Cop car as road sign

[Matt J]

I'm just going to thank both. Seems like the FHP is on duty for the big stuff and especially at night. I wouldn't think they need a trooper for line painting or something like that.

 

[wrobert]

My understanding is that the FHP is usually on duty when working construction details.

Little know Florida fact: Only a law enforcement officer can direct traffic. The guy in the orange vest with the swizel stop sign pretty much has no authority.
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Actually FHP is on duty on those details. Not sure about the Florida fact, those guys with the orange vest and swizzle sticks can't enforce traffic but must be trained through FDOT managment of traffic (MOT) to operate in the roadway and direct traffic.

Why is it okay for me to ignore his swizel stop sign and not a regular stop sign?

 

[ShallowsNole]

The deputies work the details, they are not paid by the s.o. at the time. The usual contracted price is $25.00 an hour, normally paid in cash at the end of the shift by whoever is sponsoring the event. Out of this, the deputy is to forward a portion of that to the s.o. for the use of the vehicle. I have heard it is as little as $1.25 an hour.

So, basically, the deputies use their patrol vehicles and uniforms to work as private security. It is done everywhere you look though, everytime you pass road construction there are FHP sitting there. If you go to a bar, a festival, a wedding, anywhere with large groups, you'll see deputies. Remember before we got the light 395, the deputies sat there all night? Yep, $25.00 an hour paid by the state.

Again, I don't have a problem with them working the extra details and earning more money. I do have a problem with them using taxpayer resources to do it though. They should have a trackable fee that is paid back into the county funds to cover the use of their vehicle. Or, like other employees, they should have to park it at the s.o. and drive their pov unless they pay taxes on it.

In many cases, the businesses and individuals that hire the deputies for details want not only the presence of the uniform, but also the presence of the vehicle. And, the deputies do have to pay part of their earnings back to the SO for the use of the vehicle; it's not free as it once was. I don't remember how much it is as it's been a while since Fuzz worked a detail. BUT the details are arranged through the SO, not thru the officers directly, so they know who and which vehicle is where and how much to collect for the car.

Someone earlier said they were paid in cash. I don't know where that info came from...some probably are, but all the ones Fuzz ever worked where paid by check, delivered to the SO for distribution, And, come the following January, he got a 1099. So, there is nothing under-the-table about it...

 

[Smiling JOe]

$25 per hour? We used to pay off duty cops $100 (cash) per hour and a free meal to work traffic, and that was ten years ago.

 

[Beach Runner]

In Hogansville, GA, there's a cop car always parked on U.S. 29. It's empty. But everyone slows down. It works. It's instinctual for me to slam on my brakes when I see it, even when I know it's always gonna be there.

Maybe Walton County should save some money on labor costs by parking empty, off-duty sheriffs' cars at random spots?

 

[Matt J]

In Hogansville, GA, there's a cop car always parked on U.S. 29. It's empty. But everyone slows down. It works. It's instinctual for me to slam on my brakes when I see it, even when I know it's always gonna be there.

Maybe Walton County should save some money on labor costs by parking empty, off-duty sheriffs' cars at random spots?

You don't take the back roads to get to sowal. There's a very small town in Liberty County that has a cop car with a dummy (think manequin not our current sheriff) in it holding a radar gun. That thing has gotten me everytime.

 

[Beach Runner]

You don't take the back roads to get to sowal. There's a very small town in Liberty County that has a cop car with a dummy (think manequin not our current sheriff) in it holding a radar gun. That thing has gotten me everytime.

That's really sneaky.

Actually I do take back roads. I mean, Samson, Alabama, is on my route.

 

[30ABandMan]

That's really sneaky.

Actually I do take back roads. I mean, Samson, Alabama, is on my route.

Wanna have even more fun? Stand on the side of the road with a hair dryer. Point it at cars as they pass by and act like your talking on a walkie talkie...they will slow down for that one too!:funn:

I just love me some high school pranks!!!

 

[30ABandMan]

In many cases, the businesses and individuals that hire the deputies for details want not only the presence of the uniform, but also the presence of the vehicle. And, the deputies do have to pay part of their earnings back to the SO for the use of the vehicle; it's not free as it once was. I don't remember how much it is as it's been a while since Fuzz worked a detail. BUT the details are arranged through the SO, not thru the officers directly, so they know who and which vehicle is where and how much to collect for the car.

Someone earlier said they were paid in cash. I don't know where that info came from...some probably are, but all the ones Fuzz ever worked where paid by check, delivered to the SO for distribution, And, come the following January, he got a 1099. So, there is nothing under-the-table about it...

Well, again, I only have a few contacts with the Walton S.O. but am very familliar with Okaloosa. Currently, they don't charge a fee to the deputies as does Walton. That being said, I have been to local events in the Seaside area and have seen my buddies paid in cash. Not that it happens all of the time but it does happen.

Again, I don't have a problem with the free enterprise of the whole thing and the are much better to use than private security firms. I just think that there needs to be some accountability for the use of taxpayer owned vehicles.

 

[30ABandMan]

My understanding is that the FHP is usually on duty when working construction details.

Little know Florida fact: Only a law enforcement officer can direct traffic. The guy in the orange vest with the swizel stop sign pretty much has no authority.
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Actually FHP is on duty on those details. Not sure about the Florida fact, those guys with the orange vest and swizzle sticks can't enforce traffic but must be trained through FDOT managment of traffic (MOT) to operate in the roadway and direct traffic.

You are correct. Techinically, the Trooper and other officers are "on duty" because they call 10-8 or "in service" busy on that detail and they log off at the end of the detail. However, they are usually not the active unit for that zone at that particular time. They will pull from the detail in an emergency but normally, the zone car will be dispatached without disturbing the detail unit.