Colorado Cadet under investigation for impersinating an officer

[RiverAux]

I've never seen a CAP jacket like that.  Is it "official"? 

Interesting, this is just what the CG Aux does all the time -- on the water.  Boat on over to people and offer to help....of course, thats what we're supposed to be doing...

[Stonewall]

Looking back, I was borderline one of these kids on the video.  At 17 I was a CAP cadet and a junior firefighter.  When I turned 18 before my senior year, I went to EVOC and already had the 40hr VFF course and EMT under my belt.  No doubt that I dreamed of being the EMS supervisor with an SUV decked out with strobes, LEDs and a siren.  But luckily I had excellent senior members in CAP and great officers at the VFD who steered me in the right direction.

Since those times, dating back to the late '80s, I have seen tons of these types of people in volunteer fire departments and CAP alike.  The 20 or 30-something adult man or woman who lives in some POS apartment working at Subway or delivering pizzas only to support their one and only mission in life; to be a hero.  Grown adults who think CAP is their job, more specifically, Emergency Services.  As if the country has appointed them into this position and that's all they have in life.  Sporting amber or red lights on the station wagon and every tshirt they own has some sort of emblem representing them as a VFF or ES guru. 

Truth is, there are probably some people on this forum who are a bit jealous of those youngsters in the videos.  They live at home and have parents' money to deck their expensive vehicles with about $2000 worth of emergency flashers and sirens.  Trust me, the're expensive.  I used to be responsible for that stuff for our vehicles up in DC.  Between our limo, Tahoe, Expedition, Chrysler 300 and Impala, we spent about $14,000 to have them outfitted.

For some of us, we are lucky.  We get paid to exactly what we want to do in life.  We don't have to use our free time and personal money to do what we love.  Some of these young men and women, who are 18, 19, or even in their early 20s may only have what they get from a VFD or CAP.  Minimal paying jobs but some residual benefits from their wealthy parents, like a red Expedition.  Not to mention room and board.  They may not be qualified to get on with a fire or police dept, or even get into the military for some reason.  Many people want the end result without going through college, and academy or basic training.  Lots of those in CAP.  They are well intentioned, but ill-advised.  They can't understand the level of responsibility, liabilty and reality of the environment in which they think they live.  Lots of us are lucky.  I get paid twice over for doing what I love.  I'm a full-time police officer and part-time airman in security forces.  Only thing missing really, is my love for EMS.  But still being an EMT and qualified in HAZMAT Level III, I am a part of the Disaster Relief/Emergency Response Team.  It's just not full-time, but rather a  contingency mission.

Hopefully these kids will grow out of what they're doing.  I applaud their motivation and desires, but at some point you have to balance your dreams with reality.  I also hope these guys don't roll up on a disabled vehicle only to find a guy contemplating killing his wife, himself and anyone who gets in his way.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Well said, Kirt.

Especially the part about them wanting the excitement and the glory but without the tedious preparation and training.

[flyerthom]

The police could work with them instead of trying to stop them.  As capchiro said they just need a little direction.  If they really like the cool looking lights let them keep them.  Maybe make them give up the drop leg and the official looking jackets, but besides that let them go.  Why not use them while they are still excited about the game.

Let me give you a real life example of why they shouldn't keep them.

This was from my days of volunteer EMS. We were dispatched to an motor vehicle crash - van versus power pole. One of our "junior" volunteers heard the dispatch on his scanner (evil boxes  ) and "whacked" the call. We found him in the van. How he got past the sparking waving broken power line sans getting shocked is still an unknown. What is known is we were on the PA not just instructing but pleading with him NOT TO GET OUT OF THE VAN.

His attempt to be a hero put the victims, himself, our crew, and the power company people all at risk. After the call he got quite the addarectumoy (a real butt chewing) and the worse punishment possible    He got assigned to my crew!
Last I heard he was an EMT-P somewhere in New Jersey. Maybe he learned something that day about thinking and safety first.

[ZigZag911]

Ordinarily item #1 on the ES person's 'to do' list when encountering a situation in which other people need our help is: THINK

This simple process can avoid a lot of grief, mistakes, and needless harm to self & others!

Granted there are occasions when lives are on the line and an immediate reaction is needed.....but this is exceedingly rare for the average CAP member to come across (those who are not professional first responders, that is).

[SARMedTech]

In Texas, a person can be cited for "failing to render aid."

How can you cite someone not responsible for rendering aide (ie a LEO at any time or a EMT or medic while on duty) for failing to do so?  We have some crazy public service laws in NM where I used to live, but none of them says that we must stop and help change a tire, etc. Maybe I misunderstand what you mean by "failing to render aide."

Of course in Texas, its also legal to shoot a LEO if he enters your property through or over a fence not having been summoned there  or dispatched there and if it is at night. Its also illegal to be ugly in public in California and in Chicago a fireman has to lead a cow through a covered walkway of the Commodities exchange at least once each year due to an old city ordinance that says that the walkway must be used for the movement of lifestock or be bricked up. Just cause its on the books...yadda yadda

[Major Carrales]

My Friend, I don't make the laws (yet, anyways ), but that is one of them.

[flyguy06]

Stonewall, Flying Pig, and LtCol White,

I agree with you all. These young people were very irresponsible and put themselves at an unnesessary risk.

Were they actually trying to help someone, or were they just trying to show off? A lot of this attitude is perpetuated by TV and how Hollywood glorifies action and adventure. I waas victim to this growing up watching all the war movies I just had to become an infantryofficer. Well when I went to Iraq and actually saw the body bags pf people I knew, it put a whole new persepctive on life for me.

My other question is are we sure the one kid was reresenting Civil Air Patrol? Just because he had a jacket that said "CAP" doesnt mean Civil Air Patrol. I have never seen a Civil Air Patrol jacket in that configuration before.

[stillamarine]

Yes, in discussion with people online he told people he was with Civil Air Patrol which fell under Dept of Homeland Security

[flyguy06]

WOW

[Flying Pig]

In the video, there is writing under the "CAP".   Not to mention, on the front of the jacket he has some type of badge when he turns to walk back to the video camera.

I just want to know what he had in his holser.  Going back to my previous post, whenever he approached a car, he had his hand on it.  Im not saying it was gun, Im inclined to believe it was not.  But it must have been some type of weapon.

What really makes me wonder about their intentions is the nature of the video.  It was definitely a "look at me" video.  Looks like someone was trolling for medals and wanted the video proof to back it up.

[Major Carrales]

Yes, in discussion with people online he told people he was with Civil Air Patrol which fell under Dept of Homeland Security

Oye...Oye...Oye... Let this 2b Hearing officially begin. 

However, suppose someone see's an accident or distressed motorist on th way to a meeting?  What then?

[Eagle400]

However, suppose someone see's an accident or distressed motorist on th way to a meeting?  What then?

If the person who sees the distressed motorist is not sporting code-3 lights on their car and impersonating law enforcement officers, then everything is fine.  That's just being a good samaritan.   

[pixelwonk]

Yes, in discussion with people online he told people he was with Civil Air Patrol which fell under Dept of Homeland Security

Oye...Oye...Oye... Let this 2b Hearing officially begin. 

However, suppose someone see's an accident or distressed motorist on th way to a meeting?  What then?

Simple, Help them if you're able. Call for help if you're not.

Chances are, you won't:

Be wearing a ridiculous CAP raid jacket What's up with that?
Be wearing an even more ridiculous drop holster
Have an buttload of lights on your vehicle
Be videotaping the whole event, as well as a "Squad 51" rollout from the parent's garage with lights flashing as you blow through stop signs.

[Flying Pig]

I dont think anyone is discouraging people from helping anyone.  However,  I always go with the phone call into the local agency first, unless I see a need to stop right away.  Ive been on several accident scenes where the people who stopped to help have become unattended victims themselves by being rear ended. 

Ive also been on a few accidents that were caused by the boyfriend being more concerned with punching his girlfriend in the face vs. his paying attention to the road.

In 10 years, Ive been in 4 shootings.  3 were on vehicle stops.  Now...granted, they knew I was a cop and there were circumstances leading up to it, but criminals like to drive.

Ive made several arrests after stopping to assist a loley female on the side of the road next to her car.  When I get up to the car, who do I see?  Her tatted up parolee boyfriend lookin' at me   

OMG that was funny....I just made that one up....wheeeew!

[Major Carrales]

I just read the full "whacker forum" topic and...I could just be sick.     Not really at anything they said there per se , but that the name of CAP is being soiled by these idiots pretending to be something they are not.

Now...now can we best address this issue?

My suggestions:

1) External Education of CAP really does; including full truth about our relationship to Homeland Security and what we are not allowed to do.

2) Internal Education on what we do and what constitutes "stupidity."  This film is a good "this is what you must not do."

Should this Cadet be 2b'ed?  What say y'all.

[Stonewall]

Should this Cadet be 2b'ed?  What say y'all.

If it can be done, I'd say a 5 year suspension due to "needs maturing".

[pixelwonk]

I just read the full "whacker forum" topic and...I could just be sick.     Not really at anything they said there per se , but that the name of CAP is being soiled by these idiots pretending to be something they are not.

Now...now can we best address this issue?

My suggestions:

1) External Education of CAP really does; including full truth about our relationship to Homeland Security and what we are not allowed to do.

Why get your undies in a bunch about some trolls on a unrelated forum who are looking for laughs amongst themselves? An isolated incident does not warrant a revamp of how CAP presents itself to the nation. If we haven't been doing a good job of that, this is not the result. CAP may acknowledge in a token gesture that one of their members messed up, and it will handle it (hopefully at the local level) and move on.

Move on... there's a thought.

2) Internal Education on what we do and what constitutes "stupidity."  This film is a good "this is what you must not do."

You're right on that one. Any commander or MLO who is aware of this event has an instant Moral Leadership topic on hand. 
Thing is... How many CAP members are going to be aware of this?  Most will be too busy doing what they always do for CAP, at the same time scratching their heads at the poorly executed Professional Conduct Memo.

Yeah, great stuff. Move on. 

[JohnKachenmeister]

2b a cadet for doing a dumb thing?

We won't have any left!

[SARMedTech]

My Friend, I don't make the laws (yet, anyways ), but that is one of them.

Just tell me where to show up to stuff the ballot box vote for you when you run.