Not believing everything you read...

[OccamsRazor]

Most of us have brains, and at least an ounce of common sense. I've noticed a few posts referencing Officer.com postings, and the striking lack of professionalism displayed therein.

Folks, it's the internet.

Just like I could be an 80 year-old grandma, typing on here between crotcheting doilies, a quick persual of the o.com message boards reveals at least 40-50% of the messages there are dubious.

Dubious as in they may be real cops, hiding behind an online persona...They act big and bad on the web, and go to work and are courteous and professional, or spend the day doing inventory in the evidence lockers.

Dubious as in some may have a spouse, friend, roomie, etc in LE, and thus have picked up enough slang and terminology to masquerade (why??) on the web as a cop.

Dubious as in they may never have worked as a cop, never had any contact with a cop, but want people to think they're a cop (again, why??).

Anyone can write the words, but fewer can take the actions.

Here's a test:


I found this blog from a link on a real cop's blog. Tell me how you can tell it's all BS. If you have trouble, I'll post a hint. The writing is well done, but there are enough cues. There's one really obvious error though.

Don't believe everything you read on the web.

[Tennsix]

I only read the first story. I noticed several words and phrases that I dont commonly use or hear. I also noticed questionable activity namely, tasing a cuffed and shackled prisoner in a holding cell. What stood out most to me was that fact that he would even write about such things.

At what point did the find the drugs and guns on the drunk driver? What was the PC for the stop?

This guy knows EVERYONE. All of the the criminals were authority figures in his life, at some point.

And who is going to sit and listen to a grown man cry all night?

There is more. I probably didn't pass the test but I didnt feel like wading through all of that.

[Taser]

Save me the BS reading. What is the "really obvious" sign?

Was it written by EMTFirefighter?

[Guest]

Yeah, that was garbage. I actually read a few his posts and it sounds like he is pretending to work for NYPD based on some of the units he names, such as "anti-crime."

Some of unit names and jargon he gets right, so he has some knowledge of the NYPD, but it is still obvious he is a fake. Perhaps he was an NYPD explorer or maybe a civilian employee at one time?

[N. A. Corbier]

I'll be honest. I stopped reading about half-way down the first page. It wasn't interesting at all. I didn't get past "Timmy's got stripes now" because its all about Timmy and all about how Timmy's past is in his jail.

[OccamsRazor]

http://copscopblog.blogspot.com/2005/01/beginning.html

"Two years ago today I was with my partner, riding normal routine patrol...snip...I started screaming in my radio and then started CPR on my partner. It was no use though, he was already dead."

Sure...Two years prior would've been January 27, 2003. Check ODMP for January, 2003. Or even the Canadian ODMP. Or even Google.

I even looked back as far as 1999. No officers KIA by gunfire, near those dates, that even remotely match the circs described.

Besides, didn't one describe how he made Sergeant after like a year on the job? Because he "has family" in the chain of command?

Amusing fiction, but I prefer Joseph Wambaugh anyday.

[OccamsRazor]

I only read the first story. I noticed several words and phrases that I dont commonly use or hear. I also noticed questionable activity namely, tasing a cuffed and shackled prisoner in a holding cell. What stood out most to me was that fact that he would even write about such things.

At what point did the find the drugs and guns on the drunk driver? What was the PC for the stop?

This guy knows EVERYONE. All of the the criminals were authority figures in his life, at some point.

And who is going to sit and listen to a grown man cry all night?

There is more. I probably didn't pass the test but I didnt feel like wading through all of that.

I personally think it's BhNdBrS

[N. A. Corbier]

http://copscopblog.blogspot.com/2005/01/beginning.html

"Two years ago today I was with my partner, riding normal routine patrol...snip...I started screaming in my radio and then started CPR on my partner. It was no use though, he was already dead."

Sure...Two years prior would've been January 27, 2003. Check ODMP for January, 2003. Or even the Canadian ODMP. Or even Google.

I even looked back as far as 1999. No officers KIA by gunfire, near those dates, that even remotely match the circs described.

Besides, didn't one describe how he made Sergeant after like a year on the job? Because he "has family" in the chain of command?

Amusing fiction, but I prefer Joseph Wambaugh anyday.

I don't think people realize that police deaths are tracked.

[N. A. Corbier]

I personally think it's BhNdBrS

That makes my head hurt.

[OccamsRazor]

That makes my head hurt.

I would've blamed the tacos, meself.

[Tennsix]

I personally think it's BhNdBrS

Oh... I remember him well. I hope no one conjered him up agian.

[N. A. Corbier]

I would've blamed the tacos, meself.

No, unfortunately, the tacos merely made me wake up at 0500 CST. I Smash Camera man forgot the rule of Plus One, obviously, and the rule of There Is Always A Witness.

Man, if I'm going to write fiction, I want to be paid for it.

[Mr. Security]

Nothing But The Truth.

Wise counsel indeed. The Internet is loaded with individuals who have no problem misrepresenting themselves. The interesting part is that the more a "member" posts, the more likely they will contradict information they have provided about them self.

It reminds me of a tactic that investigators use to determine the truthfulness of statements made by an individual. By asking the suspect to repeat their statement, coupled with additional questions about what they state, one can detect contradictions or changes in the initial statement. This compels the suspect to tell more lies in an attempt to maintain the credibility of his original statement. Unless they have specialized training in counter interrogation (like an undercover officer attempting to infiltrate a criminal organization), they will likely hang themselves if given enough rope.