Private police carry guns and make arrests

Now I want to be a cop.

But a rogue cop.

Who gets yelled at by his chief yet makes the bust and saves the day in the end.

Yup, the potential is there - it always is, everywhere. I had to pass psych evals that I know for fact some former cops failed when they tried to get in on it. On the flip side of that, I did work with some guys who I wondered HOW they ever got through the sieve. I'll never forget one guy that used to brag about keeping 600 rounds of ammo (this if for a SIX SHOOTER now!) in his trunk. I got so tired of hearing that I asked him when and where he was expecting a war to break out around town, and how the hell he expected to GET TO his trunk when that happened.

We probably had more stringent requirements to get in the door to begin with, too - either a degree in law Enforcement OR former combat experience. You know the guys with degrees shot right to the top, right? Grunts just stayed in the ranks, grunting. I reckon they wanted the experienced guys behind the sights, in case the frat boys froze up, not having the proper reactions installed. Oh, don't get me wrong - those fellas were smart, just in an awkward, might get shot any instant sort of way.

I was also on the "Rapid Response Team" which is a fancy phrase for "keep a go-bag packed". There were a couple of guys in every office on it, and if crap went south anywhere, we got the midnight call to board a flight, and guys in several different offices around the nation got the same call. It wasn't like a police RRT - they only have to respond locally. We would get sent anywhere that there might be dragons. I was actually sent up EI's way on one flight, into PA, which is how I know what pretty countryside he lives in. There were 20 or 30 guys from several different offices in several different states on that one.

I was also one of 3 guys who always got the call when the US Marshall's Service contract got activated. that was only within the state, though - but we had to be wherever they wanted us to be within 2 hours. The only time that went out of state was if we had to escort a prisoner to some other state.

Most of the guys were pretty professional, but we got the occasional ringer that everyone looked at sideways and thought "how'd YOU get here?". You're right, they COULD get out of hand, but not more than a couple times before word went up the food chain and they got stuck with every door-rattling assignment that came along. Whenever a new guy came in, we kinda kept an eye on him, and if we had to call him down more than a couple times, the next thing he knew he was on crossing guard duty or carrying a key clock around by his lonesome.

I've worked with plenty of Contractors down range and the majority were good guys and yes, even gals. And they did have their share of idiots as well, just like any other business. I've known contractors who fancied themselves door kickers and caused more trouble that way. The company always kicked them to the curb, but it was usually, too little, to late.

I guess the problem I have is that they are employed by a private company, rather than by the taxpayer. So there is little loyalty to the town possibly. The guy in the story is hopefully, the rule.