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What’s up with the vehicle fleet of Henderson police?
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Sun Coverage
Mr. Sun,
What’s up with the vehicle fleet of Henderson police? Cops everywhere drive gas guzzlers that would otherwise be senior-citizen eye candy, but c’mon — do they really need a stable of all or mostly Hummer-sized SUVs? How does the department justify such super-sized vehicles?
The Ford Crown Victoria is the vehicle preferred by most of the nation’s police departments.
The Henderson Police Department uses the familiar sedans but about half of its patrol vehicles are Chevy Tahoes — once the preferred vehicle of the nation’s soccer moms.
The city justifies its decision this way:
Tahoes have more room for the several hundred pounds of equipment officers carry in their vehicles.
The SUVs also have the edge when Henderson PD rolls off road. “There have been instances when a Crown Victoria was taken off road and sustained damage to the undercarriage,” department spokesman Keith Paul said in a written statement.
As the department calculates it, gas mileage for the two models is about the same, ranging from 9.5 to 11 miles per gallon. (With the fact that the vehicles are stopping and starting frequently, idling, accelerating and decelerating often, the fuel mileage rate will be less than their equivalent civilian use, Paul says.) So that’s a wash.
The city pays more for a Tahoe, about $26,000 each, than a Crown Victoria, which costs about $22,000, but gets $6,000 more per vehicle when the department sells them.
There have been concerns about the Tahoes’ suitability to police work. SUVs generally have a higher center of gravity than sedans and that can lead to rollover crashes.
A 2001 report by the city’s Finance Department recommended the department stop using Tahoes because most of the SUVs aren’t designed for high-speed pursuits, making the city vulnerable to claims of negligence in the case of accidents.
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that several hundred pounds of equipment are all the blank speeding tickets they have to fill out each day.
maybe those tickets would stay blank if people here knew how to drive and didn't do 50 in a school zone. But I do wonder if an SUV is so perfect then why don't they use a mid size one like a beefed up Escape? Oops, poor name for a police vehicle.
Maybe a Ford Probe...for detectives.
and what about a hybrid SUV?
> Maybe a Ford Probe...for detectives.
Hee hee.
I live in Henderson and I can't tell you how many times I've seen a car pulled over to the curb and there are 2 or 3 Henderson police cars pulled over with it; with the police officers just standing around and talking.
Several years ago the R-J did a story that said that Henderson PD was the highest paid police department in the country.
The Henderson Police have more loafers than Pay for Less. You see them all over town, parked together, shooting the breeze. And yet, the City pays Richard Perkins 120K to lobby for more money for the cops. Barely high school grads with military preference taking us to the cleaners...
I'd like the Henderson PD to hire more vets for cops. You get superior training and a lot more personal motivation if you do. They still need more cops. Too many crooks and lesser criminals getting away with stuff here in good ole Henderson. Law and order is my motto.
At least they're (still) buying American cars.
Its sad to read the comments that are made anytime the word "police" or "cops" show up in an article. The "hate" expressed is unbelievable. Realize that the cops you hate were that type of a person before they became a cop. Inappropriate people work in all professions, but cops are always singled out.
Several things to remember: 1. Cops do NOT make the laws. They enforce the ones that YOU make through your legislators. 2. Keep hating cops and some day you will call 911 and NO ONE will respond. Handle it on your own, my friend
The Tahoes love to congregate at the Borders on Stephanie and Sunset around midnight. Why, I have no clue? They also like to sit in the dark on Whitney Ranch and pull people over. I wouldn't mind seeing them driving up and down my street in the middle of the night, makes much more sense to me.
Frank1s - two rebuttals for you. 1) traffic stop=2nd most dangerous thing for Police Officer to do, so an extra officer or 2 is safer. 2) by far not the highest paid in nation...check policepay on the internet and get facts right b4 posting.
More comments: 1)Henderson is 1 of the safest cities in the nation, even though rate of officers per 1000 citizens is half the natl. average..police must be doin something right. 2)traffic stops serve 2 purposes, reduce accidents and reduce crime (how do you think the criminals get around...they dont all walk)..so jerrywayne, thats why they sit on whitney ranch..not just for traffic enforcement, but to catch the criminals on their way to your street b4 they can commit the crimes.
Please explain the three patrol units that are needed for every stop they make! I guess there worried grandma will pull out a crochet needle on them.It's one thing to enforce the law, Yet another to think you are the law!
In regards to spock....I work quite closely with the henderson police and I used to ask why there had to be at least 2 officers on the scene. I admit sometimes it is unnecessary but other times I have to call on them and I am glad that more than one officer shows up. I don't know if you realize all the crazy people that live in Henderson but I have met quite a few of them that the police deal with and I wouldn't want to do it alone. It isn't as easy as it seems dealing with the crazy people here. You don't know anything about the person you are pulling over until you actually talk with them and by that time they may have already called for another unit to assist them. It is for their own protection so they can go home to their families. Don't put them down for that.
frank1s -- it's true, saw the same thing yesterday AND today on my drives through Henderson.
Gary -- get real. When you empower others to keep you safe, then let them strut around with badges and guns and permission to use them (displacing your privilege to do the same), public oversight and accountability go with the badge, &c. Go back to high school civics 101 and learn where their authority comes from. And while you're at it review the oath each of them takes, then start asking how well EACH of them are keeping it.
On the vehicle thing, if their body politick wishes to let them strut in Tahoes, it's their money and their call.
HPD... God Love Them... Haven't Been to H-Town Recently Do They Still Need 3 Cars to Assist in All Traffic Stops? HPD Loves the Buddy System... Maybe They Can Just Starting Putting 3 or 4 Officers in One Vehicle and Cost Down on the Fleet...
"At least they're (still) buying American cars."
Crown Vics are made in Canada or should I say were made in Canada since they are no longer made.
Just returning form Europe one sees police cars of all sizes. Most get good mileage, some don't.
All of our police cars are set up for the speed and space. Other government works have different types of cars which work. It is nice for police to have larger car, but at what price?
I also see the fire dept. offices have big 4x4 which are nice but not needed. They can walk the last 50 feet or get a ride in a truck. It must be nice to have all of the equipment they carry but once more , what the price? I make dollar choices everyday. We need good government services. We need to pay taxes for them. More pay for people, not gas.
Big cars, big men, big toys......big bucks.
Lancelot
I often see these comments about the number of police cars on a stop, but I never read that anyone has ever stopped to ;
1-count the actual number of officers (since there are usually one 1 per car) instead if the number of cars.
2-count the number of people inside of the car being pulled over.
As far as I know the HPD has not lost an officer in the line of duty in quite some time, so the tactic of having multiple officers present during incidents of unknown risk seems to be working. Check out the Officer Down Memorial Page to see how many times NOT doing this costs cops thier lives.
To all of you haters, please do everyone a favor and mark your personal vehicles and wear clearly marked clothing identifying yourselves as cop-haters so that the police can recognize you and everyone can be on the same page. You seem to have law enforcement all figured out, so you should not need a police response to your home/business/traffic accident at all. Maybe we could enact legislation that would allow you to opt out of having the police ever have to help you. Maybe you could even get a tax rebate or exemption on your car registration like veterans get.
I wonder if you tell your doctor how to treat your health issues as well, or if you rely on the professional to do his job.
Get off your high horse pal! It's a legetimate question to ask ! If you don't question your doctor, YOUR A FOOL! Don't try to tell me what I see, Every stop looks like a social event!
Shutyertrap,
What an ignornant, un-American MAROON! Because one dares to speak up against the sloth and abuse which DOES exist on police forces, that person is not entitled to the protection and service of the police they pay the salaries for??? The police are thus excused from being the public servants they swear to be by oath? The words "to serve and protect" in fact, don't mean anything; it's just something they mouth to collect all that overtime they charge the taxpayers for?!
And, yes, I DO happen to question my physicians and take issue with their treatment when I suspect, or know, that something is wrong. Good doctors actually encourage patients to speak up. Good doctors know they aren't perfect and that the patient's feedback is their best compass. Only stupid patients remain silent and don't question anything.
But you think it's a priviledge -not a right- for citizens to receive service from the police. You think we don't have the right to call out the police when they are in the wrong. You've got it backwards as to who serves whom!
As for telling us to "count the number of people inside of the car being pulled over," I DO! Almost invariable it is one (1). Sometimes, you'll see multiple squad-cars hanging out when it is a single vagrant or prostitute, who is standing by themselves handcuffed in front of a cruiser. Why do the two other cruisers still need to be hanging around at that point? Lights flashing, all of them blocking traffic??
And that's another big pet peeve of mine: on routine stops, the cops always shut down a busy traffic lane, in this valley. In other jurisdictions around the country, officers usually get on the mike and instruct the car they are stopping, to pull into the next parking lot or side street. Not in this town (or Henderson). I've even seen situations where the car being stopped DOES pull into -say, a drug store parking lot- yet the cruisers stay out in the right lane of traffic, causing needless traffic jams on busy boulevards. Why, Mr. Apologist for the Blue Wall??
And don't even get me started on how many accidents they cause by speeding about town, under the premise of "responding to a call," when in fact, they are not. This is a known problem endemic throughout the nation.
Boy, what jackboot-run, ex-Soviet republic did you just come from?
As a former Deputy sheriff and Police Officer and a Military Police Sgt, it saddens me to see so many people out there that are against the Police. I would have loved to have more Law Enforcement as backup when I worked the sheriff's department, I would have loved to have an SUV at times. I guess these people who are against our law enforcement for doing their jobs should maybe obey the LAWS...obvious these people have nothing better to do than drive around and watch the Police??? I just hope you don't need the police someday, cause remarks like yours will get you into hot water....believe me I've seen it. People like you get upset cause you got stopped for maybe going to fast or running a stop light or illegal lane changes, then you take it out on the police that stop you......well for your own protection they are there for us.....How about saying thank you to a Law Enforcement officer once in a while for doing their job, for being out there 24/7, on holidays, being called out at all times of the day. Say thank you for arresting the someone for anything illegal........Every chance I get I'll tell them they are doing a great job, and by the way, these people are Law Enforcement officers, Police Officers, Deputy Sheriff's, State Police Officer.......not Cops, Fuzz, pig or what ever.....I've always resented the word Cop
Retired_USArmy
You must ask yourself, "WHY are so many angry at the police?" Why indeed? There is a clear sense of privilege, entitlement, and being above the very law they are sworn to -and very well paid to- enforce.
"...these people have nothing better to do than drive around and watch the Police???"
Now think about it -do you really think that is what any of us is doing? Of course not. What we are complaining about is out there for anyone to see with their own eyes. Especially when an unnecessary traffic jam caused by police cruisers is happening right in front of us.
"I just hope you don't need the police someday, cause remarks like yours will get you into hot water....believe me I've seen it. People like you get upset cause you got stopped for maybe going to fast or running a stop light or illegal lane changes, then you take it out on the police that stop you......"
What do your elipses at the end of that passage mean?? What are you not saying?? This is exactly what I'm talking about! Abusive behavior by thugs with badges who think it's all about *themselves.* They forget the whole reason they are out there -to serve us! Not the other way around. If they can't do their job without retaliating against a motorist who doesn't particularly respect them, then they should get the hell off the force. The rest of us in society have to tolerate rudeness and belligerence, from customers, bosses, and complete strangers, too. Why should we have to cower and kowtow before police in order to not get abused, or hauled in under trumped up charges?
Like Spock said, get off the high horse!!
Retired, I think you missed the point. I have complete respect for the police and the job they do. That being said, You come off as a don't challenge authority or your an out of control person. I have been fortunate to have lived all across this country from alaska to florida and have never seen this type of procedure before.As far as watching the police, I don't think there are too many people searching them out. At what point did you come to the conclusion,Take it and like it?
Bring Mayberry back.
I have no problem with the police whatsoever. From San Diego to Tucson to Scottsdale, I've always been impressed at the efficiency of our police force. It is invigorating to see our remarkable Scottsdale Police riding horseback on a Friday night, keeping the club scene in line. If a suspicious individual approaches my home, he is investigated immediately. If a bank robber gets hot and starts shooting, he is shot dead immediately. The police seem to be the one facet of our government that works well.
There are two types of people in this nation: those who have to deal with the police on a regular basis, throughout their entire lives, making pathetic excuses for themselves along the way, charging they're victims of the system, racially profiled, never given a chance to move up in society. And those who play by the rules, rarely if ever interacting with an officer save for forgetting to place an updated sticker on a license plate. I am the latter, and give thanks for the police you have in your municipality. North Scottsdale, and San Diego- where I reside- are safe thanks to our phenomenal police.
HALLMARK,Look no further!
hahaha spock. DTJ and spock you guys are far from cop haters, you're just aware that police brutality is on the rise and people must retain their voice or we will indeed be living in a soviet-style regime. America has condoned it's government to use torture, well guess what folks those same brutal methods are being turned on her citizens, tazing unruly third grade kids, shooting 80yr old grandmas who are carrying butter knifes, this kind of behavior will escalate unchecked if people remain silent.
As for HPD driving around in SUVs, it just shows how arrogant and selfish they are in this economy.
Lets see... The police should not bust drug dealers, pimps or hookers in the pools. The police should stay away from clubs in the casinos, whose employees are ripping off the tourists. The police should not defend themselves from being attacked by citizens. The police should not enforce traffic laws, in a city with an above average amount of DUI's and accident related deaths. And now the police should not drive SUV's carrying life saving equipment to save your life. What should the police be doing then? Many of you, who complain about the police, do nothing to contribute to our society in Vegas. You are the person who blames everyone but yourself about the mess you have gotten into. You are the person who drives like an idiot and gets traffic tickets. You are the person, who drinks to much, want to legalize drugs and gets arrested for alcohol or drug related crimes. You are the person who is not educated, with little skills and complain why you earn so little and the police out here make so much. You are the PERSON the police have to deal with and that is why you hate the police, you are jealous and bitter. Why don't you try holding yourself up to the standards you hold the police at, and this city would be a lot better off?
Winston my poor chap,Did you not get your tea and tobacco this evening? You sell yourself short with such a general hypotheses my man.
victim less crimes, who cares, just a bunch of Mormon crackers on the Hendi PD. and the taxpayers had to pay about a $1 million for the shooting of a 5 ft middle age women with a paring knife just so these jerks could get their rocks off.
Both vehicle platforms are going to be canceled by Ford and GM in a year or two. The only reason they are keeping them around is for the government sector.
Let them cram their fat rear ends into Toyota Corola.
Must say it's nice to see you people picking on the police for a change. Gives us firemen a break. By the way, while your on it, bigger is better cause when your house is burnin down, what do you want....... a BIG fire truck or a little one...Think about it. Unless your trying to get out from your mortgage, in which case, I think I see a Tahoe coming down your street.
Sorry Fred,That was the pimps tahoe!
.....Just another name for "Da Man"!
Scottsdalesun13 said it best. Some of the people on here get really bent out of shape over trivial things. It makes me wonder why some folks are so stressed about political/government issues. Obey the law, if you come into police contact do what your told and let the officer do their job then you can go about your day.
It would cost GM 2 billion to upgate the tahoe, suburban, hummer h2 platform, and they won't do it, ...so enjoy it while you can,
the crown vic, town car, is only available as a dual-fuel for 2010 for the public.
the malibu is available as a police vehicle, I thing that's too big, how bout a versa with a trailer to carry their 200 lbs of donuts.
DTJ,
Before you went on your babbling rant, did you even read my comment? I said that you would be able to OPT-OUT, meaning that YOU could decide NOT to have police services. Since the police seem to irritate your everyday life so much, I would think that this would sound good to you. I'm pretty sure they didn't offer that in Russia.
How are the officers "in the wrong" by protecting each other? You must be some kind of superhero if you can completely assess a situation as you drive past a scene and know exactly what happened before you got there, all the details of what is happening as you drive past, and what is likely to happen when you are gone. Please become a police officer so that all of the other ones working now can retire and go fishing.
By the way, as you are doing all of this astutue obervation of the police, who is paying attention to the road in front of you? I guess when you crash it will the the officer's fault for not removing all of the bad drivers from the road.
Spock, get a job and move out of your mother's shed.
Shutyertrap,
Silly me. I thought your "OPT-OUT" nonsense was what passed for irony with you. Little did I know you actually expected others to take you seriously.
"Did you even read my comment?"
Yes, I had the misfortune to do so. Been receiving condolences and flowers ever since. But quickly -before the idea of reading with accuracy fades from your mind and our fleeting chance at have a teaching moment with you is lost forever- I'll illuminate two things on your behalf:
1) There is no rationale behind your accusation, "the police seem to irritate your everyday life so much." You see two (2) mere posts of mine, out of over one hundred that I have made since joining these forums, and now are so presumptuous as to know what I always thinking about??? Heck, I myself don't even know exactly how my mind works. But you know me? If you actually COULD appreciate irony, this would have been rich.
2)"...who is paying attention to the road ...I guess when you crash..."
Ohhh, if I weren't already spoon-feeding you, I'd never even bother answering this particular question which has siezed up your mind, but here goes: A) drivers actually can observe what is happening on the road in front them when at the wheel (just as we're taught to do in driver's ed -fancy that!), and B) if you would do as you say, and not as you do, you'd have read in MY posts about how the police are "blocking traffic" and "causing needless traffic jams." Now what does the image of a traffic jam conjure up for you?
Think. Or at least, try to.
HPD has cars and SUV's in their fleet. Ever notice how much vacant land Henderson still has? Ever know that Henderson continually annexes empty desert on its west/south borders? On occasion the police need to go into that desert to find a) dead bodies, b)stolen vehicles, c)break up teen parties, d) chase bad guys. An SUV makes more sense for that than a 4 door sedan.
I have personally shown Metro & Boulder City PD the location of stolen cars out in the desert I have found. Their patrol cars barely made it and almost got stuck, while my truck had no issues. One car was for a missing elderly lady who got lost. I, for one, want to make sure the police have whatever vehicle they need to do the job. I don't want 911 telling me, "Sorry, the Hyundai can't get up that hill to Anthem so you're on your own".
As for how many officers are at a traffic stop, that depends on who is being stopped. For my last speeding ticket, one HPD officer on the 215 was sufficient. He was polite, efficient, and courteous. Even though I wish I hadn't been caught speeding, he made the process as painless as possible. Now I am sure that if when he ran my plates it returned a record of violent encounters, previous arrests, etc. he would have called for assistance. Those extra officers are there for "just in case" the subject gets out of hand. Would YOU rather fight someone one on one or have some help? The fact that they are just standing around is a good thing, that means that the subject isn't causing trouble.
I'd rather pay for an extra officer or two at a traffic stop than hand his grieving widow a large check.
Shutyertrap, WOW! You really now how to hit a guy when he's down. Thankfully my mom takes aluminum cans for my part of the shed rent. I must admit, It's no van by the river.
"Those extra officers are there for 'just in case' the subject gets out of hand."
Those extra officers are getting in on answering cream puff calls because it takes them out of being "available" and for the next call. Get to know a cop or too, and they'll fess up to it, as more than one has to me.
I'm not saying that the practice should be banned, or that it's bad in theory. But it's being abused, they know it themselves, some of us also know it, but some of you are blindly making up excuses about it, because you DON'T KNOW IT.
Wake up and smell the Dunkin Donuts coffee.
DTJ,
You have no idea what you are talking about. The officers get their calls dispatched to them on their computers. As soon as they finish one call, the next call comes to them automatically. If it is really important, the dispatcher will clear them from their current activity over the radio. It makes no difference if they are stopped on a call with another officer or driving around, they get sent the calls the same way.
Dunkin Donuts suck, Krispy Kremes rock!
Do you all feel the love???
HPD like all the agencies has policies in place that are there for a reason and are based upon principles of law, safety, need, and planning.
To those of you who are offended by how they do things - Ok. Thanks for sharing
To those of us that support law enforcement, all I can say is what Rodney King said those many years ago - "Can't we all get along?"
Trap,
And if you really do believe that pat little story you told, and if you believe that cops never do what I just described (as described to me, BY REAL COPS), then you need to be picked up by Metro's finest, yourself. You are high.
Gary,
I just finished saying that the practice needn't be banned. But it is, in fact, abused.
And yes, if nothing else, Rodney King did impart the right message at the right time, that during those awful times in L.A. back in '92. Those thugs with badges beat the living daylights out of him in that beating a year earlier. And then the blue wall closed ranks and rendered one of the most corrupt verdicts in recent American judicial history. Another shining chapter in the annals of Trap and his friends.
DTJ, insinuating that all police officers are alike is equivalent to all doctors being alike. It is unfair to anyone who would call themselves a professional to be dishonored by the rare few who lack competency.
DTJ,
Wow, for someone who says he is not a cop-hater, you sure sound like one. I think you should write a book containing all of your in-depth interviewing of "REAL COPS". Your fantastic insights are incredible. What happened, did you get a ticket you feel you didn't deserve or are you pissed because you hate your life and wish you could be a cop? Do your "real cop" friends know how much you dislike them? You could be the break-through case for a new mental condition called "badge-envy". Maybe we could give it a cool name like PTSD. Call the shrinks!
UMC,
Never said "all" police are alike. Please don't put words in my mouth. But there are practices -like the ones discussed on this thread- that need to be knocked off.
Trap,
Nice, sophomoric try to wish away the truth that some cops will admit that they'll loaf off at a routine traffic stop. And you're being very transparent about feeling bruised to see that I knew what I was talking about. So you make a big, over-the-top scene with the silly little crap about "writing a book." What a hoot you are, Mr. ShutyerTrap. Let me write that one down in case I, too, am ever at a loss of what to say about something I don't wanna admit.
I also notice this is about the fourth different time you've banged your head against the wall, trying in various ways to accuse me of being obsessed with cops. Truth is, at least when I can find the time here and there, I make passing comments on ANY issue that catches my attention, here on the Las Vegas Sun. Just in the last 24 hours, at the same time I've been spoon-feeding you, I've also commented on Patrick Swayze, the City Center, Harrah's law suit, and the folding of the Jewish Reporter. (If anything, I am guilty sneaking too many peeks at the computer, when I should be working.)
But it is YOU who has become obsessed with ME. That's becoming repulsively clear. From all your fantasizing about what "I think," to telling yourself about how I "wish(ed I) could be a cop," you go ahead and sucker yourself into believing whatever it takes for you to feel better about yourself. You're losing. You're as much as admitting that you're losing, when all you can do is try and change the subject from the police to your imaginary fantasies about me.
DTJ,
You were entertaining at first, but now you bore me. Just curious though, what is the difference between you loafing while at work and "sneaking too many peeks at the computer, when I should be working" and your allegations that cops loaf on traffic stops? Maybe you have more in common with your "real cop" friends than you think.
Keep in mind, you cop lovers, that Henderson is 81% white. So there is little crime in Henderson. As opposed to North Las Vegas, where the cops really earn their pay. Maybe we should have an exchange program where the Henderson cops work in LLV for a while. It's for sure they won't be busy writing tickets with 2 or 3 Tahoes at a time. They'll be doing real police work. Nah, not gonna' happen. When you've landed on the gravy train, dip a donut into the gravy. You've found your little piece of Heaven...
Henderson PD has a website and the most recent union contract can be found on policepay.net. Let's take a look.
Minimum requirements to become a Henderson police officer:
18 years of age
GED Diploma
No law enforcement experience needed.
Starting Salary: $55,590
AA Degree - add $450 a year, every year
BA - add $1000
Masters - add $1500
Add 4% for swing shift differential
Add 6% for graveyard shift differential
Add 1% of bi-weekly pay for being bilingual.
Overtime is double time
10 hour shifts, 4 days a week
Union contract says 10 minutes breaks in the first and second part of shift.
Lunch is an hour and a half (1 12 hours)
Sick leave accumulates at 10 hours a month or 120 hours a year.
Annual leave is on a sliding scale:
(a) Completion of the first year of employment - 40 hours;
(b) Second year through fifth year - 120 hours;
(c) Sixth year through twelfth tenth year - 160 hours;
(d) Completion of tenth year through fifteenth year- 200 hours
(e) Completion of fifteenth year of service - 240 hours.
Longevity pay raises have a siding scale:
Completion of 5 years of service - 3.5% of current salary
Completion of 7 years of service - 4.0% of current salary
Completion of 9 years of service - 4.5% of current salary
Completion of 10 years of service - 5.0% of current salary
14 Paid Holidays:
1. New Year's Day January 1st
2. Martin Luther King Day Third Monday in January
3. Presidents Day Third Monday in February
4. Easter Calendar day
5. Memorial Day Last Monday in May
6. Independence Day July 4th
7. Labor Day First Monday in September
8. Columbus Day Second Monday in October
9. Nevada Day Last Friday in October
10. Veterans Day November 11th
11. Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November
12. Family Day Friday following Thanksgiving
13. Christmas Eve One half shift - December 24th
40-hour work week/10-hour day Last 5 hours of shift
40-hour work week/8-hour day Last 4 hours of shift
14. Christmas Day December 25
City of Henderson pays around $10,000 each year for medical, dental and vision benefits for each officer.
CoH also pays 37% of an officer's gross pay into the state retirement system each year.
Henderson police officers can retire at 75% of their salary after 25 years of service, starting at age 45. Exact amount of retirement is determined by averaging the 3 highest years of gross wages. City of Henderson pays 100% of retirees medical, dental, and visual for the rest of the police officer's life.
The union contract lists many other benefits. You can read the whole contract at:
http://www.policepay.net/RequestFiles.as...
Trappy,
The difference is twofold: I am self-employed, AND I curtail my peeks at the computer well before they interferes with my workload. Otherwise my boss -YOURS TRULY- wouldn't be happy.
But thanks for continuing to think (read "obsess") about me. I'll continue to knock you on your buffoonish arse, as long as you keep leading with your chin.
Frank1s,
Wow! Some of what you posted is fair, like getting off the standard holidays. But all that leave time, and the hefty retirement benefits -that's the kind of open-ended, unfunded fiscal mess that put the city of Vallejo, California into bankruptcy. I'm not a resident of Henderson. But when push comes to shove, I can see one place where I'd look to start reducing spending.
DTJ,
The way I read it - and I am no expert on police pensions - is that the city pays the money to a state retirement system (PERS) and that system pays the police officer's pension. So, if I am correct, The Public Employees Retirement System is on the hook for police pensions, not the city. That's why the PERS wants the City of Henderson to pay 37% of an officer's gross salary. It doesn't come cheap.
The salary scale of HPD is $55,590 to $82,170, plus overtime and other raises and benefits. I don't think you would have to look very far to find officers who averaged over $100,000 for their 3 highest years; and at 75% retirement pay that's over $75,000 a year, conceivably starting at age 46 and paid for the rest of their life, which could be the next 30 or 40 years. It does add up.
Frank1S,
Thanks for the good info.
Contrary to what some people here believe, I'm not a cop-hater, and I'm not out to stick it to them. I just want the bad practices to stop. As for the huge retirement benefit for some of these officers, it's not going to be sustainable. We've seen this played out elsewhere, many a time. Something's gotta give.
In order to be a sworn police officer in Nevada the minimum age is 21. So I'm intrigued how the city website gives false information.
umcmaniac,
You are absolutely right. A person joining HPD must be 21 years old by the time he or she graduates from the academy, which puts the earliest retirement age at 46. Thanks for correcting me. There is so much misinformation floating around on the internet and I don't want to add to it.
Among the misinformation floating around on the web is that the job of a police officer is a physically dangerous job. I guess it can have it's moments but retired LAPD Detective Sargeant turned author, Joseph Wambaugh, has said many times that the real danger for police officers isn't pyhsical; it's psychological. Wambaugh backs up his claim by the statistics of higher rates of alcoholism among police officers, and the higher rates of divorce and suicide. He says the average officer never fires his or her gun on the job.
I saw a list of the 10 most dangerous jobs backed by statistics and police officer wasn't on the list. I saw a list of jobs that people perceive to be dangerous, not backed by statistics, and police officer was number 5.
I guess "dangerous" is a relative term. When I think of dangerous jobs I think of the troops fighting in the hills of Afghanistan. When I think dangerous I think Coast Guard Search and Rescue. As I said, it's all relative. I wish the military got the same perks and benefits as HPD.
Really Frank? Tool.
Police Officer Richard Crittenden
North St. Paul Police Department
Minnesota
End of Watch: Monday, September 7, 2009
Biographical Info
Age: 57
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: 3933
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Monday, September 7, 2009
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Officer Richard Crittenden was shot and killed after he and another officer responded to a domestic disturbance call at approximately 8:30 am.
A male subject had gone to the female subject's apartment in violation of a protection order. Officer Crittenden and an officer from the Maplewood Police Department arrived, and as they were conducting an investigation, the suspect attempted to attack the female. Officer Crittenden attempted to protect the woman and during a struggle, the suspect was able to gain control of Officer Crittenden's service weapon. He then opened fire, striking Officer Crittenden, who was fatally wounded. The Maplewood officer suffered a gunshot wound to her wrist, but was able to return fire and kill the suspect.
Officer Crittenden had served with the North St. Paul Police Department for nine years and had previously served with the Wabasha County Sheriff's Office for four years.
Agency Contact Information
North St. Paul Police Department
2400 Margaret Street
North St. Paul, MN 55109
Phone: (651) 747-2406
Please contact the North St. Paul Police Department for funeral arrangements or for survivor benefit fund information.
Courtesy of http://www.odmp.org/year.php
2009
Total Line of Duty Deaths: 84
Accidental: 1
Aircraft accident: 1
Assault: 2
Automobile accident: 25
Duty related illness: 2
Gunfire: 33
Gunfire (Accidental): 2
Heart attack: 2
Motorcycle accident: 2
Struck by vehicle: 4
Vehicle pursuit: 2
Vehicular assault: 8
By Month:
January: 10
February: 7
March: 12
April: 14
May: 10
June: 10
July: 10
August: 7
September: 4
By State:
Alabama: 3
Arkansas: 2
California: 7
Colorado: 1
Delaware: 1
Florida: 8
Georgia: 2
Idaho: 2
Illinois: 2
Indiana: 1
Louisiana: 2
Massachusetts: 2
Minnesota: 3
Mississippi: 2
Montana: 1
Nebraska: 1
Nevada: 1
New Jersey: 1
New Mexico: 3
New York: 3
North Carolina: 5
Ohio: 2
Oklahoma: 2
Pennsylvania: 6
Puerto Rico: 1
South Carolina: 1
South Dakota: 1
Tennessee: 1
Texas: 8
U.S. Government: 4
Virginia: 2
Washington: 1
West Virginia: 1
Wisconsin: 1
Average tour: 10 years
Average age: 37
By Gender:
Female: 0
Male: 84
shutyertrap,
I never said that law enforcement people never get killed or injured. But I can find a hell of a lot more instances of people dying in the military than law enforcement; and they get paid a lot less to do so. Try telling some marine fighting in the mountains of Afghanistan how dangerous it is being a Henderson police officer. He would probably laugh in your face.
I was curious as to how many Henderson police officers were killed in the line of duty. There was one officer listed who died in an auto accident back in 1956. I suspect the number of Henderson police officers who died of cirrhosis of the liver or killed themselves in some other way is significantly higher. Yes, I know that cirrhosis of the liver isn't always caused by excessive use of alcohol but that's usually the case.
If I was going to give advice to a police officer I would say the following: Work really hard of your marriage; have a stable home life; become active in a church; and develop a lot of friends and interests that do not involve police work because Joseph Wambaugh is right. Police work can be psychologically dangerous. This has been an interesting discussion. I thank the Las Vegas Sun for letting us have it.
http://www.odmp.org/agency/4490-henderso...
Frank,
I would hope that Law Enforcement in this country NEVER reaches the equivalent of the activities of our military operating in a war zone like Afghanistan during combat missions. In order for the two to be equally dangerous, cities in the US would have had to degenerate to the level of those in the Middle East, which thankfully I don't think they have (yet).
I found it interesting that in your last post you went and researched the fact that HPD has not lost an officer in the line of duty since 1956. That was my point waaaaaay back in this discussion about the number of officers you see on traffic stops. Multiple officers on traffic stops dramatically increases the safety of both the officers and the citizens, yet officers get criticized by some who have no idea what they are talking about on this issue yet seem to think they have a lot to say. Could it be that they have learned a valuable lesson taught by cops who did not survive the last traffic stop they made?
Taken from article "Risky Business: Tips on surviving the so-called low-risk traffic stop"
By Dave Grossi
"By now, most law enforcement officers have had a chance to examine the FBI's 2005 Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted Summary. And again, it reveals some disturbing trends. In 2005, 149 law enforcement officers died. A partial summary indicates 64 officers died from shootings, 66 from vehicle accidents and 14 from heart attacks. The remaining numbers include deaths from an assortment of fates, such as edged-weapon attacks and drowning. When you dissect the deaths-by-shootings category and look at those 64 officer murders, the single largest group, 14 officers, were fatally shot while conducting traffic stops. The second highest death-by-shootings category, 12 officers, was from domestic disturbances, a category always at or near the top of the list.
Twenty-five years ago, Calibre Press, Inc. co-founder Chuck Remsberg, in his acclaimed text Street Survival: Tactics for Armed Encounters, wrote, "Few patrol events seem more 'routine' than vehicle pull-overs, yet in an average year 12 percent of officers killed are shot while detaining motorists." And while we've shown a little improvement in that figure, clearly many officers still approach vehicle and traffic stops as routine.
Word entries in my dictionary proceed alphabetically from "route" (a way to get to a destination) to "roux" (a cooked mixture of hot fat or grease and flour). In other words, there is no such word as "routine" in my police vocabulary. That word was removed from my mental dictionary when I pinned on my shield and strapped on my Sam Browne. The quickest way for a street cop to get into a hot, greasy mixture of gunfire or violence is to think of traffic stops as routine. In fact, viewing anything in police work as routine causes officers to grow complacent, and as any good street cop knows, complacency kills. "
Trap,
"...Multiple officers on traffic stops dramatically increases the safety of both the officers and the citizens..."
Prove it. I reject that -especially the "dramatically" part. You're taking Frank1s's point that working for the HPD is a very safe job, and somehow twisting that into a justification for multiple cruisers hanging out on routine calls and loafing on the job.
BTW, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, being a farmer, or a fisherman, or driving a truck are just some of the jobs which perennially are more lethal than being a police officer. Both proportionally, and in sheer numbers. There are more, like being a pilot, or working in construction. I'm not going to bother to list all of them. You get the point. Or at least you should.
Oh, and just for sh!ts and giggles, let me relay the following little tidbit. Because of the hard times, my neighbor missed his child support payment last month. His ex is out to spite him, especially because his daughters are now adults and have chosen to have a relationship with their father, in spite of their mother's spite. To make a long story short, she managed to have the marshals sent over yesterday because he didn't make that payment last month. Naturally, it took TWO cruisers to make the house call. Our tax dollars, being wasted again. As if this routine checkup required two cruisers. Funny, I don't know of any other bill collectors who send out two cars. Even the repo man works solo.
Everybody else in society is feeling the pinch. It's high time the men in blue trim some fat too.
Wow 64 comments. Quite the hot subject on here. Guys if you want to pick on an PD lets rip on NHP. Weekly I see them crusing back and forth along the road leading to Mt Charleston trying to catch speeders. Cause lets face it, that where all the hardcore criminals are(campers, hikers, family picnicers etc). Yet DAILY I drive the 215, I-15 and I-95 where people drive like maniacs and guess what,, NHP is NO WHERE TO BE FOUND!!
Davidashay,
Good point.
DTJ,
Some things are just not about money.
One of the saddest things I have witnessed was Sgt. Henry Prendes' funeral. I remember Las Vegans lining the procession route in tears over their lost officer.
I don't care if the cops shut down every roadway on every traffic stop they make. If it prevents, in any small way, a repeat of having to bury one of our officers, then I am all for it.
Go count your dollars and cents somewhere else.
Trap,
"Go count your dollars and cents somewhere else."
Thanks for the phony indignation. But I'm talking about routine traffic stops, and NOT AT ALL about police responding to calls where there is concern that there could be violence. That certainly was the case when Sgt. Prendes responded to a domestic violence call. I would NEVER insist the police be forced to respond to those types of calls alone.
However, Prendes WAS in the company of at least two other responding officers. And it didn't save him. But we're talking apples to oranges here. Prendes death was tragic, but the police showed up in force, as well they should have.
Routine traffic stops, especially when one officer makes the stop, but then another -or even two more cruisers- show up part way through the stop, is my beef.
We've already hashed this out. I'm not going to do it again. But the killing of Sgt. Prendes was an entirely different situation, both in how it should -and WAS- handled with multiple officers on the scene. No argument there.