No Professional Courtesy-is it true?

[mr. mac]

My intent is not to open up a discussion as to whether "Professional courtesy" among writing other cops tickets, is right or wrong-since there was a loooooooong forum on that topic a few months ago. But, the police dept I work for is convinced that you won't typically see state troopers extend professional courtesy to other officers. But that this is rather practiced only with local PDs. Is this true and if so why?

[Bravo8]

I don't think it is so much a matter of State vs. Municipal, but more of an individualized matter. It depends more on the specific agency, and even more so on the individual officer. Departments seem to have their own "personality" so to speak, and I could see a department comprised of officers that don't extend professional courtesy. I also know of departments where no officer would ever write another officer (such as mine). It's just a personal belief.

As for PSP, I have been stopped a few times before, and have not been issued a citation. So I would say that a gross generalization, such as this, would be false (as most stereotypes are).

[DelC]

Although some State Police/Patrol don’t extend professional courtesy to local LEO's, you can bet your boots they extend it to Troopers of their own state, for minor stuff. I don’t want to mention any names, but VA comes to mind. Also, it seems professional courtesy is extended more on the extreme East and West Coasts and in major cities, with low crime areas being left out. I think it has something to do with the physiology of the danger of working in a high crime area, i.e., if you're getting your butt kicked you don't care where your backup comes from and whether they are off-duty or on.

[UN_Cop]

I guess the professional relations thing can be funny sometimes. Myself, I have not ever given a brother/sister officer a ticket. Now, their has been a couple of officers who where in so deep that I could do nothing for them. On the flip side I have been stopped for speeding and so forth, never got a ticket. But, I was always was very polite and respectfull to the officer/deputy/trooper. I guess the fact is I have done police work all over, even in Kosovo, and made the same comment. People talk themselves into s@#& with the police! Nevertheless, no matter how I am treated I believe that we have to take care of ourselves and each other. I hope people do not misunderstand that I would turn the blind eye to a major issue, but something like a ticket , no problem. Take care and be safe.

[Masscop]

The courtesy is extended by the individual officer. He has the final say, not his department. I have seen courtesy given to officers from across the country as well as officers from other countries. I have also seen officers NOT give consideration to members of their own department. {go figure}

It is true that some departments give less consideration to other departments, {state vs. municipal} but overall the final say is in the hand of the individual officer {regardless of his dept.}

I personally will extend courtesy to any officer, from any department, from anywhere. The majority of officers from departments in the New England area also do the same.
I hear stories about certain departments but I have never had a problem anywhere I have traveled, {California, Florida etc.}

[Gar]

Mass cop hit it on the head. It comes down to the cop at the scene. You can’t generalise whole agencies. Everyone has his or her own opinions. You can go from barracks to barracks and find completely different thoughts on professional courtesy offered to other agencies. You might find that downstate NYS troopers that patrol 87 might give a NYPD cop a ticket faster than an upstate Trooper might.