LAPD vs LASD - What would be your first choice?

[krzyray]

I am currently going through the applicant process for both the LAPD and LASD. What would be your first choice?


LASD - Disadvantages
1. You have to work in the jail for at least 2 years before you can start working patrol. I understand that this is a good thing because you learn about criminals, but LAPD you hit patrol right after the academy.
2. Does LAPD sound tougher than LASD? When you say LASD to someone they usually won't know what that is, but LAPD they will know.
3. LAPD you get the chance to work three 12-hour days for the whole week. I don't think LASD is like this?

LASD - Advantages
1. You have jurisdiction over LAPD?
2. Higher Pay
3. You get to chance to patrol the whole county where LAPD you are in a designated division.


I am looking for a challenging and exciting law enforcement agency where there is lots of action and not one where you kick back.

Anything to add?

[nypd7748]

2. Does LAPD sound tougher than LASD? When you say LASD to someone they usually won't know what that is, but LAPD they will know.

I don't that should be a factor in making your decision in what agency you choose to try and get hired with...that's just me though

[krzyray]

I don't that should be a factor in making your decision in what agency you choose to try and get hired with...that's just me though

Oh yeah, I just threw that in there. That's not a factor

[ciscokid]

Any LASD Deputy please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on any point....


LASD - Disadvantages
1. You have to work in the jail for at least 2 years before you can start working patrol. I understand that this is a good thing because you learn about criminals, but LAPD you hit patrol right after the academy. The Deputies that I know say that they feel that this an advantage working on the inside. They're up to speed on "levels" and "points" and other jargin that the regular patrol officer wouldn't know in a street level encounter with a parolee.
2. Does LAPD sound tougher than LASD? When you say LASD to someone they usually won't know what that is, but LAPD they will know. All I can say is this: I have worked in two LAPD divisions that shared a border with a Sheriff's jurisdiction. When the "Officer Needs Help Call" goes out they roll just as hard as we do and vice versa................


3. LAPD you get the chance to work three 12-hour days for the whole week. I don't think LASD is like this? I know of Deputies working 3-12's, 4-10's, 5-8's and one who works a 16 and then 2 8's!

LASD - Advantages
1. You have jurisdiction over LAPD? Very rare is the case when a Deputy poaches and vice versa..........

2. Higher Pay? I think that they're comparable...............


3. You get to chance to patrol the whole county where LAPD you are in a designated division. Well, you are given that opportunity but you will still be assigned to a division within the county, ie :Lakewood, Lennox, West Hollywood, Santa Clarita

[Welpe]

If I were to work in the LA Area and you made me pick between the two, I'd choose LASD. LA County is huge and you have the ability to work in South-Central LA, the high desert or even in Agoura Hills. I also like the look of tan/green better than LAPD blue. :D

Besides that Samuel guy is pretty cool. ;)

[LA5150]

I worked a division bordering two LASD stations, as well as at least one other outside agency, so I feel I can address some of your issues.

I don't know what you mean by saying LASD has "jurisdiction" over us. They don't just roll into our areas and take over our capers, if that's what you mean, nor do they give orders to us. We are seperate, but equal.

They have their areas to patrol, and we have ours. If there's a shooting in our area, we handle it. If it was in their area, they handle it. If it was on the border, then we figure out whose side it was on and who gets stuck with it. Yes, they can police all over the County of LA (including the City), and we stay within the City, but our police powers don't stop at the city limits.

Do we go into each others areas and look for bad guys (poaching)? Sure. Happens all the time. We poach in their areas, they poach in ours, and the only ones who suffer are the criminals.

Deputies do not get to just roam all over the county from the desert to the sea during their shift, so I don't know where you got that idea. They are assigned to stations just like we are, and stay in their assigned patrol areas unless there is a need to respond to another division (officer needs help, etc). Same as us.

LAPD also has plenty of diverse divisions to work, from Watts to the beach to the Valley. Not all divisions in either the LASD or LAPD have 100% excitement all the time. Some are slower than others. A deputy assigned to the Santa Clarita station will not see as much violence as one at Century, the same as an officer at West LA will not get the same experience as one working at 77th. And we, just like deputies, can transfer to a new station if we want to work somewhere else.

So, if you are looking for "lots of action" you can find it at either agency, depending on what division you are assigned to.

[cruz0311]

Im currently a deputy with LASD, i work in a jail at wayside, now working in jail is not my cup of tea(id rather be putting people in jail) but you do learn alot and it gives you a chance to prepare for patrol. If you know how to use your time wisely some deputies use their time to get or finish their degrees.

Now i dont know where people are getting that you have to work two years in the jails, a buddy of mine is going out to patrol after 3 months from graduating the academy, that aint no BS either. It all depends what station you put in for right now the hot stations to go out to are Lancaster and Palmdale, some of my coworker are spending 6-9 months in jail after they put in for those stations, and there is also some other stations that have pretty short list.


You also dont necessarily have to work in a jail while you wait to go out to patrol, you could work at a court house or drive the buses that you see all over the county,or get into some kind of special detail in the facility you work at. It just depends of what you want to do and how hard you work.


The thing that i like of the LASD is that its such a big agency that after you are patrol trained you could pretty much get into anything that you want to do. Both are big agencies and they have a lot of job classifications.

In the end its whatever you want to do, i like the Sheriffs so far, ive talked to a lot of fellow deputies and it seems that the public out there respect us much more for some reason. Whatever you decide, good luck.

[Question]

Both are run by Democrats ... so? :D (PS this is a joke!)

[Samuel]

Besides that Samuel guy is pretty cool. ;)

Psst, your check is in the mail... ;)

[Samuel]

(I)MO bolded...

I am currently going through the applicant process for both the LAPD and LASD. What would be your first choice?

LASD - Disadvantages
1. You have to work in the jail for at least 2 years before you can start working patrol. I understand that this is a good thing because you learn about criminals, but LAPD you hit patrol right after the academy.
There are pros and cons to working in Custody. As far as the wait (like others have said), it varies. I believe in the last class, there were 3 deputies who went straight to Patrol.

2. Does LAPD sound tougher than LASD? When you say LASD to someone they usually won't know what that is, but LAPD they will know.
If you're asking people from other parts of the country, I believe LAPD has had more TV shows related to them. ;) If you ask anyone who is patrolled by either LAPD or LASD, they will know either one.

3. LAPD you get the chance to work three 12-hour days for the whole week. I don't think LASD is like this?
Depends on your assignment (but I Think LAPD has more units of assignment that offer 3/12's).

LASD - Advantages
1. You have jurisdiction over LAPD?
IIRC, the only time we would have "jurisdiction" is if a Major disaster (man-made or natural) occurred and we had to activate our emergency operations center. Even then, it's mostly a ton of mutual aid going on between all the public safety organizations in the county - we facilitate the gathering and coordination of resources.

2. Higher Pay
Constantly changing. They get a raise, we get a raise. We get a raise, they get a raise - only it doesn't happen that fast...

3. You get to chance to patrol the whole county where LAPD you are in a designated division.
As has been said - both agencies offer units of assignment in varying locations around the County. LAPD is not just downtown LA.

I am looking for a challenging and exciting law enforcement agency where there is lots of action and not one where you kick back.
IMO, many of the LE agencies in So Cal offer what you're looking for. In addition, sometimes, it's what YOU make of it. Do You want to kick back or do You want to stay busy?

Anything to add?

[stewie]

I had an instructor tell me the other day that the difference between LAPD and LASD is that LAPD knows how to color coordinate! :D

All kidding aside though, I think the LAPD is the premier law enforcement agency in the world (but I am a tad biased). Personally I couldn't work the jails, but I respect the HELL outta the Deputies for doing it! :cool:

I don't think you can go wrong either way but what it kind of boiled down to for me is that I like the idea of working patrol right away and not being in the jail. I also like the idea of having my back-up in the seat next to me and not 15 min out which can be the norm in a 1 man unit in Palmdale.

[krzyray]

Wow, so LASD only patrols with one person?

I really like how every LAPD officer has a partner assigned (well except sergeants).

Does LASD have a SWAT team like LAPD?

Also LASD academy is 4.5 months VS LAPD's 8 months. LAPD almost doubles the time of LASD. Is that because you learn a lot in the jails for LASD?

Do all LASD deputies wear bullet proof vests? When I did a ride a long at LAPD's Southeast division, I was given a vest

[Samuel]

LAPD = Lazy A$$ Police Department... :D
















which also means LASD = Lazy A$$ Sheriff's Department... :p

[hitnrun]

I also like the idea of having my back-up in the seat next to me and not 15 min out which can be the norm in a 1 man unit in Palmdale.

Shoot...that's pretty quick around here. The longest time we could expect to wait for cover is right at about an hour. That includes other outside agencies and CHP! On average...twenty minutes for Code 2 backup...15 for code 3....it's the other than average times you have to worry about.

[meKS]

Now i dont know where people are getting that you have to work two years in the jails, a buddy of mine is going out to patrol after 3 months from graduating the academy, that aint no BS either.
..

Cruz, this question is slightly off topic, but related; Can you stay in the jails longer if you want?? (I hear the OT is kraaazy.:D )