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Mahkato
04-06-2011, 12:30 PM
An Arizona city partially civilian-izes their police force:



Arizona police force turns to civilian investigators (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12754776)
By Paul Adams BBC News, Mesa, Arizona

The city of Mesa in the US state of Arizona has turned over some police duties to a new team of civilian investigators. The BBC's Paul Adams says the programme is a law enforcement innovation - and policing on the cheap in an era of government cuts.

In the only programme of its kind anywhere in the United States, Mesa's nine civilian investigation specialists are handling work normally reserved for uniformed officers.

Plenty of other police departments employ civilians to handle DNA and fingerprint collection or perform clerical work, but nowhere do they perform the range of functions Mesa's unit has handled since its inception in 2009.

From crime scene processing to fraud investigations and a lot of patient hand-holding, the civilians appear to be making an impact.
'Cops hate change'
Sgt Fabian Cota, president of the Mesa Police Association Sgt Cota of the police union says the civilian investigators cannot replace uniformed officers

Last year, the unit handled about 50% of all burglary calls, the police department says.

..more.. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12754776)

Brooklyn Red Leg
04-06-2011, 12:48 PM
An Arizona city partially civilian-izes their police force:

Eh, I think Police forces need to be disbanded as private security can protect private property whereas Police simply hose things up. Part of the problem is also that as private security, our hands are tied by The State. We have to get a license to carry a firearm in Florida, even if we have a Conceal/Carry permit (one does not translate to the other, which makes absolutely no fucking sense whatsoever). Naturally, it doesn't help that we in Private Security get shitty wages AND have to compete with off-duty Cops/Sheriffs/Highway Patrol for jobs. Too many places simply say 'Eh, I'll let the cops protect my property' and then wonder why their store gets robbed repeatedly.