Boston special police officer

Is that for trainees for the Mayor's Gestapo?

Nope. It's for glorified security guards with police powers only in a specific location ("the projects") and only while they are working. They are easy to tell from regular Boston PD since they carry 38 caliber revolvers.
 
Nope. It's for glorified security guards with police powers only in a specific location ("the projects") and only while they are working. They are easy to tell from regular Boston PD since they carry 38 caliber revolvers.

Actually the red stripe on their trousers would be an easier way to tell. In addition, they are in lots of places beside "the projects".
 
Head of BPD licensing proudly told me that even special police officers don't get unrestricted LTCs.
 
Head of BPD licensing proudly told me that even special police officers don't get unrestricted LTCs.

Not at all surprised. I'm shocked that they let them carry loaded .38Spl revolvers! Boston doesn't have any respect for anyone other than those that are connected and their large contributors. Corrupt to the core!
 
Nope. It's for glorified security guards with police powers only in a specific location ("the projects") and only while they are working. They are easy to tell from regular Boston PD since they carry 38 caliber revolvers.
I figured as much, this is the general consensus on bspo. I think it would be good experience wise but not for a life long career.

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Not at all surprised. I'm shocked that they let them carry loaded .38Spl revolvers! Boston doesn't have any respect for anyone other than those that are connected and their large contributors. Corrupt to the core!

I agree with you there Brother,but there are a few of us that get that unrestricted right without being booty kissers.
 
I worked as a Boston Special Officer under rule 400 for a private company for just over three years before advancing in my career. Here's my POV for what little it's worth!

I paid out of pocket for the rule 400, 160 hour academy, sometime in early 2008. At best, it is more like an intro to law enforcement that may be a step or two above a citizens police academy. The instructors in the academy seem to know their stuff, (I ended up having one or two of them in the full-time academy later) but they do not have enough time to really spend teaching it. I would beware of taking advice or pointers from other people in the class. I remember a few different characters in there that were full of valuable "knowledge". One of which was a guy who worked as an armed guard for an armored truck company, who often flashed his really cool deputy sheriff "pay-to-play" badge... and the other was an armed security guard, who came to class in some type of BDU uniform with an semi-automatic firearm tucked in the rear of his pants and YES he drove a blue crown vic with yellow lights in the windows. Anyways... I left that "training" with very little knowledge of the basics and alot more questions than I had answers. BUT, I also had the certificate and was able to get hired for one of the better companies who employ specials in Boston.

After getting hired for the security company, I was pretty much at the mercy of who ever I was partnered with to teach me "the job". In my three years I found that there were a few groups of people that work as SPO's in Boston... You have people who were previously employed as police officer's for various agencies who were fired or washed out for various reasons... You have a few people who work for small police agencies that work as an SPO for additional income... You have some people people who just wanted a $16/hr job that are complete MORONS... AND a bunch of young guys who are trying to advance their career in LE, like I was... Although I had some pretty stupid coworkers initially, I was eventually able to get with some of the more knowledgeable officers in the company and learned a great deal from them... Usually the guys who work as reserves for municipal departments, or other small agencies, that work as a special on the side, are the ones who generally are better...

Now that its all said and done, I had some of my best experience in LE working as a special in Boston. I often responded to calls including shootings, ABDW's, drugs, fights and everything in between. You are often required to respond to extremely volatile situations without receiving the respect that regular police officer's might* receive. Approximately 95% of the people I had to arrest resisted as hard as they physically could... I feel that working as a special can really teach you if you really want to work in law enforcement or not. But the experience is definitely valuable...

I would advise anyone who is interested in working as a Special Officer to be EXTREMELY CAREFUL about a number of things. You and the company you work for can be sued very easily... I knew atleast 4 or 5 people who I worked with regularly who were named in law suits. With the lack of training and the seriousness of some of the situations you are involved with, people will sue you and the company you work for. The first arrest I was EVER involved with was as a special, my partner was sued... I found myself giving testimony about the incident in Federal Court last November for the case that occurred in 2009. Without going into specific detail I could have easily been named in this law suit but was not due to me being careful in my demeanor. Fortunately, the jury sided with my partner but it could have ended much worse for him. Educate yourself in what you are doing and conduct yourself accordingly... The only other thing that you need to do be careful of is getting hurt on the job... Like I mentioned 95% of the people I had to arrest resisted as hard as they could and they will not hesitate to hurt you, especially working as a special. There are a number of times that I can recall that I was lucky I was not hurt, including one incident that I was in the line of fire from a gang shooting...

If I had to do it all over again, I would have invested my time and money into training for a career that is Monday-Friday, day shift, that I could make a living for my family by working only 40 hours a week... Do that if you can...

Hope this helps answer some questions. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
 
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I worked as a Boston Special Officer under rule 400 for a private company for just over three years before advancing in my career. Here's my POV for what little it's worth!

I paid out of pocket for the rule 400, 160 hour academy, sometime in early 2008. At best, it is more like an intro to law enforcement that may be a step or two above a citizens police academy. The instructors in the academy seem to know their stuff, (I ended up having one or two of them in the full-time academy later) but they do not have enough time to really spend teaching it. I would beware of taking advice or pointers from other people in the class. I remember a few different characters in there that were full of valuable "knowledge". One of which was a guy who worked as an armed guard for an armored truck company, who often flashed his really cool deputy sheriff "pay-to-play" badge... and the other was an armed security guard, who came to class in some type of BDU uniform with an semi-automatic firearm tucked in the rear of his pants and YES he drove a blue crown vic with yellow lights in the windows. Anyways... I left that "training" with very little knowledge of the basics and alot more questions than I had answers. BUT, I also had the certificate and was able to get hired for one of the better companies who employ specials in Boston.

After getting hired for the security company, I was pretty much at the mercy of who ever I was partnered with to teach me "the job". In my three years I found that there were a few groups of people that work as SPO's in Boston... You have people who were previously employed as police officer's for various agencies who were fired or washed out for various reasons... You have a few people who work for small police agencies that work as an SPO for additional income... You have some people people who just wanted a $16/hr job that are complete MORONS... AND a bunch of young guys who are trying to advance their career in LE, like I was... Although I had some pretty stupid coworkers initially, I was eventually able to get with some of the more knowledgeable officers in the company and learned a great deal from them... Usually the guys who work as reserves for municipal departments, or other small agencies, that work as a special on the side, are the ones who generally are better...

Now that its all said and done, I had some of my best experience in LE working as a special in Boston. I often responded to calls including shootings, ABDW's, drugs, fights and everything in between. You are often required to respond to extremely volatile situations without receiving the respect that regular police officer's might* receive. Approximately 95% of the people I had to arrest resisted as hard as they physically could... I feel that working as a special can really teach you if you really want to work in law enforcement or not. But the experience is definitely valuable...

I would advise anyone who is interested in working as a Special Officer to be EXTREMELY CAREFUL about a number of things. You and the company you work for can be sued very easily... I knew atleast 4 or 5 people who I worked with regularly who were named in law suits. With the lack of training and the seriousness of some of the situations you are involved with, people will sue you and the company you work for. The first arrest I was EVER involved with was as a special, my partner was sued... I found myself giving testimony about the incident in Federal Court last November for the case that occurred in 2009. Without going into specific detail I could have easily been named in this law suit but was not due to me being careful in my demeanor. Fortunately, the jury sided with my partner but it could have ended much worse for him. Educate yourself in what you are doing and conduct yourself accordingly... The only other thing that you need to do be careful of is getting hurt on the job... Like I mentioned 95% of the people I had to arrest resisted as hard as they could and they will not hesitate to hurt you, especially working as a special. There are a number of times that I can recall that I was lucky I was not hurt, including one incident that I was in the line of fire from a gang shooting...

If I had to do it all over again, I would have invested my time and money into training for a career that is Monday-Friday, day shift, that I could make a living for my family by working only 40 hours a week... Do that if you can...

Hope this helps answer some questions. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
Thank you for all the info

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So Ive been an SPO for about 6 months and I'm using the position as a learning experience before moving into something better. I just wanted to chime in on a few of the points mtsfitness made.

The instructors in the academy seem to know their stuff, (I ended up having one or two of them in the full-time academy later) but they do not have enough time to really spend teaching it.
Absolutely. If you intend to work in this position in a capacity of more than just a warm body, you need to take an active interest in learning the material on your own.

I would beware of taking advice or pointers from other people in the class. I remember a few different characters in there that were full of valuable "knowledge".
Yeah, I think a lot of the guys in my class had had one too many vaccines, if you catch my drift. We had one kid in my class who proclaimed he had purchased an unregistered firearm in Maine and proceeded to correct a Boston Police detective on his knowledge of the laws, despite the fact that this detective was assigned to the ATF.

In my three years I found that there were a few groups of people that work as SPO's in Boston... You have people who were previously employed as police officer's for various agencies who were fired or washed out for various reasons... You have a few people who work for small police agencies that work as an SPO for additional income... You have some people people who just wanted a $16/hr job that are complete MORONS... AND a bunch of young guys who are trying to advance their career in LE, like I was...
The problem is when you get partnered with the guys who have absolutely no interest in doing the job they are assigned. If you avoid calls, its a pretty easy way to make a living. I've had partners who just outright refuse to work and who have pretended not to hear radio calls, even to calls for shots fired.

Now that its all said and done, I had some of my best experience in LE working as a special in Boston. I often responded to calls including shootings, ABDW's, drugs, fights and everything in between. You are often required to respond to extremely volatile situations without receiving the respect that regular police officer's might* receive. Approximately 95% of the people I had to arrest resisted as hard as they physically could... I feel that working as a special can really teach you if you really want to work in law enforcement or not. But the experience is definitely valuable...
In all honesty, despite the fact that so many of my coworkers would probably qualify as being legally retarded, those of us who actually want to WORK do more with less than most officers in the state.

With the lack of training and the seriousness of some of the situations you are involved with, people will sue you and the company you work for.
Yep, and don't forget, your company will essentially pretend they don't know you if the shit ever hits the fan.

Like I mentioned 95% of the people I had to arrest resisted as hard as they could and they will not hesitate to hurt you, especially working as a special. There are a number of times that I can recall that I was lucky I was not hurt, including one incident that I was in the line of fire from a gang shooting...
And we get a six-shooter and the lowest level vest they make, not to mention being paid approximately half of what regular officers make. But hey, at least we get those slick white wig wags? [rolleyes]
 
SPO38, are you required to carry a 38 revolver or could you opt for another firearm?

We must carry a .38 caliber revolver with no less than a 4 inch barrel loaded with 158gr +P Hollowpoint ammunition.

- - - Updated - - -

This is my EDC.
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I carried a revolver when I worked as a special on the cape. I remember showing up to the part time academy and almost getting laughed out by the instructors when they saw my speedloader holster. They wouldn't let use carry batons either, yet they let us carry a firearm. Go figure.
 
Between $15 and $18 an hour. Like I said, it's valuable experience, but it's definitely not a career.
 
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