LAPD vs LAXPD vs PORT PD.

[sixxer]

Which is the better department and why? Highest morale? Advancement? etc.

Thanks!

[ask80]

lets get ready to rumble! :D
use the search feature...

[sixxer]

lets get ready to rumble! :D
use the search feature...

I did. Nothing conclusive.

[sixxer]

44 views and no responces?

How about this:

If you were an applicant and receieved an offer from all three agencies, what would you pick and why?

[Kieth M.]

After 30 years with LAPD I'll start by saying that, today, we may be "no better" than L.A. Port or Airport PD. But please understand, these departments do police work in different environments. An LAPD street cop would be lost at LAX or in the Port, until brought up to speed. A Port cop would fare no better at LAX, until...and so it goes...tactics may be great to start with all, but nuts & bolts about rules specific to FAA or maritime regs would be like ancient Greek to an LAPD officer. There are three different departments, because there are three different jobs to do. BTW - you forgot LAUSD (schools) PD.

Morale may not be all that high, right now at LAPD, due to the recent news regarding 29 officers facing discipline in the aftermath of the May Day '07 Mac Park event. LAPD's new $10K in "signing bonuses" sound like a desparate bid to try and get new blood into a department which should have no trouble getting people to work there...but, remember, LAPD is the same department which will alternately boast or complain that they have to sift through 300 applicants to get one recruit into the academy.

As far as advancement goes, I'm sure you'll hear from an airport cop soon...(are you out there, DOAcop?)....but, I think advancement comes faster with LAPD due to turnover/retirements, the requirement to transfer from one division to another if you promote. That probably won't happen in a smaller department. In a 9000+ member department, they test every two years for detective or sergeant.

[sixxer]

After 30 years with LAPD I'll start by saying that, today, we may be "no better" than L.A. Port or Airport PD. But please understand, these departments do police work in different environments. An LAPD street cop would be lost at LAX or in the Port, until brought up to speed. A Port cop would fare no better at LAX, until...and so it goes...tactics may be great to start with all, but nuts & bolts about rules specific to FAA or maritime regs would be like ancient Greek to an LAPD officer. There are three different departments, because there are three different jobs to do. BTW - you forgot LAUSD (schools) PD.

Morale may not be all that high, right now at LAPD, due to the recent news regarding 29 officers facing discipline in the aftermath of the May Day '07 Mac Park event. LAPD's new $10K in "signing bonuses" sound like a desparate bid to try and get new blood into a department which should have no trouble getting people to work there...but, remember, LAPD is the same department which will alternately boast or complain that they have to sift through 300 applicants to get one recruit into the academy.

As far as advancement goes, I'm sure you'll hear from an airport cop soon...(are you out there, DOAcop?)....but, I think advancement comes faster with LAPD due to turnover/retirements, the requirement to transfer from one division to another if you promote. That probably won't happen in a smaller department. In a 9000+ member department, they test every two years for detective or sergeant.

Thanks for your reply.

I'm having a hard time deciding what to do, please PM me if you have any other advice for me.

Keep the replys coming please...

[Pekkier]

what about San Fran BART Police?

[sixxer]

what about San Fran BART Police?

Is this relevant to the thread topic? If not, please start a different thread.

[Kieth M.]

You asked about "if I had three offers, who would I join." As for me, I never knew LAUSDPD, LAXPD, or the Port PD existed when I applied to LAPD. LAPD was all I wanted because it was all I knew. But I grew up in a time when Adam-12, Dragnet, Police Story, and the Joseph Wambaugh books glamorized LAPD.

But, I like lots of room to roam around in, LAPD suited me just fine.

[IAmJeff]

Is this relevant to the thread topic? If not, please start a different thread.

harsh...

I think he meant have you considered looking into bart. I guess he saw planes and boats and thought, how about trains? and no, sorry, I dont have anything to add to the thread, so excuuuuuse ME! :rolleyes:

[syphon157]

3 different jobs, which do you want to do more? Personally, I would pick the first one to offer.

[sixxer]

harsh...

I think he meant have you considered looking into bart. I guess he saw planes and boats and thought, how about trains? and no, sorry, I dont have anything to add to the thread, so excuuuuuse ME! :rolleyes:

I don't know everyone on the forum, so excuse me.

I took the responce as someone who wanted to know about the San Fran BART department, rather then a suggestion. Hence the reason to start a "new thread". No disrespect intended to him or anyone else for that matter.

Anyhow, I'm in the process with the above mentioned departments and not sure which department to go with assuming I get an offer from all three.

Thanks and keep the responces coming!:)

[RicardoTubbs]

I have plenty of friends at LAPD and they are for the most part satisfied and willing to ride out their entire careers there. Just about all of them are in specialized assignments and one is still working patrol.

Port PD is growing fast and has plenty of Government $$$ thrown their way to do so. I was just getting off training at my department when a fellow academy classmate was finishing up motor school. I've heard of FTO's at Port PD with less than 3 YRS on, or so was printed in the Daily Breeze a while back. From what I've heard, once your off training, which I believe is only 4 MOS, you have plenty of opportunity to move to different specialized assignments. Overall, not a bad gig!

[DOAcop38]

You asked about "if I had three offers, who would I join." As for me, I never knew LAUSDPD, LAXPD, or the Port PD existed when I applied to LAPD. LAPD was all I wanted because it was all I knew. But I grew up in a time when Adam-12, Dragnet, Police Story, and the Joseph Wambaugh books glamorized LAPD.

But, I like lots of room to roam around in, LAPD suited me just fine.

Its like this - has everyone seen "copland"?????( with DeNiro and Stallone),well there's this scene where DeNiro breaks it down to stallone -" You maybe law enforcement and i maybe law enforcement,but you? you're no cop,I'm a cop"....) that about sizes it up when you ask about the comparisons of LAPD to LAXPD to LAUSDPD to PORT PD. "yes" technically we are all "police officers" and affiliated with the city of L.A.(Airports and Port cops work for Depts of the city of L.A. and LAPD officers are the primary police for the city) but you'll experience MORE police related work with LAPD.and airport Cop may actually deal with 10-20 robberies a yr on a busy yr compare to an LAPD officer dealing with 100+ with same time on the job.a Port PD copper may at the end of a yr have gotten his 10851 VC pin after making 10 stolen vehicle arrests,but an LAPD officer will have experienced 50+ stolen vehicle incidents/or arrests with the same time on.and then theres the politics- Although academy classmates of mine who are still with LAPD make about $5K more than me (current salary is about $85K before OT),I work less and my promtotional opportunites are less( although alot better than other local PDs)
As Sgt Keith M pointed out- its not a equal comparison.

My experience varies from the younger generation of airport cops,as they have been "raised" under a lower crime environment around LAX(very few experience violent in progress felonies compared to my rookie yrs in the early '90s) and mgm't has made them basically "armed clerks"( they smile at the public,write reports, work a bunch of PR and ""office job" type of enforcement,and occasionally do traffic enforcement) also,unlike my generation,there is little or NO pressure from LAPD to "cut it" or work like you're an equal(others who worked LAXPD,PORT PD,LAUSDPD "KNOW " what I'm talking about),so demands on the skill levels of personnel is lower.I'm not saying that LAXPD ,for example,is less of a police agency or inadequate- but i am pointing out that the dept acts more like a suburban dept with more interest in PR than assertive crime enforcement,and alot of todays officers would be on the "shortend" of the stick REAL fast if the city had to send them to deal with a call of ,say a group of "rollin' sixties crips" blocking a street on 68th st and 5th ave.(had a young LAX officer go in pursuit of drive by shooting suspects,and ended up in a alley with suspects at gunpoint near 83rd st and Vermont ave- he was soo unfamiliar with the rest of the city of L.A. that he THOUGHT he was in the city of Inglewood,nearly 3 miles west of his location,nor did he even know the local gang he was detaining!)

LAPD for the most part is big city ,part I crime fighting period- it is highly political and with streaks of low morale,but still alot of opportunities.To pick the dept you want to work for ,you need to evaluate what type of L.E. you want to do.each Dept will expose to DANGEROUS situations( at LAX you will be exposed to hazardous chemicals,risk bomb threats daily,confront WANTED persons trying to flee to other place,criminals looking for opportunities in what they see as an "easy" target",and severely mentally ill people with violent behavior )ditto PORT PD.At LAPD- you can go from smiling with kids at a local park to a multiple shooting a block away.Rookie officers have been KILLED on their first week of patrol ,maimed,and wounded.People bleed on you regularly,and finding dead bodies is a common experience.And there's a higher chance of actually having to take someones LIFE (ala "shooting")with LAPD compared to LAXPD or PORTS or LAUSDPD-although recently LAUSDPD,LAXPD,and PORTSPD have had there officer involved shooting and UOF incidents.

With LAPD training Airport PD and PORTPD,Gen Services (city Hall )PD, and quite possibly soon -LAUSDPD,the training and standards have become uniform across the broad-only the daily activity is different for officers.to decide on what you want,you need to go on a ridealong to see a "glimpse" of what you be doing as an officer,then you need to realistically think about what you want to be involved in.IF you are 36 yrs old,have 2 kids and want to have a family life- PORT or LAXPD may be more for you.If you are 22 yrs old and looking for adventure and career status before starting a family,LAPD is your ticket.......

[sixxer]

Its like this - has everyone seen "copland"?????( with DeNiro and Stallone),well there's this scene where DeNiro breaks it down to stallone -" You maybe law enforcement and i maybe law enforcement,but you? you're no cop,I'm a cop"....) that about sizes it up when you ask about the comparisons of LAPD to LAXPD to LAUSDPD to PORT PD. "yes" technically we are all "police officers" and affiliated with the city of L.A.(Airports and Port cops work for Depts of the city of L.A. and LAPD officers are the primary police for the city) but you'll experience MORE police related work with LAPD.and airport Cop may actually deal with 10-20 robberies a yr on a busy yr compare to an LAPD officer dealing with 100+ with same time on the job.a Port PD copper may at the end of a yr have gotten his 10851 VC pin after making 10 stolen vehicle arrests,but an LAPD officer will have experienced 50+ stolen vehicle incidents/or arrests with the same time on.and then theres the politics- Although academy classmates of mine who are still with LAPD make about $5K more than me (current salary is about $85K before OT),I work less and my promtotional opportunites are less( although alot better than other local PDs)
As Sgt Keith M pointed out- its not a equal comparison.

My experience varies from the younger generation of airport cops,as they have been "raised" under a lower crime environment around LAX(very few experience violent in progress felonies compared to my rookie yrs in the early '90s) and mgm't has made them basically "armed clerks"( they smile at the public,write reports, work a bunch of PR and ""office job" type of enforcement,and occasionally do traffic enforcement) also,unlike my generation,there is little or NO pressure from LAPD to "cut it" or work like you're an equal(others who worked LAXPD,PORT PD,LAUSDPD "KNOW " what I'm talking about),so demands on the skill levels of personnel is lower.I'm not saying that LAXPD ,for example,is less of a police agency or inadequate- but i am pointing out that the dept acts more like a suburban dept with more interest in PR than assertive crime enforcement,and alot of todays officers would be on the "shortend" of the stick REAL fast if the city had to send them to deal with a call of ,say a group of "rollin' sixties crips" blocking a street on 68th st and 5th ave.(had a young LAX officer go in pursuit of drive by shooting suspects,and ended up in a alley with suspects at gunpoint near 83rd st and Vermont ave- he was soo unfamiliar with the rest of the city of L.A. that he THOUGHT he was in the city of Inglewood,nearly 3 miles west of his location,nor did he even know the local gang he was detaining!)

LAPD for the most part is big city ,part I crime fighting period- it is highly political and with streaks of low morale,but still alot of opportunities.To pick the dept you want to work for ,you need to evaluate what type of L.E. you want to do.each Dept will expose to DANGEROUS situations( at LAX you will be exposed to hazardous chemicals,risk bomb threats daily,confront WANTED persons trying to flee to other place,criminals looking for opportunities in what they see as an "easy" target",and severely mentally ill people with violent behavior )ditto PORT PD.At LAPD- you can go from smiling with kids at a local park to a multiple shooting a block away.Rookie officers have been KILLED on their first week of patrol ,maimed,and wounded.People bleed on you regularly,and finding dead bodies is a common experience.And there's a higher chance of actually having to take someones LIFE (ala "shooting")with LAPD compared to LAXPD or PORTS or LAUSDPD-although recently LAUSDPD,LAXPD,and PORTSPD have had there officer involved shooting and UOF incidents.

With LAPD training Airport PD and PORTPD,Gen Services (city Hall )PD, and quite possibly soon -LAUSDPD,the training and standards have become uniform across the broad-only the daily activity is different for officers.to decide on what you want,you need to go on a ridealong to see a "glimpse" of what you be doing as an officer,then you need to realistically think about what you want to be involved in.IF you are 36 yrs old,have 2 kids and want to have a family life- PORT or LAXPD may be more for you.If you are 22 yrs old and looking for adventure and career status before starting a family,LAPD is your ticket.......

Bravo!:) Exellent responce....

[DOAcop38]

oh,and sorry for all the "sp"'s (finally went and cleaned my contacts at the station) lolololol!!!

[mcguire4]

you are indeed a wealth of wisdom my friend!!