Police Officer vs. Highway Patrol Officer....

[Disneyland1084]

Which one do you think would win in a fight? I'm just kidding. My real question is, what does a police officer do that a HP officer doesn't or can't? I saw my step-brother recently and he said he wants to be a HP officer. He explained what he would be doing as one. But he was talking to my mom while I was busy in the kitchen. I overheard some of what he said, just not all.

 

[phinsphan]

Here the Highway Patrol ONLY work the freeway stuff unless they are desperately needed elsewhere. The regular Police Force do the robberies, rapes, murders, etc along with speeding in non-highway places.

 

[Anewman]

My guess is that it would vary greatly by state. The way I understand it(from friends in law enforcement), CHP officers still have full police powers... it is just that they are paid to enforce a more specific segment vs Police officers.

Here is Wikipedias take on the CALIFORNIA highway patrol

Highway Patrol duties

The agency has specific jurisdiction over all California state routes, U.S. Highways, Interstate highways freeways in the state and all public roads in unincorporated parts of a county. Local police or the local sheriff's department having a contract with an incorporated city have responsibility to investigate and enforce traffic laws in incorporated cities. However, the CHP can still enforce traffic laws on any public road anywhere in the state regardless if it is in an incorporated or unincorporated city.

Its officers enforce the California Vehicle Code (including laws against speeding), pursue fugitives spotted on the highways, and attend to all significant obstructions and accidents within their jurisdiction. They patrol in various vehicles including Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors, Chevrolet Camaros, BMW R1150RT-P motorcycles, Cessna 206 airplanes, and helicopters which include Bell OH-58As, Bell 206L-IVs and Eurocopter AS-350B-3s. The CHP has a fleet of 73 Chevrolet Camaros, which are used for commercial vehicle patrols.

CHP officers are responsible for investigating and disposing of car accidents, debris, dead animals and other impediments to the free flow of traffic. They are often the first government officials at the scene of an accident (or obstruction), and in turn summon paramedics, tow truck drivers or Caltrans personnel. The CHP files traffic collision reports for state highways and within unincorporated areas.

 

[cjb71870]

One thing I know here in FL that the FHP do, not the county or city police, is come to accidents. No matter what county or city limits the accident happens in, FHP responds.

 

[Michelle67]

In Washington our "highway patrol" is called the "state patrol" which highlights the fact that they have jurisdiction in the entire state as opposed to only a particular city or county. They have sole jurisdiction over anything that happens on a highway or freeway (although that doesn't mean that if a Sheriff on his way to work sees you blasting down the freeway he isn't going to pull you over and hang on to you until State gets there ).

 

[livie1205]

uuhhh a Deputy sheriff....

 

[Allison]

In Washington our "highway patrol" is called the "state patrol" which highlights the fact that they have jurisdiction in the entire state as opposed to only a particular city or county. They have sole jurisdiction over anything that happens on a highway or freeway (although that doesn't mean that if a Sheriff on his way to work sees you blasting down the freeway he isn't going to pull you over and hang on to you until State gets there ).

That's is my state also. A police officer works for a specific city, then we have the county people and then the state patrol. It's different jurisdictions.

 

[pr surfer]

One thing I know here in FL that the FHP do, not the county or city police, is come to accidents. No matter what county or city limits the accident happens in, FHP responds.

Not entirely true... if you live in an unincorporated part of the state, then FHP shows up. Within the city/town/village limits, local PD (not sheriff's office) is supposed to show up.

 

[livie1205]

Which one do you think would win in a fight? I'm just kidding. My real question is, what does a police officer do that a HP officer doesn't or can't? I saw my step-brother recently and he said he wants to be a HP officer. He explained what he would be doing as one. But he was talking to my mom while I was busy in the kitchen. I overheard some of what he said, just not all.

well your not going to see a HP go to a domestic call, a murder,my crazy girlfriend slashed my tires call ect.... they stick to highway infractions and alot of drug traffic.They do go all over the state BUT are limited to the calls they go to...police can do all of these calls in the city limits and county can do all of these calls in the whole county including the city.
They do not pay HP well in florida (my state) at all! It is a shame,they ARE risking their lives also but their pay is AWFUL! Florida needs to fix this.

 

[EthansMom]

My DB is a Sheriff's Seargent with many friends who are State Troopers.

I'm going to agree with previous posters... Highway Patrol Officers and State Troopers mostly handle traffic-related calls, accidents, and such. They rarely handle domestic disputes, homicide investigations, bar fights, etc..

That said... I don't think either job is more easy than the other. DB's good friend is a Trooper. He pulled over a car for some kind of traffic infraction and the passenger (who had warrants) started shooting. Deputies in DB's county went to a domestic disturbance call and the man who answered the door attacked both officers with a knife. Luckily, in both of these situations, the LE officers survived their injuries.

Thank God for our LE officers!

 

[browneyes106]

I live in New Mexico and the state police here do highway patrol and criminal investigations. We really don't have a highway patrol. The state police pretty much does most of the criminal investigations in rural communities because more people report crimes to them because most local and county law enforcement agencies are corrupt or incompetent in some way. My friend is a state police officer he does a lot of highway patrol but often he gets called in to assist with other cases. He has arrested people for child abuse and rape. A few years back there was a missing persons case he pretty much spent a lot of time looking for the person until a body was found.

 

[tazdev3225]

In Philadelphia the Highway Patrol is a unit within the police department. They do more expressway patrols than a regular district car but they also answer any call that comes their way including routine calls. My DH is a Deputy Sheriff here and although they have the right to use these powers the Sheriff doesn't let them. In any other part of the state they can assist the local cops.

 

[DisneyKT]

My DH is a Police Officer. We have several friends who are State Officers. They do mostly Interstate, Highway stuff. But also have worked with local Officers.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Not entirely true... if you live in an unincorporated part of the state, then FHP shows up. Within the city/town/village limits, local PD (not sheriff's office) is supposed to show up.

Agreed. Hubby and I had an accident in Panama City Beach and it was their police who showed up. However...about 3 or 4 years prior to that we had an accident on HWY 98 in Navarre and the FHP showed up as did an Okaloosa County Deputy. Navarre doesn't have it's own police but is in Okaloosa County obviously.

 

[momrek06]

I have two homes; one in MA and one in CA.

From what little I know:
In MA they are called State Troopers and as far as I can tell they do nothing within the city/town BUT they are all over the highways that go through these city/towns.

In CA they are called Highway Patrol and I have only been here a few months but it appears to me that the CHP do more than just the highways...I have seen them in my city here actually pulling over people (like a police officer would do). In August, Obama was here in my city at the Balboa Bay Club and CHP was there in large numbers. I did not even see a NB police officer around Obama, just CHP.

 

[freckles and boo]

We have the Illinois State Police. State police troopers do patrol the highways but they are also the police agency for the state. They do FAR more than highway patrol. They have been called in when local police departments, for whatever reason, are not able to investigate or actively police. The ISP has a centralized sex offender registry, they run the state crime labs, and most importantly, considering our state officials tend to be a bit dirty, they provide internal investigations...

The Illinois State Police investigate allegations of wrongdoing in state government, including executive departments, agencies, commissions, and boards. Among its diverse responsibilities are the investigations of financial crimes, theft of state property and charges of abuse or neglect of inmates of state correctional and mental facilities.

http://www.isp.state.il.us/aboutisp/deptorg.cfm

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We have local, county, and HP. I see all 3, all the time.

County gets the unincorporated parts or take over when cities go under, cannot fund local government.

HP is on the highway here.

Local is local.

County/Local work closely here.

 

[zagafi]

We have the Illinois State Police. State police troopers do patrol the highways but they are also the police agency for the state. They do FAR more than highway patrol. They have been called in when local police departments, for whatever reason, are not able to investigate or actively police. The ISP has a centralized sex offender registry, they run the state crime labs, and most importantly, considering our state officials tend to be a bit dirty, they provide internal investigations...

The Illinois State Police investigate allegations of wrongdoing in state government, including executive departments, agencies, commissions, and boards. Among its diverse responsibilities are the investigations of financial crimes, theft of state property and charges of abuse or neglect of inmates of state correctional and mental facilities.

http://www.isp.state.il.us/aboutisp/deptorg.cfm

We also have the Secretary of State Police--used to have Commerce but they merged with ISP. SOS also does internal investigations, traffic, drugs, auto theft, etc.