LA - most patrolled big city in US? (Los Angeles: crime, home)

[tollfree]

Noticed this on a recent trip there. No other big city seems to have the sheer volume of cops on a visible level patrolling at street level the way you see in LA. There's no way I'm the first to notice this.

Between LAPD, LASD, and CHP basically waiting near every entrance/exit ramp on the major freeways, it's like having more law enforcement wouldn't even be possible. This is not even including suburbs which are probably worse.

Literally, it seems like everywhere you look, everywhere you go, you see a heavy police presence in LA, significantly more than other big cities, even if those cities per capita have more law enforcement.

“As stunningly beautiful as Los Angeles is, it is also essentially a police state” - Morrisey

Combined with the ever-expanding laws in LA...is this true? It takes away from the "free" vibe that LA is known for.

[BarcelonaFan]

I thought NYC was a police state when I visited. While it bothered me a bit I did feel safer in Manhattan than I even felt at home in Houston TX.

I guess the presence of so many cops is what makes LA relatively safe for it's size.

[JohnG72]

Good. Too many scumbags in LA.

[Fontucky]

"Los Angeles polices its city with one officer for every 426 residents, about half the rate of New York City. For Los Angeles to have the same ratio of officers as New York City, LAPD would need nearly 17,000 officers. "

LAPD Announces Crime Down Again in 2005 - official website of THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT

[hockfan86]

I actually feel the exact opposite. I used to commute 45 minutes all through LA and some weeks I would go 3-4 days without seeing a cop. I hardly ever see cops, maybe one ever 2-3 days. I know a lot of other people in real life that have also shared this with me.

[Mr_Geek]

I have lived in many states and don't feel any more policed here than anywhere else. Nor do I notice a larger police presence (except for the fact that it is a larger city so of course more in general).

[munchitup]

Los Angeles historically has a minuscule police force for such a large city. It has always ranked among the lowest major cities in police/resident ratio.

(Which is an excuse the LAPD uses for past indiscretions; they have to be aggressive because they are so few in number).

My neighborhood is touristy so I do think there is a large number of police offers patrolling, in cars, on foot, on horse... I personally like it since I am not committing any illegal acts (other than jaywalking here and there), if anything the police and BID patrol do a good job keeping graffiti off of my building.

[yamota]

I think LA actually has one of the smallest police to citizen ration of any big city, the LAPD only has about 9000 officers, compare that to the NYPD who have about 35000 officers

[alexanderaf]

Originally Posted by RonnieJonez

Noticed this on a recent trip there. No other big city seems to have the sheer volume of cops on a visible level patrolling at street level the way you see in LA. There's no way I'm the first to notice this.

Between LAPD, LASD, and CHP basically waiting near every entrance/exit ramp on the major freeways, it's like having more law enforcement wouldn't even be possible. This is not even including suburbs which are probably worse.

Literally, it seems like everywhere you look, everywhere you go, you see a heavy police presence in LA, significantly more than other big cities, even if those cities per capita have more law enforcement.

“As stunningly beautiful as Los Angeles is, it is also essentially a police state” - Morrisey

Combined with the ever-expanding laws in LA...is this true? It takes away from the "free" vibe that LA is known for.

Yet they are never there when you really need one...magic?

[tollfree]

Originally Posted by munchitup

Los Angeles historically has a minuscule police force for such a large city. It has always ranked among the lowest major cities in police/resident ratio.

(Which is an excuse the LAPD uses for past indiscretions; they have to be aggressive because they are so few in number).

My neighborhood is touristy so I do think there is a large number of police offers patrolling, in cars, on foot, on horse... I personally like it since I am not committing any illegal acts (other than jaywalking here and there), if anything the police and BID patrol do a good job keeping graffiti off of my building.

When LASD/CHP are combined, it can't be that low. Even if lower overall, they seem on the move more.