Cops Smoking Cigarettes In Public In Uniform (Austin, Howe: for sale, apartment)

[curious1111]

Maybe this is a bit old fashioned of me, but I want my kids looking up to the police. We spend all these tax dollars (happy to do it) to support healthy habits programs in the schools, campaigns for healthy eating, exercise, no alcohol, drugs, smoking, etc. However, on most days of the week, at my local Starbucks, there are approximately 4-5 cops hanging out (presumably after shift), standing out front in the parking lot (blocking parking spaces, but never mind that), with their coffee in one hand and cigarette in the other. I have learned to try to avoid it, because the first time I saw it my kids said - "look, the policeman are smoking!"

What someone does in their private time is their business, and obviously this is not something that is illegal or anything. For all I know, it may not even be against the rules. But shouldnt it? Policeman in uniform loitering around smoking cigarettes at their patrol cars? Interestingly, they all look like they are 20-somethings...i.e. no more senior looking Officers with them or around.

Am I wrong to be bothered by it, or find it a bit disappointing?

[TexasHorseLady]

Last I heard, smoking is still legal.

I suspect your kids reacted the way they did because they were imitating you and your reactions to people who do something that, while legal, you don't approve of. That's what's usually the case when kids react that way - they've been taught to either by instruction or by example. Probably otherwise they wouldn't even notice that the policemen were smoking.

The police officers lay their lives on the line every day to protect us. It's a more than stressful job sometimes. I say, let them smoke in peace.

I don't smoke, by the way. Well, in the interests of full disclosure, I did try it once, in college, when I was living in an apartment with 3 chain smokers and it was exam time - figured that was as good a time as any. Lasted a whole month - doesn't agree with me, personally, so I stopped. Back then (this was 40 years ago), everyone smoked and even those who didn't usually enjoyed the aroma. The culture at that time, like all cultures, taught us what we did and did not like, so since we didn't know that we weren't supposed to like the aroma of cigarette smoke, we loved it. It was only later that we were taught that we weren't supposed to like it and so many of us don't. (See, we learn by instruction and example even when we're adults!)

I don't think you're wrong to be bothered by it - see the paragraph immediately above. As long as you keep that botheredness your problem and don't try to make it theirs.

[elan]

Oh my goodness, they are on break. Leave them be.

[homesteading]

Some police departments won't hire smokers. I wanted to be a cop for a while and I know that the state police in Idaho and all the counties surrounding where I lived had hiring exclusion for anyone who smoked within the last year.

Personally, I think it's none of their business. I think fitness tests should be routine, but personal habits should be off limits.

[curious1111]

Lots of things are legal, but they aren't necessarily something you would expect to see a policeman in uniform doing, on or off duty. I guess the question I should have asked in this thread is whether or not a policeman in uniform should be held to higher standard.

And to Horsewoman, who I have admired many times on this board, I have to disagree in this case. My kids had that reaction because schools these days are pushing a healthier life daily, especially about the harms of smoking. They have come home talking about it many times. We have always taught them how important and revered the police officers are to us, so I think that they had a hard time rationalizing this.

By the way, you are not supposed to smoke in public in uniform in many settings if you are in the armed forces, I know this from personal experience. Our military put their lives on the line also, I just think that they have figured out the public message this sends to civilians and youth. Apparently some police departments, like the one mentioned in Idaho, have figured it out also.

[TexasHorseLady]

A policeman in uniform should not be observed doing anything illegal. (This includes, of course, putting on his lights so he can run a light, which is of much more concern to me than smoking a cigarette.)

Smoking, again, is legal. We could carry this to the obvious next step and say that a policeman in uniform should not be seen eating a Big Mac, either, because it's bad for you (and food is already the next in line for smoking's place on the agenda of the PC crowd).

[curious1111]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

A policeman in uniform should not be observed doing anything illegal. (This includes, of course, putting on his lights so he can run a light, which is of much more concern to me than smoking a cigarette.)

Smoking, again, is legal. We could carry this to the obvious next step and say that a policeman in uniform should not be seen eating a Big Mac, either, because it's bad for you (and food is already the next in line for smoking's place on the agenda of the PC crowd).

Or the other extreme, why can't they wear body piercings - nose rings, etc. Or why can't they make out with other police officers, etc in public? Those are all legal things.

Your posts assume that there should be no other higher standard than legal or not for a uniformed police officer. So just say that. I strongly disagree, but can respect the clarity of that argument vs.talking about Big Macs, which aren't prohibited for sale by the Surgeon General to kids.

[h886]

Do you take your kids to McDonalds? Ever feed them anything with processed sugar in it? Do you or your husband ever drink a coke? Allow your kids to play video games or watch TV? Clean your house using clorox or other cleaners? Chances are you've done things that aren't the "perfect" health choice too and chances are you've done it in front of your kids.

I don't smoke. I don't consider it a healthy choice for me. But you know what? I eat cheeseburgers. That's not healthy. So sue me. It's my body and I'm not doing anything illegal. I think you do far more harm to kids by presenting the idea that anything except "perfect" is unacceptable. Being wrapped into a big ball of stress is often much more harmful in the long run. Just fyi...

[curious1111]

Originally Posted by h886

Do you take your kids to McDonalds? Ever feed them anything with processed sugar in it? Do you or your husband ever drink a coke? Allow your kids to play video games or watch TV? Clean your house using clorox or other cleaners? Chances are you've done things that aren't the "perfect" health choice too and chances are you've done it in front of your kids.

I don't smoke. I don't consider it a healthy choice for me. But you know what? I eat cheeseburgers. That's not healthy. So sue me. It's my body and I'm not doing anything illegal. I think you do far more harm to kids by presenting the idea that anything except "perfect" is unacceptable. Being wrapped into a big ball of stress is often much more harmful in the long run. Just fyi...

I reject the notion that any of those things are on the same level of a lifetime of smoking cigarettes. And actually, the answer is no to most of the things you listed.

This slippery slope of taking the leading cause of preventible death in the US and something we have agreed as a society should be illegal for minors and comparing it to eating bacon or playing video games is just silly. I couldnt have predicted this particular response...would have never thought about the "hey smoking isn't that bad for kids" argument... But it IS Austin! All part of the "green/environmental" hypocrisy :-) But I digress...

Should fireman toke up outside the local Kroger in uniform? What about the pastor at the local church? Leader of the YMCA youth group? Boy Scout leaders? Pick your example of our civic servants and leaders in uniform that the kids are supposed to look up to.

So at 2pm the kids are receiving a publicly funded message in school of DON'T SMOKE. They walk out the door at 3pm and see the uniformed policeman, also publicly funded, smoking away. You say.... " no problem!".

I did ask after all... Just a little surprised at the rationale behind some of the responses. "if they are off duty" is pretty much what I expected...

[CarnivalGal]

A few months ago, I saw a Travis County Sheriff's officer smoking while in uniform while directing traffic around a minor accident. Completely rubbed me the wrong way for several reasons. First, I agree that if they are in uniform, they shouldn't be smoking. Just not the image they should project. There are plenty of private companies that do not allow their employees to smoke while wearing their uniforms, so it's not as though it's unheard of. Second, he was actually working. Totally inappropriate to be smoking while actually on the job. And finally, he was smoking in the middle of the street. As far as I could tell, he didn't have an ashtray strapped to his belt. Smoking may not be illegal, but putting your cigarette butts out on the ground is.