There are several excuses for unprofessional behavior. Expedience, security, or, perhaps, the need to prove to children that their behavior is not to be tolerated.Quote:
Quoting johnmax65
I tell you what. When you start actually paying income tax, you can come back here and lecture me on what having a job means.Quote:
All jobs are somewhat stressful...all jobs require some work and thats why you get paid...
In the meantime, you will have to take our word for it. When your job involves standing on a highway while cars driving in the 70's are zooming by, you can start talking to me about stress.
Yes, you live in California. This means that your parents and teachers have gone out of their way to tell you that your opinion, wants and needs are important and should be important to everyone you meet.
They were wrong. Most of us don't care if you get your feelings hurt. We are not here to enhance your self image.
We just want to stop debating with a overly self important child about a traffic ticket and get off the highway berm.
See above "when you start paying income taxes" quote.Quote:
However, if the job is so stressful where you have to give the customers a hard time then you have to change your job. You must quit and get yourself another job.
First, the word you are looking for is "you're" - a contraction of "You" and "are".Quote:
If your a cop and cant help but act in an unprofessional manner because the job is too stressful then this job isnt for you. Quit and find something else to do...
What you are assuming is that YOUR definition of unprofessional behavior will be universally accepted as accurate.
My guess? Your definition is that a cop should kowtow to your wishes, listen patiently as you scramble for a believable reason for your actions, wait until you are off your cell phone call (its REALLY important) and then give you a warning.
Welcome to the real world.
What you don't realize is that it may be and IS professional conduct to issue the citation and resume patrol as quickly as possible. Any time a police car is on the side of the road with the lights flashing, all of the traffic begins to slow.Quote:
Do not give me excuses as to why your conduct is unprofessional. If you cant handle it then quit...
Yes, I know you think that the officer should stop and chat. That he/she should take the time to make sure that your emotional state is protected.
The rest of us just want to get to work.
California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional Conduct
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06-08-2008, 06:21 AMcyjeffRe: California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional Conduct
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06-08-2008, 10:51 AMcdwjavaRe: California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional Conduct
Wow! Isn't someone cranky (johnmax65)!
I never condoned "unprofessional" conduct, only offered an explanation for it. Plus, what you describe as rude or unprofessional may not be anything of the sort. the officer is NOT required to be nice, to explain why he stopped or you, or debate the circumstances of the stop in any way. Many people equate being short or curt with being rude or unprofessional, and that just is not the case.
As I said, if the entire local office is so out of control, then you and your friends need to parade down to the CHP office and make some complaints. If no one complains, then the supervisors may never know ... provided you really want to do something about "the problem". I suspect, however, all you really want to do is complain and seek out people who agree with you. Not very productive, but it might be cathartic, I suppose.
- Carl -
06-08-2008, 02:10 PMcyjeffRe: California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional ConductBut, But...Quote:
Quoting cdwjava
When they don't listen to me and protect my feelings and make sure I don't fail, my feelings get hurt.
My therapist said it wasn't good for my aura! -
06-08-2008, 02:22 PMcdwjavaRe: California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional ConductAh, the "feel good" mentality of the public education system today.Quote:
Quoting cyjeff
"No, Johnny, two plus two does not equal twenty two, but that was a very good try! I understand and appreciate your answer, and respect the reasoning behind it. You are a bright and intelligent child and you should feel good about your answer!"
Today there are no winners and losers for some reason ... not really preparing them for the REAL world.
- Carl -
06-08-2008, 02:29 PMcyjeffRe: California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional ConductI coached a tee ball team for a year when my eldest was old enough to play.Quote:
Quoting cdwjava
They refused to keep score. Said it was bad for the kids to be labelled "winner" or "loser".
I went up and down my bench. Every single kid knew what the score was and whether or not they were winning.
These kids are upset because a cop wouldn't stand next to their car and make sure that everything was explained to them....or would talk to their parents or friend on the cell phone... or make an exception for them... or listen to their tale of woe.
The OP says there is no excuse for unprofessional behavior. There is also an old saying about how there is no good excuse for ANY behavior.
A cop protects you and serves the public. No where in their oath are the words "to protect and to serve and to make sure that you feel better about yourself".
Why yes, my grandfather and father were police officers. Why do you ask? -
06-08-2008, 03:05 PMTHEAMAZINGCHANRe: California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional Conducthey now...lets not be short and terse...Quote:
Quoting FlyinHawk®
have some sensitivity to the issue will ya:rolleyes: -
06-08-2008, 03:23 PMcdwjavaRe: California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional ConductWell, at T-Ball level, I don't have a problem with that - not even really at Farm level. These are learning levels, so I can live with that.Quote:
Quoting cyjeff
Mine didn't. Besides, both benches often had it wrong - some by more, some by less - usually both teams thought they were winning unless things were going REALLY bad.Quote:
I went up and down my bench. Every single kid knew what the score was and whether or not they were winning.
Yeah, I hear that all the time. Because the officer would not listen to their explanation, or (my favorite), because the officer would not give them a warning! Yep, some drivers seem to think they are entitled to a warning. This entire entitlement mentality these days drives me nuts!Quote:
These kids are upset because a cop wouldn't stand next to their car and make sure that everything was explained to them....or would talk to their parents or friend on the cell phone... or make an exception for them... or listen to their tale of woe.
It even comes in cops these days, too. One rookie (who did not pass probation ... go figure) asked me - on his FIRST DAY IN FIELD TRAINING - when he could take a week off of work to visit his girlfriend in southern California! Heck, when I was in field training, I asked for nothing and came to work even when sick - I went home when they TOLD me to!
It's a different generation.
- Carl -
06-08-2008, 03:57 PMcyjeffRe: California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional Conduct
My dad's favorite was when he pulled over a speeder doing 30 over the limit.
In the days before air bags and padded dashboards.
The guy DEMANDED my father go out and capture "real criminals" rather than the taxpayers that were just trying to get to work to pay his salary!
About that time, my dad noticed the joint burning in the ashtray (ah, the summer of 68).
The guy had a couple of pounds of upper Californian bud in the trunk.
As my dad helped him into the bad of the squad car, he asked the driver, "So, if a guy illegally transporting 2 pounds of illegal drugs isn't a real criminal, what is your definition of the term?" -
06-08-2008, 05:21 PMjohnmax65Re: California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional Conduct
The vast majority of people pulled over by the CHP are not criminals and nor are they children. Most are hard working taxpaying home owning voting citizens of the United States whose only crime is going a little over the speed limit (a small infraction of the law). Therefore, the officer should treat the person they are pulling over as such. Just a regular joe who made a mistake going over the speed limit.
Now I wouldnt expect the officer to engage in a long winding debate on the side of the highway, but I do expect professionalism. This means foul and negative language directed at the driver should not be used. A professional business-like tone of voice and manner should be used. A little politeness too would also surely help out this stressful situation.
However, my experience and my friends experience has been different. The CHP officers have always been somewhat nasty and used raised voices at citizens who only made the mistake of throwing a piece of trash out their window or were going 5-10 over the limit without paying attention.
The response in this forum I received from CDWJava does not seem what I would expect from a person who supervises or manages people. His response seems somewhat unprofessional and I would have to question his experience.
I have written complaint letters to the CHP and have been called by CHP investigators to discuss my experiences. The investigator who called was indeed very professional and listened to my complaints. I'll give them credit for that. However, the reason why I write in this public forum is to make people aware of whats going on out there.
As well, my friends and myself are truck drivers and, as a truck driver in California, the CHP is in your face all the time such as at the scales or doing random commercial vehicle checks. Everytime I have come in contact with a CHP officer, there seems to be this air of unprofessional conduct. Whether it be uncalled for sarcastic remarks or foul language, its simply unprofessional.
There are a lot of stressful professions out there, but in most other professions there is simply no excuse to be treating people badly.
Is it acceptable to be using foul language at an older lady who just happened to be cruising a few mph over the limit? Well, it happened to my mother when she got a ticket for doing 70 in a 65. -
06-08-2008, 05:49 PMcdwjavaRe: California Highway Patrol's Wrongful, Unprofessional ConductWhich is why most are treated as such. That does not mean they have to be all smiles and niceness. The officer can and often will be terse and very much like Joe Friday - "Just the facts ma'am." If that's rude and unprofessional to you, sorry, but that's life.Quote:
Quoting johnmax65
Of course, you really have not articulated WHAT all these CHP officers do to you and your friends, so it's impossible to say whether it's professional or not.
The scolding comes for free.Quote:
The CHP officers have always been somewhat nasty and used raised voices at citizens who only made the mistake of throwing a piece of trash out their window or were going 5-10 over the limit without paying attention.
Sorry, but sometimes people need to be chastised for their behavior.
Once again, if the officer was out of line, report him or her to their supervisor or the area commander.
You have not articulated what conduct you are opposed to, so how can I form an opinion as to whether it was proper or not? I have been on the job for almost 18 years, and in supervision and management for almost 10 of those years. If/when you can articulate something that is clearly outside the pale, I will agree it was wrong. So far, I have heard generalities and your opinion that the officers were rude and unprofessional.Quote:
The response in this forum I received from CDWJava does not seem what I would expect from a person who supervises or manages people. His response seems somewhat unprofessional and I would have to question his experience.
If you feel that the treatment you received from the officers was unprofessional, please, report it to their supervisor or area commander.
Do you want to effect a change? Or just complain asking for cheerleaders? Apparently, the experience of most the rest on this board is that your experience is opposite of ours. If you want to resolve the problem, report the activity.
Good. Then they are aware of your views on the problem.Quote:
I have written complaint letters to the CHP and have been called by CHP investigators to discuss my experiences. The investigator who called was indeed very professional and listened to my complaints. I'll give them credit for that. However, the reason why I write in this public forum is to make people aware of whats going on out there.
Note also that I, too, conduct internal investigations on officers and I want to know if my officers are fouling up. But, once again, most activity that people complain about is NOT unprofessional. Most the complaints we receive concern officers that are essentially doing their job, but not being overly "friendly" about this. Some officers are very terse and emotionless and this tends to cause some people to feel they are rude or unprofessional.
Under most circumstances, that would not be acceptable. Did she make a complaint?Quote:
Is it acceptable to be using foul language at an older lady who just happened to be cruising a few mph over the limit? Well, it happened to my mother when she got a ticket for doing 70 in a 65.
- Carl