Cops talking on their cell while on duty

[Bens4vcobra]

I live in the Mobile area and I've noticed many city and county cops (mostly city) talking on their cell phones while on duty. I'm just curious do departments address this? I can't sit in my office and talk on my cell phone all day but I see far too many police officers on their phones in their cars, while stopping at the store etc... do departments in general not care about this? It would seem that this would have an effect on job performance. How can you listen to your scanner or radio waiting for a call when you're yacking it up on your cell phone? Anyway, I was just curious.

 

[cornholio]

It's called Multi-tasking

 

[Redneckbmxer24]

It's called Multi-tasking

+1, and around here i think all the calls come up on there computers.

as long as they get the job done right, who cares.

only thing that bothers me in none of them wear seat belts. maybe its so they can get out of their cars faster, who knows.

 

[usmcrebel]

LOL in Athens and HSV I've seen cops watching DVD players in their car with the radar gun rolled up in between the window and the door.

 

[S8ER01Z]

Around here the 'cell phone' they are chatting on belongs to the department and is for official use. No one calls for a coroner over the radio these days.

 

[Traveler]

I'm not for certain, but I think many of them talking on 'cell' phones are actually talking official business like stated. Think of them as the anti-scanner. Even with all the dual trunking digital 800mhz radios out there, you can buy scanners to pick up most radio traffic if you don't mind spending $500+ to listen.

I used to like to listen to my scanner, but since most have gone to 800 mhz trunking systems, the only thing you'll get are business/commercial traffic, a little air traffic and some public works.

 

[FordSVTFan]

I live in the Mobile area and I've noticed many city and county cops (mostly city) talking on their cell phones while on duty. I'm just curious do departments address this? I can't sit in my office and talk on my cell phone all day but I see far too many police officers on their phones in their cars, while stopping at the store etc... do departments in general not care about this? It would seem that this would have an effect on job performance. How can you listen to your scanner or radio waiting for a call when you're yacking it up on your cell phone? Anyway, I was just curious.

Do people like you have nothing better to do than assume L.E.O.s arent doing something appropriate?

L.E.O.s get breaks. We often are required to use our personal telephones to make L.E. related calls. There are things that can not be handled over the radio.

Answer me this one question and that will end this discussion - Who was the officer talking to and what was the purpose of his conversation?

 

[FoxFour]

There are many police officers talking on the cell phone around where I live, with the handset up to their ears. Use a Bluetooth, I say.

 

[jshen]

Cell phones are encouraged here..Just think about it...sometimes it's easier, safer and more confidential to speak via cell phone than use radio- that everyone can hear. I prefer the officer having EVERY tool at his disposal. As for seatbelts- I can see why an officer checking lanes and business would not wear a belt- I didn't during my tenure. But once up to speed I always buckled up....I've seen too many cases where people did not...and never lived to talk about it.

 

[rkomo]

Do people like you have nothing better to do than assume L.E.O.s arent doing something appropriate?

L.E.O.s get breaks. We often are required to use our personal telephones to make L.E. related calls. There are things that can not be handled over the radio.

Oh common now. While I could care less about this topic I do think a little reality check is in order.

In NNJ and Southern NY State you can very often see LEOs talking on their cell phones while driving. I do not pretend to know your job, but find it hard to believe the vast majority of these calls are for official business.

A big deal? No not really, but some people can view this as questionable behavior since talking on a cell while driving is a no-no here.

 

[shfd739]

I live in Mobile and know a few officers. Most of them are doing police business. Calling back people about complaints, working investigations etc. Some calls may be personal also. Their car is their office so if they need to talk a family member or what not it has to be on the cell phone.

As for listening out for the radio it isnt hard. You wait for car # to be called and you listen out for certain call types or officers asking for help. Officers are good at multi-tasking. They have to watch traffic, keep an ear on the radio, handle any business on the phone etc., it isnt very hard.

I always wonder why people have a hard time talking on a phone and driving. In my ambulance I can listen to radio traffic, drive to a call, keep up with what the other 6 or 7 units are doing and maybe have a quick conversation on the phone. It isnt hard. Just takes some skill and practice.

 

[FordSVTFan]

Oh common now. While I could care less about this topic I do think a little reality check is in order.

Please give me the facts!

In NNJ and Southern NY State you can very often see LEOs talking on their cell phones while driving. I do not pretend to know your job, but find it hard to believe the vast majority of these calls are for official business.

Since you dont know, how are you making your interpretation?

A big deal? No not really, but some people can view this as questionable behavior since talking on a cell while driving is a no-no here.

Again, making assumptions without facts or knowledge is just silly.

 

[Bens4vcobra]

Do people like you have nothing better to do than assume L.E.O.s arent doing something appropriate?

Don't get angry just because I posed the question. Isn't that why this section is here?

L.E.O.s get breaks. We often are required to use our personal telephones to make L.E. related calls. There are things that can not be handled over the radio.

Thats fine, and they should. I don't presume to know your job which is why I simply asked the question.

Answer me this one question and that will end this discussion - Who was the officer talking to and what was the purpose of his conversation?

Nice try. Reading body languange is not that difficult, its also not hard to overhear conversations when they are standing within a few feet of you.

 

[Bens4vcobra]

I live in Mobile and know a few officers. Most of them are doing police business. Calling back people about complaints, working investigations etc. Some calls may be personal also. Their car is their office so if they need to talk a family member or what not it has to be on the cell phone.

As for listening out for the radio it isnt hard. You wait for car # to be called and you listen out for certain call types or officers asking for help. Officers are good at multi-tasking. They have to watch traffic, keep an ear on the radio, handle any business on the phone etc., it isnt very hard.

I always wonder why people have a hard time talking on a phone and driving. In my ambulance I can listen to radio traffic, drive to a call, keep up with what the other 6 or 7 units are doing and maybe have a quick conversation on the phone. It isnt hard. Just takes some skill and practice.

Thanks for actually replying to my inquiry with some knowledge and perspective.

ps - what part of mobile are you in?

 

[FordSVTFan]

Don't get angry just because I posed the question.

I am not angry. You weren't posing a question, you were making an accusation and I quote

I'm just curious do departments address this? I can't sit in my office and talk on my cell phone all day but I see far too many police officers on their phones in their cars, while stopping at the store etc

Thats fine, and they should. I don't presume to know your job which is why I simply asked the question.

And again, the question you were posing is "what are departments doing to address the use of L.E.O.s talking on cell phones?" Followed up by the fact that you aren't allowed to do this. You certainly didnt ask such a pointed question to find out why they are talking on the phone. You presumed that it was for an illegitimate purpose, hence the statement "I'm just curious do departments address this." There would be no need to address anything if the purpose is legitimate and thus no need for your "supposed" question.

Nice try. Reading body languange is not that difficult, its also not hard to overhear conversations when they are standing within a few feet of you.

Okay then, who issued his phone? Was he on a break? Was he doing something inappropriate?

 

[Bens4vcobra]

I am not angry. You weren't posing a question, you were making an accusation and I quote





And again, the question you were posing is "what are departments doing to address the use of L.E.O.s talking on cell phones?" Followed up by the fact that you aren't allowed to do this. You certainly didnt ask such a pointed question to find out why they are talking on the phone. You presumed that it was for an illegitimate purpose, hence the statement "I'm just curious do departments address this." There would be no need to address anything if the purpose is legitimate and thus no need for your "supposed" question.

By reading body language and over hearing conversations yes, I presume its for an illegitamte purpose. Why would I ask if I KNEW it was for a legitimate purpose? So my response to your post is so what?

Okay then, who issued his phone? Was he on a break? Was he doing something inappropriate?

Lets cut to the chase, what exactly are you trying to demostrate here? If I knew the answer to your questions I wouldn't have asked this in the first place, ok? Is that what you're looking for? I'm not sure the purpose of this section if this is the kind of responses I get. I thought this section was for civillians who DO NOT KNOW things about law enforcement to get questions asked, advice and overall gain some perspective. I'm sorry if you were offended by the way I phrased my question.

 

[whyte_03]

It's called Multi-tasking

yeah right.. i see it all the time here.. its like a 2nd nature for them.. ..but who is gonna say something and actually have something done about it?? probably no one..

:bs:

 

[mswaim]

By reading body language and over hearing conversations yes, I presume its for an illegitamte purpose. Why would I ask if I KNEW it was for a legitimate purpose? So my response to your post is so what?



Lets cut to the chase, what exactly are you trying to demostrate here? If I knew the answer to your questions I wouldn't have asked this in the first place, ok? Is that what you're looking for? I'm not sure the purpose of this section if this is the kind of responses I get. I thought this section was for civillians who DO NOT KNOW things about law enforcement to get questions asked, advice and overall gain some perspective. I'm sorry if you were offended by the way I phrased my question.

I am sorry, but you are way out of line trying to be indignant at this point. Your original post is nothing more than a blanket accusation regarding officers wasting time utilizing cell phones while on duty and you question if that behavior should be modified or otherwise addressed by their employers. Once Adam called you on it, you tried back-peddling, however your original post is there for every thinking member of this board to read and interpret; and based on the responses most see it for what it is.

This section is a place for civilians to ask questions and "overall gain some perspective" as you put it.

If you had asked; "I often see officers talking on their cell phones while on duty. Are cell phones a common communication tool for today's LEO's, or are there rules concerning personal use of cell phones while on duty? Just curious."

You chose to say; "I've noticed many city and county cops (mostly city) talking on their cell phones while on duty. I'm just curious do departments address this? I can't sit in my office and talk on my cell phone all day but I see far too many police officers on their phones in their cars, while stopping at the store etc... do departments in general not care about this? It would seem that this would have an effect on job performance. How can you listen to your scanner or radio waiting for a call when you're yacking it up on your cell phone? Anyway, I was just curious."

You are an adult; what did you expect for a response after looking at the two choices above? You got exactly what your question deserved - a rebuttal to your cleary obvious attempt to demonize the act of officers talking on cell phones.

Just for the record - I spent much of my time as a supervisor on the phone to dispatch, records, court clerks and their judges requesting search warrants, calling back citizens to discuss their interactions with officers, etc. etc. etc. All from my car while moving from call to call. One poster stated it pretty cleally; it's called multi-tasking.

 

[Bens4vcobra]

I am sorry, but you are way out of line trying to be indignant at this point. Your original post is nothing more than a blanket accusation regarding officers wasting time utilizing cell phones while on duty and you question if that behavior should be modified or otherwise addressed by their employers. Once Adam called you on it, you tried back-peddling, however your original post is there for every thinking member of this board to read and interpret; and based on the responses most see it for what it is.

Demonstrate how I "back peddled" In fact, I acknowledged my accusations and assumptions based my own observations.

This section is a place for civilians to ask questions and "overall gain some perspective" as you put it.
If you had asked; "I often see officers talking on their cell phones while on duty. Are cell phones a common communication tool for today's LEO's, or are there rules concerning personal use of cell phones while on duty? Just curious."

I highly suspect I would have been subject to the same types of responses. I'm sorry I didn't phrase it the "LEO approved" way.

You chose to say; "I've noticed many city and county cops (mostly city) talking on their cell phones while on duty. I'm just curious do departments address this? I can't sit in my office and talk on my cell phone all day but I see far too many police officers on their phones in their cars, while stopping at the store etc... do departments in general not care about this? It would seem that this would have an effect on job performance. How can you listen to your scanner or radio waiting for a call when you're yacking it up on your cell phone? Anyway, I was just curious."

You are an adult; what did you expect for a response after looking at the two choices above? You got exactly what your question deserved - a rebuttal to your cleary obvious attempt to demonize the act of officers talking on cell phones.

Just for the record - I spent much of my time as a supervisor on the phone to dispatch, records, court clerks and their judges requesting search warrants, calling back citizens to discuss their interactions with officers, etc. etc. etc. All from my car while moving from call to call. One poster stated it pretty cleally; it's called multi-tasking.

Some of the respones were valuable and my thanks to those who posted them.

 

[FordSVTFan]

I am sorry, but you are way out of line trying to be indignant at this point. Your original post is nothing more than a blanket accusation regarding officers wasting time utilizing cell phones while on duty and you question if that behavior should be modified or otherwise addressed by their employers. Once Adam called you on it, you tried back-peddling, however your original post is there for every thinking member of this board to read and interpret; and based on the responses most see it for what it is.

If you had asked; "I often see officers talking on their cell phones while on duty. Are cell phones a common communication tool for today's LEO's, or are there rules concerning personal use of cell phones while on duty? Just curious."

You chose to say; "I've noticed many city and county cops (mostly city) talking on their cell phones while on duty. I'm just curious do departments address this? I can't sit in my office and talk on my cell phone all day but I see far too many police officers on their phones in their cars, while stopping at the store etc... do departments in general not care about this? It would seem that this would have an effect on job performance. How can you listen to your scanner or radio waiting for a call when you're yacking it up on your cell phone? Anyway, I was just curious."

You are an adult; what did you expect for a response after looking at the two choices above? You got exactly what your question deserved - a rebuttal to your cleary obvious attempt to demonize the act of officers talking on cell phones.

Just for the record - I spent much of my time as a supervisor on the phone to dispatch, records, court clerks and their judges requesting search warrants, calling back citizens to discuss their interactions with officers, etc. etc. etc. All from my car while moving from call to call. One poster stated it pretty cleally; it's called multi-tasking.

Perfectly stated!!!