ORLANDO, Fla. – Let’s start with a simple truth: birds still fly even if they’re standing on the ground.
Now, apply that same thinking to law enforcement. Just because an officer is working an off-duty assignment, like standing post in a construction zone, doesn’t mean their role as a protector of public safety is on pause. In fact, quite the opposite.
For law enforcement officers, the job isn’t something they clock in and out of. The badge doesn’t come with an “off” switch. Whether they’re being paid by their department or by a private construction company for a side assignment, their oath to uphold the law and protect the public stands firm.
So yes, if something goes wrong in that construction zone, whether it’s a reckless driver, a crash or a criminal act, that officer absolutely has the authority (and responsibility) to take enforcement action. While their main role in that setting may be visibility and safety, make no mistake: those blue lights and that badge carry full weight, regardless of who’s signing the check.
It’s one of those soft, obvious moments we may overlook. Just because they’re “off duty” in title doesn’t mean they’re ever truly off duty in mission.
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