LASD vs LAPD?

[repoman1984]

If someone, (not unlike myself) was planning on starting a career in law enforcement in the Los Angeles area would LAPD or LASD be a better choice to try joining first?

[Ron-Solo]

I applied for both back in the late 70's but got picked up by LASD first. I'm glad I did. I've worked along side many LAPD officers and have a lot of respect for them.

LASD has a variety of assignments available, more than LAPD in my opinion, to keep you interested during a career. I've been at it 31 years now.

Do your research and decide which has the most to offer to meet your interests and needs. Pay and benefits are close. Sometimes we are higher, and sometimes they are. It goes back and forth and shouldn't be your main focus.

Good luck.

[Fjold]

Don't all new LASD officers wind up working in the county jail for the first few years of their career?

[Amacias805]

some advice i got from an retired police chef... Apply everywhere and anywhere to get started... once you get picked up by a department you can transfer out to the dept you want to

[repoman1984]

Yes you have to work the county jail, LAPD contracts states that if and when I graduate from the academy they own me as a LEO for 60 months any dept transfer earlier means you owe them $1,000.00 for every month left early as in I'm fresh out the academy and I transfer to a small town PD I owe the city of LA $60,000.00

[DNA]

Not to mention the salary hit you'll be taking with LAPD. I believe the new recruits will be coming in at $45k or so for their first year...

Dan

[Jonathan Doe]

LASD does all the functions that LAPD is doing plus, courts, transit, community colleges, jails, etc. More varying assignments. Jail assignments will give you an experience you cannot get from other agencies. I learned about the bad guys while I was assigned at the jail. I never had a fight once to this date, because I played their mind games with the bad guys.

I always recommended LASD for the applicants.

[SteveH]

Of those two, LASO.

[EBWhite]

LASD is a much better place to be. Yes, the jails are a drag but you do learn. The work is very easy in the jails. Remember, working a small dept or LAPD you will be stuck working bad hours for years. If your family is important, LASD does courts and has many admin type jobs that offer M-F 8-5 hours. LASD has many patrol opportunities. I do like the 3/12 for LAPD but LASD offers some 4/10 and county doubles. LAPD and LASD both make about 55k to start. LAPD's academy is about 2 months longer than LASD too...
LAPD is a very liberal orginization. If you own more than a few guns, you will not be hired b/c you will not pass their liberal psychs.

As for the LAPD 60k thing, Fed law states that an employer cannot charge you for training that is requried for the job. The suits for officers who left have been thrown out everytime in the past.

[retired]

Like Ron-Solo, I too applied for both. While in the LASD academy, LAPD asked me to come down for an oral interview. That wasn't going to happen because I was in an academy already; why take the chance I wouldn't get hired by LAPD when I was already working.

Also, you have to work in LA; working for LASD, you have the whole county to work in. Also, as has been said, there are a lot more positions with the latter.

Working the jail was a good experience and taught me a lot that helped in the field. If the dept. could only limit the time there to at most, two years, that would certainly help with morale and retention, but that has always been a problem IMO.

I'm retired now and don't regret LASD over LAPD at all. What I do regret is not making the move to the DA Investigator's Office while in the jail. I thought about it, but that's all. My county time would have transferred over, more pay, better schedule and I probably wouldn't have had one back or knee surgery.

You might want to check in with that agency also.

[9mmepiphany]

...and if you haven't completed your degree, the jail is a great time to do that...actually the courts would be the best time.

just before i retired from a SD, a lot of officers from Patrol were coming on on their days off to pickup overtime shifts (12hr vs. 10hr)...plus Custody is funded differently and had minimum staffing.

i think i just about doubled my salary in OT my last year (the one that counted toward 3% @ 50)...but i was a money whore

[Ron-Solo]

Another Plus...........WE HAVE SHOULDER PATCHES!

Now would be a good time for that old "Who Are You?" video.

[Jonathan Doe]

Another Plus...........WE HAVE SHOULDER PATCHES!

Now would be a good time for that old "Who Are You?" video.

I totally agree.

At least LAPD can recognize LASD deputies.

[retired]

I totally agree.

At least LAPD can recognize LASD deputies.

It just takes awhile.

[CaliTheKid]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEPu_i-q_NE