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Old 07-17-2011, 12:00 PM
 
Location: SoCal
681 posts, read 2,800,025 times
Reputation: 496

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After moving here a little more than a year ago, I have seen that multiple police forces operate within large city limits and am wondering what is the hierarchy or jurisdiction of each of the forces.

Being in San Diego I have seen the following forces within the city enforceing the laws of the land:

California Highway Patrol
Border Patrol
San Diego Police Department
San Diego Harbour Police
Coronado Police Department
San Diego County Sheriff
FBI

I'm sure I'm missing some, but the reason why I ask is because I have known people (separate people) that have received speeding tickets or some other infraction from a few of these departments within the San Diego city limits, on and off the highways ... just wondering if there is a clear cut jurisdiction of each force and hierarchy.

I found it really strange that the Border Patrol gave my friend a speeding ticket in downtown San Diego, and the highway patrol gave another guy a tint ticket also in downtown far away from any interstate.
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Old 07-17-2011, 12:14 PM
 
25,619 posts, read 36,686,824 times
Reputation: 23295
Overlapping jurisdictions is not uncommon anywhere in the US or most highly advanced societies.
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Old 07-17-2011, 12:16 PM
 
Location: Declezville, CA
16,806 posts, read 39,934,099 times
Reputation: 17694
The CHP can ticket anyone anywhere in the state. In addition to the interstates, they're also responsible for enforcement and accident investigations on state highways and other state responsibility areas.

You can get a ticket/arrested in this state from/by anyone who meets a certain level of peace officer status (can't remember the statute, maybe PC 832). That includes state park rangers, fish & game wardens, and certain fire officials.
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Old 07-17-2011, 12:27 PM
 
Location: SW MO
23,593 posts, read 37,468,022 times
Reputation: 29337
Close, Fonty. 830 PC.

In general, police have jurisdiction in the incorporated areas of the cities. Sheriffs have jurisdiction in the unincorporated areas of the counties. Highway Patrol takes care of interstates, U.S. routes, state property, state highways and, by contract, certain roads within unincorporated county areas. Federal peace officers have jurisdiction nation-wide and police can Cross jurisdictional boundaries in hot pursuit and when called-in for assistance by other agencies. Private persons can also be called-in under posse commitatus (Section 18, United States Code) provisions under certain, enumerated circumstances.
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Old 07-17-2011, 12:38 PM
 
Location: Declezville, CA
16,806 posts, read 39,934,099 times
Reputation: 17694
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curmudgeon View Post
Close, Fonty. 830 PC.
Not bad for a broken down old fireman...
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Old 07-17-2011, 01:05 PM
 
Location: La Jolla
4,211 posts, read 3,289,519 times
Reputation: 4133
Quote:
Originally Posted by mricu View Post
After moving here a little more than a year ago, I have seen that multiple police forces operate within large city limits and am wondering what is the hierarchy or jurisdiction of each of the forces.

Being in San Diego I have seen the following forces within the city enforceing the laws of the land:

California Highway Patrol
Border Patrol
San Diego Police Department
San Diego Harbour Police
Coronado Police Department
San Diego County Sheriff
FBI

I'm sure I'm missing some, but the reason why I ask is because I have known people (separate people) that have received speeding tickets or some other infraction from a few of these departments within the San Diego city limits, on and off the highways ... just wondering if there is a clear cut jurisdiction of each force and hierarchy.

I found it really strange that the Border Patrol gave my friend a speeding ticket in downtown San Diego, and the highway patrol gave another guy a tint ticket also in downtown far away from any interstate.

DEA, Customs, Bureau of Land Management Rangers.
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Old 07-17-2011, 01:38 PM
 
Location: SW MO
23,593 posts, read 37,468,022 times
Reputation: 29337
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fontucky View Post
Not bad for a broken down old fireman...
Not bad at all!
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Old 07-17-2011, 01:44 PM
 
Location: Paradise
194 posts, read 505,858 times
Reputation: 210
CHP does not have jurisdiction on Native American Reservations. Most Reservations have an MOU with the County Sheriff to allow them access. Federal law enforcement may also enter. At least, this is what I understand from conversations with Tribal law enforcement.
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Old 07-17-2011, 01:46 PM
 
Location: Declezville, CA
16,806 posts, read 39,934,099 times
Reputation: 17694
I'm pretty sure they do when an interstate/state hwy crosses a res.
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Old 07-17-2011, 01:56 PM
 
Location: Paradise
194 posts, read 505,858 times
Reputation: 210
I think you're right with that. State and interstate highways (and railroads) have right-of-ways that allow unrestricted travel through reservations. In cases where roads are gated off by Tribal law enforcement (I'm thinking Soboba, Pechanga, Morongo), it would take the Sheriff to have authority to pass. Of course, if CHP had a good reason to chase someone onto a Res, they'll work together to catch the offender somehow.
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