# 2 Part Wacker/Whacker Question ?



## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

As I was reading the post Wackers on patrol, I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of the word Wacker/Whacker, Ive seen it both ways. I work for the Wackenhut Company and have always thought that might have been where the word came from. Second part is what exactly is the definition of a Wacker, is it anyone that wants to be a cop in security or unarmed security or is it case by case depending on the severity of the shitbag, I have turned down my delicate sensibility for this thread so feel free to speak your minds.


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## Nuke_TRT (Feb 10, 2008)

Whack´er
*n.**1.*One who whacks.*2.*Anything very large; specif., a great lie; a whopper.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, published 1913 by C. & G. Merriam Co.


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## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

I think it refers to one who "whacks one off"  ....cause they have no life so they pretend to be a cop.


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## Kilvinsky (Jan 15, 2007)

To work as a guard is an honorable thing. To carry the propper equipment is a sensible thing.

When a guard (or even a cop) carries so much extra stuff and walks around when off duty with a wardrobe* and attitude that SCREAMS "I'm in LAW ENFORCEMENT", I consider him a whacker. 

Someone who goes beyond being proud of what they are and tries to give the impression they are MORE than what they are: a guard who tries to convice someone he's a cop, a cop who tries to convince someone he's Batman, a Coast Guard Auxiliary who tries to convince everyone he's an Admiral, a vice president who tries to convince people he invented the internet. 

Picture the white kids who wear the pants around the butt cheeks, the hat turned to the side and all the gold (Malibu's Most Wanted) and that's another form of whacker.

You talk the talk, walk the walk put on a really over the top show, but ain't really what you want people to think you are. 

Whacker.

People should be proud of what they have accomplished and improve themselves should they want more, don't just PRETEND to have more because that only makes someone look small and belittles those on the same level.

If you're "A", be "A". If you want to be "C", work towards it, don't just play like you ARE "C".

*We all know the difference between a t-shirt here and there and the guy who practically wears a uniform off duty. There is that HUGE difference.


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## Nighttrain (Dec 10, 2004)

That definition should be entered into Wikipedia! I agree, there's nothing wrong with being a guard/security if you keep it in the right context. Prior to going to the full academy I worked for a state college PD. We had a great relationship with the city PD because the vast majority of us understood where we fit into the food chain and were properly respectful to the local PD. It never bothered me to think that I was "lower on the ladder" than those guys. More often than not if you were deferential to the folks on the rung above you they would do what they could to help you. I now work in a community that has a college in it and when I interact with a college officer who seems to be squared away and and respectful I try to remember the cops who were kind to me.


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## Kilvinsky (Jan 15, 2007)

Nighttrain] Prior to going to the full academy I worked for a state college PD. We had a great relationship with the city PD because the vast majority of us understood where we fit into the food chain and were properly respectful to the local PD. It never bothered me to think that I was "lower on the ladder" than those guys. [/quote]
Well written said:


> I always figured it had something to do with the box of Kleenex and bottle of baby oil next to the dashlight...


That too. Hand lotion is just as good! :happy: Watch "Me, Myself & Irene" and you'll see that even Jim Carey endorses that product! hee hee hee


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## Guest (Jun 1, 2008)

Kilvinsky said:


> For years I thought of us campus cops as being in the minor leagues and the cities and towns were the majors. Then I had a revelation, league shit be damned, we're all doing the same blasted job on the whole, be it TeenyTown College or MegaUniversity or the Town of Itysbits or the City of Hugeford or Enviromental, State, Federal, Interpol, whatever....we all fit into the same jigsaw puzzle of law enforcement and I won't lower myself. I will NOT claim to be what I'm not, but I won't think less of myself because of who pays me. Pretending to be what I'm not not only makes me look like an ass, but it belittles all those within my area of law enforcement, as if to say, "I'm not THAT, I'm better!"


That may be true and all well & good, but one thing every cop needs to understand is to remember where you are. If you're using another department's facilities, especially for booking & holding prisoners, you best be respectful and deferential no matter who you are. It's like being a guest in someone's home.....if Bill Gates came to my house and acted like a jerk, he'd land somewhere around the midpoint of my front walkway.


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## Guest (Jun 2, 2008)

> Well written, but I can't go with the 'lower on the ladder' only because, it's like putting yourself down (or maybe yourself in a previous life). We AREN'T LOWER, just different. We all have a place and should be happy with it, but that place may not be necessarilly lower, just, maybe to the left or right. I've said in many previous posts, I'm not in awe of any department but I will bow to more experience. HOWEVER where a person works is not a reflection of experience, just employer. I once posted that I spoke with a State Trooper once who made it very clear that he learned far more from a part time sgt. in a little town than he ever learned in the Academy because that small town, part time sgt. had DONE it and much of it was self taught. Here was a Trooper, who many would put on a higher rung making it clear that this guy in this little bitty town knew more than he did. I admire that Trooper for his honesty to this day.
> 
> For years I thought of us campus cops as being in the minor leagues and the cities and towns were the majors. Then I had a revelation, league shit be damned, we're all doing the same blasted job on the whole, be it TeenyTown College or MegaUniversity or the Town of Itysbits or the City of Hugeford or Enviromental, State, Federal, Interpol, whatever....we all fit into the same jigsaw puzzle of law enforcement and I won't lower myself. I will NOT claim to be what I'm not, but I won't think less of myself because of who pays me. Pretending to be what I'm not not only makes me look like an ass, but it belittles all those within my area of law enforcement, as if to say, "I'm not THAT, I'm better!"
> 
> *A good cop isn't something you base on who employs you, it's who you are.*


Being a campus guy myself, I would love to sit around the fire with you and sing Kumbaya... But.

The challenge with a majority (not all of course) campus agencies, is what happens after you get out of the academy (whatever it happens to be). I think that we all agree that it's not your academy that makes you a good/bad cop, but your field training. The reality that most CPO's face is their field training consists of: Medical calls, learning the fire alarm boxes, where the doors are to unlock, and who can park where. So, in a way, we get our growth stunted a bit. *Call us Bonsai Police?*

I put your last statement in bold because I agree with you 100%, but you are going to be limited by the environment that you are in. I know that I could have learned a hell of a lot more in my last job, if the admin took me off the chain.

On the original topic: I have no problem with anyone who is doing what they have to in order to get on the job. The whole ABC analogy was good though.


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

sounds like a derivative of "wacky" or "whack job"

or as we say in Boston , whacka !


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## Lost (Dec 19, 2006)

Wolfman said:


> I always figured it had something to do with the box of Kleenex and bottle of baby oil next to the dashlight...


This was my understanding, too! In fact, I learned that the term originated with the knuckle draggers who could simply not contain themselves when the ding dings went off. The solution to this problem is to invest in every tool to carry with them (I may need this nuke disarmer that I bought from Galls for $10), wear firefighter gear off duty to prepare themself for the next call (and society for the likely fallout), and invest in blinky lights (for the call firefighters) to get everyone off the road when they are driving.


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## Kilvinsky (Jan 15, 2007)

Delta784 said:


> That may be true and all well & good, but one thing every cop needs to understand is to remember where you are. If you're using another department's facilities, especially for booking & holding prisoners, you best be respectful and deferential no matter who you are. It's like being a guest in someone's home.....if Bill Gates came to my house and acted like a jerk, he'd land somewhere around the midpoint of my front walkway.


Couldn't agree more. No one gets respect that doesn't give it and yeah, it IS thier house and their city as well, so sure, I'm always respectful to a fellow cop. I won't take unnecessary shit, but that rarely happens and that's mainly because we've got a good working relationship based on mutual respect. We're not in competition. I've made some pretty good grabs (on those occassions I actually get off my lazy ass) and when asked by the locals if I'm going to take the arrest, I'll more often than not say, "Your street, you have first right of refusal." If they want it, no problem, I'll still get some OT for it. If they don't want it, again, no problem. As Ali G says, "Res-peckt."



5-0 said:


> Being a campus guy myself, I would love to sit around the fire with you and sing Kumbaya... But.
> 
> The challenge with a majority (not all of course) campus agencies, is what happens after you get out of the academy (whatever it happens to be). I think that we all agree that it's not your academy that makes you a good/bad cop, but your field training. The reality that most CPO's face is their field training consists of: Medical calls, learning the fire alarm boxes, where the doors are to unlock, and who can park where. So, in a way, we get our growth stunted a bit. *Call us Bonsai Police?*
> 
> ...


Bonsai Police. That's one I WILL remember. You make fantastic points and I agree absolutely. Every lockout seems demeaning, but it's one of the crappy parts of the job that's gotta be lived with and hell yeah, it can sour even the most enthusiastic rookie into figuring he/she is in a crappy job. Sometimes those jobs CAN turn out crappy, but it's a paycheck, a foot in the door, some training and some experience at the very least. Of course if you're in a job you see as crappy, you just might find yourself exaggerating a bit as to what goes on on your job to make is seem like NYPD or some such thing. You might go the other way and JUST talk about the crap. Neither is good since exaggerating will eventually make you look like a whacker (ON TOPIC!) and simply dissing the job will only cause the whole concept of that job to be less than it is and that's a disservice to the others who work there.

I can't stand that Kumbaya song, so sorry, I won't sing it with ANYONE! Blech.


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