# I wonder what happens to old undercover officer's ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 6, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265 "2013-06-06T02:42:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/1 "2013-06-06T02:42:01Z")
I have known a few back in the 1980’s that is and I often wondered what happened to them. Do they retire, retire with full pay, go on to other security jobs, start security companies or just enjoy their remaining years in another area from their normal duties took them. (I would think in an area, that they did not work in) I’ve often thought that they need a place they can go to rest in while still on duty too. A place where they get their system cleaned out from using drugs, from dealing with the unsavory side of life. Just wondering and hope they are okay … If you were one … thank you for your life long service ---
**Author:** ![stoplight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@stoplight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoplight)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/2 "2013-06-06T02:51:45Z")
I know several, for most career driven individuals undercover is usually one of many stepping stones toward the final step to homicide/robbery detail. These are local county and city coppers and I would imagine at the state and federal levels it would be similar to reaching whatever department is comparable in status. For those not on that path not sure what happens but would guess their next position is not nearly as stressful as undercover. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/3 "2013-06-06T03:30:49Z")
I work in security. A small number of my coworkers are retired police, who did undercover work (mostly in vice). Also I worked with a woman of about 45 years old who was former FBI, if that counts. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/4 "2013-06-06T03:35:02Z")
Not a General Question. I’ll put it in MPSIMS—not that it’s mundane nor pointless, but that’s where it’s going. **samclem** , moderator And, can you please just keep typing rather than hitting a carriage return. You’re not using a typewriter 60 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/5 "2013-06-06T03:36:52Z")
Old undercover officer’s what? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/6 "2013-06-06T03:45:38Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > I have known a few back in the 1980’s that is and I often > wondered what happened to them. > > Do they retire, retire with full pay, go on to other security jobs, start security companies or just enjoy their remaining years in another > area from their normal duties took them. > > (I would think in an area, that they did not work in) > > I’ve often thought that they need a place they can go to rest in while still on duty too. > > A place where they get their system cleaned out from using drugs, from dealing with the unsavory side of life. > > Just wondering and hope they are okay … > > If you were one … thank you for your life long service Is this serious?? It’s too damn funny to be legit. C’mon. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/7 "2013-06-06T04:32:05Z")
Generally, when they’re done with undercover, they either go back to uniform or a non-undercover plainclothes assignment. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/8 "2013-06-06T04:45:32Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Is this serious?? It’s too damn funny to be legit. C’mon. 😛 It’s a continuum. Or a spectrum. Or sumpin. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/9 "2013-06-06T05:30:06Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Old undercover officer’s what? Old undercover officer’s underwear? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/10 "2013-06-06T11:23:33Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > Do they retire, retire with full pay, go on to other security jobs, start security companies or just enjoy their remaining years in another > area from their normal duties took them. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/11 "2013-06-06T11:37:06Z")
I know of at least two here locally that ended up on the wrong side of the law, living on the streets, hopelessly strung out on meth. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/12 "2013-06-06T12:31:05Z")
There was an veteran cop on _The First 48_ that talked about being undercover in the 80’s. This was a few years ago in the early seasons. Lieutenant Joe Schillaci was a Miami Homicide detective. One of the more colorful cops thats been on the series. Basically he went back into the dept as a regular cop. [http://www.aetv.com/the-first-48/meet-officers/miami-fl/](http://www.aetv.com/the-first-48/meet-officers/miami-fl/) > [@](#): > > Joe Schillaci, 45, is a 21-year veteran of the Miami Police Department and has been a sergeant for over 10 years and a homicide investigator for 5 years. Before coming to homicide, Schillaci worked as an undercover narcotics cop for 16 years, an experience that has given him an edge as a homicide investigator. "My whole career [as an undercover cop] was structured around the mechanical, being fine tuned on the street. .. > [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Generally, when they’re done with undercover, they either go back to uniform or a non-undercover plainclothes assignment. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/13 "2013-06-06T12:53:22Z")
Have you never seen The Fast and the Furious? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/14 "2013-06-06T20:00:21Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Old undercover officer’s what? That’s what I came in to find out. It can’t be underwear; that’s too obvious. Pets? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/15 "2013-06-06T20:11:29Z")
Maybe they work security for secret (but powerful) societies. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/16 "2013-06-06T20:42:30Z")
They all retire to San Diego, Alaska. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/17 "2013-06-06T20:49:48Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > I have known a few back in the 1980’s that is and I often > wondered what happened to them. > > Do they retire, retire with full pay, go on to other security jobs, start security companies or just enjoy their remaining years in another > area from their normal duties took them. > > (I would think in an area, that they did not work in) > > I’ve often thought that they need a place they can go to rest in while still on duty too. > > A place where they get their system cleaned out from using drugs, from dealing with the unsavory side of life. > > Just wondering and hope they are okay … > > If you were one … thank you for your life long service You seem to be under the mistaken impression that they stay undercover for most of their career. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/18 "2013-06-06T20:55:45Z")
When they’re found out, a man with a vaguely European accent tells them _“You are no more use to me, Mr Smith”_ and pushes the button that drops them in the scorpion pit. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-what-happens-to-old-undercover-officers/660265/19 "2013-06-06T23:51:29Z")
I bet some of them own resturants with slot machines in them 😃