How big is your local police department?

[hardcore302]

I always like learning about other PD's around the country (and in others). How big is your local PD and what are your experiences?

My PD has more officers than there are members on this site, lol.. Largest PD in the country if not the world. Around 36K. That's NYC for ya.

 

[-Clayton-]

Edit, Meant 20 not 19.

 

[hardcore302]

We use mostly Crown Vics and Chevy Impalas and recently got some Altima and Fusion hybrids, which we don't like riding in because they are slow and small.

 

[Shannow]

Big enough that they can be a bunch of [insert word here], issue speeding tickets, parking tickets for parking the wrong way out the front of my house (thought the full trailer on the back of my J-Car wagon might give away the reason for parking such on a hill), yet small enough that they are completely ineffectual at stopping/solving crime.

 

[ctrcbob]

NYPD has more personnel than the USCG. No kidding.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: ctrcbob
NYPD has more personnel than the USCG. No kidding.


I was in Madrid Spain during their 24 hour national strike last in September. I saw a cop wearing a jacket with NYPD on the back at one demonstration.

 

[Bluestream]

699 police officers for a population of 510,000

http://www.wrps.on.ca/

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Big enough that they can be a bunch of [insert word here], issue speeding tickets, parking tickets for parking the wrong way out the front of my house (thought the full trailer on the back of my J-Car wagon might give away the reason for parking such on a hill), yet small enough that they are completely ineffectual at stopping/solving crime.


That sums up our police department to a T.

 

[crinkles]

i'd say one or two for our town of 5,000, next town down the line maybe has 10 for 30,000 people.

 

[sciphi]

Pretty small. Maybe 15-20 folks as a rough guesstimate.

The state police troops in the area have more folks, and lots of dark blue CVPI's and Tahoes. Not to mention the county sheriff, state Dept. of Environmental Conservation police, and likely other police forces I've forgotten about. Law enforcement is big around here.

Experiences are generally positive. The school resource officer I interact with sometimes at work is a nice guy.

 

[Seguino]

Thirty six thousand employees to cover three hundred and five square miles.
The PD in my town has twenty six thousand employees and covers three million five hundred eleven thousand twenty two square miles. Mind you, they also cover the rest of the country. Are we under staffed or are you over staffed? A little of both?
PS I heart NY.
How do you even fit in an Altima? As part of my job I deliver new cruisers to the RCMP ( Crown Vics, and the hinterlands get a lot of Suburbans ) and with the laptop stand, two radios, Whelen control panel,radar, and great big (to me) shotgun in there, there's barely enough room for me to get in and drive it on and off the car carrier, and I'm not wearing a duty belt and a bullet proof vest!

 

[Silk]

We have a handful of cops,and another handful of penpushers to support them.They work a 5 day week and knock off at 5.00pm just like I do.Everyone knows that,so don't bother calling the cops after 5,they have to come from the city over 30 mins away.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

No local police, but we are serviced by the county should anything ever require their services. I see a county sheriff drive by once every couple of years.

If I remember correctly there are about 10 total staff members on the county sheriff's payroll.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Big enough that they can be a bunch of [insert word here], issue speeding tickets, parking tickets for parking the wrong way out the front of my house (thought the full trailer on the back of my J-Car wagon might give away the reason for parking such on a hill), yet small enough that they are completely ineffectual at stopping/solving crime.


That sums up our police department to a T.
Same here. Why fight crime when they can use 4 police cars and a helicopter to chase a kid on a dirt bike thats riding out in the dsert?

 

[Spazdog]

I don't know the numbers, but they do require a 4-year degree.

That brings us the best of the best and the worst of the worst. Suprisingly no middle of the pack cops. They are either complete professionals or complete douche-nozzles.

 

[expat]

12 guys/women, and it closes at 5pm, any 911 call are redirected to another city.

 

[Drew99GT]

The city of Colorado Springs police department and the city itself is in such a budget crisis, and there's so much new crime (robberies galore), that they say they won't respond to calls less serious then robbery or assault most nights, and if they do respond to less serious calls, to expect 30 minute response times or more.

I had some kids paint balling in my neighborhood a few nights ago; caught them red handed. I called the police and waited it out and didn't "blow my cover", as I hoped the cops would catch them before I confronted them. I tracked them for 30 minutes until they left the neighborhood, upon which a cop finally arrived at my house 45 minutes later. I told him, what am I supposed to do! Kick their asses? Because calling the police is of no use unless you've just been shot.

You're [censored] if you do and [censored] if you don't.

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
The city of Colorado Springs police department and the city itself is in such a budget crisis, and there's so much new crime (robberies galore), that they say they won't respond to calls less serious then robbery or assault most nights, and if they do respond to less serious calls, to expect 30 minute response times or more.


You're [censored] if you do and [censored] if you don't.


I see this all over, but the communities still seem to have all the monies needed for the bike trails upkeep, park upkeep, local museum (this encludes small towns like mine with a population of only 3,000 folks), and all the other frivolous stuff. The schools are also in this same shape.

I believe they cut the important items to try to convinence the people why they need more tax dollars.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Miami-Dade has 2900 sworn Leos and 1700 support personnel for about 2 million people.

They have around 1900 cars...All marked cars are CVPI'S [for right now] and they have a ton of unmarked cars which include Chargers,300's,Impalas and whatever gets forteitured for being a bad boy.

Miami Dade County has over 30 police agencies and some agencies are real small...Some small towns are barely a mile long yet they have nice new Ford Expeditons and Tahoes [besides the CVPI&Charger] to patrol the tiny town.

 

[Mr Nice]

CrownVic,

About 10 years ago I used to go riding with my brother's friend who was with Miami-Dade police and he patroled the Perrine/Metro Zoo area. When [censored] hit the fan on a Saturday night and 20 drunk farm-workers fighting in a bar down in FL City/Homestead..... Miami-Dade had to back them up cause way down south they have a small police Dept.


Drew,

Have you taught your wife how to use and reload your gun ?