Does an off duty police officer have the same rights as an on duty police officer?

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sloanewhitley	As far as I know, they do not. They are basically going about as a normal citizen and should not be carrying any weapons. Some tend to have a "cop attitude" where they think they are above the law even without the suit and gun, however, in thier line of work, it's hard to trust people cuz they deal with bad apples all the time. It is a great institution to be a part of but it is also very stressful and can be hard if you deal with serious crime and innocent lives...i.e. children. If you don't mind shooting a gun and dealing with the worst kind of people out there then you will do fine. It's not a job for anyone. Just read some answers above..hmm, that's new to me. I can't see why cops off duty have the jurisdiction to carry weapons when off the clock. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

cclover _	Yes..If I were a witness to a criminal act in progress. Colorado has a good samaritan law, but police officers in this state are required to assist in this case. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

RH	A law passed in 2004 let's a police officer carry his/her firearm anywhere at anytime in the United State. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

charlsyeh	they have police powers in any part of thestate they reside in.not all states want their officers to carry off duty but by law they can.the reason you can carry off duty is because you are still a police officer. a few years ago the president made it legal to where anyone that had a honorable retirement can also carry their guns even though they are no longer officers.they have to show once a year they can still shoot well enough to have a passing score at the gun range.in texas we are given a retired officer id card. we are then given a retired id card that says we passed at the gun range. we must carry both id's at all times that we are carrying our gun. -------------retired texas deputy sheriff of 25 years------------ Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Copgirl	Yes, Yes, and Yes. We are NEVER off duty. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Liberty or Death	Yes, off duty police have the same authority and arrest powers as an on-duty officer. It is typically discouraged for an off-duty officer to engage in traffic enforcement, but it is lawful. Officers are typically not only allowed to carry a weapon off-duty, but many agencies require it except for specific situations. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Andy	It depends on the state and department regulations. A law enforcement officer is a law enforcement officer whether on duty or off. Here in Indiana an officer must be in either a marked car or in uniform to make a traffic stop. Officers (including those from out of state) can carry a firearm with LEO credentials in Indiana. One small town over on the Ohio side of the state requires any officer with a take home Police Car to be armed when in the car and even issue a back up gun to carry off duty. I believe it is Tennessee requires an officer to act if they witness a felony being committed on duty or off. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

David B	Yes, police officers maintain their arrest authority when off-duty. The difference between "on-duty" and "off-duty" is the requirement that the officer intervene. An "on-duty" officer has a legal "duty to act", an "off-duty" one does not. Whether an off-duty officer would intervene would be decided on a case-by-case basis and will depend on their agencies policies as well as the severity of the violation. For example most officers would report, and possibly help, stop a drunk driver, but not someone running a red light. Active & retired officers are able to carry nation wide when off-duty under HR 218. - David Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

David B	This would depend on what state you are in, and at what level your commission is. Also the type of crime would dictate the level of involvement an off duty officer would have police authority. Department policy may also be very specific as to off duty conduct involving enforcement action. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

MIE	Yes and his police powers are the same. Yes to the 2nd and 3rd question. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Habitual Y/A Q&A Offender	In all of the states I have resided in, yes. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Meech	Yes, a sworn officer is always an officer, it's called "a duty to protect". An officer can pull over any vehicle regardless if he is on duty but he would then have to call the local police with jurisdiction to write the ticket. An off-duty officer can carry his gun and badge at all times but if he is in his patrol car he must have his radio with him as well. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

psdiver	By all means you have the same powers of arrest and detention. The off duty gun issue is jurisdictional unless you have a CWP. I have pulled a drunk off the road on a day off, but wouldn't bother with a red light runner unless it involved a MVA or a hit and run. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Fridaddy	In California, the law shows no difference between on or off duty. It is not mentioned at all. It gives the officers 24/7 powers of arrest. However there may be a case if I am doing something as a citizen, like taking my children to school, where my actions do not rise to the level of a on duty officer and are those of a citizen. In cases like that things like search and seizure laws go out the window. Courts realize we have a private life. But once I ID myself as an officer of the law, its back to being a copper again, and all its rules. I have called in DUI drivers and had them stopped. Then I write a report like I was on duty to supplement the on duty officers report. (and get paid overtime for it too!) Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No