LEO's family members in legal trouble

[jayqubed]

i have a younger, female relative who recently "allegedly" was the driver during a robbery, and then transported the robbers out of state, in her car. i am use to thinking of criminals as scumbags, but now the sweet little girl i remember is one of Them. i am seriously conflicted because things will never be the same between us. we are bound to see each other at christmas, but it will be different, detached. i view her as a common criminal, and she sees me as a "pig" (i know this because she taught the neologism to another younger relative). i am venting, and i am sure this has happened to other LEO's. it is a different world on this side of the thin blue line.

[Kahuna5150]

You can't pick your family, only your friends. At the same time you don't necessarily have to be friend with members of your family. My rule of thumb has always been to not bring my work home or around my family members. They in turn don't bring their criminal or illegal activity around me (if any). If they do, then I'm out of the situation and don't come near them.

If this young relative is involved I would keep myself out of it. As much as you might want to give your opinion or chime in that she deserves to get whatever punishment, I would just treat her the same as you always have. Basically it doesn't sound like you were very close before the incident so your relationship is pretty much the same...

If she thinks you're a pig, that's OK. Just like you think she's a POS criminal you both have a right to your own opinions, it's when those come out or are thrown into the other persons face it becomes a problem.

Kahuna

[zlmajors]

Yup I gotta chime in and say the part of the BI packets I hated filling out the most were the "Has any member of your family ever been arrested and what for if yes?".

It's something you have no control over, I'd add to kahuna's post that you gotta let her decide the relationship you have at family get togethers. Just like the force continuum she gets to decide how friendly or hostile you two are against each other.

Hard one though, I guess you two are the polar opposites of the family huh.