Law Enforcement Career Guide and Counseling

Question: law enforcement? Which one of the following statements is most accurate for law enforcement? A. Law enforcement agencies are employed by the court system. B. Ordinary police officers aren't required to understand how to gather evidence. C. Law enforcement officers are mainly required to uphold the law. D. There is no county law enforcement department.

Answer: C is the closest I can see being right there is something wrong with all of them.

Question: What states have law enforcement rangers? I need a list of all the states that have "Law Enforcement Rangers" v.s a list of all the states that use either park police or local police to enforce state park laws and regulations. And any other information about State Park Law enforcement, environmental law enforcement (academys, degrees, positions) would be helpful. Thanks. I am looking for states whose Park Rangers have FULL powers of arrest and state wide jurisdiction. Sworn in officers that carry a gun.

Answer: I know that Arizona, California and Texas use rangers. Hope that helps.

Question: How often does Law Enforcement of different jurisdiction fight over jurisdiction? For the folks involved in law enforcement, how often does law enforcement of different jurisdiction actually fight and bicker over jurisdiction? Is it like in the movies, when you see the FBI and municipal police arguing over who has jurisdiction over the case? Or is it more so them working together and helping each other out in the case?

Answer: Jurisdiction arguments with the FBI are few. When they come in to take over a bank robbery (the most common thing they get involved in) most are happy to let them have it. As far as trust goes that is another story. When the FBI gets involved, even in supposedly helping the locals on a case, they hide things, it is just their nature. If the locals case has elements that where already being investigated by the FBI the FBI often will not share info that can solve the case. That is because they often think that solving the case may put their own case jeopardy. Usually not true but again it is their culture not to share, just take. There are arguments between local departments as to jurisdiction all the time. For example say a body is found floating in a river that divides counties or cities. Both sides will usually argue that the investigation/body belongs to the other side.

Question: What scientific tests do law enforcement use to detect methamphetamine manufacture if someone complains? There is a problem in my apartment building, but law enforcement has only taken a hit and miss approach to this matter, including questioning the persons involved. Does anyone really think someone manufacturing methamphetamine would admit it to law enforcement? Law enforcement actually told someone who complained to stop contacting to law enforcement!

Answer: Unless they can develop enough probable cause to obtain a search warrant for the person's apartment, there is little they can do. Just the mere suspicion of criminal activity, even if it is reported by another party, is usually not enough to support a search warrant. Unless these people reporting this has actual proof and is willing to testify there is not much for the officers to go on. You're right, no one is going to admit to making meth to the police, so without proof, their hands are tied.

Question: Do you think law enforcement officers should be required to have law degrees? Do you think law enforcement officers should be required to have law degrees? We don't let lawyers practice law without learning the law first, so why do we let cops enforce the law when they haven't learned what the law is?

Answer: No. There wouldn't be any officers then. Who would go to law school for $50k/year just to make $30k/year?

Question: How come law enforcement people are criminals? I got this law enforcement person busted, he try to assault me, and some people on this site who claim to be cops are really rude saying its against the law to defend yourself from a off duty law enforcement person, I sure do help they live in another state and live near only mean nasty people.

Answer: Law enforcement officials make the best criminals. Afterall, they study criminal science.

Question: Why are so many Law Enforcement officers on Yahoo Answers so biased against the average citizen? It seems that if anyone asks a question or gives and answer that reflects Law Enforcement negatively, they are labeled as criminals, ignorant or slandered in some way or another. No one is perfect and this goes for law enforcement too. There are some bad members of law enforcement out there and to pretend that law enforcement officers are immaculate only damages your image. Why is there a bias against the average citizen by Law Enforcement on this site?

Answer: I think you can read through some of your answers and see why some Police Officers make the comments that they do. People use this site to make negative comment after negative comment. In a Police Officer's line of work, it's almost the same. People don't use this site to praise or thank Police Officers. They use it to vent or make ignorant uneducated comments. In the line of duty, a Police Officer very rarely gets praised or thanked by the citizen he works so many hours and so hard (while risking his life) to protect. People make no effort to call in Police Supervisor to comment on what a great thing a Police Officer did. Only to complain. A newspaper isn't going to print all of the great things a Police Officer did during a shift- only when a mistake is made. I think it could just be frustration. I have a feeling that some Officers, like some citizens, just use this site to vent. If you read through some of the top contributers under this section, you'll see there are some really smart, very polite Officers posting answers. None of which are biased or insulting...

Question: Why is Law enforcement of existing laws and statutes going down the drain? Why is Law enforcement of existing laws and statutes going down the drain? This seems to be an ungoing problem here in America why and what is your solution?

Answer: I believe you have been misinformed or are confused.

Question: Is there a law enforcement job where you are assigned a criminal and have to locate, and arrest him? I want to go into law enforcement but i don't want to just do things like highway patrol and stuff. I would rather be used exclusively for finding criminals like serial killers and rapists and things. If there is a job like this, what is it called, and what do you have to do to get it?

Answer: That's what I do. It is called 'Fugitive Apprehension'. I'm part of a Task Force and our main objective to to apprehend wanted persons. It is not a job you just 'get'. It is something that you have to have several years experience and with an agency that has such a position. Good luck... I love what I do.

Question: What can a law enforcement do if a parent is about to drive drunk and the child calls police? I have a son, whose father is legallay allowed to have our son for 2 weeks visitation. I am afraid after a drunken phone call last night that his father, who has a court order against him that says he is not allowed to drink while our child is in his custody, may try to pick up our child from the airport while intoxicated (similar things happened over a decade ago). Now, I have told my son, under no circumstances is he to get into a car if his father smells like alcohol. Will the law enforcement community help my son if he calls from an airport phone? What can he do, being a minor, to keep his father from making him and his little sister get into the car? If my son has the court order in his hand, and calls the police, are they going to help him? Or does he actually have to commit the driving crime (dui/dwi) and endanger our child before they can help? I have to allow this visitation, per court order. My son says he will do this, but I shouldn't have to ask. So what do I do?

Answer: If your son has the court order, signed by a judge in his hand, and your ex is drunk when he picks them up, the police should be able to enforce that, and your son should pick up the white courtesy phone immediately. He won't be charged with DUI if he's not driving, but he will be in violation of the court order. No cop would allow someone who's possibly drunk to drive off with 2 kids, just to get a DUI charge.