contra costa sheriff

[leif]

has anyone been accepted or does anyone work for them now? standard questions... realistically how long do you work jails? how do you like it? etc etc.

thanks
(btw if anyone noticed, yes i did change this thread completely and the thread title should be about alameda now, not coco)

[lsmalibu]

Originally Posted by leif

has anyone been accepted or does anyone work for them now? standard questions... realistically how long do you work jails? how do you like it? etc etc.

thanks
(btw if anyone noticed, yes i did change this thread completely and the thread title should be about alameda now, not coco)

I don't work for them, but know some officers who used to. Most of them hated it, were stuck in jails for 3 or more years and were itching to hit the streets. Couldn't get out on patrol as a deputy so they transferred to a PD and were on the streets in a matter of weeks.

Their academy is also tough, but many agencies around the area frown upon it. It's a lot like boot camp (which is fine) but I've heard many ALCO graduates have trouble dealing with people, because their academy didn't allow them to be independent thinkers. I've also heard that most of the academy instructors just got off working jails and therefore have zero street experience and therefore haven't done what they're teaching you to do.

ALCO SO is also continuing to lose patrol area and more and more cities incorporate in the county or annex previously unincorporated land.

[leif]

hmm sounds fun..lol. guess i can scratch them off my list...looks like either santa cruz, santa clara or solano now.

[lsmalibu]

Originally Posted by leif

hmm sounds fun..lol. guess i can scratch them off my list...looks like either santa cruz, santa clara or solano now.

Are you determined to work for a Sheriff's Dept?

At least with those choices, you don't have to work in the jail.

[leif]

determined..no, but higher on my preference list.

btw i love your car... i have an evo.

[pkagel]

Your still quite young, the jail time would really be helpful. Here is my academy notes in case you haven't signed up yet.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CABasicPolice/

[sgttom]

CoCo County:

one of my good buddies works there. at present time, you have to put three years in the jails........... you CAN leave early HOWEVER you risk being transferred back in to finish your time...

this happened to my buddy who has remained in the jails to finish his education and is due back out soon and hopefully into a specialized unit.


Alameda:

what Ismailbu said. tough academy - lots of yelling, PT and moderately high failure rate.... There are quite a few bay area agencies who will not send their new recruits through ALCO... If you can get in as a lateral, you got it made.. ALCO has a good salary negotiated with a "me too" clause.. i.e. ALCO fire gets raise, ALCO SO too, etc... good amount of OT at the baseball / basketball / football games.

Solano:

good place to work at, not as high paid as CoCo and ALCO. Deputies work patrol or investigations (and civil) only, NO jails. I live within Solano County...

Santa Cruz:

No clue about this place.

[leif]

Originally Posted by sgttom

Alameda:

If you can get in as a lateral, you got it made..

what exactly do you mean?

[lsmalibu]

Originally Posted by leif

what exactly do you mean?

He means if you can get hired by ALCO as an academy graduate or an experienced officer. Basically you're lucky if you can get hired by ALCO without having to actually go through their academy.

I graduated the academy with 3 ALCO washouts, and all 3 are currently employed with PD's and doing very, very well. I think that says something about that academy.

Santa Clara SO is a great department full of moto guys, and you won't work jails. You will work courts for a while before going out on patrol, or vice versa, depending on how many FTO's they have. 3 of my classmates are stuck in courts for now. The one thing about Santa Clara that stuck out in my mind was that their patrol cars have no MDTs. Only a radio, a map and a notebook. In the heart of Silicon Valley, with that much money floating around, no computers in the car. Something to think about, where are the county's priorities?

Santa Cruz SO is a good dept, too, but I'd much rather work for Santa Cruz PD. Santa Cruz deputies don't work in the jail, but do work in courts. The county is very rural outside of the incorporated cities (which have their own PDs) lots of trees and lots of narrow winding roads, with backup far away.

[leif]

yeah im familiar with the santa cruz area, i currently go to school at ucsc (graduating next year).

i just noticed santa cruz so appears to have the poor retirement plan that coco does (unless im intrepreting it wrong.. "employee pays 9% contribution on a pre-tax basis").

does santa clara contribute to the pention or do the deputies? i believe solano county contributes rather than the deputies which would seem to make up for the fact they pay less than coco and alco.

plz note i dont just care about money just trying to understand differences among the departments.

[sgttom]

applies to CA agencies only:


there are not very many departments that contribute 100 percent of the retirement around.. at least not for us grunts, the first and sometimes second line supervisors. upper management? - that's a different story for another thread..

employee may pay a percentage of his/her monthly salary into their own retirement HOWEVER the agency may match that amount (or pay more or pay less).. depends on the POA / DSA contract with the agency..

It differs from Dept to Dept and all depends on what's been negotiated. Most agencies are at 3 percent at 50, some are 3 / 55, some are 2.5 at 50/52/55..(there are a few at 2 / 55/55 - scary!!) There are even some that just offer a 401K - now that's really scary...

It all DEPENDS.... Should be part of your research when joining an agency. Most young bucks don't care, just sign me up and give me a check.... UNTIL, roughly ten and no more than fifteen years later and then it's all about retirement...

Research your move...

[leif]

^ true... im trying to research about as many departments as i can. that policepay.com or whatever it is was pretty useful, but it lacks department listings.

do you know anything about the santa clara sheriff?

i know the city of santa clara docks a fair amount for their retirement. altho they pay so bloody much i wonder what it really balances out to. any insight?

[deputy x 2]

Originally Posted by lsmalibu

I don't work for them, but know some officers who used to. Most of them hated it, were stuck in jails for 3 or more years and were itching to hit the streets. Couldn't get out on patrol as a deputy so they transferred to a PD and were on the streets in a matter of weeks.

Their academy is also tough, but many agencies around the area frown upon it. It's a lot like boot camp (which is fine) but I've heard many ALCO graduates have trouble dealing with people, because their academy didn't allow them to be independent thinkers. I've also heard that most of the academy instructors just got off working jails and therefore have zero street experience and therefore haven't done what they're teaching you to do.

ALCO SO is also continuing to lose patrol area and more and more cities incorporate in the county or annex previously unincorporated land.

The list to go to patrol is very long. Times have changed.

Yes the academy is like boot camp and is very tough. Why would you want to go to an easy academy. The academy is a place where you are given a base to build your structure. What you do with it is YOUR choice after you graduate. The new graduates are just learning the ropes when it comes to dealing with people. They are also young early 20's. So your statement of trouble with dealing with people is incorrect.


Your post is totally incorrect. Hearsay doesn't always represent the truth. If you don't have the correct information, bypass the thread and post where you KNOW the facts. It's not fair, to the individuals who are inquirying about a specific agency, for someone to comment about an agency he doesn't KNOW about.

[lsmalibu]

Originally Posted by deputy x 2

Yes the academy is like boot camp and is very tough. Why would you want to go to an easy academy. The academy is a place where you are given a base to build your structure. What you do with it is YOUR choice after you graduate. The new graduates are just learning the ropes when it comes to dealing with people. They are also young early 20's. So your statement of trouble with dealing with people is incorrect.

Your statement of not being able to be independent thinkers is also incorrect.

Your statement of the instructors having no street experience is also incorrect. Courses such as CPR, First Aid, ethics etc- no street experience is needed. The courses such as Domestic Violence, Vehicle stops, EVOC etc are all taught by people who have street experience.

Your last comment of ACSO losing patrol area is ALSO incorrect. We have not lost any of area due to the incorporation of cities. The city of Dublin has grown, but we have the contract there and Dublin Police is actually ACSO. There are currently 100 deputies assigned to patrol. Trust me, we don't have enough deputies to cover the area within our jurisdiction.

Your post is totally incorrect. Hearsay doesn't always represent the truth. If you don't have the correct information, bypass the thread and post where you KNOW the facts. It's not fair, to the individuals who are inquirying about a specific agency, for someone to comment about an agency he doesn't KNOW about.

I started my post by saying "I don't work for them" but everything I put forward I have heard directly from those who have worked as ALCO deputies or attended the ALCO academy. I'm sorry if what they say and what you say doesn't jive, but I'm just presenting what I've heard and did not imply that it was first hand information. I suppose I could invite those individuals I've talked to on here to post exactly what I just said themselves, but I thought I'd save them the time.

I don't see you disagreeing with Sgt. Tom when he states that several Bay Area agencies that won't send their recruits to the ALCO Academy. Why do you think that is? There's nothing wrong with a tough academy (I said that in my post) but I've been through boot camp. It made me a great Marine, but I don't think it's the best learning environment, IMHO. Maybe it works for people who've never been in the military, but for me, all that yelling and foot-stomping just seems counter-productive.

As for ALCO losing patrol area: http://forums.officer.com/forums/sho...19&postcount=7
So apparently, I'm not the only one who's heard this.

[deputy x 2]

Originally Posted by lsmalibu

I started my post by saying "I don't work for them" but everything I put forward I have heard directly from those who have worked as ALCO deputies or attended the ALCO academy. I'm sorry if what they say and what you say doesn't jive, but I'm just presenting what I've heard and did not imply that it was first hand information. I suppose I could invite those individuals I've talked to on here to post exactly what I just said themselves, but I thought I'd save them the time.

I don't see you disagreeing with Sgt. Tom when he states that several Bay Area agencies that won't send their recruits to the ALCO Academy. Why do you think that is? There's nothing wrong with a tough academy (I said that in my post) but I've been through boot camp. It made me a great Marine, but I don't think it's the best learning environment, IMHO. Maybe it works for people who've never been in the military, but for me, all that yelling and foot-stomping just seems counter-productive.

As for ALCO losing patrol area: http://forums.officer.com/forums/sho...19&postcount=7
So apparently, I'm not the only one who's heard this.

I heard that "All of the WV miners were alive"

[sgttom]

Deputy x 2: I gots a few good friends over at ACSO and on the DA's office (investigators) too... ACSO is a good place to work. I thought of lateral to ACSO a few years back. I just can't get used to the uniforms..

Kudos to ACSO for changing their academy around, it has always been a tough academy - academic, physical and mentally. The stuff I heard from officers, deputies and agencies was that the boot camp training did not allow for the trainees to think on their own - always having to look back for approval, which most department and the LE trends for offices in the past five / ten years dictate otherwise, you know - the "touchy feely" and thinking independently

It was not meant to "down" ACSO, just responding to the threads.. ACSO is a good place, they have a GREAT contract. I'm across the bay in the "city of tolerance" aka working scared... what's the next scandal gonna be...

[deputy x 2]

Originally Posted by sgttom

Deputy x 2: I gots a few good friends over at ACSO and on the DA's office (investigators) too... ACSO is a good place to work. I thought of lateral to ACSO a few years back. I just can't get used to the uniforms..

Kudos to ACSO for changing their academy around, it has always been a tough academy - academic, physical and mentally. The stuff I heard from officers, deputies and agencies was that the boot camp training did not allow for the trainees to think on their own - always having to look back for approval, which most department and the LE trends for offices in the past five / ten years dictate otherwise, you know - the "touchy feely" and thinking independently

It was not meant to "down" ACSO, just responding to the threads.. ACSO is a good place, they have a GREAT contract. I'm across the bay in the "city of tolerance" aka working scared... what's the next scandal gonna be...

Likewise, I was born and raised over there and have MANY friends in the dept. A lot of coppers retire and lateral over to double dip.

What you don't like gray shirts with blue pants? Or is it the bus driver looking hat. WE can't take the hat band out and we have to use our keepers. My keepers are attached to my duty belt...but not to my pants. hee hee (call it modified SFPD style.)

Re: the boot camp academy. The two guys who had the Marine mentality idea are LONG gone. Don't get me wrong, I'm not disrespecting the Marines. It was more of a PERSONAL power trip. You can now see the change with the newbies.

[sgttom]

Props and Kudos to you and ACSO....

Yes, no keepers, no hat band. It is the life..

Originally Posted by deputy x 2

Likewise, I was born and raised over there and have MANY friends in the dept. A lot of coppers retire and lateral over to double dip.

What you don't like gray shirts with blue pants? Or is it the bus driver looking hat. WE can't take the hat band out and we have to use our keepers. My keepers are attached to my duty belt...but not to my pants. hee hee (call it modified SFPD style.)

Re: the boot camp academy. The two guys who had the Marine mentality idea are LONG gone. Don't get me wrong, I'm not disrespecting the Marines. It was more of a PERSONAL power trip. You can now see the change with the newbies.

[LeeRoy]

Your title was for Contra Costa but the body of your post says Alameda.

I can provide some intel on CCCSO. I don't work for the SO but I used to be a reserve there before I went f/t and I still have lots of friends there. Great agency with lots to do but the county is going through some real financial issues and those are trickling to the sheriff's office, the DA's office, and other county funded agencies.

Jail time is about 33 months. You can get out earlier but you'll return sooner. There is a variety of patrol areas. You can work in Blackhawk, a very wealthy gated community, or North Richmond a mostly black and souteast asian community known for a high homicide rate. They have helicopters, boats, a big investigations bureau, and coroners office. They currently have 5 contract cities but San Ramon will most likely split into their own PD in the next two years leaving four cities. If San Ramon is successful I wouldn't be surprised if some of the other contract cities follow in their footsteps.

The biggest downside to Contra Costa is the retirement. They are on a county retirement system. Their contract right now has deputies paying up to 20% of their base pay to their retirement. That's a big chunk of money when your academy mates are paying 9% to Calpers or might even work for an agency that picks up the whole retirement contribution.

A quick note on Alameda SO from an outsider. After 16 years in East Bay LE I've had quite a bit of interaction with ACSO over the years. IMHO one squared away big agency! One of the most profesional LE firearms training programs around. Squared away SWAT team. Squared away Bomb Squad. Squared away detective bureau. Yeah lots of jail time and the patrol bureau is pretty small compared to comparably sized SO's in the bay area but overall I've always been impressed in any dealing with ACSO from jail deputy to the Sheriff himself.

[leif]

yeah i tried to change the title after i found out some stuff for myself.

thanks for the info on coco...i live in the heart of it so i know the entire area, and since ive grown up here i kinda like it, but other places sound more lucrative... they're not that high payed compared to the other SO's in the area and the whole retirement thing...but damn i love it here. i still have a year before i graduate from college, so that gives me pleanty of time to think about applying anywhere.

[jnojr]

Originally Posted by sgttom

there are not very many departments that contribute 100 percent of the retirement around.. at least not for us grunts, the first and sometimes second line supervisors. upper management? - that's a different story for another thread..

employee may pay a percentage of his/her monthly salary into their own retirement HOWEVER the agency may match that amount (or pay more or pay less).. depends on the POA / DSA contract with the agency..

It differs from Dept to Dept and all depends on what's been negotiated. Most agencies are at 3 percent at 50, some are 3 / 55, some are 2.5 at 50/52/55..(there are a few at 2 / 55/55 - scary!!) There are even some that just offer a 401K - now that's really scary...

How does that work?

I mean, I always thought that the 3%@50 or whatever was just what you got, period. You have to pay part of your gross salary to get that? How does "matching" work? What happens if you don't contribute 'enough"? Do you get 2.5% or something, or have to retire at 55 or later, or ???

[LeeRoy]

Originally Posted by jnojr

How does that work?

I mean, I always thought that the 3%@50 or whatever was just what you got, period. You have to pay part of your gross salary to get that? How does "matching" work? What happens if you don't contribute 'enough"? Do you get 2.5% or something, or have to retire at 55 or later, or ???

There's not worry about not contributing enough. You don't have the choice to not pay the employee portion. The employee retirement contibution then it gets deducted pre-tax from your check.

[jnojr]

Originally Posted by LeeRoy

There's not worry about not contributing enough. You don't have the choice to not pay the employee portion. The employee retirement contibution then it gets deducted pre-tax from your check.

How much, roughly, is deducted from each check for retirement? I know it's likely to be different from one department to another, but is it closer to $10, $50, $100...

[LeeRoy]

For PERS agencies on 3@50 plan the officer portion is 9%. This is pre-tax money. My agency makes that 9% contribution on my behalf so it doesn't come out of our salary so I pay nothing.

For agencies on county retirement plans the amount you contribute varies greatly depending on your contract. Some have a plan similar to PERS with a 9% contribution and others have much higher contribution plans like CCCSO who's deputies are paying up to 22% of their base pay into the retirement plan. Remember this money only comes out of your regular pay. Retirement contributions are not taken out of overtime pay.

While you are job searching make sure you inquire how much your retirement contribution will be. That way you can take into consideration what your take home pay will be.

[jnojr]

Originally Posted by LeeRoy

For PERS agencies on 3@50 plan the officer portion is 9%. This is pre-tax money. My agency makes that 9% contribution on my behalf so it doesn't come out of our salary so I pay nothing.

For agencies on county retirement plans the amount you contribute varies greatly depending on your contract. Some have a plan similar to PERS with a 9% contribution and others have much higher contribution plans like CCCSO who's deputies are paying up to 22% of their base pay into the retirement plan. Remember this money only comes out of your regular pay. Retirement contributions are not taken out of overtime pay.

While you are job searching make sure you inquire how much your retirement contribution will be. That way you can take into consideration what your take home pay will be.

Thanks for that info, LeeRoy. Very helpful!