CP Cops' apathy toward job

OK, it's not often I really get my panties in a bunch over something at the park, but after talking with people who've had similar experiences, I'm a little ticked off.

Cedar Point is clearly on pace to have a record May and June. With that comes big crowds and long waits on most rides.

I've talked with a lot of people now who have spotted line-jumpers and smokers in the queues and reported them to CP cops on the perimeter, only to be given some BS excuse not to take action.

Take last Tuesday, for example. A woman behind me complained to the officer in the queue that a group of 16-ish-year old girls were smoking. Air flow isn't great under those canopies, so I could understand her frustration. Instead of taking action, he said, "Sorry ma'am, but we can't catch everyone." I guess the smoke rising from one place in the queue wasn't enough of a visual hint for the moron.

This is just one example of many that I'm hearing from people regarding smoking and line-jumping enforcement. Even worse, violators of line-jumping are NEVER booted out of the park, so what incentive do the offenders have to not do it?

I'm purely disgusted with this attitude. What's going to happen when it's 90+ outside and people wait for hours in the hot sun? They'll get hostile, and it'll get ugly in a hurry.

So if anyone out there at the park is reading this, please take note: Your officers have been spending more time making excuses than enforcing your policies, and that weakens the experience of a park visit.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 23

I was a good girl in line on opening day, I didnt smoke in line!! No applause please! But yes I can see your frustration Jeff, there were alot of line jumpers, some honestly had asked to leave the line to use the rest room and come back in line, and others were using the excuse they had permission to leave, when in fact they were line jumping. Hopefully by June, this wont be a problem, but then again, all the kids will be out of school.

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The more you ride it, the more you want it!

~~~Darla~~~

well said. I saw a few cops tell people to get rid of the smokes, but there were alot of people smoking in line and still the cops did nothing. That disappoints me also. I am not against smoking but just don't do it in line. Is it that hard to wait a couple hours for your cigarrete. And also I think you get a much better buzz off the coasters then the line smoking for all you smokers. Or maybe you smokers don't see it that way...to much nicotine??

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Raptor Flights: 8
Force Rides: 6

As long as they don't stop me from smoking crack in line as usual, the cops can do what they like.

-- Harley

PS For the humor-impaired ... :-)

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CP fan since 68.

I smoke, but I don't do it in line, restaurants or places where you are literally on top of other people. I realize that smoke bothers people who don't smoke and there are some that do have severe allergic reactions to it. There is NO EXCUSE why someone can't wait out a line to have a cigarette. You can't smoke on plane flights- you WILL get arrested, so people don't do it. I'm not saying people smoking in line should be arrested, it's just a matter of common courtesy. Your actions affect others. However, I draw the line at something I discovered at Disneyworld a few weeks ago. They now have designated smoking sections OUTDOORS!! Yes you read that right. You have to go to a certain area when you are outside to have a cigarette. You can't go from Ride A to Ride B and light up; you will get reprimanded by employees AND get dirty looks from those around you. I was sitting on a bench at Epcot having a cigarette away from the heavy traffic areas. This anal retentive jackass (who looked like Aunt Bea from Andy Griffith) saw me smoking, walked 20 feet out of her way to tell me to put it out, THEN went and got security who came over to me and pointed out that there are outdoor smoking areas. When I asked if they were seroius, they said "Absolutely" and meant it. Aunt Bea walked away with a big smile of confidence, obviously glad that "she told another one" how to live. I realize CP is a totally different atmosphere than Disney (thank the Lord), but their is no excuse for not being considerate of others. I thought I was by sticking to a bench out of the way, apparently others have different ideas. The point here is don't smoke in line, in restaurants, or places you shouldn't, because it does annoy others. However, if CP starts saying you can't have a cigarette while walking down the midway, then I'll get very perturbed!

personally i don't think it should matter if people smoke in line as long as it's outside (unlike an incident i witnessed in line for the DT last week). But that's just my opinion. And i don't think that the trend against smoking is about to swing the other way any time soon. So my opinion in this matter really doesn't matter

Smoking matters outside if it blows back into my face or my daughters face. Both of us are allergic to this stuff.

Last Saturday evening we had managed to ride MF 2 times by 11:15PM. The line at that time was pretty short. We got back in line, only to have kids in front of us smoking like criminals on death row. Since our lungs were closing up, we had to get out of line and leave....disappointed.

I am takind an industrial size can of Lysol with me on our next trip and WILL fog the entire area. Not pointing the spray directly at anyone of course.
A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has refrained from smoking in line.

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You can fool others, but nothing you do is hidden from God.
JESUS rules :) :)

OH NO!!!! Another smoking topic!! Gee thanks Jeff :) Alright Harley!!! Meet you in line! LOL

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The more you ride it, the more you want it!

~~~Darla~~~

This wasn't supposed to be a smoking thread, but one to express my displeasure with the sad job performance of the people in blue.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 23

On a positive note:
I did witness three groups of line jumpers escorted out of line this past weekend (2 MF, 1 Raptor.) At least they're trying in some cases. And its pretty cool when everyone cheers as the criminals are dragged away in shame. :)

I am Servo's boyfriend and I am a smoker. This past visit I refrained from smoking in line. I hadn't in the past, but I realised that it is EXTREMELY inconsiderate. And I agree with Hooper. I did see some CP cops asking people in line to put them out. Now the line jumping...compared to SFGAm, line jumping at CP seems few and far between.

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What I like about the CP cops is that, if you slip 'em a fiver, they pretty much let you get in line wherever you want. I've found that in most parks, it takes at least a 10 spot and sometimes a 20 to get a "jump" on the competition. Must be that famous Midwest hospitality!

-- Harley

PS Again, for the humor impaired: :-)

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CP fan since 68.

Jeff,

I'm purely disgusted with YOUR attitude. How quick you are to comment on things you do not understand. As a trained law enforcement officer, and former CPPD officer, I’d like to point out a few things to you.

- This is just one example of many that I'm hearing from people regarding smoking and line-jumping enforcement. Even worse, violators of line-jumping are NEVER booted out of the park, so what incentive do the offenders have to not do it?

Do you think that the officers write park policy, or have any say as to how it is enforced? I am most disappointed in you. I thought that you had a fairly good grasp upon the way Cedar Point operates.

- I've talked with a lot of people now who have spotted line-jumpers and smokers in the queues and reported them to CP cops on the perimeter, only to be given some BS excuse not to take action.

CP cops on the PERIMETER. They are on the perimeter for a reason. Just for a second, put yourself in their shoes. You are wearing a police uniform. You know that some people do not like officers, and would have no problem causing harm to one. You also know that any number of people in a line could be armed. How eager would you be to rush into the middle of a full line, with people close to you on every side? How fast could you get into that same line to help another officer that is in trouble?
Officers are trained to keep a distance between themselves and the people they are dealing with. It is one of the steps that officers take to reach their ultimate goal; to go home at the end of their shift.

To make my next point, I’ll use the Magnum as an example. There are usually 2 officers watching the Magnum line. How do you expect 2 people to baby-sit hundreds of people that are moving at a fairly constant rate? I'd like to hear any ideas you might have.

You should stick to building websites.

Oh, please give me a break. Every one of the hundreds of people in the line have to come to the perimeter of the line many times while in the queue area, that is the way the queues are designed. How hard can it be for a Cop to look down the row and spot the offending smoker or line jumper, wait for them to come to the perimeter and have a pleasant discussion with them there. I have seen the CP cops do this many times. I have never seen a CP cop come into the queue for any reason, and I agree I wouldn't go in there dressed like a cop either but if the cops are not there to enforce the parks policies on smoking, line jumping, indecent exposure, drug use, rioting etc. then what are the cp cops there for? When I go to work my ultimate goal is to go home at the end of my shift also, but that does not prevent me from doing my job while I'm there.

CWD

Kodiak -

And people wonder why cops are looked upon like such arrogant sons of [NAUGHTY WORD!]es.

Dismissed!

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Duane Cahill
Coming soon to an amusement park near you.

Thanks Duane (but keep it clean)! For the sake of argument, even though I think KodiakMan largely proved my point with his response, here's what I think:

"Do you think that the officers write park policy, or have any say as to how it is enforced? I am most disappointed in you. I thought that you had a fairly good grasp upon the way Cedar Point operates."

I probably know more than the average bear. But what does the author of park policy have to do with DOING YOUR JOB. I think I'll file a memo to my boss telling him that an hour lunch isn't right for my job, because I really need two hours. He has no idea what I'm up against.

Please, you're given a job, you do it, or you quit.

"Just for a second, put yourself in their shoes. You are wearing a police uniform. You know that some people do not like officers, and would have no problem causing harm to one. You also know that any number of people in a line could be armed."

You mean a law enforcement officer might have to go in to a potentially hostile situation? I had know idea! Does anyone who wants to work in law enforcement not consider the danger involved?

"You should stick to building websites."

You should consider an alternate career.

This is more of that typical attitude that my generation is so terribly associated with. It's always someone else's fault and there's always an excuse. I really wish people would just take responsibility for what they do... for their jobs, their actions and their daily life.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 23

From what I've observed over the years, line jumping is not necessarily a “crime” that’ll get a person booted out of the park. It may be “cause” for removal, but that doesn’t mean that a person will be removed. I have seen the CPPD catch people for line jumping, take down some information, and than let the person go about his business. I think it is park policy to give the person a second chance and only boot him if he is a habitual offender.

On the MF queue, since the lines have been so long, CP is letting people exit the line to go to the restroom and than get back in. This is a GOOD thing, but it makes it hard for the cops to tell who people are who are returning from the restroom and who the actual line jumpers are. And I bet many guests are confusing people returning from restrooms with line jumpers.

Let me tell a story that happened a couple years ago at Put-In-Bay. A number of PIB PD entered the Skyway bar at night to arrest someone who got into a fight in a cab. They also arrested a girl who supposedly got in the cop’s way in the bar when they were making the arrest. The Skyway has on outdoor patio, which was filled with a couple hundred drunks that night. The PIB PD, in dramatic fashion, made the girl lie face down in the parking lot gravel for an extended time, in full view of people on the patio. This incited the crowd, the cops went into the crowd to arrest more people, which just made the situation worse, almost resulting in a full blow riot. This is NOT a good way to handle a situation. So, I’m thinking that the CPPD not only wants to go home after the shift, but they also want a large crowd to remain calm. Inciting strong feelings in people in a large crowd, especially if some people may have a problem with authority, is something that I’m sure wants to be avoided by CPPD.

Over the years I’ve thought that CPPD has done a fine job, and has been a good example of how a police dept. should interact with the public.

I don’t really know what I’m talking about either, just making some guesses that seem to make sense to me.

Then again, the 1500 people in a queue are sober. KodiakMan makes it sound like a DMZ instead of a queue.

I know that guests have come to Cedar Point armed and that CP Police have dealt with serious crimes at the park. But is there really a fear of violence at Cedar Point where a police officer would be afraid to enter a queue? And if there is, where are the metal detectors?

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Cedar Point Virtual Midway
http://www.schmidty.com/cpvirtual

Sorry Jeff... retribution accepted.

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Duane Cahill
Coming soon to an amusement park near you.

Another point to the officer who would be afraid to enter the queue of potentially armed people to go after one or evan a small group of line jumpers. Did you ever stop to think that the rest of the people on the queue will most likely be on your side since they are the ones standing in the hot sun for three hours and don't like people cutting in front of them? I also agree that the queues for the most part are designed in a way so the officer could stay on the perimeter and simply wait until the offender appoaches and then kick him out of line (or the park whatever...)

-Matt

What could be better than Y2K @ Cedar Point - America's Rockin' Roller Coast?