Art
02-13-2022, 08:16
I use a lot of Federal Law Enforcement language that I'm sure everybody gets just from context if nothing else but I thought it would be fun to throw some out there. There is some general LEO crossover but most are exclusively or almost exclusively Federal. Some of these come under the heading of "fight with a skunk and you stink even if you win."
Perp Walk: A technically unnecessary public usually media played arrest of a person who would have surrendered to embarrass the suspect, send a message or both.
Take 5: To invoke the right against self incrimination.
Contempt of Prosecutor: Treating an aggressive prosecutor with contempt, disrespect or simple incompetence. Such an act is considered worse than contempt of court. Donald Trump was viewed as displaying "Contempt of Prosecutor."
Beat the Rap not the Ride: An Agency or agent Putting a person they "know" to be guilty and they know they can not convict through the criminal justice system. In the Federal system generally only used in very select cases. See Contempt of Prosecutor, substitute Agent or Agency.
Duress: Walking the line to stay just inside the law to pressure a suspect or witness, for example denying or delaying permission to visit the bathroom to a witness or suspect being questioned.
Justifiable/Justified: Euphemism for a legal but questionably ethical tactic. Done all the time by Agencies, Agents and Prosecutors.
Office of Personal Responsibility/Inspector General's Office: Federal Internal Affairs.
Strike Force: A combined law enforcement organization with representatives from the Federal to local level targeting a particular organized crime organization or activity lead by a U.S. Attorney Delegate and a lead Federal Agency, usually (but not always) the FBI.
Task Force: Same as "Strike Force" but with Agency instead of U.S. Attorney's Office leadership. They may be long term or temporary, formal or informal.
Dog Story: A derogatory joke directed at the FBI for their tendency in the old days to let another agency work a case and then swoop in at the last minute to claim it for themselves to get top billing in the press. This actually happened to me and a partner in 1976. The practice declined in the years after Hoover but the story lives on.
Special Operations Group, Hostage Rescue Team etc.: Elite specialized "SWAT" teams that have no other function at all. They deal with the toughest most dangerous problems suspects. Members are the LEOS most likely to have actually fired their weapon in anger, in fact the majority have. Often resented by rank and file agents because they were sometimes recruited directly into the agency from the military only for their tactical skills and never worked the street.
Stack: Charging a suspect with every charge from murder to jaywalking to influence a plea, obtain a maximum sentence or both.
ERT/Evidence Recovery Team: Extremely specialized crime scene unit of the FBI. One of the best most genuinely elite and most truly unique teams in the agency. I am proud to say one of my best friends had a large part in founding it. Every other such team and a raft of TV shows owe their existence to this organization. One of the best moves in Law Enforcement History. There are thousands of awful cases that would never have been solved without these people.
Perp Walk: A technically unnecessary public usually media played arrest of a person who would have surrendered to embarrass the suspect, send a message or both.
Take 5: To invoke the right against self incrimination.
Contempt of Prosecutor: Treating an aggressive prosecutor with contempt, disrespect or simple incompetence. Such an act is considered worse than contempt of court. Donald Trump was viewed as displaying "Contempt of Prosecutor."
Beat the Rap not the Ride: An Agency or agent Putting a person they "know" to be guilty and they know they can not convict through the criminal justice system. In the Federal system generally only used in very select cases. See Contempt of Prosecutor, substitute Agent or Agency.
Duress: Walking the line to stay just inside the law to pressure a suspect or witness, for example denying or delaying permission to visit the bathroom to a witness or suspect being questioned.
Justifiable/Justified: Euphemism for a legal but questionably ethical tactic. Done all the time by Agencies, Agents and Prosecutors.
Office of Personal Responsibility/Inspector General's Office: Federal Internal Affairs.
Strike Force: A combined law enforcement organization with representatives from the Federal to local level targeting a particular organized crime organization or activity lead by a U.S. Attorney Delegate and a lead Federal Agency, usually (but not always) the FBI.
Task Force: Same as "Strike Force" but with Agency instead of U.S. Attorney's Office leadership. They may be long term or temporary, formal or informal.
Dog Story: A derogatory joke directed at the FBI for their tendency in the old days to let another agency work a case and then swoop in at the last minute to claim it for themselves to get top billing in the press. This actually happened to me and a partner in 1976. The practice declined in the years after Hoover but the story lives on.
Special Operations Group, Hostage Rescue Team etc.: Elite specialized "SWAT" teams that have no other function at all. They deal with the toughest most dangerous problems suspects. Members are the LEOS most likely to have actually fired their weapon in anger, in fact the majority have. Often resented by rank and file agents because they were sometimes recruited directly into the agency from the military only for their tactical skills and never worked the street.
Stack: Charging a suspect with every charge from murder to jaywalking to influence a plea, obtain a maximum sentence or both.
ERT/Evidence Recovery Team: Extremely specialized crime scene unit of the FBI. One of the best most genuinely elite and most truly unique teams in the agency. I am proud to say one of my best friends had a large part in founding it. Every other such team and a raft of TV shows owe their existence to this organization. One of the best moves in Law Enforcement History. There are thousands of awful cases that would never have been solved without these people.