Expert: Jim Pastore - 10/16/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

This might seem a bit silly, but do you have to know how to swim to be a Police Officer or Deputy Sheriff in Ohio?

Thanks for your time.

Brian

ANSWER: Brain,

  No you don't have to be able to swim. But it doesn't hurt to know how.

Jim

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the quick reply.

I have a few other questions and I hope you won't mind.

Under what pre-tense is an officer allowed to use a tazer? When he feels he is in danger, ie when someone is resisting arrest, etc. Of course you can't go around tazing everyone who looks at you cross-eyed.

Also....how well are you expected to know your streets/routes when you are new on the job? Do most of the cruisers these days have GPS? How long do you work alongside another officer before they turn you loose on your own?  

Answer
Most Departments allow the use of a tazer if the officer feels he is in jeopardy of bodily harm and there is no less force that can reasonably be use to stop the persons aggression. When a recruit is done with his or her basic police academy they are assigned to a training officer. Usually the time with a training officer is approx 3 months. Sometimes sooner, depending on the recruit. By the end of their training they usually know the area streets pretty well. When I was working we did not have GPS in the patrol cars. I would imagine some Departments use them but not real sure on that answer.

Jim