry
8. Take a dozen friends to Classic Cinemas & load them up on refreshments
7. Get your pooch groomed at Dog in Suds, Ltd. (and leave a big tip)
6. Get your car detailed
5. Sign your kid up for dance lessons
4. Take your family to Oddfellow's
3. Dinner for two at Herban Fare
2. Enjoy a performance for two at the Opera House and a cocktail afterwards
1. Pay a $125 traffic ticket, including online traffic school, for not signaling a right turn for 100 feet before a corner

55 comments:

Karen30036 said...

I, for one, am tired of the oppression.
Every damn day you have cops from all towns and villages LOOKING for ANY kind of mistake.
We are not the enemy! We pay taxes to pay your salary and benefits!All we want to do is go to point A to point B without fear of being watched like a hawk and being gouged for a nonsense ticket! We all can't take off work to fight these bullshit tickets and you know that!!!
God, I'm so sick of this shit!

Gus said...

Karen, thanks for saying it so much better than I ever could have. I'll be inspecting the monthly traffic reports of the Woodstock Police Department and examining the 80% of traffic arrests that are lumped in "Other Traffic Arrests." Then I'll report just how much money is being sucked out of the community for these types of tickets.

tinfm said...

thanks Karen,, so true,, I was given a ticket for running out of gas. In Woodstock, The taxpaying homeowners know to avoid the police at all costs.. serve and protect? no way.. they 'seek and gouge"

Richard W Gorski, M.D. said...

I suspect their legal fees, the city's, are up this year for taking such good care of their employees in court...joke. So the city's lawyers in Crystal Lake will be happy but the cash flow is going the wrong way...should be coming into Woodstock. Those legal fees the tax payers are going to pay will send a lot of lawyers' children to law school. Hope they have "clout" if they apply to the University of IL Law School.

Gus said...

tinfm, thanks for posting your comment. That's a new one on me. Let's see, what statute would that fall under? Failure to obey low gas-warning light on dashboard?

How about providing a few details and how much the ticket cost you?

Richard W Gorski, M.D. said...

Don't blame them entirely, they may be just taking orders from Police Chief Robert Lowen to crank up those tickets given out or they may be out because they are not part of the "team".

Zane said...

Isn't that guy out soon? Maybe the new Chief will be a little more progressive. Unless of course the new chief is Lowery from MCSD, then you'll get arrested for running out of gas. Stats, Stats, Stats!!!!!!

QuitWhiningAlready said...

Karen!
Oppression? Enforcing traffic law is "oppression"? So dramatic!! Ranks up there with women's sufferage and civil rights denial. Seriously, I laughed out loud at that. I hate it when cops do their jobs!!! F them all!

All I want is to get from point A to point B SAFELY. I don't worry about being watched like a hawk because when I drive, I pay attention and obey the rules of the road. Cops don't write traffic law, they enforce it. So it is completely unfair to ask them to enforce some things and not others. YOU do not make the decision on what gets enforced, whether you think it is bullshit or not. Perhaps you should become a politician if you think it deserves change. Good luck on campaigning for less safe roadways. There's just too much safety out there...vote for me!

You are not the enemy? Of course you are(and not you specifically, but rather the collective "you"), but not to the police. Here's a scenario for you: You're changing the cd in the radio of your vehicle. You take your eyes off the road, drift into the lane of oncoming traffic and immediately correct. Whew! The cop sees this, pulls you over and writes you a ticket. Bullshit, right? Wrong. Consider it a wake up call. Next week, Joe Citizen is changing the cd in the radio of his vehicle, takes his eyes off the road and drifts into the lane of oncoming traffic and you happen to be in that oncoming lane, right there at that very moment with your two kids strapped into their carseats. He hits you head on and two of you don't walk away from that accident. Is Joe Citizen the enemy? If you want to use that term, yes, he is. He just killed two innocent people in a vehicle that was just trying to get from point A to point B. Even if he doesn't hit you, you know you'd be cursing him up one side and down the other about how he could have killed you and where is a cop when you need one?????

Both of you, I'm so sick of THIS shit.

Gus said...

QuitWhiningAlready, you missed the entire point of the article and Karen's (and my) response.

In the examples you gave, a ticket is appropriate.

So, if you got pulled over for failing to signal a right turn in time at a T-intersection, no cross traffic, no pedestrians, would you "badge" the cop? Damn straight, you would. Every cop around here would. And all of you would get off without an outlay of $125.00.

Should I have yelled down the Woodstock cop in the unmarked blue Ford who was reading his in-car computer and "drifted" across the center line on Calhoun Street that afternoon? Should I have called immediately for a supervisor and had a ticket issued to him? I didn't, but maybe next time I will.

It was just very, very lucky that there was not an oncoming car. He would have had a very hard time explaining how a head-on crash occurred in the other lane.

What we are griping about here is what in the trade are called "bullshit" tickets.

Now, about the "enemy" part. It seems I AM the enemy around here. Apparently, at least some officers of the Woodstock Police Department consider me a "cop-hater."

Their calling me one does not make me one.

Unknown said...

Right on "Quit..", no more warnings for anyone!! We should castrate and crucify all offenders!! A turn signal or lack there of can kill! It's a dangerous world and cops have to make life and death decisions in the blink of an eye! Woodstock would degrade into utter chaos if it wasn't for these types of tickets! Keep preaching "Quit.." we're behind you.

Karen30036 said...

Geeze Quit Whining ... talk about DRAMA! We can go back and forth with scenarios all the live long day, but there are far more that agree that cops are becoming more and more oppressive. Again, you can't get to point A to point B without cops watching you like a hawk and ready to pull someone over for minor and bullshit reasons. Is it the economy? Large egos? A competition? A quota to meet? All of the above?
I'm not saying ALL cops, but a helluva lot more cocky and arrogant officers than there used to be. I used to see them in their squads and feel good to see them out and about. Now I shudder ... Is my license plate bulb working? Did I count three before proceeding through the stop sign? Is my seatbelt across my chest and not under my voluptuous girls (to prevent wrinkling of my work clothes)? Did I signal at that light that only allows left turns and I can't go in any other direction anyway (common sense)?

I'm sorry if I offended you Quit, I have a feeling you're a cop. If you respect the public you serve, you also will get respect.

The job is to protect and serve, not deflect and swerve.

Gus said...

You go, Karen! Hey, I really like the "deflect and swerve"... Very clever!

QuitWhiningAlready said...

You give ONE example of a "bs" ticket, Gus and everyone jumps on the "let's beat the police" bandwagon. Let's face it, they're all bs tickets when no one gets hurt, aren't they? It's just one little mistake!!! Like I said, cops don't write traffic law, they enforce it. But back to the comments...

Karen uses the term "oppression" and feels so very strongly about this that she uses profanity. More than once. You rah-rah that and you'll get to the bottom of this!! "timfm" jumps in with "seek and gouge" and says that taxpaying homeowners avoid the police at all costs. Gorski mentions legal fees, and then as per normal, the regulars are off on a tangent rant about other issues. And heaven forbid we should go without including a MCSO reference SOMEWHERE in the comment section whether we're discussing the SO or not. You do not control what people comment on, and I think that it is a good thing you post ALL comments. Censorship is not what you want or what this needs, however the direction it almost always goes is the same, regardless of your topic. It just spins from there.

Your blog is inflammatory and incitful and whips people up into angry mob status on a regular basis. And to what end, Gus? I do not share the opinion that you hate cops, but sometimes I do have to wonder what is the point you're trying to make. You are inconsistent from post to post. What was the post about parking code enforcement with the vehicles on the parkway? Who cares??? Do you not think that is bs?? But bs traffic?? Oh NO!!! And I get the impression you think you're some kind of whistle blower and everything is a suspected conspiracy. There's always some ulterior motive and it's always sinister. Not everything has an "Ah ha!" factor. You could be doing so much more with this blog. I've said it before...you write very well and you clearly have a following. I'm just tired of reading posts and subsequent comments as these and being disappointed.

QuitWhiningAlready said...

Karen, it isn't that you've offended me. It is this mob mentality that inevitably comes with just about every post that deals with a law enforcement issue.

Traffic is near and dear to my heart. And yes, is your license plate bulb working? Did you count to three before proceeding through the stop sign? Your seatbelt should be positioned properly, voluptuous girls and wrinkly work clothes not withstanding so that if you are in a collision you don't break a rib that ends up piercing your heart. Do you signal properly? Driving is not a right, it is a privilege.

I understand your frustrations. But you can't have this be all one-sided as it so often is.

QuitWhiningAlready said...

And Sir it isn't about preaching. It just can't be both ways. The traffic code is not broken down the same as misdemeanor or felony code. Either we enforce traffic, or we don't. You can't quantify "bullshit" when it comes to the traffic code. Your "bullshit" can't justify my "bullshit" when it comes to arguing a case for an offense as in x was no more serious than y and we don't enforce x because we consider that to be "bullshit". It's written, it's law and it is enforceable. It isn't that I think Woodstock or any other municipality would degrade into utter chaos without the writing of citations, but again, police officers do not write traffic law.

Gus said...

QWA, I suspect you may not be familiar with Karen's relationship with police or, should I say, lack of. She was, in the past, "targeted" with parking tickets daily, even when parked legally or on private property. Only after she hired an attorney and a judge threw them all out did the abuse stop.

Parking on the parkway? I have suggested to the police department, since the PD here has ignored most parking violations for years, that an officer stop and make a "courtesy call" to explain the violation and request compliance. Apparently, that is a skill either unlearned in Woodstock or a service not permitted. Then, if compliance doesn't follow, write a ticket.

I appreciate your comments and thank you for them.

Gus said...

As long as officers have discretion, then, in my opinion, a license plate bulb out is a "bullshit" ticket, unless the driver delivers some Attitude to the cop. Yes, it's a violation and P.C. for a stop. If everything else is in order, cops can build up good will with the citizenry with a polite conversation, maybe even a written Warning, but no ticket.

If discretion is taken away, then every cop writes a ticket for every traffic stop, even if he stops a City Council member, WFRD firefighter or paramedic, fellow officer, deputy or officer from another discretion.

Discretion, properly used, makes good sense.

How about the cops in the little burgs over in northeastern McHenry County and in Lake County who pull over certain drivers and ticket them for false violations? Up in KC Cabin Country. No, I'm not making this up.

The Truth said...

They were laying for you because you expose them, plain and simple. Any cop from anywhere who reads a failure to signal with in 100' of an intersection is a I got you because I hate you ticket. Clearly it's about paybacks. I wonder how many of these are written in Chicago?, C.L., Harvard?
To defend a wrong is wrong. You were wronged Guss, plain and simple... because they can doesn't make them right.

Karen30036 said...

Quit, what ever happened to warning tickets, or just a stern, but respectful reminder over the "small stuff"? I consider the seat belt issue to be small stuff. If I do get hurt, it's my fault and my cross to bear, but I am mindful of this ridiculous law and wear the belt. If I'm belted in, but the shoulder portion is under my ahem "boobs", I'm still belted in. I also have air bags for those soooo concerned for my safety and welfare.
Gus is correct in that I was targeted (for what reason I'll never know) by a couple of cocky cops that wrote an outrageous amount (parking) tickets, this after I complained that they were pulling me over DAILY. They asked for my license and insurance and made me sit and wait. They would then hand back my documents and tell me to go. When I repeatedly asked why they stopped me, they refused to answer my question and acted angry, as if I had some nerve asking them at all. When I complained, the parking ticket game started. The very last time I was pulled over, before moving far away from this drama, I got out of my car and demanded to be arrested. They couldn't believe it! I refused to get back in my car and insisted they charge me with whatever they were pulling me over for and take me to jail. I'd had enough! They of course had no reason to arrest me, hell, they didn't even have a reason to pull me over! Their turn to sweat. They called for back up and the "nice" cop thinks he talked me into getting back in my car and going on my way. Actually, I was making a point to the two macho shitheads that had been harassing me for months.
The judge that threw it ALL out, yelled at the cops in front of the entire courtroom. He, as well as anyone else listening to the case was outraged.
Even then, I never had any bad feelings towards police. I always show courtesy and respect.
Sadly, I have noticed in the past 15 or so years, a change in attitude of cops toward the public they serve.
Cops act like you have to treat them like Gods or something, your tone subserviant, and answer their questions the way they want to hear it, or you have them in your face yelling at how they're giving you a break by giving you one ticket instead of three.

You may call driving a "priviledge", but let's get real ok? It's a necessity. We have to keep going to those jobs and paying those taxes. It's enough I have to pay 80 dollars for a STICKER, please don't act like anyone is doing us all a favor by allowing us to drive.
The bullshit tickets are all about revenue. We all know it.

Gus said...

Karen12359, thanks for your great comment. I'm going to pull out one part of it to lead into a fresh article. THANKS!

QuitWhiningAlready said...

Karen, I am sorry you went through all of that mess and I will agree that you have a right to be angry and outraged. It sounds like a nightmare.
What I disagree with is the blanket statements that are all too often made on here about "cops". And that is not something that comes solely from you. There are quite plainly officers who should not be officers. However, this is not the majority by any stretch. What happened to warnings or stern lecture/reminders? They're given all the time by decent police officers who have not lost respect for the public. Will you give the next officer who pulls you over a fair shake? I don't know you, but based on what I've read so far, I'm thinking no. And that's a shame. As for the 15 year shift in attitude, you should try being on the other side of that. There is no respect offered. There is opposition, hostility, a constant shirking of responsibility and accusation of prejudice with just about every stop. One thing does not justify the other and this is not a defense or an excuse for the unprofessional police officers that do exist, however, respect across the board is pretty much a lost art form. Law enforcement today is not the law enforcement of 15 years ago, and I believe you replied in a different post to a comment I had made referencing this exact point. No need to rehash...we disagree and that is fine.

Driving is a privilege, not in the way of you being awarded a favor to keep driving. It is a privilege in that it comes with responsibilities for the operator of a motor vehicle. More specifically, it is your responsibility to adhere to the rules of the road in driving the vehicle and making sure your vehicle is operationally sound.

On a sidenote, I worked for a department that had citation quotas for a brief period of time, and it had nothing to do with revenue. It had to do with the perception that since there was relatively low call volume, the officers did nothing while on duty. Perception is seldom the reality, and officers DID patrol neighborhoods, do business checks, they were "visible" in the community, etcetera.
Unfortunately, the quota system was largely flawed for multiple reasons, and I am not sure if any departments actually still have a formal quota requirement in place.

I assure that the "bullshit tickets" are not about revenue. I have never, not once, in my entire career written or even seen written a citation for a license plate bulb, unless it was the PC for a DUI arrest. But since you mention revenue, this is what kills me the most: a successful traffic enforcement program generates no money. Why? BECAUSE PEOPLE COMPLY WITH THE LAW.

You should consider yourself lucky that your sticker is only $80. Mine is considerably more.

Karen30036 said...

Quit, you'll have to trust me on this one, I DO understand the frustrations that come with your job. Anyone dealing with the public understands. Where does it stop?
I have a whole new set of rules for myself when I'm pulled over.
If the officer says "good morning" I reply. Other than that I say NOTHING. I keep my hands on the wheel, tell him/her I am now going to get my license and insurance. I hand them over and say NOTHING.
This way, the officer understands I am not getting an "attitude", I'm doing what he/she asks and nothing more.
If, in my opinion, it's all a bunch of bs for the stop, I say nothing, until I'm in front of a judge. I find this works for me.
Getting a lawyer helps as well.

The issue, and correct me if I'm wrong, is the sense of entitlement officers feel, because they are officers, they are above the law, and make some of the same mistakes we "civilians" make, yet walk away unscathed.
Yes, some people should NEVER be officers. They're abusive, power hungry and in it for all the wrong reasons.
There are many GREAT officers out there. These officers need to rid their departments of the macho shitheads by speaking up. It's the macho shitheads that give the truly good officers a bad name and the reason they are included in the attitude and disrespect from the public in which they serve.

Zane said...

Hey QuitWhiningAlready,
Instead of going off on these long drawn out explanations about the in's and out's of traffic enforcement, go into roll call and tell the ticket nazis to cool it. Tell them that they are making the rest of the good cops look bad. Go into roll call and show some balls and tell them how it's wrong to beat up old people or pick on minorities. Take all the words you waste here and use them to make a change at roll call. I doubt you'll do that though because that would take courage and you obviously don't have that,instead of a name we get QuitWhiningAlready. You want Gus and others to stop bashing the cops, make a change from the inside or just QuitWhiningAlready.

QuitWhiningAlready said...

Well said, Karen. I do not disagree with you.

Zane...seriously. Tell the ticket nazis to cool it? "Changes" don't occur in roll call, but I'm going to assume that's how you felt it best to win over your fellow officers. Ranting in roll call? That doesn't take "balls", Zane it's an example of disruption and unprofessionalism amongst one's peers. I also believe it falls under conduct unbecoming. I don't waste my words here. If I thought it was a waste, I wouldn't write anything at all, but I do feel it is necessary to explain the points I'm trying to make in a reasonable, calm and educated fashion.

You don't need to know who I am, Zane. We have never crossed paths personally or professionally. Nor will we ever.

And let's not turn this comment thread into the Zane show, k?

Zane said...

You heard it folks, "changes don't occur in roll call". Quit considers it "disruption and unprofessionalism" to challenge one's peers. Cops can't pressure other cops to do the right thing. It is considered "rantinng" by Quit. To confront fellow officers about undiserable behavior is considered "conduct unbecoming" for a police officer. Quit, if you don't challenge the officers you've already admitted exist in this area, if you don't protect the public from them, who will?

Welcome to the Zane show.

QuitWhiningAlready said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Franker said...

Hear is just a thought for everyone who is jumping on the Gus Philpot bandwagon!!! He is the ONLY resident who regularly contacts the police department complaining about parking violations that don't affect him. As a matter of fact they are not even near his apartment! Yes, he's not even a home owner. Might I add, he demands the police officers to cite them...not write warnings. Time for you to come clean Philpot! The stuff you preach on here is BS and you aren't being honest with your readers. You more than any other resident asks the police to write BS tickets!!!

Zane said...

QuitWhiningAlready,
You are a master of the "deflect and swerve" philosophy. I asked a simple question," Quit, if you don't challenge the officers you've already admitted exist in this area, if you don't protect the public from them, who will?"

Since I am so obtuse and you so sagacious, answer the question.

Tell you what, my Phd, advocate for the down-trodden misunderstood police officers but not in this area, friend, I'll get the answer from your boss on the 17th. Until then tell Cundiff, Miller and Lutz I said hi.

Like you say Gus, this is too much fun!!

To all my deputy friends that are in this area and find this banter hysterical, just remember, roll call is not a place for "challenging ones peers" but castration and crucifixion are perfectly appropriate.

Fellas, hold onto your family jewels. Ladies, I'm not sure what you should hold onto, but whatever it is I'm sure you want to keep it. And Good Night!!

QuitWhiningAlready said...

Gus, sorry...on second thought, I am not going to engage that.

Karen30036 said...

just remember, roll call is not a place for "challenging ones peers" but castration and crucifixion are perfectly appropriate.

Seems like the language used by this macho control freak at roll call does nothing but fuel the already abusive officers out there, while the truly great officers leave thinking "What an asshole"

Gus said...

If roll call is not the right place to voice objections to illegal tactics, processes and procedures occurring within a Department, where is the right place?

In the Captain's office with the door closed?

What happens to the deputy who follows the Captain's order and reports police abuse of authority or excessive use of force?

The reporting deputy should be afforded confidentiality, but how does he become invisible while he enters and leaves the Captain's office?

Braff Zackton said...

Your whole thing reeks of hypocrisy. In "about 1977" you were coming home early, jumping on your Harley, and going out and making traffic stops. AND if a ticket didn't need to be written you provided "roadside counseling." Which I guess is your way of saying you used "Police Discretion" or "Moral Judgment". It's great that here today in Woodstock you're able to do the same thing. When someone is parked illegally you are the person with the wisdom to know there is no such thing as a victimless crime. You know that our police should use their time to make sure nobody parks on the "parkway". They should be ignoring what YOU deem to be the "petty" driving violations and focusing on what matters, which is what you say. Why should you have to listen to a 60 second ad when you go to a play? You paid for the ticket. You know that in this economy your right to enjoy that minute is worth more then that theater going out of business without the support of local people willing to pay to advertise. Oh, but when you get good service from Comcast or someone else you're sure to mention it. Which is saying when you get what you want when you want how you want you're happy and say so. Wow, very big. Just laugh off what I'm saying, or give us your criminology resume again. Or better yet drive around town and take pictures of hard working people breaking your "important" laws and put their photos online.

I'm not a cop. I've never been a cop. I think cops that harass people should be punished.. I think not every offense warrants a ticket, and I want cops using their standards not yours.

sunny in ??? said...

Karen, Zane and Gus - You all need to cheer up just a little bit! Your anger sounds as though you may want to seek counsling. And if you want to chnage laws blogs are not the place to do it. Karen, do you always use foul langauage on blogs?

Karen30036 said...

chnage (??)

I'm hap hap happy Giggles! Thank you for your concern. I wish I could be all giggly and in a state of ignorant bliss all the time, but such is not my life.
One can be hap hap happy and still see the cold, hard reality of life. Foul language? Your opinion. I have a feeling my "foul language" is nothing compared to what these officers hear during roll call.

sunny in ??? said...

Im glad you believe you are not ignorant, keep thinking that and you can make it through the day... If you are so concerned what is said in roll call, why not become a cop yourself, bring some sweet rolls, a disney movie to roll call and keep thinking you are not ignorant.

Zane said...

Or use when on a call or at roll call by the supervisor.

Karen30036 said...

counsling

(???) How about some English 01 classes?

QuitWhiningAlready said...

Karen, roll call is not the place for any of that. Roll call serves a very specific purpose, and I'm sure you've all seen enough tv to know what that purpose is. I do not know Zane, and I do not know what kind of police officer he was, but from what I've read (profiling issue aside), he comes across as less than professional and boorish. I realize he is angry, however he seems unable to put the anger aside and make sensible and cohesive arguments for anything. As this is the only basis I have for making a judgment call, I would definitely not want him back on the street.
Gus, these issues are training and supervisory issues. And frankly I do not care who sees me going in and out of the Captain's office. If I have issue with any sort of behavior involving other officers, including these mentioned and others, if I have a good relationship with that person, I will engage them in a private conversation. Sometimes things are not what they seem, and I prefer not to make assumptions. Sometimes people just need a perception brought to their attention. I also choose not to run my mouth about it in open forum. Doing so is unprofessional, period. If I do not feel the issue has been resolved at the supervisory level, then I take it higher. But never do I disrespect anyone in my department out in the open in such an inappropriate way. It is provocative and appears as nothing more than picking a fight. Why would anyone take that seriously, much less the person it is directed at? Counter-productivity at its finest.

Zane said...

A fight? Like when Dep. Trevor V. lost control in roll call the other day and started ranting and raving? You mean like that. I don't seem to recall Zane ever losing control, ranting or anything like that. I do recall him being screamed at by a supervisor. I remember a supervisor telling me at a bar that Zane really needs to learn to keep his mouth shut. It's like walking on eggshells at MCSO. It's not Zane or Gus' fault.

Gus said...

Quit, while roll call might not be the best place to raise the issue of improper, even illegal, use-of-force or racial-profiling, it's not a bad place. It gives the sergeant or captain an opportunity to restate department policy and procedures. But what if they already know about it and don't correct it?

As to Zane? He comes across here as professional, not boorish and not angry. Well, not angry in any way that affects his ability to think clearly. What kind of sensible and cohesive argument does it take to ask for improvement and for legal operations as far as traffic stops and arrests.

How many elderly people need to be injured before the County Board screams, "Enough!"

Yes, these issues are training and supervisory issues. Maybe more supervisory than training. All the deputies know what the rules are.

You are going to have a little chat with a bad apple? And you think he is going to change? Maybe if you have a couple of bars on your shoulders and you document it well enough.

What size department are you with? Large? Medium? Small?

Unknown said...

I know this about Zane, if you needed back up he was there and when the shit hit the fan he was the only who took the shot. McHenry County will be safer when he's back on the street. I wish I had his courage.

Gus said...

Thanks for all who are reading and especially to those who are posting. THANKS!

Zane said...

Thanks guys. I have my arbitration the 17th. Keep up the good work.

QuitWhiningAlready said...

Roll call might be a good venue for a general overview of department policy and to advise of policy/procedure changes, however it is not the place to single out individuals for inappropriate behavior or incidents that may bring about disciplinary action, which is exactly what I read Zane to mean.

Zane does not strike me as professional in the least. And he has more than one argument. His open letters to you that you post on the blog are well composed and quite cohesive, however his comments on every other topic are far from it. His comments are rude and hostile. Just my opinion.

And yes, I would have a chat with the bad apple, provided I had a good relationship with him/her. One on one, peer to peer. Bars on one's shoulders is an entirely different ballgame and the peer to peer doesn't work in for a rank subordinate situation for a number of reasons.

How many elderly people? Are there more incidents involving the SO and elderly people that I am unaware of? I don't want to try to address too many topics in this thread, Gus, despite the fact that these things are all part and parcel to a much larger issue.

You may be right about it being heavier on supervisory vs. training, however training is always a good place to scrutinize and is a great place to start corrective action or even progressive discipline.

The department I am with is much larger. Not that it matters, because the majority of these things are universal.

Gus said...

QWA, you're right that roll call is not the right place for individual correction or discipline.

And I agree with you about having a chat with a fellow officer with whom you are on good or just "even" terms. That kind of 1:1 can result in the recognition or awareness that you mentioned in a previous post. Those good relationships exist among some groups of officers/deputies here.

Zane said...

QuitWhiningAlready, do you want to know what my opinion of you is?

You are very useful, in so many ways.

Franker said...

Would everyone please notice that Gus did not respond to my comment posted above that was the TRUTH!!!

Karen30036 said...

QuitWhiningAlready said...
"Karen, roll call is not the place for any of that. Roll call serves a very specific purpose"


That was exactly my point when "Giggles" acted all virginly and demure about my "foul" language.
If "shut the f*** up, and "get the F*** out of here" etc ... are what officers have to endure at roll call, calling that a hostile work environment is an understatement.
I'm pretty certain some officers don't appreciate it, and consider it to be quite "assholeish"

Now I can go back to my sweet roll and Disney movie.

Unknown said...

QuitWhiningAlready:otherwise known as Sgt. Greg P. Author of the Diametrical Woodstock Advocate, Shakespeare reader, U.S. Army Captain. Vocabulary Lover. Former Detective and present when the elderly people got the beat down....Hamster with the pancake picture in his office...Shakespeare book on his office desk...can barely understand the words he uses at roll call...Regna supporter and foot soldier.

Gus said...

You mean the picture I copied off that blog a few months ago after I heard it was two doors at the sheriff's department? Why did he take the picture of the hamster (or bunny) with the pancake hat off that blog?

Zane said...

Vey Useful Indeed!

QuitWhiningAlready said...

Karen...aaah, I didn't know that took place in roll call. Sir, that would be a negative on all counts of who you seem to think I am. I didn't know of the Diametrical Woodstock Advocate before you just mentioned it, however I googled and read. I'm not even sure I was reading Gus in March, but I'll have to go back and check the date of my first comment on here. Maybe it was around the same time, but I really don't have the time, the energy or the desire to whip up a blog such as the DWA.
Zane, I'm not sure what you're getting at now with "Very useful, indeed!". Not that I'm particularly interested, either.

Unknown said...

Hey Frank, its hard for him to admit the truth and look like a hypocrite. Just read past entries on this blog.
It seems everyone is for picking and choosing of laws to follow. You elected the morons that passed the laws and you complain for having the law enforced on you. That to me is being a hypocrite. If you werent too worried about what you were doing inside your car rather than paying attention to the road, you would avoid these tickets.
Besides, its up to the cop if he or she is to give a ticket or not, be nice and you might just get off with a warning. Have a bad driving record or just be an asshole, anticipate a ticket.
I expect to hear from zane and karen about how unfair it is, wait, just look at the previous 40 comments. It seems as if beggers can be choosers.

Gus said...

I managed to drive from 1957 until 2009 without a moving violation, and I know exactly what I was doing that I didn't signal. I know; it makes me a really bad person. I might even have to go to therapy to get over this.

Be nice to the cop and you might just get off with a warning? Yes, unless you're in Woodstock and your last name is Philpott. I didn't say a word to the cop until after he handed me the ticket, and then all I asked him was his name. And then I realized he's the same cop who reminded another Woodstock cop to ticket me, not warn me, two years ago about a headlight that was out, when I got stopped right in front of my own driveway. There was no reason for him to show up; he was even off his beat to do so.

Gee, now I wonder if his sergeant wrote him up for leaving his beat.

You think it wasn't payback? I wonder how many high fives he got and who bought him a round when their shift was over. At least, no one showed up to back him up. They might have cited me for a dirty floormat.

Hey, that's okay. I'm not mad. But payback works both ways. The only problem is that one of his buddies might be the one who gets cited for rolling through a stop, not stopping at the stop bar, forgetting to turn on the headlights while his wipers are in use, having a taillight or license plate bulb out, or even, the worst of all driving offenses, not signalling for 100' before a turn.

Karma works both ways. What goes around, comes around.

Unknown said...

Ding!Ding!Ding!

And now you know the rest of the story!

The true reason Gus wants to run for Sheriff!

REVENGE!

Yep! Old Gus wants to get even with the police who had the gall to wrong him for citing him for violations he admits to. At the same time he is upset about the officer not using officer discretion in his case, he makes a campaign promise to eliminate officer discretion on any traffic crashes, even a 1 MPH bump!

Gus has been consistent with only one thing. His inconsistency! If it is a law that he feels needs to be enforced, then they darn well better enforce it! If he feels that it is a law that should NOT be enforced, then he will shout from the hilltops about the injustices of this cruel world.

Sheriff Philpott!!! LMAO!!!! Will he buy his own Harley again so he can patrol the mean streets? You can bet on the fact that one of the first thing he does is get a dozen ticket books and hit the road to lay down the law!

Hey Gus! Do they allow beards at the Sheriff department? Will you change that rule or will you just give yourself an exception?