3 Questions (NYPD)

[Guajalote]

First of all, thank you so much for this opportunity to ask questions. This is quite a feature for me and I appreciate this chance.

I am writing a book (fiction) involving an NYPD detective (I don't live in New York City, though). My first two questions have to do with private use of Department-issued cars.

1. Would my detective necessarily have a Department-issued car to take home after his shift, or is that an option that detectives just normally take advantage of?

2. If so, would there ever be an instance where the detective would use his own car to respond to a call?


Near the end of the story, a suspect tries to escape from the detective by climbing to the top of the Manhattan tower of the Brooklyn Bridge.

3. Would climbing to the top of the Manhattan Tower even be a possibility, or would ESU have that blocked off?

Thank you again for this service. I appreciate your patience with my questions.

[Joeyd6]

1) Detectives at teh precincts do not have take homes. Some assigned to special duties, such as the Joint Terrorist Task Force, Bomb Squad, etc... do! But most detectives do not.

2) The only reason for a take-home is to respond to call. You cannot drive it unless it is for official business.

3) Climb up teh tower to escape, to where? The top of the tower? They will eventually have to come down. Only way to the top of the tower is to climb the suspension cable up there. The cable is guarded at each end and secured by a fence. You can get on it, but it woudl require some planning and luck.

[Guajalote]

I appreciate your answers. Those were the few remaining questions I had to be able to put the finishing touch on my novel.

I asked about the car because my detective has a beater that he's had since high school and refuses to give it up. As comic relief in the novel, he's always catching flak about it. I wanted to make sure that he wouldn't have a department-issued car instead.

As for the Brooklyn Bridge, the suspect took the "hard" way down. He had to be on the tower because I'd read about jumpers surviving a fall from the street level, but not from tower level into the East River. I just wanted to make sure he was going to somehow be able to gain access to the tower via the cables.

Thanks again for your help.

One more question, if it's not too much. It may sound cheesey, but here it goes. How do New Yorkers refer to New York City? For example, if you are in Buffalo, do you say "I'm going to New York City?" Sounds dumb, I know. Just wanted to make sure of that as well.

[basher52]

There is a proceedure in the NYPD to have your personally owned vehicle (POV) authorized for use. Prior to getting a take home car (Category One) I had my POV authorized for "Emergency Response". In my commands case we weren't authorized to receive oil or gas, but some came with that provision. I've had a Cat One since '95, but still kept my POV status active. We did this after 9/11 in case we were out in our POV's and didn't have time to respond home to P/U our cars.

[InTheEnd]

One more question, if it's not too much. It may sound cheesey, but here it goes. How do New Yorkers refer to New York City? For example, if you are in Buffalo, do you say "I'm going to New York City?" Sounds dumb, I know. Just wanted to make sure of that as well.

New York City describes the 5 boroughs and residents within refer to Manhattan as the city (going into the city). Residents of Buffalo from what I hear consider themselves West NY. I guess when they visit they're "going east to NYC".

[Guajalote]

There is a proceedure in the NYPD to have your personally owned vehicle (POV) authorized for use. Prior to getting a take home car (Category One) I had my POV authorized for "Emergency Response". In my commands case we weren't authorized to receive oil or gas, but some came with that provision. I've had a Cat One since '95, but still kept my POV status active. We did this after 9/11 in case we were out in our POV's and didn't have time to respond home to P/U our cars.

I appreciate the info. As I stated in an earlier post, my detective's car plays quite a key role in my novel and I'm glad to hear that it would indeed be possible (and likely) that he could be using his own vehicle. I wondered if that would indeed be the case since someone may be on the other side of the city when receiving a call.

[Guajalote]

New York City describes the 5 boroughs and residents within refer to Manhattan as the city (going into the city). Residents of Buffalo from what I hear consider themselves West NY. I guess when they visit they're "going east to NYC".

That's interesting, but it makes sense now that I think about it. I've lived in some large cities and when I say I'm going into the city, it's usually the business district.

I was wondering because the NYPD detective in my story goes to visit his father in Poughkeepsie and when he's getting ready to return, I didn't know how to say that he was returning... (i.e. "I'm going back to New York City tonight." or "I'm going back to New York tonight.") Again, it sounds dumb, but I just wanted to get it straight from the experts that actually live there. Thanks again for taking the time to reply.

[mckenna913]

That's interesting, but it makes sense now that I think about it. I've lived in some large cities and when I say I'm going into the city, it's usually the business district.

I was wondering because the NYPD detective in my story goes to visit his father in Poughkeepsie and when he's getting ready to return, I didn't know how to say that he was returning... (i.e. "I'm going back to New York City tonight." or "I'm going back to New York tonight.") Again, it sounds dumb, but I just wanted to get it straight from the experts that actually live there. Thanks again for taking the time to reply.

Well if he isn't driving to his dads he most likely would "catch the metro north back to the city"...maybe that will help. Metro North is the commuter train servicing west chester and Connecticut. He would be riding the hudson line, last stop Poughkeepsie :cool:

[Guajalote]

Nope, my detective is driving his "prize" car up and back.

It sounds like to me that going with "the city" is the way to go.

The main reason I asked is that I'm originally from Washington State, but from the eastern side. Whenever there is a special on t.v., it seems like the vast majority of the attention is given to Seattle. While that's where most of the population resides, there are many more wonderful things about Washington State. And, to be honest, at times it is annoying how much attention Seattle gets vs. the rest of the state. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't doing the same thing for people who live in New York State.

Thanks again for your reply.

[Creeker]

...Near the end of the story, a suspect tries to escape from the detective by climbing to the top of the Manhattan tower of the Brooklyn Bridge.

3. Would climbing to the top of the Manhattan Tower even be a possibility, or would ESU have that blocked off?

....

Well, you know that any good criminal is not going to break the law by climbing over a fence or a barricade, now would he?

Neither will they carry a gun... in NYC... :cool:

[Guajalote]

And here I thought all those barricades, fences, and signs were just to protect from liability. You mean criminals don't obey laws? :D

No, as I mentioned earlier, I don't live in "The City" and I've never even had the opportunity to visit the Brooklyn Bridge. I didn't know just how those potential access areas were secured. The way I've got the scene written, there wasn't much that was going to deter him.

[Roger Dat]

Well if hes coming to Poughkeepsie tell him to stop by and visit me :D

[Guajalote]

I believe I have the power to make that happen, at least in my book. Of course, with as much trouble as my detective stirs up, maybe it's best if he just stays clear.

[mckenna913]

I believe I have the power to make that happen, at least in my book. Of course, with as much trouble as my detective stirs up, maybe it's best if he just stays clear.

Keeps acting a fool he's gonna get stuck back in the bag working 1st platoon in the 122... :D

BTW, tell your detective that I'm looking to mutual into a good fiction gig if he's interested... :p

[Guajalote]

Just say the word and an LEO with a strikingly similar name could appear in the book I'm writing now. :D