Hypothetical NYPD

[dcpolice]

Anybody on NYPD know if there has been any talk of starting a lateral entry program like most cities have? Shorter academy, pay based on experience etc... I couldn't start over at NYPD base pay but wouldn't mind living in NY. Just curious.

[Joeyd6]

No! Been discussed and shut down.....variety of legal and liability reasons.
And lets face it....policing in any other city is no where near the same as here.
There laws and policies are 100% different. Our own patrol guide (rules) are 7 inches thick! You can not learn this in a 2 week bridge class. It literally takes 6 months....even if you know the job. You need to know the NYPD rules and regs. The academy also helps you learn the organization and how its works. You would be a total misfist without it.

Plus, I nor any other cop here would want to sit in a car with somebody brought in, making the same pay as me, becasue they have three years at John Q. Department. The attitude here is simply "John Q. is not the NYPD." The only time this attutude would lessen is if it was another larger PD like: LAPD, SFSD or Chicago. But even then...it would be present. Arrogant? Maybe. But it is the way it is here.

The diverse numbers of population, corporations, missions, United Nations, landmakrks, sports teams, diverse culture, crowds and nature of calls make NY different. You must learn it their way. Period. There is no other way. Most cities who have this program do not have 35000 officers and do not hire 4000 a year! It works for them for budget constraints and reduces the time it takes to get a class up and running. We have 2 classes a year...January and July....and 10000 a year applying for 4000 slots. Thus, no need for it.

Sorry to break the bad news! If you want to join us, I can get yoiu an application. But you will have to red- the acadmey and it takes six full years of work to reach top pay of $56K.

[dcpolice]

I work for DC police (city not federal) and the same attitude definitely existed when we started a lateral program. We're the real police etc etc..The first class was allowed to negotiate w/ the city for salary. A few guys who were federal PO's came in over 60k. That normally takes fifteen years. Some of the attitudes were way off too. You cant teach me sh$%, I had 3 years with FPS. (For example, not to knock FPS). Although we have gotten a lot of really good officers who contribute. Most of our laterals have come from federal or small (less than 50 officers) Maryland departments. We also did several lateral classes from Puerto Rico. Some of those guys got raises in the area of 35k. That's a raise (not salary) of 35k. The results have been very mixed. Some guys are great, some deserved it when they were fired. Now laterals are slotted based on their experience applied to our pay scale. I think they are capped at a five year salary (just over 50k). One good thing it did was show the city what it needed to pay to hire and retain. We have received some nice raises since. No problems hiring, retention not so good.

I took the NYPD test one month before DC hired me. After 2 years here I reactivated my NYPD score and went through the entire process. After taking what I thought was the final step (drug test), I was told by APD that I had to give written proof to APD that I had turned in my DC issued firearm (ie. quit my job). If I did not do this w/in roughly 10 days I would not be eligible for the academy. The big catch was even if I did this I was not guaranteed a job. I would have to show up at some college and hope to have my number called. I was shocked to hear this. I called my BI (a good guy) who confirmed this. I wasn't willing to take the risk. Although now I sometimes wish I did.

I have a wife and baby now and can't swing the almost 17k paycut that would be involved. I still want to leave DC but I need to find a lateral program or a place with a much cheaper cost of living. Looking at Fl and Atlanta. Just some wishful thinking and a few regrets about NY.

[baychilla]

Not that its necessarily cheaper, but Los Angeles has a lateral program and I do not believe that residency of any sort (other than a California drivers license) is required. So you could in theory live far, far away and just commute in. Although the salary there doesnt seem to bad and may make something close affordable. Not knowing what MPDC pays I dont know if youd take a cut or not. Atlanta tops at around 50k, which isnt much more than a rookie in LA makes (49k). For every 2 years you have in DC you advance 1 step on LAs scale to a max starting salary of 62k. If you have 60 or more units you advance 1 step, a BA/BS would give you 2 steps. http://www.lacity.org/per/salary.htm

[massgrunt]

I have a wife and baby now and can't swing the almost 17k paycut that would be involved. I still want to leave DC but I need to find a lateral program or a place with a much cheaper cost of living. Looking at Fl and Atlanta. Just some wishful thinking and a few regrets about NY.

Are you from Massachusetts?

[dcpolice]

4:16 am? Isn't that past your bedtime?

[massgrunt]

4:16 am? Isn't that past your bedtime?

Hey hey, I'm older than you, I make my own damn bed time!!!

Don't trust this guy, he's a genetic freak.