Rochester PD or NFTA, NY

[jellwood]

I have contemplated moving back to NY to be closer to my aging mother. I have thought that the best two departments that I have a chance getting on with for a couple of reasons are the Rochester PD in NY and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority in Buffalo, NY. Can anyone give me some +'s or -'s for each department? As always Thank You and Take Care.

[UpstateNYPD]

Rochester, I believe, has the highest per capita crime rate in NYS, so that can be a negative, or a postive, depending how much action/overtime you want. NFTA allows you the chance to work in Erie, Niagara, or Genesee counties, depending on where you're stationed or where a call comes in. NFTA has decent overtime, obviously working downtown Buffalo you will see more action than at the airports.

[boguesm]

There are two threads that dedicated to the NFTA:

http://forums.officer.com/showthread.php?t=84592&highlight=nfta
http://forums.officer.com/showthread.php?t=85820&highlight=nfta

There are also a few threads for Rochester as well. Keep in mind that competition for the NFTA is very competitive. They had nearly 800 people take the last exam, and it may be a while before another exam is offered.

[hxd]

Not sure where you're considering moving to. If you live in Monroe County, you can still work for NFTA. You also have a chance at Rochester PD, MCSO, or the towns police departments. If you're not opposed to corrections, MCSO has an exam pretty much every year.

Test with everyone and see what you're offered.

[sillyapple]

do not know your background. However, NFTA will more than likely to hire only certified officers to save money.

[UpstateNYPD]

Not sure where you're considering moving to. If you live in Monroe County, you can still work for NFTA. You also have a chance at Rochester PD, MCSO, or the towns police departments. If you're not opposed to corrections, MCSO has an exam pretty much every year.

Test with everyone and see what you're offered.

Good advice, take every test you can- local, county, state, federal. You keep getting better at them and if you pass 4 or 5 you're bound to be called by at least 1 or 2 agencies.

[TheBoxer]

NFTA tested for non-certified last May. It was the first time in years that they were looking for NCs. Something like 700 people took the test and about half passed. Also be advised that they don't hire very many -- only 14 positions this year, I think -- and it can be VERY political, even more so than most other agencies in NY.

[stingray18]

NFTA although are called police and are treated as such, are peace officers. The department is not civil service, so no transferring out, after a period of time your police certificate will expire (unless you go pt somewhere, which are few and far between in Erie County). They pay pretty well as to keep the job viable for professionals. They don't take any **** from anyone, period. Some really good folks there. Probably pretty political because of the lack of CS Oversight. Good luck.

[UpstateNYPD]

NFTA although are called police and are treated as such, are peace officers. The department is not civil service, so no transferring out, after a period of time your police certificate will expire (unless you go pt somewhere, which are few and far between in Erie County). They pay pretty well as to keep the job viable for professionals. They don't take any **** from anyone, period. Some really good folks there. Probably pretty political because of the lack of CS Oversight. Good luck.

Where do you get your information? NFTA ARE NYS certified police officers.

[stingray18]

They usually only hire certified PO's, but they are Peace Officers. See section 2.10 sub 45 of the NYS CPL.

http://law.onecle.com/new-york/criminal-procedure/CPL02.10_2.10.html

[MaxPower]

They usually only hire certified PO's, but they are Peace Officers. See section 2.10 sub 45 of the NYS CPL.

http://law.onecle.com/new-york/criminal-procedure/CPL02.10_2.10.html

not true, i just graduated the erie county academy with 4 nfta officers, they are police, not peace officers. as for nfta being political, also untrue, none of the four had any hooks within the dept.

[rubyrose]

Rochester, I believe, has the highest per capita crime rate in NYS, so that can be a negative, or a postive, depending how much action/overtime you want. NFTA allows you the chance to work in Erie, Niagara, or Genesee counties, depending on where you're stationed or where a call comes in. NFTA has decent overtime, obviously working downtown Buffalo you will see more action than at the airports.

Just for the record (in case it matters - either direction), Rochester's crime stats are way down. For a couple of years it was called the "murder capital" of the state, but it's been a few years since we held that status. And this year, homicides are significantly lower than last year, which was also lower than the year before.

My recollection is that homicides are down by something like 25% from last year. Or maybe more. Even with the advent of spring, and now summer.

Sorry I don't have the exact stats at my fingertips. They were handed out at a community meeting a couple of weeks ago, and paper and me are like oil and water -- we separate. The LT running the meeting wouldn't speculate about the reasons, but I'm sure at least part of it can be attributed to improved policing.

Once a city makes the news as we did over the murder rate, it's hard to shake the reputation. But it's not so much deserved any more.

...just for the record. FWIW. And here's hoping the trend continues...

(Please don't let this comment distract from the main topic - I don't intend for that, and I know the OP wants to hear from other officers, not civilians. I just have a thing for accuracy.)

[UpstateNYPD]

Oh ok, it's good to know that the crime rate is going down in Rochester. And one more thing about the NFTA PD, the section of CPL being referred to is out of date, the NFTA firefighters at the Buffalo airport are (or at least were) peace officers, not the NFTA Police.

[tactical208]

Avoid the Rochester Police Dept unless you like be handcuffed, blind folded and leg shackled and then told told "Now go out there and do a good job" scenario. The guys are great, the calls can be a lot of fun. But things have changed drastically over the past 10 years there. Not to count the blasted Tier 5 they want to come out with. The Mayor is the former police chief and isn' t very good at either job, very quick to jump the gun and have officers suspended to appease the public. He's in the middle of being sued right now for doing that, suspending several officers for no reason, now they are suing him and the city.

I worked an retired from RPD, it was fun while it lasted, but ever since the Urlacher scandal, it hasn't been the same. I would steer clear of RPD unless you just want to collect a paycheck and a headache.

[TheBoxer]

not true, i just graduated the erie county academy with 4 nfta officers, they are police, not peace officers. as for nfta being political, also untrue, none of the four had any hooks within the dept.

They might not have had any hooks, but most of the nfta's people involved in their hiring process do. It is one of the most notoriously political organizations around -- their administrative offices are filled with people hired through the patronage system, and they hire accordingly. There is some really weird stuff that goes on in their hiring, and not just within the transit PD, either.

[SlowDownThere]

Not to count the blasted Tier 5 they want to come out with.

True enough. However, if Tier 5 comes to pass, it will most likely affect every new hire in the state, including NFTA.

[aikido kid]

NFTA although are called police and are treated as such, are peace officers. . .

. . .after a period of time your police certificate will expire (unless you go pt somewhere, which are few and far between in Erie County).

INCORRECT!!

:D

[aikido kid]

They usually only hire certified PO's, but they are Peace Officers. See section 2.10 sub 45 of the NYS CPL.

http://law.onecle.com/new-york/criminal-procedure/CPL02.10_2.10.html

Those are the fire fighters at the airport...



As far as the NFTA being too political to get hired if you are not connected, I know for a fact that this is not true. But it probably helps... Haha.

[stingray18]

I stand corrected, I guess they get their powers from the Authorities section?

Anyway, if I did not have the job I had today I would certainly entertain working with the NFTA POLICE. I never met anyone in the airports, but the road guys were great.

Later

[aikido kid]

thanks... ;)