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An up close and personal interview with U.S. Police Veteran and Togetherweserved.com Member:
FO John A Foscaldi (1980-1996)
Department of Defense
WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO MAKE A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT?
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| Establishing a Role Model for the Children |
My father suggested to me that I become a Police Officer because no matter where I am, trouble finds me. For a while, in the beginning, I had trouble keeping a partner because I always seem to attract trouble, which meant I had a very busy shift almost all of the time. In the 1960's and early 1970 the entire state of Massachusetts had a height requirement of 5' 7" for law enforcement. I had to wait until the height requirement was abolished for local police departments and the MA State Police. I took the police physical and exams and passed. I didn't get hired for a few years because the Minority Affirmative Action was initiated, and that put me at the bottom of the list. But, I hung in there and finally was hired by the Wareham Town Police Department in 1975. Between 1971 to 1980 I was with the Brockton School Police. A different civil service position with the School Department.
WHAT WAS YOUR CAREER PATH AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?
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| Out of Uniformed Services. |
I've spent most of 23 years in law enforcement. I took off my badge in 1996 and still have the habit of noticing everything around me. I've let my license to carry expire in the effort to live like everyone else. I'm handicapped to the point of not being able to work at all. Otherwise I know that I would still be wearing a badge. I've gone back to an old job, which is now a hobby. I've taken my old bass guitars out of moth balls and started to play again. I little rusty, (make that a lot rusty) been away from my music for about 15 years.
DID YOU SERVE IN THE MILITARY PRIOR? AND IF SO, IN WHAT BRANCH OF SERVICE? IN WHAT WAYS HAS MILITARY SERVICE INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT?
I served in the Army from 1962 to 1966, and 1970 to 1971. My regular MOS was 11E20, armor crewman. But, I spent most of my time with the infantry. My rifle and the bush. My time in the Military was an education all by itself. I learned discipline and to follow orders. Learned to take care of myself, and how to work as a team.
WHICH, OF THE AGENCIES OR DEPARTMENTS YOU WERE ASSIGNED TO, DO YOU HAVE THE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY?
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| Otis AFB Law Enforcement |
When I was with the Department of Defense Police I had a partner that was a retired MA Trooper. His name was Tom Hibbert. He taught me a lot about law enforcement, and was also my best friend. He has since passed away, I still miss him today. He knew what I was thinking before I did! When I was with the Brockton MA School Police I got along with almost every student I met. As a matter of fact when any of them would get into trouble they would come to me for help. As long as no laws are violated, I did what I could to help these kids. Patrol is best part of being a Police Officer. Life itself always has something new to teach you
I was on patrol on Otis Air Force Base. I received a call to respond to an accident, car vs. motorcycle. When I arrived on scene I saw a motorcycle embedded into the right front fender of a motor vehicle. Both operators, motorcycle and vehicle were treated on scene. My investigation reveled that both operators were at fault. I cited the motorcycle operator for excessive speed. I cited the vehicle operator for not using caution when entering an intersection.
FROM YOUR ENTIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER WHAT PARTICULAR INCIDENT HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
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| Brockton Police Department |
The first time that I made an arrest is when I learned just how much power I had to change a person's life. It only took a few seconds for me to realize this and to respect the position I have chosen. A teenager had ran me down with a car while I was directing traffic at the Brockton High School. After I obtained his name and address I decided to request a show of cause hearing at the Brockton District Court. The Clerk of Courts reviewed my list of charges. He ruled that not only did I have Probable Cause with my evidence, he recommended additional charge be filed. The youth was arrested by the Brockton Police. There was a hearing at a District Court, who in turned sent it to the Superior Court. The Judge ruled that he was guilty of all charges, including the assault and battery on me.
It was in the late summer when I was on patrol of the schools, when I heard that there had been a traffic accident on the west side of Brockton next to the highway overpass. I arrived at the same time the EMT's did. We found the car next to the highway overpass. Apparently the vehicle was on the highway, crashed through the guard rail, impacted around a tree and slid down the tree to the ground next to the highway. An EMT and I found the car in the bush. We searched the interior of the vehicle and couldn't find any one. The two of us were standing and leaning on the trunk of the car, we both looked at each other, then we looked at the trunk. The EMT got a crow bar from his rescue vehicle, pried the trunk lid open. We found the driver inside the trunk. Apparently she had managed to go from the drivers seat to the trunk of the car. Rescue took over from there. She was in critical condition, but survived.
OF THE MEDALS, AWARDS OR BADGES YOU RECEIVED, WHAT IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
I know that I have a lot of awards just for doing my job. They are all meaningful, but at the same time I don't place my self above anyone else. The best award I ever received was "Civilian Support Award". I was the only Title five civilian employee to serve for both Desert Shield, and Desert Storm, 1991. I ran the Pass & I.D. USAF. We served not only active duty personnel, but their dependents of all the branches of the Military. I worked seven days a week with 10 hour work days.
WHICH INDIVIDUAL PERSON FROM YOUR CAREER MADE THE MOST POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON YOU AND WHY?
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| Mentoring builds Teamwork as well |
My partner, Tom Hibbert was one of the best law enforcement teachers that I have ever had. He led by example. He was an entire police academy all by himself. When he was with the Massachusetts State Police he also taught at their academy.
CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR CAREER THAT WAS FUNNY AT THE TIME AND STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Oh yes. I was with the Brockton School Police, we had received a tip that our school was going to be vandalized sometime during the night. I was volunteered to take a position inside the school. Most of the night was very very boring, that is until I heard metal rattling and what sounded like a break in. I called in that there was a B&E in progress. With less then five minutes I had four patrol cars on scene. In the meantime I investigated to cause of the noise and found that a hamster had broken out of his cage. There I was, hamster in hand when I called to other patrol cars that I had my suspect and was coming out. Yup, there I was, standing with my hamster in thumb cuffs reading him his rights. I had to buy coffee for everybody that night.
I need to tell my story about Woodstock: My agent called me and said get up to Woodstock, your going on. So, I called everyone in the band and told them to go up to Woodstock. I picked up our drummer in my little MGB and went up to Woodstock. The problem was that my agent was in New York City and he meant Woodstock, New York. There we were, sitting in a cow pasture in Woodstock, NEW HAMPSHIRE. I have never lived this down.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU HAVE LEARNED AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER?
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| Department of Defense Career |
Very little is what it seams to be at first sight. When I was hired in 1980, there was no Federal Law Enforcement Academy. You had to have been a graduate of a Police Academy, a sworn officer with full powers of arrest on a duly organized Law Enforcement / Police department for no less than three years. The civil service title was Federal Law Enforcement Officer, series 0883, federal civil service. The position itself was misused by every branch of the Military. When I was assigned to the USAF, Otis AFB in 1980, with the exception of myself and a retired state trooper, everyone had been grandfathered into to the Police Officer position from a Security Guard. As a matter of fact they were still wearing their security guard uniforms when we reported in.
Every branch of the military missed used the position by assigning security guards duties to the Federal Law Enforcement Officers. In my outfit they even had contract security guards wearing a federal officer uniform and badge. Complaints were filed to Federal Civil Service, which fell on deaf ears at first. Not only that, we were not allowed to exercise our powers of arrest within the Magistrate System. I did the best that I could with what I had. When I came across a crime where I would detain the suspect, file a report, and hand it over to either the State Police or Other Federal Law Enforcement Departments such as OSI, CGIS, CID along with the FBI and so on. Yes, I ruffled a lot of feathers and never made it above Patrolman. I can honestly say I did my job the best that I could. I received manly citations thanks to my Captain that treated me fairly. For the last six years before I retired, I ended up operating the military's pass and I.D. Section. Anything to keep me off the streets.
WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIP(S)?
At the present time I don't belong to any associations. Not to long ago I made an inquiry to the Fraternal Order of Police but was advised that DoD Police Officers do not qualify to join. He implied that we are not considered to be law enforcement. Oh well, I tried. I hope that I meet someone that could help me out with this. I would like very much to join.
HOW HAS SERVING AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU CONDUCT YOUR PERSONAL LIFE AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS OUTSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT?
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| Do you job Honorably and Retire and Relax. |
You can't be in law enforcement and not have it affect your personal life with your family and friends. Even though I am retired I still have the same habits. I pay attention to my surroundings, what I see, hear, smell. My wife is always telling me, your not a Police Officer any more, stop looking at everybody. I can usually spot an ex con by the way they walk, stand. When they spot me looking at him/her, they get nervous and leave the area. There will come a time when we all retire and take the badge off. But, you will always be a Police Officer. It's a way of life. As far as my friends that I had/have, everyone was in law enforcement. Local, State and Federal.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR A ROOKIE WHO HAS JUST PUT ON THE BADGE?
Make friends with the oldest person in your department. They have a wealth of "Been there Done That". Just look and listen. You'd be surprised at what you can learn. This is what I did. It's good to learn in class about procedures and laws. But, being out on the streets is a whole lot of a another world. Be aware of your surroundings, You will learn how to drive, listen to your radio, and process everything in your site.
IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU FEEL THIS WEBSITE CAN BENEFIT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY?
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| TWS and Law Enforcement |
That's easy. We have more in common then those who are not in Law Enforcement. I know it sounds a bit cold, but, it's true. Lets see, this is the thirteenth question in my Reflections. I haven't typed so much since I worked the desk. This website gives back the world of Law Enforcement brotherhood. To still be apart of the fold is the nearest thing to putting the badge back on. Being a part of this program has brought back a lot of memories, both good and bad.
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TWS VOICES
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