Veteran cop: We’re on alert for crime — it’s what we do

As a 32-year veteran of law enforcement in Central Florida, I’d like to shed light on why officers do what they do, and to dispel any misperceptions about police work.

A debate about police and citizen encounters followed the June 9 traffic stop by the Orlando Police Department of Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala. The stop, according to the officers, was due to a license-plate database issue. Ayala received no citation.

Keep in mind that every law-enforcement agency works to prevent crime and that achieving that goal requires many different approaches, most visibly with patrolling by uniformed police officers. Their job is to evaluate their surroundings and identify the people or anything that seems out of place or suspicious. This is not an exact science, and depends on the officers’ training and experience. They routinely run tags to identify stolen vehicles or to find drivers with outstanding warrants or suspended driving privileges. And that’s on top of the basics, like identifying traffic violations and making stops.

Officers initiate contact with citizens to identify potential offenders or those they suspect of criminal behavior and traffic infractions. Officers also initiate most of such contacts based on “reasonable suspicion,” which means they can articulate the reasons they believe a person might be engaged in criminal behavior. This is best defined as officers, based on their knowledge and the totality of the facts and circumstances, believing that the person is, was or is about to be engaged in criminal actions.

This reasonable suspicion and a concern for safety sometimes will lead to what’s known as “stop and frisk.” Not every stop involves a frisk — only those in which officers can demonstrate a safety concern for themselves, the subject or anyone in the vicinity. Although infrequent, stop and frisk might lead to handcuffing and searching the suspect, again because of a concern for public safety. For those who are innocent, these actions can be frightening, embarrassing and frustrating; however, if the officers can describe why they felt concerned about safety, then their precautions with handcuffs are legal.

Arrests are based on probable cause, which is described as the facts and circumstances, together with any evidence, that prompt officers to believe the person in question has committed a crime. Probable cause is at the root of all arrests, whether the subject is released at the scene or taken to a jail for booking and processing. While every probable cause-based arrest may not be prosecuted, the lack of prosecution does not mean that the arrest was bad. Police officers don’t always get it right — they, like everyone else, are human and fallible. But when officers act in good faith based on sound judgment and adequate knowledge of the law and can clearly present their case, they should not be punished unless any mistake was glaring.

Are there biased police officers? Absolutely. However, the statistics say they are far fewer than we are led to believe. Of the 800,000 police officers working day in and day out in our country, we hear only about the small number of officers who are engaged in controversy, and often those stories are told from a single perspective with little opportunity for rebuttal. That is not to say that the bad apples aren’t bad, but there are so few that we shouldn’t burn the orchard.

Central Florida law-enforcement agencies share your concerns when an officer acts inappropriately. Police officers can work well only in the light of accountability and transparency. For citizens who are concerned about the actions of a specific officer or an agency, there are avenues to follow so that inquiries and investigations can be made. Central Florida is fortunate that its local agencies are open and transparent, willing to work with the community for the good of all.

Finally, no one wants officers to operate with a zero-tolerance mindset; we expect discretion and compassion in their interactions with us and offenders. So why are some citizens eager to make an example of officers who make mistakes?

Officers routinely run tags to identify stolen vehicles or to find drivers with outstanding warrants or suspended driving privileges.