smoking cigarettes

[gmp]

Do depts frown upon hiring candidates that are light/moderate cigarette smokers. Do you guy's think smoking and being a cop is a bad idea?

[concon02]

obviously it can't be a positive thing for you.

[ARKlaw]

I have two opinions on this subject.
On one side smoking is not illegal not yet at least, so I do not think it is fair to ask Officers not to smoke.
BUT
On the other hand, I find it a "Do as I say not as I do" attitude when you have Officers writing citations for littering when you have several Officers working for the same Dept. throwing cigarettes out the unit window in front of the public.
That is my humble opinion on the matter.

[Mr. John Doe]

Not an officer yet, but I know a lot of officers smoke cig.

The thing I will hate when I become a cop is paying more for insurance cause someone can smoke cig. Also, you look at the smoke breaks these guys get, every 15 to 20 mins. Granted it doesn't take that much time to smoke cig, but its the idea. It takes so much time to walk back to the parking lot to smoke. And if you smoke infront of your customers that is harsh, worse yet the public.

[Centurion44]

It's definately heading that way. Especially in areas where there are local ordinances against smoking indoors and laws against littering.

My agency's SOP forbids officers to smoke inside their vehicles. We also have a local ordinance against smoking on county property.

So if you do smoke, you'll have to be careful what kind of example you set, not that all officers that smoke do.

Personally, if you are a "light" smoker it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for you to quit. You'll get into enough foot chases, you're body will love you for it.

[That Guy]

Not an officer yet, but I know a lot of officers smoke cig.

The thing I will hate when I become a cop is paying more for insurance cause someone can smoke cig.

This has been a debate here before. IMHO I think we spend more dealing with fat lazy-***es then smoking but I've been told wrong.
Either way as long as you can do the job; puff away. I do think there should be guidelines on when/where.

TGY

[Stan Switek]

If your employer pays your health insurance, they are within their rights to prohibit you from smoking. Why anyone would smoke in the first place is beyond me.

[That Guy]

If your employer pays your health insurance, they are within their rights to prohibit you from smoking. Why anyone would smoke in the first place is beyond me.

Problem is, is when will it stop? Soon they will require that you don't consume alcohol, then fatty foods. One day you will not be able to play sports like skiing or ride motorbikes because of the risks.

TGY

[curlyblue]

Do depts frown upon hiring candidates that are light/moderate cigarette smokers. Do you guy's think smoking and being a cop is a bad idea?

Last I heard, smoking is a bad idea no matter who you are or what you do for a living.

[PhilipCal]

smoking

Did it for almost 40 years. It contributed to heart attack and subsequent surgery. Haven't smoked in almost seven years. Don't miss it at all. Lungs have recovered quite well. Food tastes better, air fresher. End of sermon.

[Cruiser]

I used to smoke before I retired as did maybe 40% of the guys and another 20-30% chewed or dipped. That was twenty years ago. Smoking is no longer allowed while on duty or in uniform or in any vehicle or the Police Building.

[concon02]

I just smoke cigars and maybe a bowl of tobacco every once in a while.

[Delta784]

In Massachusetts, police officers and firefighters hired after 1988 are prohibited from smoking. The law has been challenged in court twice by police officers who were fired for smoking, and it has been upheld both times, once by the Supreme Judicial Court (highest court in MA).

[CPDZone9]

Here, you can smoke [cigarettes] until your lungs collapse.

Just not supposed to do it on duty or in uniform or in a squad car or you get the picture.

[CTR man]

Smoking is a dirty, nasty, filthy addicting habit and can very well put you in the grave over time. Father smoked non-filters for 40 years, contracted lung and brain cancer and died at the age of 66 in 1990. I don't want to see any one go through cancer like this especially if it is preventable. However we all have our free agency. To see my father wither away like that was very sickening to say the least. I do believe he would still be here today if it wasn't for the cigarettes.