Call 911 - get a Civilian - Yea Right!

[hammAR]

Civilians handle minor duties for strapped police
Departments under budget burdens hire outside help
By Alan Gomez
USA TODAY

Facing tighter budgets, law enforcement agencies across the country are increasingly turning to civilians to respond to some calls that sworn officers and deputies are usually responsible for.

That means people calling 911 to report a traffic accident, a burglarized home or a stolen car may be greeted by a civilian in a polo shirt instead of a gun-toting officer.

"It hasn't been universally adopted throughout the country. But most areas have at least thought about the alternative and are more open to it now because of the economy," said Richard Brady, president of the Palo Alto, Calif.-based Matrix Consulting Group that has worked with more than 250 law enforcement agencies.

The idea of using civilians, who require less training and are less expensive than sworn officers, to respond to minor police calls has been around since the late 1980s.

Brady said the practice died off for years as the economy improved and departments were augmented after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

As the economy slows again and state and local governments face major cuts, many have turned back to the old practice. Among them:

•The Orange County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office plans to hire 18 civilian "field service officers" in the coming months.

•The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department hopes to add a dozen civilian report takers.

•The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department will resume hiring for its civilian officer program this summer, hoping to add five.

Civilians have long been used to handle tasks such as dispatching and other administrative duties in the office — but sending them into the field for even routine calls that have little chance of becoming dangerous has been a contentious issue.

Lynne Jantz, director of selection for the Las Vegas police department, said civilians working for the police don't respond to accidents where alcohol or injuries are involved.

Since the unit was created in 2003, Jantz said, no civilian officers have been injured.

"Maybe a paper cut," she said.

Capt. Mark Strobridge, who oversees Orange County's implementation of the civilian program, said civilians will be deployed only during daylight hours and will not work in high-crime areas.

The benefit, according to Jantz and Strobridge, is that civilians can free up sworn officers from filling out mundane reports to concentrate on higher-priority crimes. The civilians concentrate on property damage, lost and stolen property and other things that require a police report for insurance purposes but don't require a sworn officer.

The civilians also come much cheaper. In Las Vegas, a sworn officer who has cleared his initial probation period makes at least $54,000. Starting salary for civilian responders is $32,000.

Jim Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, said civilians have worked well in some administrative office duties, but there's a "bright line" between what civilians can do and what sworn officers carrying guns can do.

Pasco said that even the most simple-looking traffic accident can escalate into road rage or worse, putting the civilian officer in danger.

"If it's a routine fender bender, there is no way of knowing whether the person involved is (fleeing) from a bank robbery or a drug deal or just taking the kids home," he said.

When any basic investigation is required, Pasco said, civilians are far more likely to make mistakes that can help accused criminals escape a conviction. In Orange County, sworn officers receive 10 months of training, compared with three months for civilians.

"There's a tremendous potential for a gap, and that gap will be filled by a defense attorney," Pasco said. "You get what you pay for."

[Aceq2jot]

My In laws live in Milpitas C.A in the heart of silicon valley and it is not unusual to here of the local P.d's or fire departments having bake sales, garage sales and other fund raisers as the money is not there. So they have to raise the money to buy equipment. So i can see where the could have to cut corners to save money. Hell the elementary school has lost 5 teachers and a principal where my nephew goes. They have class sizes of 40 and a principal that will travel between two elementary schools come september.

And the best part is it is all coming our way

[hammAR]

My In laws live in Milpitas C.A in the heart of silicon valley and it is not unusual to here of the local P.d's or fire departments having bake sales, garage sales and other fund raisers as the money is not there. So they have to raise the money to buy equipment. So i can see where the could have to cut corners to save money. Hell the elementary school has lost 5 teachers and a principal where my nephew goes. They have class sizes of 40 and a principal that will travel between two elementary schools come september.

And the best part is it is all coming our way

Understood and agreed, and yes it is coming here sooner than you may think. My point was somewhat along the lines of - Damn I'm glad that I am armed and can take care of my family, cause if the SHTF and I call 911 and instead of the cavalry they send some sandal wearing, pony tailed, tree hugger.................

well nevermind.................

[hammerbiker]

The civilians also come much cheaper. In Las Vegas, a sworn officer who has cleared his initial probation period makes at least $54,000. Starting salary for civilian responders is $32,000.

They come even cheaper if there illegal and don't speak English.

[Andrew Rothman]

You think they should send an armed, sworn, highly-trained and highly-paid patrol officer to fill out some forms so that you can get an insurance reimbursement?

Using non-sworn personnel for non-policing tasks is a terrific idea, and I hope that top-heavy, patrol-light departments like Minneapolis move toward that model.

[deleted]

A few years ago I traveled to an Army base in OK. The gate was manned by a civilian security team. They appeared to be pretty effective and professional to me. They pulled the car in front of me, over to the side, and administered a vehicle search.

[justaguy]

[Understood and agreed, and yes it is coming here sooner than you may think. My point was somewhat along the lines of - Damn I'm glad that I am armed and can take care of my family, cause if the SHTF and I call 911 and instead of the cavalry they send some sandal wearing, pony tailed, tree hugger.................

They hired Ttousi? Great I’ll need more ammo.

[ttousi]

[Understood and agreed, and yes it is coming here sooner than you may think. My point was somewhat along the lines of - Damn I'm glad that I am armed and can take care of my family, cause if the SHTF and I call 911 and instead of the cavalry they send some sandal wearing, pony tailed, tree hugger.................

They hired Ttousi? Great I’ll need more ammo.

Hi, I'm here to take your report.............and I don't wear sandals

761901031_0635c5a183.jpg (17.41 KB) Viewed 3315 times

You may be taken into custody and transported in my "official' vehicle

375730114.jpeg (3.75 KB) Viewed 3358 times

[Aceq2jot]

A few years ago I traveled to an Army base in OK. The gate was manned by a civilian security team. They appeared to be pretty effective and professional to me. They pulled the car in front of me, over to the side, and administered a vehicle search.

That is a great money maker for Vance Int. They make Bucco bucks to cover the security at the gates to free up man power to send the troops to war.

My In laws live in Milpitas C.A in the heart of silicon valley and it is not unusual to here of the local P.d's or fire departments having bake sales, garage sales and other fund raisers as the money is not there. So they have to raise the money to buy equipment. So i can see where the could have to cut corners to save money. Hell the elementary school has lost 5 teachers and a principal where my nephew goes. They have class sizes of 40 and a principal that will travel between two elementary schools come september.

And the best part is it is all coming our way

Understood and agreed, and yes it is coming here sooner than you may think. My point was somewhat along the lines of - Damn I'm glad that I am armed and can take care of my family, cause if the SHTF and I call 911 and instead of the cavalry they send some sandal wearing, pony tailed, tree hugger.................

well nevermind.................

I understand what you are saying there Gunny

No back in blighty for the last 5 years or so they have had what they call community wardens patroling high crime areas on foot and bicycle. These good minded citizens in uniform write basically misdemeanor tickets, respond to aaccidents and take reports. The biggest thing they have been is a visual Deterrent
Criminals are not stupid they dont want to get caught. So if they see uniforms around they are less like to offend.

It has made a dramatic decrease in Anti social behaviour in several parts of my old stomping grounds. And believe me if you did not live on the Larkman estate you did not go in the hood, ( I seen a cop get thrown out of the pub through a window one day while sitting at a light to give you an idea on the hood) but these days you can in the hood

So in area's like North Minneapolis or the east side of St Paul / Frogtown that idea would make a diffrence.

And the problem back in Blighty with the Crime all started when the recession began Depends how deep it gets we may need community officers.

[Fubar]

You think they should send an armed, sworn, highly-trained and highly-paid patrol officer to fill out some forms so that you can get an insurance reimbursement?

Using non-sworn personnel for non-policing tasks is a terrific idea, and I hope that top-heavy, patrol-light departments like Minneapolis move toward that model.

Departments around here could already be doing just that with their reserve police officers (free) or the community service officers (dog catchers who are much cheaper than cops) but don't. The unions would never go for it.

[Ironbear]

Using non-sworn personnel for non-policing tasks is a terrific idea, and I hope that top-heavy, patrol-light departments like Minneapolis move toward that model.

Departments around here could already be doing just that with their reserve police officers (free) or the community service officers (dog catchers who are much cheaper than cops) but don't. The unions would never go for it.

Well... take a look at Roseville's "Police Reserve" web page: http://www.ci.roseville.mn.us/index.asp?nid=167 it looks like they are doing quite a bit already.

Hmmm. I see they have added something new since I last looked around. A CERT (Citizen's Emergency Response Team) http://www.ci.roseville.mn.us/index.asp?NID=762

[princewally]

Hmmm. I see they have added something new since I last looked around. A CERT (Citizen's Emergency Response Team) http://www.ci.roseville.mn.us/index.asp?NID=762

I wonder how hard it is to get other cities to do that.

[Aceq2jot]

Using non-sworn personnel for non-policing tasks is a terrific idea, and I hope that top-heavy, patrol-light departments like Minneapolis move toward that model.

Departments around here could already be doing just that with their reserve police officers (free) or the community service officers (dog catchers who are much cheaper than cops) but don't. The unions would never go for it.

Well... take a look at Roseville's "Police Reserve" web page: http://www.ci.roseville.mn.us/index.asp?nid=167 it looks like they are doing quite a bit already.

Hmmm. I see they have added something new since I last looked around. A CERT (Citizen's Emergency Response Team) http://www.ci.roseville.mn.us/index.asp?NID=762

Maplewood has the better reserve dept as they carry Tasers

But on a whole most Reserves take the load of the beat cops and do transfers etc, parades, work the front desk at the P.D and the list goes on. As crime rises and the employment of new officers stays low the jobs need to get given out to the helpers.

Just wait until the R.N.C comes to town Private security companies will be running the process center / dentention area in oakdale

[plblark]

You know, the St. Anthony PD Reserves person actually used Prisoner Transport, wider discretion, Tasers, and etc as a selling point for theit program. I guess for adrenaline junkies or Future LEOs it might be. Me? That CERT thing is looking good.

HEY! Where are weeks 4-10 of the Macphisto and Ironbear go to Jail story?

[hammAR]

Just wait until the R.N.C comes to town Private security companies will be running the process center / dentention area in oakdale

Didn't Blackwater get that contract.................