You are correct. It is the theaters that pay for the officers.

I have 2 problems with this:

first, if a law enforcement officer is wearing the uniform and/or driving the patrol vehicle, they bring the face of the government to the job -- regardless of who foots the bill. So, the public has a right to expect that they will do more than passively observe.

Second, since most law enforcement officers make more on their off-duty job than at work, they should be expected to perform at a higher level -- not a lower level -- than their regular job.

Just my opinion.

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If you and I are always in agreement, one of us is likely armed and dangerous.

The police still work 40 hours a week on their regular job so what if they work a side job and its paid for by a private company. The first element in detering crime is the presence of law enforcement. Go to a citizens police academy and they will tell you that. So if an officer works his regular shift then decides to work an off duty at a theater that just puts more police presence in the community that the community doesn't have to pay for. I am all for these officers working part times espically with all the money that is in fayette county , police are severly underpaid. A cop at marta makes more than an officer here in fayette.

I'm not sure what "deter ing or espically" mean, but I do know there can be trouble with privately hired policemen or women.

They used to be used by coal companies and steel mills, etc., to break up unions and strikes. Not very nicely either.

Also, if they don't enforce what they are told to enforce only, they won't be hired again.

Speaking as someone with an English degree, and also as someone who likely shares the road with you, I submit that anyone who is incapable of making the mental leap between "detering" and "deterring" shouldn't attempt the constant mental vigilance required by the operation of a motor vehicle. Further, people who have difficulty with punctuation ought not to throw stones.

As to the off-duty police question, you are clearly operating with a limited amount of information. I come from a long line of teachers and cops and I can tell you that these are two of the professions that most people both know the least about and like to criticize the most. I would recommend that you educate yourself through reliable sources and with an open mind before you run around making (incorrect) blanket statements. Unfortunately, judging from your "I know what I know 'cause I just know it and nothing can change my mind 'cause I just know" school of thought, I don't see that happening. Incidentally, taking a random fact out of context and using it as an argument only works if your audience is uneducated or if you are a politician.

I guess the people at tinsletown better not strike then.

I yam what I yam...Popeye

Well, I know for a fact that while working the private duty job at Tinseltown, in uniform, they have broken up fights, unlocked cars, busted people for drugs and for drunkeness, assisted women who've been thrown out of a vehicle by a man, among much else. So they are doing more than just passively observing.

Good point IMNSHO, and too add another one - I believe the officers who grabbed that armed robber at the Tinseltown were there working an off-duty job also.
On a different note:
As to the comments about what they do in these off-duty jobs -, it's really no different than on-duty - it's just that a private company fits the bill for their salary so they can have them "patrol" only their area instead of the whole city or county. As tends to be the case on this website, it seems to me like somebody might be opening their mouth about things they don't know anything about.