Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
Before everything I would like to thank you for taking the time to read over this post.

I have a question and it is the following:
I have gotten an appointment for Traffic Enforcement Agent, but I have also applied for the NYPD.
If I go through the process for Traffic Enforcement, complete it and get hired. Can I transfer to the NYPD? if yes how does it work?

Thanks in advance.

One of the NYPD guys will show up soon and answer your questions. That's too specific to that area. Be patient.

It is not in the sense a transfer where you get any preference in hiring or anything else. You are just like every other city employee who goes for a PD job. Only benefit you will have is you will know how to fill out a parking ticket.

I know the economy is tough, but if you have a job that makes the same money, stick with it. Being a traffic agent sucks and nobody in the city respects them. If youjust want a decent city job where you can make BIG money....sanitation!

Out of curiosity, what does a NYC traffic enforcement person do? Is that like a parking meter person or do they do other traffic stuff?

In NYC Traffic Enforcement covers the meters as well as traffic control throughout the city. As Joeyd said, they are not respected by anyone as they are really just a source of income for the city.

They can often be spotted behind bushes and in trees around fire zones and hydrants waiting to pounce with a registration scanner in hand.

They can often be spotted behind bushes and in trees around fire zones and hydrants waiting to pounce with a registration scanner in hand.

LOL.....I was on my way out of the city headed to the Holland Tunnel in my federal vehicle. I am not going to get it into details, but it is clearly an unmarked police car to anyone with intelligence above the age of 12. So I am headed north on Hudson Street to the HT (Hudson has two lanes north, two lanes south, with alternating one-way cross streets). While there are several cross streets, the NYPD traffic agents placed orange cones up the street, without breaks, preventing any cross-street traffic. Thus the intersections are not functional on every other street.

While stopped in the "box" a NYPD Traffic agent came from behind a trash can on the corner, he was crunched down hiding behind. After knocking on my tinted window, I rolled it down about 1" (didn't want him to get an cool air conditioning) and told him to move along as I was not giving up any ID and no ticket could be issued and quoted the law why. He still did not get it. He pushed it and started pounding on my window. I lit up the car like a Christmas tree and used the PA to tell him to back-up. He ran like chump down the side street. Didn't hang around, finally realized I was a cop and knew what the hell I was talking about.

I stopped and spoke to the supervisor sitting in a van at Canal/Hudson who apologized and stated they are short on numbers. So i asked since when do you write tickets when no violation occurs to make up numbers? No response. I ended up calling IAB on them. Found out the civilians were complaining in court about the same condition however for some reason IAB thought they were lying till they heard it from another cop. Traffic agent are meter maid who direct traffic and nothing more.

Oh Good Lord! I've never been to NYC and I already hate 'em!

These traffic guys are peace officers?
We have METRO cops in and around the Houston area and they're respected, to a degree.
They protect all METRO buses, terminals, and routes, plus they investigate all accidents happening on mass transit, and they issue a butt load of tickets.
No, they don't hide behind garbage cans or bushes.

These traffic guys are peace officers?
They do have peace officer status in NY, which was lobbied for and granted on teh sole basis they were getting beat-up (most due to their own stupidity). However in NY, peace office is not what you think it is. In NY State, there are:

1) Police Officers (720+ hours of academy) who work for a municipality as a police officer/deputy sheriffand have full LEO powers on/off duty

2) Peace Officers (40 hours of training) who work for a municipality (aka- dog catcher, animal control, fire marshal, meter maids, firefighters, emts, municiple buildings/hospital security guards, etc....) and WHILE WORKING HAVE LIMITED POWERS OF ARREST/TICKETS and PROTECTION FROM BEING ASSAULTED).

3) Security Guards (16 hours of trainings) who work for a privat eentity doing security guard work and have no special powers.

Yeah, that's definitely different from here. All officers carrying a peace officer license have to attend a basic academy and pass the state exam down here.
Thanks for the clarification, Joey.

....and have no special powers.


OH!!! I want special powers too!!! Maybe x-ray vision, or even better...being bullet proof.

:)

Maybe NYC should look at the meter maids we have in Queensland at the Gold Coast...

Meter Maids Surfers Paradise - Meter Maids (http://www.metermaids.com/)

I always wanted to be able to read a person's mind. In NYC the Traffic Agents DO SO have special powers. I have NEVER seen anyone write a ticket as quick as they can and then disappear without a trace.

Those guys are nuts and obviously have a screw loose for doing that job. I have found that two things get people the most bent - Their children and their cars. No way I'm doing that job without being armed and possibly trained by Chuck Norris.

NC has its share of 'near Cops', but not to that extent that I know of.