Police Directing Traffic in Dedham Allowed to Listen to IPODS???

Rustcraft Rd. (0.00 / 0)

Thanks for the heads up. I drive that road daily and I never know what I may see. For example, yesterday there were seven men doing details.  I know that there were construction going on but seven people getting paid big money to do details. Did we really need that many? Did anybody else see them?

These are my thoughts alone.
Gloria

Gloria

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by: cavolg @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 00:10:24 AM CDT

doesn't the developer pay for the details? (0.00 / 0)

It is my understanding that the developer is paying for all the detail police working on the project, not the town. If that is the case, then I say the more details the better. Assuming, of course, the detail officers are actually doing what they're supposed to be doing.  

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by: sullypat66 @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 08:02:21 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

In the long run .... (4.00 / 1)

 ... we all pay. No matter who actually cuts the check to the details, rest assured, those costs will be passed onto either a paying customer or the taxpayer.

Then think of the extra hours on each police officer which can effect their regular job (serving and protecting the people of Dedham).

Just across the street from my office there is a paving project, seven guys working the paver/roller/truck. And how many officers on detail, FOUR! And this is on a closed street! So four police officers on detail ... versus seven actual workers. Which do you think cost more? I'll lay odds that the detail actually is costing that job more than the guys doing the work.

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by: cebonvini @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 08:34:44 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Just a suggestion (0.00 / 0)

You should report what you saw to the Police Dept.  I'd recommend calling Chief Weir's office (781-751-9324) and voice your concerns to him.  If there is no policy on the type of behavior you witnessed (which I find hard to believe), then maybe your call will point out there should be.  Making the call will probably take less time than it did to type your post.  

Over the few short years I've lived in Dedham I've had a handful of occasions to report a complaint or make an inquiry to various town departments and I've always received a prompt and professional response.  You may not get the response or answer you want, but the only way to do something about it is to speak up.  Yes, blogging about it is one way of speaking up, I realize that.  But give feedback to the folks in position to make a change, if that's what's needed.

   

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by: Eric C. @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 07:16:16 AM CDT

Policy (0.00 / 0)

The Dedham police doesnt have anything in writing yet about the use of IPODS while on detail, but it is my understanding that they have been spoken to by the chief. They are not supposed to be wearing them while on details. Maybe these officers were from other departments? There have been alot of Canton, Westwood, and Sheriff's dept. doing details in town lately. If they were Dedham guys then the Chief should be notified of this, because it is an unwritten policy.

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by: steve123 @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 10:17:58 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

good point! (0.00 / 0)

I saw one of Dedham's finest listening to an iPod while at a detail near the construction site across from M&M Pizza on High Street and had the same concerns.  There wasn't any traffic directing or crime fighting going on while he was listening to the iPod.  I cannot imagine that police or any public servants are effective listening to music on headphones or talking on the phone while on duty.

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by: Spency @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 14:31:01 PM CDT

Not the police. (0.00 / 0)

I drove by three places in Dedham today with road work. They all had at least two people directing traffic at each location. I got a good look at a couple of them. The people I watched directing traffic, are not regular Dedham police. I didn't recognize any of them. Their uniforms had stars for badges not shields, like Dedham police have on their uniforms. Also their uniforms and hats are completely different. Maybe they are the sheriffs department? (Just guessing) I did notice two on cell phones and one listing to an I-pod.

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by: Dedham Phantom @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 16:18:29 PM CDT

iPods? (0.00 / 0)

I have driven past police on details on Sprague St. who indeed have headphones in their ears ... any chance they are not attached to an iPod, but to a Bluetooth-like communications device?

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by: stebivule @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 23:29:49 PM CDT

Old news (0.00 / 0)

I've been seeing Boston cops working details with IPods for a few years now. I can't say when the first time was, but it's definitely at least a couple of years now.

IPods don't bother me, as long as they're doing their jobs.  Cops standing on the sidewalk, talking to the workers or drinking coffee when they should be in the street bothers me. I've seen that happen a million times over the years, and now that I have a digital camera, I"ve thought of driving around taking pictures and putting them up on a web site.  

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by: MarkB @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 23:36:35 PM CDT

POLICE DETAILS (0.00 / 0)

     Once again leave it to the news reporters to provide accurate and precise information. The officers would not have to direct all that traffic if people payed attention to the signs "SEEK ALTERNATE ROUTES!"  I think the police do an excellent job! Especially Dedham Police!  
    Has anyone considered that the State and the Town do all this work at the same time. Legacy Place has a deadline and have crews all over Route 1. Do you think traffic will be better when it is completed? When your stuck in traffic exiting from your Christmas shopping in December you wil be saying "There should be a officer out here directing traffic!"
   O yeah those evil ipods! Don't you listen to your radio when you are driving? Drivers should shut those radios off while driving, It just can't be done! Of course you'll have to put down the coffee, donut and newspaper before you free up a hand to turn off the radio! Nevermind the cell phone!
       So drive careful and lets be nice to the police, It is police memorial week!  Thank them for providing the blanket of security we all sleep under everynight! Personally I like having them out there!!

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by: ALL CIVIL INFRACTIONS @ Tue May 19, 2009 at 20:22:58 PM CDT

Always a Treat (0.00 / 1)

I always enjoy reading posts from people who take the position of "The ______ are wonderful they can do no wrong!" (insert police, firefighters, teachers, soldiers, ninjas, whatever into the blank). I especially like the ones! littered! with! exclamation points!! (you know, to emphasize just how much they understand the world and you don't). Just remember, if you suggest that the police ever do anything wrong, you are not just anti-cop, you're anti-American and you should be waterboarded.

As an aside, it's against the law to drive while listening to an iPod through your headphones. Something tells me it's even sillier to enforce traffic while doing so.  Just sayin.  

sigh It must be wonderful to live in a world where everyone is either nice or mean and it's easy to tell because the good guys are handsome and wear white while the bad guys have that evil look in their eyes under their black hats.

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by: stebivule @ Tue May 19, 2009 at 21:54:31 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Donuts? (0.00 / 1)

"Of course you'll have to put down the coffee, donut and newspaper before you free up a hand to turn off the radio!"

I'd be careful talking about donuts when defending the police. Not the best direction to take :-)

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by: MarkB @ Wed May 20, 2009 at 12:13:21 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

On the importance of road details (or flagmen) (0.00 / 0)

A former School Committee member drive into and got stuck in a ditch at the corner of Eastern and Bryant this afternoon.  As I walked by there were four construction workers and one cop all standing at her window, and a dog barking like mad in the back seat at them.

myDedham.org - a community since 1636 and online since 2007!

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by: Brian @ Wed May 20, 2009 at 14:34:20 PM CDT

Details (0.00 / 0)

The previous blog makes absoulately no sense

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by: pete briquette @ Wed May 20, 2009 at 17:28:08 PM CDT

iPods+Badge=Dancing in the Streets! Good Times! (0.00 / 0)

I would like to preface my comment by congratulating "stebivule" on winning the "ignoramus of the month" award.  Go you!

"Just remember, if you suggest that the police ever do anything wrong, you are not just anti-cop, you're anti-American and you should be waterboarded."  

YOU SERIOUSLY HAVE TO BE KIDDING!  

Clearly, most of you have NEVER listened to your iPod, checked your personal e-mail, sent/received text messages, talked on your cell-phone and/or blue-tooth, checked your personal calendar conveniently located at the touch of your fingertips...pretty much glued to your Blackberry's, updated your Facebook/Twitter status, etc, etc, all while driving.  Come on people! Precisely why a detail cop is necessary to direct traffic in spite of the ginormous orange signs that most of you are too busy to read because you aren't paying attention.  Please.  Spare me the "safety issue" lecture.

Who knows?  Perhaps Officer I-heart-music-while-I-work was listening to a recent podcast of My Dedham News.  

MandyK74

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by: MandyK74 @ Wed May 20, 2009 at 17:52:52 PM CDT

Thanks Mandy (0.00 / 1)

Sarcasm - "google it."

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by: stebivule @ Wed May 20, 2009 at 20:19:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Really? (0.00 / 0)

Thanks soo much!  I had absolutely NO idea what the definition of sarcasm is. Boy, I guess you learn something new everyday.  

Listen...let's not exaggerate the term "protect"...if you need protection from traffic signs and orange cones, then you probably shouldn't be driving.  Period.

MandyK74

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by: MandyK74 @ Thu May 21, 2009 at 06:25:57 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Um... (0.00 / 0)

So you're going to ignore the irony that you interpreted my post to mean exactly the opposite of what it actually means while calling me an ignoramus. Okay, I can live with that.

I showed your post to my 12-year-old daughter who said "oh my God, how did she actually ... what's wrong with her?"  

My advice is to think before you post so that you don't end up insulting and alienating those who agree with your position. Or just dig your heels in and be a jackass, you choose, nobody really cares. It's the internet.

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by: stebivule @ Thu May 21, 2009 at 06:38:50 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hmmm.... (0.00 / 0)

Evidently, the definition of "tongue-in-cheek" needs to be clarified.  

MandyK74

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by: MandyK74 @ Thu May 21, 2009 at 10:52:22 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Sure (0.00 / 0)

Nice backtrack, not buyin' it.

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by: stebivule @ Thu May 21, 2009 at 12:06:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

have i ever, um, no (0.00 / 1)

while getting paid to do a job, no i don't and wouldn't, especially if that job is specifically protecting others and, by the by, he wasn't just listening, he was scanning and shuffling, looking down. are you kidding?

...to worship the god who laughs.

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by: suzanne @ Wed May 20, 2009 at 23:02:06 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Maybe cops read the blog (0.00 / 0)

A little while ago the following exchange came over the scanner.  I was only half listening so I missed the name.

--[Officer] to control.
--Control on.
--[Someone] is calling me on my cell phone, but I don't want to answer because I'm standing in the middle of the intersection.

Now perhaps this was just a particularly safety conscious officer, or perhaps it really was a busy intersection and not safe for him to talk on his cell phone, and that it comes right after this discussion on the blog is a coincidence.  However, dispatch calls out to officers all the time asking them to call HQ on their cell phones.  This was the first time I've ever heard an officer say no.

myDedham.org - a community since 1636 and online since 2007!

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by: Brian @ Fri May 22, 2009 at 10:33:32 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Just a Coincidence? (0.00 / 0)

Brian, maybe.  But I've noticed this week that police on Elm St. and Rustcraft Rd., in East Dedham Square, and on High St. at the new Route 1 bridge do appear more attentive to their job of directing traffic than I've noticed in the past, let's hope it continues....and nobody I observed this week was using an IPOD or talking on their cellphone while standing in the middle of the street.  

Together We Can!  (You don't know how much I can't stand that slogan as it relates to the crooks on Beacon Hill).  

But once again Brian, your blog is bringing people together to combine our efforts, perspectives and input to right a wrong in our town, and make things a little bit better, and safer for all of us.  And that's a beautiful thing.  

Keep up the good work fellow bloggers.... more townsfolk are reading this blog regularly than care to admit to it....including key decision-makers....and its contents are being talked about more and more frequently in social circles....so we know our concerns are being heard, and helping to create and force effective change.        

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by: equalaccessforall @ Sat May 23, 2009 at 06:33:59 AM CDT

Medfield has a good idea (0.00 / 0)

Serveral days a week I ride my bike out toward and into Medfield. I've noticed they do use detials but they are not regular police but I think Auxilary Police. Most of them are Senior age men. Great idea to add safety and engage our senior population. Hats off to them!

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by: cebonvini @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 08:25:16 AM CDT

Details (0.00 / 0)

On the importance of road details (or flagmen) (0.00 / 0)
A former School Committee member drive into and got stuck in a ditch at the corner of Eastern and Bryant this afternoon.  As I walked by there were four construction workers and one cop all standing at her window, and a dog barking like mad in the back seat at them.

myDedham.org - a community since 1636 and online since 2007!

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by: Brian @ Wed May 20, 2009 at 15:34:20 PM EDT
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by: you @ soon
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Details (0.00 / 0)
The previous blog makes absoulately no sense

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by: pete briquette @ Wed May 20, 2009 at 18:28:08 PM EDT
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Absolutely does make sense...just goes to show the idiot drivers out there that don't pay attention to construction cones and barrels.They disregard all the safety equipment in place just to get where they want to go, instead of taking a small detour.

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by: JOHN64 @ Tue Jul 21, 2009 at 13:38:59 PM CDT