helicopper

NYPD does the NYC thing and the PD's in Westchester do the Westchester thing. There's a tremendous collaboration on intel, info, and training to name a few but just as we don't patrol NYC, they don't patrol up here. As for the name Hercules, that comes straight from NYC so we'll have to see if someone down there can give the rationale for that name.

Didn't like the commercials on the radio so I didn't bother. From the comment above, I'm glad that I didn't. Hollywood seldom gets emergency services right. Right doesn't sell because if we do our jobs right, we're pretty boring.

From the NYPD Recruit website. Also note, the press release in the first post of this thread is from September 2008, this pay scale has been out there for a year now.

Or just wear the freakin' seatbelt and protect yourself!!! I can't believe the suggestions about how to get around this.

After suspects start getting run down by police cars she'll rethink the policy. "But, madame mayor, I didn't run after him; I just hit him with the police car."

Date: 09/22/09 Time: 1145 hrs Location: Warburton Avenue, Yonkers Frequency: multiple Units Operating: Mount Vernon PD, Yonkers PD with ESU, K-9, Housing, Anti-Crime, 3rd/4th Precincts, WCPD with K-9 Bloodhound, Aviation, MTA PD, New Rochelle PD K-9 (?) Weather Conditions: Cloudy Description Of Incident: MVPD detectives in Yonkers got into a foot pursuit of a homicide suspect. Hotline transmitted and numerous units responding (patrol, ESU, K-9, Aviation, etc.). Suspect lost in wooded area between Warburton Avenue and Old Croton Aqueduct. Perimeter established, ESU and WCPD K-9 (Seneca) conducting track from point last seen. Bloodhound led police directly to where suspect was hiding in a garage within the containment area. Suspect apprehended by ESU without incident. Total elapsed time less than one hour. This was a great example of how well things can work when the proper resources are requested early and used efficiently. Kudos to all involved for their perseverance. This is especially interesting when you consider the other thread on the subject of foot pursuits. http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopic=33669 Talk about the opposite end of the spectrum.

Or I shall taunt you a second time!!!

That's as ridiculous as saying you're going to sell off all the snow plows because one got into an accident. Typical knee jerk reactionary policy. Instead of, as someone else said, improving training and/or fitness to reduce the likelihood of injuries, this is their solution.

Don't misinterpret my question as criticism. Yes, it was a good stop. Why is it anytime someone asks a question to stimulate intelligent discussions or debates the knee jerk reaction is to get defensive and say what a great job everyone did? The answer to my question - why so many ladder companies were operating - was answered by people with relevant information about the job. They are listed below in case anyone missed it. 1. Lots of roof work. 2. Excellent water supply obviating the need for additional engines. 3. Size of the commercial structure. Thanks to those who answered!

Akron, OH is laying off 201 municipal employees including 96 police officers (about 25% of their force) and 38 firefighters. Putnam County is laying off 22 and eliminating another 27 positions (through retirements and eliminating unfilled positions). Pittsburgh, PA is laying off 102 police officers, eliminating their SWAT and mounted units, and recalling all officers assigned to multi-jurisdictional task forces. They will also close one police precinct. Stockton, CA is threatening to layoff 43 police officers unless concessions can be reached with the union. Same thing in Denver, CO where 91 police officer positions hang in the balance and in Boston, MA where 200 police officers wait to learn their fate. If anyone things the "recession is over" think again. The NYS Comptroller forecast says that local governments may be called upon next year to contribute substantially more to the pension programs due to the ailing economy. If that happens it would have catastrophic affects on communities small and large.

Where was that? I'd like to see that story!!!

Just curious but why should the State step in to help the City of Newburgh and not Mount Vernon or Yonkers or Utica or Middletown? If the City can't or won't properly police itself why should we all contribute money to their failing efforts? The CITY should increase funding for the PD and, if necessary, hire more officers or redeploy existing officers to high visibility patrol positions. Are they doing all that they can do? Note, this is not criticism of the Newburgh police officers on the street but rather of the PD administration and the City management. This makes sense and is also being done in Mt Vernon and elsewhere to combat crime in specific locations. I support this more than dumping money into municipalities that may or may not do anything meaningful with it. Now, one could argue that the consolidation and reorganization of police departments throughout the state would free up troopers to augment areas of the state without enough police and reduce the duplication/redundancy that currently exists. But we'll save this part of the discussion for another thread.

Not to diminish the efforts of the Empress Special Operations Division but I don't think they're doing all that extra work out of the goodness of their hearts or at their own expense. As an MMRS and UASI city, Yonkers receives substantial federal funds for such preparedness and some of it is funneled to Empress for their part of the city's program. This is not a knock on Empress, quite the contrary! There are not a lot of commercial entities (EMS, hospitals, etc.) that have invested in high levels of preparedness without grants or other subsidies. As hard as it is to maintain 911 coverage or hospital staffing, it is nearly impossible to train, equip, and prepare personnel for the unthinkable using regular budget money. Kudos to White Plains for being proactive!

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/2009...t_squabble.html Sounds like quite a back and forth nightmare for the PSP. I've also heard that Pennsylvania SP has had "payroll deferrals" and withheld paychecks from troopers periodically since July to save money. Haven't seen that in print yet but got it from someone who works there. No matter how you look at this, it's ugly!

I stand corrected on Pittsburgh, the article I was given referenced cuts to the PD proposed in 2003 and concern that they were going to be resurrected now. They've not yet been put on the chopping block. From the State of Pennsylvania, the State Police are facing as many as 800 layoffs if an alternative can't be found to resolve a budget deficit.

Just curious - the initial response was (please correct me if I'm wrong) Greenville's two engines and one ladder. They then received three engines and four ladders to the scene not counting district coverage. Was there something unusual about the fire/building/both that necessitated so many ladders? Again, this is just a curiosity question.

Why'd this thread die such a quick death? I have a question - how many "career" or "combination" departments can't meet the NFPA minimum standard of 12 firefighters plus one IC with their on-duty response personnel? What if anything is being done to remedy that? You can't tell me that consolidation won't work; the issue is that too many people are afraid of losing turf/power or they're simply afraid of change.

The fact that tens of thousands of drivers traverse the TSP and all its intersecting roads daily without a problem suggests that the road is not the problem. Intoxicated drivers are the problem. Occasionally, another errant driver may enter the parkway the wrong way but they generally notice their mistake and correct it before a mishap. We should be combatting DWI to prevent/reduce this problem.

Didn't Bergen County also have some success with this already? Isn't it the "North Bergen Regional Fire Department"? I know some of the members from that area have chimed in here in the past, hopefully they will again.

http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopic=32570

We saw how well prohibition worked so I'm not a fan of that idea but on your comment about people's rights... Exactly what right is being infringed if a warrant is issued or, pursuant to statutory authority, blood is drawn from a DWI suspect?

What increase in police powers? This is not an increase in police powers but rather a proposed change in police procedure. Police already have the right to demand a sample (blood, breath, or urine) for a DWI investigation and blood can be drawn now. At issue here is whether or not the police themselves can be the one's to draw it. If you're accused of DWI now, the "guy with the gun asks" you to consent to a chemical test to determine the alcohol or drug content of the suspects blood. What's the issue with that? As for being compelled to submit blood, a warrant can be applied for and if a judge determines that a compulsory blood test is appropriate a warrant will be issued and blood will be drawn - almost always at the hospital. Yes, they will get it regardless of the refusal in these limited cases but it's not by "any way".

Another point of view is that the federal standard for law enforcement emergency vehicles is the combination of red and blue lights and has been for decades. The further out west you go the more standardized this is and PD is all red and blue. To imply that a couple of movies is what drove law enforcement to select them is quite a stretch. You're right it was illegal years ago for PD vehicles to use blue lights but that doesn't excuse all the agencies that are ignoring these and other laws today. It's the old cliche that two wrongs don't make a right.

I agree wholeheartedly, paramedico. Asking police officers to become and remain proficient in yet another new skill is just ridiculous. There are many other ways to insure that an appropriate sample of bodily fluids is taken for laboratory analysis without asking the police to actually perform the stick. As for legal issues and constitutional rights, there is no constitutional right to drive and implied consent laws through the drivers licensing process have been upheld by courts for decades. I think penalties need to be more absolute and a deterrent value if we're going to see any change.

Wow, interesting discussion. First, a member posted a question and all other members should respect that. If you don't feel the thread is worthy of your comment, then don't comment. Posting about how irrelevant this is or how the topic is insignificant is disrespectful to your fellow member(s). How would you like it if that was the response to your parade thread or your discussion about a topic of interest to you? Above all, show some respect to your peers. This is an important issue - the law states that there are limitations on use of colored/flashing lights and we should abide by them. We are not above the law. If nothing else (and I agree there may be liability issues regardless) there is a perception issue. When we ignore laws that are deemed trivial or beneath us, we are making a mistake. Look at how many people comment on us, especially law enforcement, using a cell phone while driving and we actually have an exemption in the law for that. The same is true of speeding, running red lights, etc. People, other emergency workers and the public, do see such things and can be critical of us for such violations. Instead of being relieved that law enforcement chooses to turn a blind eye to such offenses, we should be lobbying in Albany to get the law changed for our safety! This is the right way to do things yet we consistently choose the lazy way. And this is nothing more than laziness considering how much lobbying is done on some issues deemed trivial. Remember the furor over the CDL requirement? Chiefs threatened to park their apparatus unless the law was changed and the legislature listened. If the same outcry was raised about our safety at accident scenes, the law would be changed! I’ve heard some of the same people who advocate violating these laws for their agencies complaining about tow trucks and HELP trucks displaying rear-facing red lights. And I agree, the State should change the law if these vehicles need such warning equipment. I wholeheartedly agree that blinding lights need to be addressed too. Of course, it may mean that other antiquated laws governing green and blue lights on personal vehicles might have to be changed too. After all, they confer no special authority to the operator and it may be confusing for blue lights to be seen on non-emergency and emergency vehicles. As for other laws, legislative bodies are notorious for passing legislation but they are not nearly so proactive about removing obsolete legislation (unless its enacted with a sunset clause). But the law is the law and you run the risk of being stopped for not having two license plates or having excessively tinted windows or any of the other laws that are on the books. Debating the value or necessity of a statute enacted by appropriate governmental processes does not make it any less the law. If you don’t like it, change it but it should be followed – especially by quasi-government agencies like fire and EMS.