ID Yourself off duty.

[ap3572001]

Question . If while off duty , a citizen tries to provoke You to a confrontation, should You right away ID Yourself ? Or handle it just like another citizen?

[Ron-Solo]

I avoid showing LE ID whenever possible. Often it causes the situation to escalate.

[CaptMike]

When you are off duty, you don't have access to all your tools (radio for backup). It is always better to avoid confrontation. If it finds you, then it depends on your Peace Officer status. Some officers only have status of a peace officer, but no authority to enforce the law when off duty. Others (830.1 & 830.2) have authority 24 hrs a day. I would try to handle like a citizen if at all possible (avoids paperwork).

[ap3572001]

When you are off duty, you don't have access to all your tools (radio for backup). It is always better to avoid confrontation. If it finds you then it depends on your Peace o Offier status. Some officers only have status of a peace officer, but no authority to enforce the law when off duty. Others (830.1 & 830.2) have authority 24 hrs a day. I would try to handle like a citizen if at all possible (avoids paperwork)

I am a 830.1 for the last 17 years. Is it still better to handle issues off duty as a citizen? Also , is not taking s''''''t from someone equals PROVOKING them?????

[tyrist]

Once you ID yourself, you place yourself into an on duty status. It's really not a great idea.

[FLIGHT762]

I avoid showing LE ID whenever possible. Often it causes the situation to escalate.

This ^^^^^^^

Once you ID yourself, you place yourself into an on duty status. It's really not a great idea.

And this^^^^^^^^

Usually once you I D yourself, the Adam Henry your dealing with wants your name and agency so they can complain about you.

About the only time you should I D yourself is about .75 seconds before your muzzle flashes.

[9mmepiphany]

showing you departmental ID while off-duty is a really bad idea, when you've identified yourself as an officer, you subject yourself/your actions to review by your department

[CaptMike]

I am a 830.1 for the last 17 years. Is it still better to handle issues off duty as a citizen? Also , is not taking s''''''t from someone equals PROVOKING them?????

We, as Peace Officers, have sworn to hold ourselves to a higher level than the common street punk. If someone is trying to provoke me, I take the higher ground and attempt to use my training and deescalate the situation. If this is at the point that I am about to be attacked physically, then the situation is different and I will use everything at my disposal to defend my self. For example, if Some jerk is calling me names because he thinks that I took his parking spot, this is not worth my time and will simply walk to deescalate (keeping my eye on him as a take a safer position). As stated previously, its better to handle like a "civilized" civilian than breaking out the ID. People that like to instigate dont usually like Coppers, so your ID will probably make things worse. good luck.

[Triad]

I carry my gun with my Id. I don't take my gun to bars, or any place where i could be drinking. I can think of only 2 situations where i would ever identify myself as a peace officer - 1 being when i have my gun pointed at the suspect and the other almost directly related, if my life for my family's life was in danger.

All of my friends, and people i associate with off duty already know i am a cop, and know better than to identify myself for me.

Like the others have said the moment you identify yourself you fall under the review of your department by the actions you take, or don't take.

[tom2]

[QUOTE=FLIGHT762;4854030]
Usually once you I D yourself, the Adam Henry your dealing with wants your name and agency so they can complain about you. [QUOTE]


X10 !!

[damilfman]

This ^^^^^^^



And this^^^^^^^^

Usually once you I D yourself, the Adam Henry your dealing with wants your name and agency so they can complain about you.

About the only time you should I D yourself is about .75 seconds before your muzzle flashes.

+1 on that

[yzErnie]

I mind my own business when off duty. As my career winds down and the light is getting brighter at the end of the tunnel, the proverbial "you're a cop 24/7" isn't a part of my routine any more.

[eltee]

Yes, identifying yourself as an off duty generally is discouraged unless you are actually taking police action. I don't necessarily want a stranger in conflict to know who I am, what I do, who I work for. Haters will call the dept. to beef you, money grabbers will see deep pockets and sue you.

I go so far as to encourage my guys to get an out of state CCW (multi state reciprocity) under the premise that being a citizen with a CCW is sometimes better than being an off duty cop carrying under the LEOSA for the same reasons above. If you NEED to, you can always ID yourself as an off duty / out of state cop based on the circumstances.

[BigDogatPlay]

The only times I would want to ID myself are:

1) if the situation absolutely demands that I have to take some action.... e.g. someone is going to get killed or GBI if I don't take that action.

2) when the on duty guys get to the scene of whatever I've witnessed so I can give them the information I have and they know who they are talking to.

Haters will always call and beef.

[meangreen46]

I carry my gun with my Id. I don't take my gun to bars, or any place where i could be drinking. I can think of only 2 situations where i would ever identify myself as a peace officer - 1 being when i have my gun pointed at the suspect and the other almost directly related, if my life for my family's life was in danger.

All of my friends, and people i associate with off duty already know i am a cop, and know better than to identify myself for me.

Like the others have said the moment you identify yourself you fall under the review of your department by the actions you take, or don't take.

+1 (especially the last paragraph)