Monthly Archives: March 2017

Back to the Police Belt Knife

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Randall

Back in the Dark Ages of the 1980’s, when I was a rookie, there was pretty much one standard knife carried by police officers and that was the now-venerable Buck 110. Along with a revolver, the sturdy lock back folder went in its leather pouch on an officer’s duty belt. The one-handed opening pocket knife had not yet been popularized. A new cop is often a “gadget guy.” You look for cool things to buy and hang on your belt or to stockpile in your car. Since knives are rarely issued to patrolmen, selecting one could be an important and fun endeavor. My feeling, at the time, was that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Knives, Street | Leave a comment

Just Out For a Jog…

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Randall

My exercise regimen includes running through my neighborhood. Being outside for a workout adds to its relative enjoyment. Hey, it is still an unwelcome exertion. On one of my recent weekly runs, I was on a very affluent street with waterfront properties. About 50 yards ahead of me I saw a man…sprinting. He was not attired to jog. Hmmm. Dressed in long pants and a dark hoodie, the man crossed the road and cut the corner through the opposite house’s yard. Definitely not normal. A burglar? The residence from which he fled belongs to a noted local restauranteur. As I approached, I saw the home’s garage doors wide open with … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Misc., Off Duty, Tactics | 4 Comments

State Attorney Censures Officer

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Randall

Florida’s Tenth Judicial Circuit has issued a “death letter” against a Bartow police officer based upon a social media post in November of last year. This should be yet another warning that police officers do not have First Amendment protections against opinionated, questionable, or inflammatory personal Internet postings. Ofc. Christina Arribas posted the following on Facebook under an alias name after the Presidential election: “Yes!!!! This year we lost two gorillas. One is in heaven, and one is moving out of the White House. One will be missed. One will not be.” Based upon this single post, State Attorney Brian Haas officially wrote to Ofc. Arribas that, “The evidence of … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal, Misc. | 2 Comments

Where I have been and where I am going…

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Randall

Hello, friends. My posting here took a hiatus while I worked very hard to be promoted to lieutenant late last year.  It paid off.  I spent several months in charge of our Detective Division, where I ran Burglary/Auto Theft, Robbery/Homicide, and Vice/Narcotics.  I was then assigned to my new home on the Midnight Shift, with command over our K9 Unit and SWAT Team.  Things became hectic. I miss my sergeant stripes, but the move to gold bars has not been without its own unique challenges.  I have a good crew with competent supervisors and motivated officers under my watch.  The adjustment is to let the shift do its work, monitor … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc. | 7 Comments