"The Family Business"

[Pudge]

I don't think this has ever been discussed at length, only some mention here and there in conversation.

How many people here aren't the only ones in their family on the job? Anyone with Parents,Siblings, Cousins, Spouse, etc who used to be, or still are working?

Got any good stories to share about it? What would your thoughts be if your kids decided they wanted to work in Law Enforcement?

Non-LEO's welcome to this discussion as always.

As for me:

My parents met when they both worked as Deputies at the Sheriff's Department. A year or two after my birth my mother quit to work a more family friendly job, however my father is still going strong and is my department's only Detective. It has always been something I knew I wanted to do. I practically grew up at the Sheriff's Office, and then the Police Department when he went there after running unsuccessfully for Sheriff. While I may have ended up bored after an hour or two of having to be at his office at times I loved being around everyone there, and in fact now work with alot of the guys I grew up around. It made my start in Law Enforcement rather interesting. I wasn't exactly the average rookie on the department, and of course didn't know it all either, but had a great grasp of what to expect.

Some of the things I didn't expect were an interesting change. For proffessional reasons I never call my father "Dad" at work in the presence of other people, it's almost always "Sarge". Being as he is liked by alot of the people he arrested or dealt with on a regular basis I had big shoes to fill. With the small town we work in everyone knew who I was, my father's teachings about treating EVERYONE with the same respect you wanted to be treated with reigned supreme. Even though people knew him, and me through him I still had to build my own reputation with coworkers and citizens. The transition has been interesting. My first few years on the job I heard "Oh, you're Roger's kid" everywhere I went....now over some time I'm proud to hear that people ask him, "Are you Justin's Dad?" when he's dealing with them.

I think due what I've learned from him my outlook on the job is alot different from what some of the other young guys' are. I hear alot of guys pissed because a DUI got off on a technicality, or a dope pinch got plead down to something else. It always sucks to hear that stuff happen. But my mentality has always been "I did my job on the street that night, I got the drunk off the street, or the drugs off the street right then and there." It's not my job to prosecute the cases, just get them to the people that do in the best way I can. It's up to them to win or lose.

I could ramble on longer, but I'll hold back a bit for the sake of discussion. Anyone else have any family stories on the job?

[conalabu]

I don't. I am the first, but your life sounds like a good start to a great career.

[Cidp24]

My dad was a County LEO, Superintendant of a County Penal Farm, Then a State LEO (Pearl River Valley Water Supply District Police).

I rode with him in a patrol car when I was out of school in the summers, woke up and went with him to accident callouts in the night, went with Penal Farm crews to tornado scenes for rescue and cleanup, and I helped work a boat/drags for drownings on the reservoir growing up.

[Pudge]

I don't. I am the first, but your life sounds like a good start to a great career.

It certainly has been thus far. I've been with the Department for ten years now. Hired in part time dispatch after high school and during my brief time in college, then sworn and certified in 2000 working both divisions part time, to my current fulltime position working dispatch and patrol which I've held since 03.

I actually had to wait for him to "retire" from Patrol Sgt. and start his DROP program as Detective Sgt before I could get hired full time. Mainly because of the fact turnover rate is low, and he would have been one of my direct supervisors, which is obviously a no no. That apparently didn't apply when I was part time because we worked many shifts together on patrol. It's interesting when you're backing up a family member. You haul the mail with anyone of the brotherhood, but it's amazing how much more you can squeeze out of that car when it's your dad, and likewise for him the times he's had to back me up.

[jmur5074]

I have an uncle who I work with now, used to do a lot of ride alongs with.

Both my grandpa's were volunteer firefighters, I have one uncle thats a career firefighter in the city I work, my one grandpa was a career firefighter in the city I work, and died in the LOD.

Not a lot of law enforcement, but plenty of firefighting.

[mavriktu]

My story goes back to the 1920s',Never met my grandfather (mothers side) but he was a waterfront detective with N.O.P.D.,and mom would tell stories of him all the time.He also was a part time prize fighter,to make ends meet (4 kids),my favorite story was when he was going to a call a "marked" unit(1944 or so),ran the red light and broad sided my grandpa,marked cop was in the wrong and decided to arrest grandpa for DUI,(never drank),anyways when grandpa is in the holding cell while awaiting his Lt. to arrive and "spring him" grandpa asks for some water.Marked throws a bucket of water in his face and laughs,grandpa says"Can you come here for a second?"beckoning "marked" closer,the idiot did,grandpa ,grabbed his (marked) shirt and proceeded to break his knuckle on his right pinky and right index when his fist went through the bars and connected with "marked" face,collapsing the sinus cavity and 1 eye of same..Grandpa was out in 30 minutes and since his "unit" was demolished he had to have a driver.Who did he choose?????---------You got it.

Now ,growing up with stories like that,what other proffesion is there???

[iso607]

I have an uncle who is retired from the S.O. where I grew up. He did have a little influence on my interest in LE when I was a child, but I don't have any good stories. Only memories of him giving me rides in his patrol car and letting me play with the siren and lights when I was really young.
Funny you should ask about anyone with children wanting to become LEO's. I was just having this discussion with my oldest son (12) the other day. As some of you know, I have three kids, all boys, ages 12, 8, and 3. It would make me proud if any or all my son's became LEO's when they grew up. All of them have the same type of interest in LE as I did when I was thier age. Like I was saying, my oldest said something the other day about becoming a cop when he grew up. He said he though it would be cool. I told him that I did love my job and there were plenty of cool things about it, but explained to him that this job isn't like what he see's on the T.V. I figure all I can do is allow him to make his own decisions on whether he wants to become LE or not and watch and see if he is really cut out for the job in a few years. If I feel he is not, my opinion will be heard by him, but for now, he can dream about it all he wants.

[lynnz05]

I don't have any family that is currently in Law Enforcement. But like JMur I have firefighters, my grandpa was a firefighter in the town I was raised in and my dad is the Fire Chief there now. My brother, however, went to school for Law Enforcement, graduated, got married and than I guess decided that working in Law Enforcement wasn't going to be 'family friendly' enough. 15 years and 3 sons later he is now a business inspector, just got his certification last year. And he doesn't much like that his baby sister works in a jail, he worries about me I guess. Other than him, no one in my family has came close to Law Enforcement.

I have no kids yet, however if my kid(s) decided to go in to Law Enforcement I'd be cool with it.

[Pudge]

My kids are a shade too young yet to show any interest, but my son already has that gleam in his eye when he sees a cruiser. If we pass one of the guys I work with he already knows who it is and asks if it's the car I drive.

I would be proud if any of my kids decided to go into LE, however as a parent I'd hope they find something more lucrative and safer. It's pretty safe to say I now know how my father felt. lol

[Ducky]

My dad was a CO, older brother is a cop, one uncle is a sheriff, another was a deputy, cousin is a cop. All that and no stories.

[Autumn2009]

My brothers an MP in the army. My mom's still trying to figure out how the hell both her kids ended up in law enforcement.

My cousins also a deputy in Florida.

[gozling]

I am the only one as a police officer.
From what i understand though... when my great grandfather came over from Ireland, once he was a citizen he was a police officer for the city of Boston Ma.

[k-9max]

My dad retired from S.O. in Florida as a detective, my dads brother is a Sgt. on a police department in tennesse.

My mother used to be a dispatcher for years here in Ohio, before the fire department combined with the the 911 center. ( central dispatch ).

I always had respect for Officers, Firefighters ect..
When i graduated, i moved to florida with my dad for a year.
i already told ya'll this, i met a chick in Plant City, Fl. her ex was a cop for the city, every fucking time he could write me he did.
I really started to hate cops during this tenure.
My dad made a few calls, and suddenly, the shit stopped.
( yeah fuckers, i ran and told my dad ) lol,

i moved back to the Great state of Ohio, went to the fire academy, then decided i wanted to go to the Police academy.
i started off as a reserve popo in a small village ( also joined the fire dept ) where i did most of my ride time with before, and while attending the academy.

i was a reserve for 2 months, then landed a full-time spot with the department. awesome training department. for the size of the village (population 3500 ) we kicked ass man.
we would turn a fucking turn signal stop into a felony with the shit bags that were down there. again, we kicked ass, i learned alot with that department.

then i started training K9's, and landed a spot with the sheriff dept as a handler.
we now have 2 of us, and a third started training tuesday.

I can not complain with the way things are going at all. My sheriff is awesome, my captain is awesome, the guys i work wth are great, except for one that fucking calls off all the damn time, my wife is awesome, and very supportive with the shit i get into ( like hooking up with reca friday, and bringing another shepard home, god i love her ), well until she gets home friday night,

If i had to do it all over again.
i would change one thing. i wish i never met that crazy biotch in Plant City, Fl

ok im done..

oh yeah, after 10 years on the fire dept, i just resigned last monday. hooray fer me, i couldnt dedicate my time like i first did when i got hired on.

I need the time for LEF now. lol

[Jackalope]

I had a great-grandfather who was a "marshal" in the county that I was an Explorer for. I never knew him, nor have I heard any stories about him. But I have his badge. Just wish I had one of my own.

[nsb22]

My father has been a Deputy for at least 25 years now. My oldest brother is too scared and weak for this job, and my other brother is too much of a drunk for this job.


Don't get me wrong, I love them, but that is the truth.

[ManImBored]

My dad is an LEO and a Paramedic. He never said anything about me doing or not doing what he did. When I asked him about it he would tell me "you do what you want to do." So I ended up going to EMT school and then the police academy. I still want to go back to Paramedic school its just not easy with a full time job. My dad is still on the job but only has a reserve. He keeps talking about getting back into it full time but he is making way more money at his current job than LEO