Nobody doubts that cops give other cops a pass when it comes to the same conduct that they would happily slap cuffs on you, but rarely do you see a police-centric website like PoliceOne publish a story explaining the proper behavior for a police officer to get “professional courtesy” from one of his tribe.

Doug Wyllie, PoliceOne Editor-in-Chief, riffs off this video of cops being jerks: 



Wyllie explains there’s no need to break this down for some excellent fingerpointing, as is invariably done when it’s cop versus citizen:

Ultimately, the video speaks largely for itself and there’s no point in further pointing fingers at either the uniformed officer or the off-duty cop who was stopped. They both made mistakes. Let’s move on.

Move along, cuz there’s no benefit in wasting any precious time on cops behaving poorly. That would just be negative, the sort of thing that mopes, mutts, punks and skells enjoy when disrespecting the fine law enforcement officers who protect and serve.  Got it. Haters. Screw ’em.

But it does provide an opportunity to talk about the notion of “professional courtesy” with regard to off-duty traffic violations. 

Aha! Something that matters to police officers, how to make sure you can break the law with impunity. Who couldn’t use a refresher course in that, right?

When you’re off duty in your POV and you’ve been stopped by another officer, make that “ideal violator” the model for your behavior. 

•     Keep your hands on the wheel
•     Keep your emotions in check
•     Keep your language civilized
•     Keep your badge in your pocket
•     Keep your fellow officer in mind

Don’t you want to be an “ideal violator” too? See all the important stuff you learn at SJ?  He goes on to explain that the off-duty LEO should first explain that he’s armed, and afterward that he’s a cop.

You have to remember that when you’re armed and off duty, and stopped for a traffic violation, the order in which you divulge information pertinent to officer safety (read: “I have a weapon” and “I’m off-duty LEO”) matters. 

This matters since you wouldn’t want to be shot first for being armed before letting the officer know that you’re one of “us.”  First things first, as the First Rule of Policing never takes a holiday.  But having assured mutual safety and behaved like an ideal violator, time for professionalism to kick in.

The Golden (and Cerulean) Rule

My good friend and PoliceOne colleague Dan Marcou puts it, “Do unto other officers in uniform as you would have others do onto you. That is the true meaning professional courtesy.”

I look at it this way: in order to be granted (or even considered for) professional courtesy, you first must be professional and courteous. Respect yourself and respect what the badge — not your badge, but THE badge — represents. And that goes for both parties at an off-duty LEO traffic stop.

If both individuals carry those values into the encounter, then they will both naturally (and mutually) behave in a respectful manner toward their fellow officer… 

And that, dear readers, is how an off-duty cop should properly handle being stopped for driving twice the speed limit. 

Of course, if you don’t have a shield, you will likely be ticketed, arrested or beaten. But you can avoid being beaten if you too are an ideal violator.

This has been another bit of excellent law enforcement advice from PoliceOne.