Off-duty police officer attacked by mob

[DoubleJ]

How did the attackers know that he was an off-duty police officer? From what I've read, he was attacked without provocation.

- Jim

probably the mustache.

[Rockrz]

Well, there's the problem. It's very obvious that
this guy was W.O.W.W.

(Waiting Outside While White)

[Glock 23]

Many cops have to act like they're cops all the time, even when off duty.
They could probably tell by his actions or speech somehow.

granted you cant pickup sarcasm or tone on a board, but that statement sounds absurd.
How does one "have to act" like a cop to the point its obvious when off duty?

[seamusTX]

Turns out this story is a little more complicated than first reported.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/15 ... e-dibble15

Earlier in the evening, Dibble [the officer who was attacked] said he had mistakenly grabbed the behind of a woman, thinking she was his wife. He apologized to the woman, who was the wife of Vilan’s friend. [Vilan was the now-deceased attacker.]

Outside later, investigators said, one of Vilan’s companions slammed Dibble in the back of the head with a chair. With Dibble on the ground bleeding, Vilan confronted him about groping his friend’s wife, sheriff’s Lt. John Shultz said. Taylor Willis and three other men began stomping and kicking the off-duty motorcycle officer.

- Jim

[Rockrz]

granted you cant pickup sarcasm or tone on a board, but that statement sounds absurd.
How does one "have to act" like a cop to the point its obvious when off duty?

I've know a few guys that were active police officers and every where they go it seems like thier actions say "I'm a cop" even when they are off duty, in plain clothes, having nothing to do with their job.

If I were a cop, I'd go out of my way to make sure I did not look or act like a cop when I was off duty. That way, if something did go down, I can have a better chance at having the element of supprise. Seems like it is a better idea to act like your not a cop when off duty.

You have to remember that there is a growing segment of our population that despises all authority, and since cops are on the front line of authority they are targets whether they realize or not, even when off duty.

I thank God for cops because they are what sits in between me and the criminals in our society.
If it weren't for law enforcement, I'd have to start dealing directly with criminals...and I like to shoot first and ask questions later, so it's better for the cops to be out there than some of us civilians.

[NcongruNt]

I've know a few guys that were active police officers and every where they go it seems like thier actions say "I'm a cop" even when they are off duty, in plain clothes, having nothing to do with their job.

Quite true. It's not blanketly true, but there are a lot of cops who "look like cops" because of their demeanor and appearance, even in street clothes. The same can be said for other professions as well. Many military and ex-military folks have a similar vibe, to the point where you can tell what branch they're from (most notably Army and Marine foks).

One of the more noticeable giveaways for off-duty cops is the fact that even in plain clothes they still retain the habit of standing with an arm tucked at the side, mostly immobile above the elbow - as they would in uniform as a weapon retention technique. I did something similar to this myself for a while (mostly subconsciously) when I first started carrying, as cover garment retention. My girlfriend pointed it out to me, and it took a couple of months of actively trying to quit to purge the habit. As I became more comfortable with my method of carry and more fully understood when my weapon would actually be visible with various clothing movements, I was able to retrain my demeanor habits. Also, a black gun carried at 3:00 in a black holster, on a black belt, over a black/dark undershirt and pants with a dark - or even bright red - cover garment is very difficult to see, even if the cover shirt opens up some.

Back to the topic at hand, quite an unfortunate set of circumstances for the officer. What began with a simple mistake turned into a very serious situation. Whether or not some may think his manners in public with a spouse were proper, his mistake certainly didn't warrant the cowardly ambush attack that transpired as a result.