Class Action Suit says Florida Highway Patrol Illegally Tickets Motorists Who Warn...

[AVGWarhawk]

BTW - How long time it takes to become police officer in local/state level? How many years training takes?

About 3-4 months on average. There are several tests, oral, written, physical, mental, polygraph. These are scheduled over months.

We are not aiding and abetting felony criminal activity by flashing high beams for a speed trap.

I said illegal, I didn't specify if it was felony or misdemenor.
Besides which how do you know that the vehicle you flash is only speeding or that the patrol car is only waiting for speeding motorists?

BTW did't you say flashing shouldn't be on high beam as common sense would dictate otherwise?
edit to add...further to that first question, how does this flashing of motorists sit with those who support such things as police establishing immigration status at any point of contact....like when stopped for a traffic violation?

[AVGWarhawk]

I said illegal, I didn't specify if it was felony or misdemenor.
Besides which how do you know that the vehicle you flash is only speeding or that the patrol car is only waiting for speeding motorists?

Do you live here in the US or just watch US produced cop/robber shows?

BTW did't you say flashing shouldn't be on high beam as common sense would dictate otherwise?
edit to add...further to that first question, how does this flashing of motorists sit with those who support such things as police establishing immigration status at any point of contact....like when stopped for a traffic violation?

No, I said this:

The flash switch is in the position the driver puts the switch in. Common sense would indicate high beams will blind oncoming drivers. Then again, we are talking common sense which many do not possess.

I was refering to leaving the high beams on while driving. Not flashing.

Do you live here in the US or just watch US produced cop/robber shows?

Can you not answer the questions without undermining your position?
I don't think I have seen a US cop show since kojak

No, I said this:

And that reply you gave was to a question about flashing, not about having the lights on while driving.

I was refering to leaving the high beams on while driving. Not flashing.

On top of the above...
Using high beams against oncoming traffic is a violation, the code doesn't specify how long they have to be on for, just how close you can be to the oncoming vehicle before you are breaking the law by using high beams.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Tribesman

Can you not answer the questions without undermining your position?

He took a page from your book, and you're complaining?

I'm curious to know why you're against warning someone about a speed trap? Warning them gets them to slow down and obey the speed law, at least for a minute. The speed trap doesn't force people to obey the law, it merely catches them at it. Should CB radios in trucks be outlawed? That's one of the things they're used for.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

About 3-4 months on average. There are several tests, oral, written, physical, mental, polygraph. These are scheduled over months.

So amount to study is relatively small and you get a lot authority? That explains a lot...

Here in Finland the basic training alone takes over a year and full training takes 2.5 years. In top of this you must have previous level job training or you must have passed gymnasium both of which take 3 to 4 years to complete. Additionally male candidates have often already served atleast 6 months in military. 12 months if they were selected for NCO or officer training. Women can serve as volunteers if they like.

I think its a bit tougher job to become a cop in Finland.

He took a page from your book, and you're complaining?

Complaining???????

I'm curious to know why you're against warning someone about a speed trap?

Are you really?
Lets see......

Warning them gets them to slow down and obey the speed law, at least for a minute.

Can you spot it?

The speed trap doesn't force people to obey the law, it merely catches them at it.

It makes them pay for not obeying the law
Finacial pentlies are often the best way to make people obey the law, though with this topic some jurisdictions will remove your driving priviledges too as well as hitting your pocket if you continue to flout the law.

[MH]

Originally Posted by kraznyi_oktjabr

So amount to study is relatively small and you get a lot authority? That explains a lot...

Here in Finland the basic training alone takes over a year and full training takes 2.5 years. In top of this you must have previous level job training or you must have passed gymnasium both of which take 3 to 4 years to complete. Additionally male candidates have often already served atleast 6 months in military. 12 months if they were selected for NCO or officer training. Women can serve as volunteers if they like.

I think its a bit tougher job to become a cop in Finland.

Wow
Why so long?
Do you study BA in criminology to be a street cop or train to operate behind enemy lines in case Russia attacks again?

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by MH

Wow
Why so long?
Do you study BA in criminology to be a street cop or train to operate behind enemy lines in case Russia attacks again?

Something like BA is available but not included in basics. They are available in universities of Tampere and Turku. Basic training arranged in Police College in Tampere is divided into following categories:
- field work (very basics of police work, psychology, first aid etc.)
- traffic (traffic control, driving etc.)
- crime prevention
- information and communication systems
- use of force (physical force, sellf defence, firearms)
Above include training in law, psychology and languages among other subjects.

In Finland rules regarding use of force are very strict and police very rarely uses deadly force, even in cases where opponent have firearm. Deadly force is absolute last option. Before using that police usually uses less lethal means like tazers, shooting to hands or legs etc. based on situation. If police officer uses exessive force he/she may in worst case face murder charges.

Also in some areas of Finland getting more officers into your location may take very long time. In such a case you and your patrol partner are first responders, back-up, SWAT and anything else as necessary.

EDIT: Long time ago an Army officer (Major at the time) told to me that if you want to get into Police College try to not get into military police. Police College appreciate more leadership training available in military, preferably officer but NCO is good too. Getting into officer or NCO training from military police is (or atleast was) much more difficult than for example from infantry units.

Wow
Why so long?

Is it long though? it is two years over here.

[MH]

Originally Posted by kraznyi_oktjabr

Something like BA is available but not included in basics. They are available in universities of Tampere and Turku. Basic training arranged in Police College in Tampere is divided into following categories:
- field work (very basics of police work, psychology, first aid etc.)
- traffic (traffic control, driving etc.)
- crime prevention
- information and communication systems
- use of force (physical force, sellf defence, firearms)
Above include training in law, psychology and languages among other subjects.

In Finland rules regarding use of force are very strict and police very rarely uses deadly force, even in cases where opponent have firearm. Deadly force is absolute last option. Before using that police usually uses less lethal means like tazers, shooting to hands or legs etc. based on situation. If police officer uses exessive force he/she may in worst case face murder charges.

Also in some areas of Finland getting more officers into your location may take very long time. In such a case you and your patrol partner are first responders, back-up, SWAT and anything else as necessary.

Lot of staff for average cop.
Taking into account the diversity and restriction of the role it looks reasonable.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by kraznyi_oktjabr

So amount to study is relatively small and you get a lot authority? That explains a lot...

Here in Finland the basic training alone takes over a year and full training takes 2.5 years. In top of this you must have previous level job training or you must have passed gymnasium both of which take 3 to 4 years to complete. Additionally male candidates have often already served atleast 6 months in military. 12 months if they were selected for NCO or officer training. Women can serve as volunteers if they like.

I think its a bit tougher job to become a cop in Finland.

In the US the police is not centralized, but afaik most departments require that the candidates have to be eligible for college - this would be a HS diploma, the equivalent of the Finnish/German Gymnasium diploma, so the prerequisites are comparable.

Originally Posted by MH

Wow
Why so long?
Do you study BA in criminology to be a street cop or train to operate behind enemy lines in case Russia attacks again?

2,5-3 years training is the norm for most qualified jobs here, be it a policeman, an office clerk or a baker.

In most German states it is a requirement for the higher ranks to have studied, either in a police college, or to hold a juristic degree.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by Penguin

In most German states it is a requirement for the higher ranks to have studied, either in a police college, or to hold a juristic degree.

In Finland graduate police officer gets rank of nuorempi konstaapeli.
- With basic training you can be promoted to konstaapeli but to get into higher ranks you need extra training.
- There is "alipäällystö" training which opens promotions to ranks of ylikonstaapeli, rikoskonstaapeli and ylietsivä. Legth is about 1,5 years and its done while working.
- There is "päällystö" training which "A osa" (A section) opens promotions to ranks of komisario, rikoskomisario and tarkastaja (lit. inspector, Finnish Security Intelligence Service rank/position)
- Additional "B osa" (B section) opens promotions to ylikomisario, rikosylikomisario, apulaispoliisipäällikkö (lit. assistant police chief) and any higher rank positions. These studies are done during work and take about 3 years to complete.

EDIT: I admit. I had to check how this goes.

[Penguin]

In Germany we have the smartest police, as we have no lower ranks . You can choose between mittlerer, höherer und gehobener Dienst (medium, higher and upper service). Medium would be the basic training, the others are the one with the college requirements.

While I find it great that the Finnish police is not as trigger- or taser-happy than other counterparts, some officers do need a little more training with less-lethal weapons:
I know they are required to hit only limbs with the baton, but they really did not put up a good fight.

kraznyi, is a rikoskonstaapeli something like state police?
edit: seems more like criminal police, or Kripo as we call it here

[MH]

Here it takes about 7 month to become a patrol or traffic cop.
There are other units with longer training and all kind of special requirements as far as army service or education.