The true problem lies within our Legislature. We are not an important dept in this state to them.

Let us all quit and see how imprtant we are to them.

Swattie, I'm already a step ahead of you. I will be turning in my official 2 weeks notice on the 15th. I have accepted employment overseas on a one year contract. I will make in 1 year what I make for the state in 3 years. And...it's tax free. I will keep in touch on here though. The work I will be doing is providing armed security and law enforcement for the heroes fighting for us out there.

I thought about joining up with Blackwater. Just unsure.

Swattie, police in the UK are issued a multi-role stab-proof, bullet-resistant vest - we still have knives in the UK .

Secondly, our police force do, in certain cases carry firearms. AFO (Authorised Firearms Officers) are certified to carry firearms. MoD Police, CNC Police and Northern Ireland Police are reoutinely armed. Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department also arm officers, etc. Within the rest of the police force, each force can call upon their own Force Firearms Unit in Armed Response Vehicles which can respond within minutes to a incident. Police at airports are armed and several units within major police forces like the Met and Greater Manchester police still are armed. Although the majority of British police are not armed with firearms (just ASP batons and CS/PAVA spray, etc), if someone cracks out a handgun in the UK - they're still going to be dealt with very quickly. Just by specialist officers. The system we have in the UK is good because we do not allow the majority of the public to own a firearm (certain people can get licences though - and just like almost any country - there are arms on the black market in the UK).

I always wear my stinky vest.

Dude, just wash the D@*n thing!! Walking for eight(ish) hours straight in the Michigan summer weather can stink it up a bit. I actually have two so I can switch 'em out occasionally. Hanging up in the attic are 3 or 4 other ones that the Army issued me. I would send 'em over seas but their so worn out I don't think they'd do much good any more. Now, as I acquire more old ones, I use 'em for training/ targets. Pretty sad that They can't be re-used because the kevlar breaks down over time.

You owe it to yourself and anyone who cares about you to wear that stinky, uncomfortable, bulky, sweaty vest....everytime you put the uniform on.

Our uniform at security is a "police style" uniform. We look like the police department in the city police officer. When we switched to the police style I went out a bought myself a bullet resistant vest.