Difference between sheriff, PD, HighwayP?

[bolido2000]

This might be a stupid question, but what is the difference? Why these different categories?

 

[amdskip]

PD is local town/city
Sheriff is countywide
Dunno about HighwayP but we have state troopers which may be the same thing.

 

[Mill]

Take a CJ intro class. Sheriffs are typically elected and serve county areas. Police departments are typically executive branches under the power of the municipality in their area. Highway patrol is typically the state executive branch for police. Some do regular police work + major investigative work, some have bureaus like the FBI that handle investigations. In Alabama we have a State Highway patrol, and an Alabama Bureau of investigation.

 

[AdamDuritz99]

i may be completely off base, but how i understand it is :
police - city
sherrif/deputy - county
highway patrol/ state trooper - district

peace
sean

 

[bradruth]

PD - Municipalities (cities). Primary function is to respond to calls of service within city limits. Other functions are traffic, investigations, special enforcement, etc.

County Sheriff - Obviously work at the county level. Enforce laws throughout the county on patrol (including within cities), but they do a lot more prisoner transport and some manage jails.

HP - Statewide traffic enforcement is their primary function. Some are incorporated with a state investigative agency that investigates crimes throughout the state. May also assist County & Local agencies.

 

[bolido2000]

Originally posted by: Mill
Take a CJ intro class. Sheriffs are typically elected and serve county areas. Police departments are typically executive branches under the power of the municipality in their area. Highway patrol is typically the state executive branch for police. Some do regular police work + major investigative work, some have bureaus like the FBI that handle investigations. In Alabama we have a State Highway patrol, and an Alabama Bureau of investigation.

Who gets elected to become a sheriff? Does that mean that is pretty hard to become one?
Which one gets more "respect"? I mean...from movies they always show this rivalry among institutions (marines, rangers, etc).

 

[abracadabra1]

You give me that juris-my-diction crap, you can cram it up your ass.


Your orders were for your protection.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: bolido2000

Originally posted by: Mill
Take a CJ intro class. Sheriffs are typically elected and serve county areas. Police departments are typically executive branches under the power of the municipality in their area. Highway patrol is typically the state executive branch for police. Some do regular police work + major investigative work, some have bureaus like the FBI that handle investigations. In Alabama we have a State Highway patrol, and an Alabama Bureau of investigation.

Who gets elected to become a sheriff? Does that mean that is pretty hard to become one?
Which one gets more "respect"? I mean...from movies they always show this rivalry among institutions (marines, rangers, etc).

Well Marines and Rangers are not law enforcement agencies. US troops(minus the National Guard) cannot be used domestically IIRC. Anyone can become a Sheriff if they get the votes. No training is necessary. However, that is just for the title sheriff. Sheriff Deputies are the ones that are the "officers" of the agency, but it varies by county to county. Typically the Sheriff is just like the police chief.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: bolido2000
Who gets elected to become a sheriff? Does that mean that is pretty hard to become one?
Which one gets more "respect"? I mean...from movies they always show this rivalry among institutions (marines, rangers, etc).

Sheriffs are usually career officers who have, for the most part, gone past their physical prime and are basically taking on administrative duties.

Municipal PDs are the most prolific, and thus do most of the work. HPs are mainly traffic enforcers, so there's not a lot of glory in that. County can really vary, but it seems that they are the most lax in their hiring procedures (especially in less populated counties).

I'd say that municipal PDs are the most respected, but that could just be because I'm on the brink of being hired by one. 😉

 

[bolido2000]

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: bolido2000
Who gets elected to become a sheriff? Does that mean that is pretty hard to become one?
Which one gets more "respect"? I mean...from movies they always show this rivalry among institutions (marines, rangers, etc).

Sheriffs are usually career officers who have, for the most part, gone past their physical prime and are basically taking on administrative duties.

Municipal PDs are the most prolific, and thus do most of the work. HPs are mainly traffic enforcers, so there's not a lot of glory in that. County can really vary, but it seems that they are the most lax in their hiring procedures (especially in less populated counties).

I'd say that municipal PDs are the most respected, but that could just be because I'm on the brink of being hired by one. 😉

I see. I thought LAPD was in charge of the LA county, but I could see other XXPD cars sometimes.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: bolido2000

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: bolido2000
Who gets elected to become a sheriff? Does that mean that is pretty hard to become one?
Which one gets more "respect"? I mean...from movies they always show this rivalry among institutions (marines, rangers, etc).

Sheriffs are usually career officers who have, for the most part, gone past their physical prime and are basically taking on administrative duties.

Municipal PDs are the most prolific, and thus do most of the work. HPs are mainly traffic enforcers, so there's not a lot of glory in that. County can really vary, but it seems that they are the most lax in their hiring procedures (especially in less populated counties).

I'd say that municipal PDs are the most respected, but that could just be because I'm on the brink of being hired by one. 😉

I see. I thought LAPD was in charge of the LA county, but I could see other XXPD cars sometimes.

Actually the LA County Sheriff's department is massive. LAPD only covers territory in the city limits of LA, unless they have an agreement with other place for protection.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: bolido2000
I see. I thought LAPD was in charge of the LA county, but I could see other XXPD cars sometimes.

There are some "County Police Departments" that service entire counties and don't have a Sheriff's office. I think the NYPD might have jurisdiction over their whole county as well...

 

[Foxman2000]

Originally posted by: bradruth

Sheriffs are usually career officers who have, for the most part, gone past their physical prime and are basically taking on administrative duties.

Wouldn't rely on this too much. I've been the unlucky recipient of a traffic ticket issued by a sherrif, so don't discredit right away.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: Foxman2000

Originally posted by: bradruth

Sheriffs are usually career officers who have, for the most part, gone past their physical prime and are basically taking on administrative duties.

Wouldn't rely on this too much. I've been the unlucky recipient of a traffic ticket issued by a sherrif, so don't discredit right away.

Usually. 😉 There are exceptions to every rule.

 

[K1052]

I used to work for the Illinois State Police. Besides patrol they do all sorts of investigation, they also regularly help out local PDs that are understaffed for much of that work. The majority of lab tests on criminal evidence are done by the ISP at their own labs.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: Foxman2000

Originally posted by: bradruth

Sheriffs are usually career officers who have, for the most part, gone past their physical prime and are basically taking on administrative duties.

Wouldn't rely on this too much. I've been the unlucky recipient of a traffic ticket issued by a sherrif, so don't discredit right away.

Usually. 😉 There are exceptions to every rule.

I think LA Sherrifs are a good exception and so too with the County around Portland. I'm not even going to bother to google to see how to spell it. The county where I live has the same. Their Sheriffs have some of the people past their physical prime, but they have some good young officers.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: Mill
I think LA Sherrifs are a good exception and so too with the County around Portland. I'm not even going to bother to google to see how to spell it. The county where I live has the same. Their Sheriffs have some of the people past their physical prime, but they have some good young officers.

I think County SO's are a lot better in populated areas. Around here they're pretty much worthless. :disgust:

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: Mill
I think LA Sherrifs are a good exception and so too with the County around Portland. I'm not even going to bother to google to see how to spell it. The county where I live has the same. Their Sheriffs have some of the people past their physical prime, but they have some good young officers.

I think County SO's are a lot better in populated areas. Around here they're pretty much worthless. :disgust:

Yeah, I can imagine that has a lot of influence on it. If you think how populated unincorporated areas are around major cities, and compare that to more rural areas. The amount is drastic.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: Mill
I think LA Sherrifs are a good exception and so too with the County around Portland. I'm not even going to bother to google to see how to spell it. The county where I live has the same. Their Sheriffs have some of the people past their physical prime, but they have some good young officers.

I think County SO's are a lot better in populated areas. Around here they're pretty much worthless. :disgust:

Yeah, I can imagine that has a lot of influence on it. If you think how populated unincorporated areas are around major cities, and compare that to more rural areas. The amount is drastic.

That's very true. In the small town (~1000 pop.) I grew up in we contracted out to county and have 2 deputies that live & work there. We've never really had any respectable officers, since they all become victims of small-town politics. I hear the new deputy that's working there now has been doing a lot of work, so maybe things are finally changing. I'll be living there again this summer...maybe I'll assist him from time to time, considering we've switched from the "Catfish Capital of the North" to the "Meth Capital of the North." :|