Working for LAPD?

[003]

The Los Angeles Police Department is one of the finest Police Agencies in the US. Given your stated concerns, “duty belt” configuration, etc, are you really serious about being a Cop. All professional California Police Departments have uniform standards.

The LAPD academy is fully post accredited the same as every other academy the state. Where does this nonsense come from?

[Ron-Solo]

WhenI was in the LASD academy any moons ago, everyone had to wear their gear the same way. One of the reasons it's called a "uniform" but after graduation, we could shift things around and add things. We had to have a whistle on a key ring in the academy. That was the first thing to go after graduation.

Roll with it and life will be better.

[Samuelx]

Ahhhh, the old rape whistle... lol

[benjamin101677]

The more I think about this after my time in law enforcement working around agencies that had 60 or less officers I think it would have been really neat to have worked for either LAPD or LASD where they are so many officers, some many different areas and so many different assignments. A lot of departments I have been around it is either patrol and now with the 12 hour shifts it is either nights or days or getting into detectives. There really isn't much chance for other assignments. It is also hard to get into detectives and if you leave to go back to the street you may not get back in for a decade.

I been thinking about this all day how awesome would have been to have had a chance to work a different assignment and move around and still have been a cop. If I would do my career again it would be a huge agency I think

[tquizzle]

You guys are all making a big deal about the duty belt after I said it wasn't a real concern and I just mentioned it along with my major concern which is; LAPD, good agency yes or no?

I got my answer. Thanks guys. I'm not withdrawing thanks to the high opinion of current LEOs who posted. I had heard a lot of bad things and just wanted to be informed before making a decision.

[CBR_rider]

I wouldn't withdraw at this point. Have you done ridealongs with LAPD? What about with smaller agencies that you are looking at? Both large and small agencies have their own sets of pros/cons; do your best to figure out which is a better fit before you accept a job offer. That being said, if the worst case scenario for you is you do five years at LAPD and decide to go to a smaller agency you will most certainly have that opportunity to lateral over.

[tquizzle]

I'm not going to withdraw. They won't let people do ridealongs until after the poly.

[Samuelx]

If any department/agency out there does NOT have any issues/problems, someone please let me know...

OP, see what choices you end up with and THEN make that decision...

[URBAN COMMANDO]

The LAPD P.O.S.T. certificate is fully valid within the State of California. As far as I know, uniform standards are still required, and only one style of duty belt is authorized (other than specialized units such as SWAT, who wear "tactical" belts).

As far as lateral transfers goes, you have to sign a contract to continue service with the LAPD for a minimum of 5 years. As with most contracts, that can probably be debated....but it was a stipulation that was caused by several "scab" agencies that told candidates for THEIR agency that they needed to be hired by the LAPD or LASD and go through THEIR training academies BEFORE they could get hired by the "scab" agency. The "scabs" were saving a LOT of money by not having to pay for the training of their recruits. I know that for a FACT, since I trained at least 2 probationers who surprised me with that info....and they did, in fact, get hired by one of those "scab" agencies before they completed their mandatory probationary period.

I spent 31 years with the LAPD, and it was a highly-respected agency within the law enforcement community. Of course, times were different back then, but the basics are still there. The LAPD has always been under-staffed, and even though it has increased in size to 10,000 officers, it's STILL not what it should be....especially when compared to the NYPD, which covers a relatively small area, but has approximately 40,000 officers!

VERY WELL SAID !

I really wouldn't sweat the small stuff like a duty belt or authorized boots and weapons you have a lot of more important things to worry about.

[ncortez11]

LAPD and LASD have the advantage of being large departments. In other words, if you don't get along with your peers or get bored with your assignment, you have hundreds of other places you change within each department. With smaller departments, you are pretty much stuck. Also, lateraling from LAPD and LASD to smaller departments seems to be easier. However, you have to realize that all departments have positive and negative atributes.

[c3 rolling]

OP looks like a salty boot in the making.

On a side note, It's a great department but the pay sucks for new recruits. It's pretty ridiculous when your partner makes 30 grand less than you annually.

LAPD is the second best agency in LA County.

Just curious, who is the first? lol

[Samuelx]

PVE or Signal Hill? I never hear anything bad about either of those guys/gals...

[tquizzle]

Starting pay is $25,000 less than other agencies I'm applying to.

[zack_trp1911]

A lot of people dream of being LAPD. If you have an opportunity, then do it. Being a big city LEO can be fun.

My uncle was LAPD for 22 years and even with the negativity they may receive as most of all LEOs get, he had a great time there.

My current agency has it's pro and cons especiLly in a big city. politics run it all. However I wouldn't trade it in for anything.

[55chevypost]

Although it was many years ago, I just don't remember caring what the pay was, I just wanted to be a copper. Oh how things have changed.