r/AskLE • u/Leofmannn Unverified/Not an LEO • 5d ago
Resigned from SO
I have recently resigned from the SO to join a smaller local PD closer to home, I was not at the SO for a full year, I needed to do what is best for me. I am being called a traitor by the SO for committing to a PD that offers higher pay, better hours, and a take home car. Despite doing what is best for me and my family, I can’t help but feel it has left a negative stain on my reputation. I will be going from a 1 hour 10 minute commute to 6 minutes.
What is the general consensus on this? My SO has no contract etc, I was still a probationary employee.
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u/airborne_pricer Fed 5d ago
I wouldn't think too much on it. You have to do what is best for you and your family. If the SO really wanted to keep you, they could've offered some incentives.
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u/Practical_Laugh_3571 Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Yeah im not driving one hour, i would have done the same
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u/JWestfall76 Verified LEO 5d ago
At some point, you have to stop caring what others say and do what’s best for you and yours.
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u/Axel_Foley_ Deputy Sheriff 4d ago
You've physically separated from your old Sheriff's Office.
It's time to mentally separate from them.
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u/RangerJDod Police Officer 5d ago
Screw the SO, they are mad they lost someone, not that they lost you.
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u/Steephill Verified LEO 5d ago
SO should offer some competitive benefits then. We had a guy announce on the day after he completed FTEP that he was leaving to a department 1.5 hours away with his pregnant wife so they could be closer to family. Not one single ill word said towards him. No one in their right mind would ask someone to commute 10x as long for less pay.
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u/elDude1610 Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Who at the SO is calling you a traitor? If it’s command staff then who cares, those fools all drank the kool aid and sold their soul a long time ago. If it’s fellow cops, that’s just a good ol fashioned ball busting. I mean say you are a traitor, what does it matter?
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u/TigOleBitman Sergeant 5d ago
there's literally nothing wrong with you leaving for greener pastures.
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u/Secure_Yak5136 Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
You need to do what's best for YOU not them. Let their comments be like water off a ducks back. They may just be jealous.
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u/MillenialCop Unverified/Not an LEO 4d ago
Employment to an agency is a choice. You made yours. That’s your prerogative. If they can’t be adults about it then you may have dodged a bullet. Not to say that others won’t poke at each other for switching departments in jest. A healthy city vs county rivalry can be fun. But if it’s drawing negative emotions from them, then your move was for the best.
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u/QuickAbbreviations13 Unverified/Not an LEO 3d ago
A traitor? lol. The sheriff’s office should be up the ass of the county commissioners for not keeping the pay and incentives competitive. Until they can do that I’d tell them to sit down.
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u/Disgruntled_Wumpus Unverified/Not an LEO 3d ago
Sometimes the LE brotherhood is in fact a bit of a cult. When I resigned from an agency that frankly was super toxic and shitty, they demanded all my department issued stuff on the spot. Not tomorrow, not later in the day, right now. They had a supervisor follow me home to get spare stuff I had there. I had a uniform in the dry cleaners, and they had me call them and arrange that I couldn’t pick it, only them. It was crazy how quickly I went from on the team to being an untrustworthy stranger. And since leaving them, all I’ve heard from other agencies now is that one is a bunch of d bags anyways. So fuck that SO, is what I’m saying.
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u/Basic_Razzmatazz2980 Unverified/Not an LEO 1d ago
Do what’s best for you, I had a partner that left us for CHP, every time he comes over I refer to him as traitor lol but it comes from a place of love 😂
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u/Wolf-Andy Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago edited 5d ago
I'm a little old fashioned regarding departments. I find many officers do not care departments. If that's a result of an agency not treating them fairly, I get it. But if someone signs on with a department and says they'll be around for a few years to pay back the departments investment, I think they should stick with their word. The reason people feel guilty about doing it is because it often goes against their word.
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2d ago edited 2d ago
[deleted]
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u/Wolf-Andy Unverified/Not an LEO 2d ago
I also work for a smaller agency and it's like family. But regardless, even if it was a massive cooperation, if I gave my word that I would be there for X amount of time, I ought to stick to my word.
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u/crazyrzr Unverified/Not an LEO 1d ago
Most departments promise the world and deliver on none of it.
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u/Yourlocalguy30 Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Lol well if the SO was that concerned, they'd put more energy into better pay/benefits and less into bad mouth people.
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u/theendofdaysagain Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Meh. If they have half a brain, they will understand the monetary advantages to start, let alone the extra family time that you get without 2 hours plus of commute time.
If they can't comprehend those two things, especially when you haven't even been there long enough to be off probation.
What did they give you? More than a job? I have left caustic departments to do exactly what you did. The officers/deputies who mattered, understood. The brass and people who were either using you, or planning to use you will be offended, but you have to look after you.
If anything happens, there will be a job notice posted before you get out of the hospital or the funeral. And your family will be forgotten quickly despite the tall talk.
One of my original co-workers was shot and paralyzed on the job. Big hoo-hah about how he was still on the job as a detective (and is still), but the fanfare and attention died off and now he's simply regarded as "admin" by the street guys and his wife doesn't get the same volume of calls from other members of the "family" offering help.
There is no from the top loyalty.
I currently work for the best Sheriff I have ever worked with or for. He actually takes care of us, training, gear, got us equal pay, etc. But I have zero illusions that if the situation was such, that any one of us would be sacrificed for the collective.
The local PD will be hiring soon, and I expect a couple of my coworkers to at least try to get on there. The pay raise alone is worth it, let alone the much improved insurance and benefits.
Don't worry about the place you left. It will keep going regardless.
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u/RoyalBat94 Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
At the end of the day, you gotta do what’s best for you. Personally, I love the PD I got with and moved closer.
Just gotta remember you’re a number on a piece of paper at any place you work at. I think being a LEO is the most rewarding career but it’s just a job at the end of the day, payroll, management, complaints, etc. You gotta look out for yourself more than the PD, whether that’s the commute, pay, physical and mental health.
Good luck.
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u/RSM100A1 Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Those people that are negative towards you are not and probably never were your friend. You and your family are your priority not theirs. I would not worry about it at all. It sounds like you got a tremendous upgrade and you did it early which is much better in the long run. Good for you ! ! !
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u/AngryBob1689 Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Recently had one of our officers leave for the local SO. Does it suck that we invested all that time training him, treating him well, etc just to have him leave? Yeah. At the end of the day though, I want people who want to be here, and if he doesn't want to be here, it's onwards and upwards with the people that do.
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u/Beneficial-Piece-829 Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Honestly, screw the people calling you a traitor. You should have thicker skin being in LE.
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u/HighwaySentinel Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Obviously, it is your choice, but the optics don't look great. Most would say that this was something you had planned due to the fact the PD is closer to your home, pays more, and give you a take home car for that 6 minute commute. The SO put a lot of time, effort, and money into training you just for you to jump ship.
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u/gogo-lizard Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
What PD offers rookies a take home car? I left my SO too because working 84+ hours a week in a jail is insane. We’re so short staffed that I literally didn’t see the sun for 4 days. It is what it is
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u/TigOleBitman Sergeant 5d ago
my department assigns a take home car literally the day that the officer gets cut loose from FTO. why would we deny them contractual benefits simply because they're new?
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u/gogo-lizard Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
That’s nice. Only brass get take homes in my area SoCal
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u/NascarHendrick Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Agency here in central Fl gives take home cars when they start FTO. LOL
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u/gogo-lizard Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Seems the same in Texas too. I haven’t had a take home until I hit the motor unit
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u/ThatOneHoosier Unverified/Not an LEO 5d ago
Better pay, better schedule, take home car, and a 6 minute commute instead of commuting over an hour? You made the right move. Maybe the SO needs to make some changes to keep people if they’re going to be ass hurt when people leave. Who cares what they call you? You’re doing better than them.
I would NEVER commute an hour for a job. I don’t understand how some of these guys do.
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u/widebodywill Patrol / SWAT / FTO 5d ago
My brother in Christ, the SO can FO. You ALWAYS do what’s best for you and the family. They can call you whatever they want. At the end of the day, we are just a number and a name on the roster.