Being a cop in Phoenix (Scottsdale, Surprise: live, law, safety)

[Clutch718]

There must be one hell of a shortage. There are Phoenix Police recruitment ads in most of the major New York newspapers.

[jenrox81]

Originally Posted by Clutch718

There must be one hell of a shortage. There are Phoenix Police recruitment ads in most of the major New York newspapers.

Wow, really? I haven't seen any here in California, althoug we have a shortage so we have the big bilboard adds and scrolling marquee things all over with ads for police hiring events and what not.

[RetiredCop]

Originally Posted by Clutch718

There must be one hell of a shortage. There are Phoenix Police recruitment ads in most of the major New York newspapers.

There are reasons many large cities are targeting NYC Cops. The main reason is the pay in NYC is terrible...although the training one gets is superb. More and more cities are enticing NYC Cops with lateral transfers. I few good friends of mine moved out to Arizona and took advantage of the better pay and the quality of life.

[pynkpanther]

yes, there is a shortage. but the city and the other cities that phx pd serves won't foot over the funds to promote sufficient staffing. they are over worked.

for those that live here:
exactly how many people you see being pulled over for speeding?

case closed.

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by pynkpanther

yes, there is a shortage. but the city and the other cities that phx pd serves won't foot over the funds to promote sufficient staffing. they are over worked.

for those that live here:
exactly how many people you see being pulled over for speeding?

case closed.

In Scottsdale, if someone is pulled over for speeding, there is usually another cop car or two there at the same time. It's hysterical. It's like, How many cops does it take to write a traffic ticket? Evidently here, around 5.....

[RetiredCop]

Originally Posted by londonbarcelona

In Scottsdale, if someone is pulled over for speeding, there is usually another cop car or two there at the same time. It's hysterical. It's like, How many cops does it take to write a traffic ticket? Evidently here, around 5.....

Nothing wrong with that! Over the summer two NYC cops were shot on a traffic stop. Unfortunately, one of them was killed in the prime of his life.

When I was a cop I always would drive by a location where another sector had a car stop.

[diggitydot]

Here's an interesting article on a smaller PD in the NW valley that you might find interesting:

Surprise Police Department expects full staffing by June (broken link)

[MovinFromUT]

Originally Posted by londonbarcelona

In Scottsdale, if someone is pulled over for speeding, there is usually another cop car or two there at the same time. It's hysterical. It's like, How many cops does it take to write a traffic ticket? Evidently here, around 5.....

You don't seem to remember that 3 cops have been shot (could be more) and 2 have died. We were in Surprise when the cop was shot 3 times on an 'average' stop. Thank goodness he lived. I have no problem seeing two cop cars pulling someone over.

[aj661]

Originally Posted by jenrox81

Does anyone know the process of becoming a police officer in the phoenix area. We have already looked through the hiring process so we know all that, we are wondering from people who have actually experienced it though, or know someone who has. Also does each individual city around Phoenix have it's own PD or are they supplied to those areas by Phoenix PD? We are thinking of moving there and my fiance wants to become a police officer. He is prior Military, has Associates in Criminal justice and a squeeky clean record.

Originally Posted by jenrox81

In the inland Empire in a few of the cities, like Rialto and Ontario, they told him a max of $6,000 is typically what they allow for credit card type debt for a new recruit. You have to take into account we rent here so no mortgage equals no assets only liabilities. But all thats being taken care of. He passed all written and physical exams, interviews, polygraphs, Rialto even told him he was their number one choice but that he needed to pay off some credit cards and come back.
That's great news that they are hiring 500 police in the next couple of years, he will be applying during the summer a few months before he gets home from overseas.

I can only speak for the Arizona Department of Public Safety (Highway Patrol) as far hiring is concerned. (I put in 3 years as an Army MP, then 3 with a local city prior to my 22+ with the Highway Patrol). One huge difference between DPS and every city PD I'm familiar with is the background investigation. DPS assigns them to officers and/or hires retired DPS officers to complete them. I did quite a few during my career. If what you say is true, your husband shouldn't have any problems. There is no "max" on the amount of credit card debt. A clean credit history showing responsible behavior and living within your means is enough. Any charge offs and repeated late payments are red flags. Squeaky clean is good.

The military background is helpful. Extra points are given to veterans. The AA may help in his career, but not for hiring; Intelligence, common sense and street smarts are much more important in getting hired and succeeding as a police officer than a degree, which only becomes a requirement as you move up in to administration and management. At both academies I attended I saw several new recruits with degrees disappear within the first week because they could not function under stress or couldn't handle being yelled at or the intense physical training was too much. (I understand that the academy has become a "kinder and gentler" place now, but passing the initial physical tests during hiring is the bare minimum requirement; much more will be required from day one of the academy).

Here's three more departments for your husband to consider. Good Luck!
State of Arizona Department of Public Safety-Human Resources Officer Information
http://cityofmesa.org/jobs/PDF/JobAn...ents/por44.pdf
Gilbert: Police Department Career Opportunities

Originally Posted by londonbarcelona

In Scottsdale, if someone is pulled over for speeding, there is usually another cop car or two there at the same time. It's hysterical. It's like, How many cops does it take to write a traffic ticket? Evidently here, around 5.....

You need to read this: The Newhall Incident - April 6, 1970 (broken link)

Now read these:

James L. Keeton, 27
Residence: Navajo
Badge No. 310
Died Feb. 5, 1971
Interstate 40
m.p. 347.2, eastbound

Officer Keeton was shot to death with his own weapon by Bertram Greenberg, a suspect in the rape and murder of a 13-year-old California girl. Keeton, who lost his pistol during a skirmish with Greenberg, was shot after stopping Greenberg for a traffic violation on Interstate 40, 12 miles west of the New Mexico state line.
Don A. Beckstead, 28
Residence: Houck
Badge No. 409
Died Feb. 7, 1971
Interstate 40
m.p. 354.7, eastbound
A few minutes after shooting Officer Keeton, Greenberg shot Officer Beckstead during another traffic stop. It is believed that Officer Beckstead was not aware of the shooting involving Keeton. Officer Beckstead died two days later in a Gallup, N.M., hospital. After shooting the two DPS officers, Greenberg kidnapped and killed another person during the chase before New Mexico authorities shot and killed him.
Robert K. Martin, 57
Residence: Chandler
Badge No. 474
Died Aug. 15, 1995
Officer Martin, a 27-year veteran with the Department, was shot to death during a traffic stop on the Beeline Highway, about seven miles north of Shea Boulevard. His assailant, Ernesto Salgado Martinez, a 19-year-old ex-convict from Globe, fled the scene and was captured two days later in California. Today, Martinez awaits sentencing after being convicted on Sept. 26, 1997, on one count of first-degree murder, two counts of theft and two counts of misconduct. He was sentenced to death by lethal injection on Aug. 18, 1998, by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Skelly.

Some of the most violent criminals I arrested were ones I had stopped for equipment violations-headlights or taillights out. There is no such thing as a "ROUTINE" traffic stop.

I didn't know Beckstead or Keeton. I worked with Bob Martin. If you read the Newhall Incident, you know that even four may not be enough. Unless you've made a traffic stop, you aren't qualified to comment on how they should be done.

[ArizonaBear]

DPS have a tough job------and, I have been stopped/cited by them for legit reasons.