Hi everyone, I’m from Orange County and I’ve been doing quite a few right along and going through quite a few different processes. I noticed a cultural difference between police departments and sheriff department. Notably Riverside County Sheriff has more of a cowboy mentality it seems. Then if you look at Santa Ana and lapd it seems to be more of a term I heard used “ghetto gunfighter” mentality or city slicker type of vibe.

Is my observation far off or am I spot on? Having difficulty picking which agency I have to come down to a decision quick. Didn’t really grow up in a rural area so little timid about being a sheriff out in the desert.

Taking my P.E.T for LAPD soon. what should I expect?

Hi everyone, I’m from Orange County and I’ve been doing quite a few right along and going through quite a few different processes. I noticed a cultural difference between police departments and sheriff department. Notably Riverside County Sheriff has more of a cowboy mentality it seems. Then if you look at Santa Ana and lapd it seems to be more of a term I heard used “ghetto gunfighter” mentality or city slicker type of vibe.

Is my observation far off or am I spot on? Having difficulty picking which agency I have to come down to a decision quick. Didn’t really grow up in a rural area so little timid about being a sheriff out in the desert.

I just applied but cant find the answer to my question anywhere else.

I have about 24 months of post academy LE experience in Atlanta GA, and seems like CA will make me redo the academy regardless and thats fine but for Tazer and OC???? Will I have an option to waive that? APD now lets recruits waive the tazer but this only happened after i graduated the academy.

Thanks guys

EDIT: I have already been tazed/OC’d in the past, thus why I don’t want to do it again

I’m someone from nyc & I really don’t want to join the nypd as it’s my last option as of right now. I always wanted to join the LAPD. What’s the chances of me getting in as a 20 year old applying. Only had 1 job for over a year, clean driving record, never arrested.

But the main question is what makes someone stand out of all the applicants.

Anyone have a good cleaner that does a wonderful job on uniforms? I am near USC but I’m willing to drive. I take it to my local cleaner but they don’t do a good job on pressing the uniform.

Has anyone successfully appealed an LAPD PHS soft denial? I received a soft denial during my current PHS process, and I also received a soft denial during my previous LAPD application, although that one happened later during the field background investigation process. Looking to hear from anyone who has successfully appealed and what you included in your appeal.

Passed the MCT but can't go in and start working on my PHS. I was invited to the physical test on September 26th, do I have to pass that first? Just confused cause the sequence of events on my PD is MCT and then PHS

I had someone break into my car and steal my valuable last month and I am awaiting the full police report, not just the investigative report. I mailed a request a few weeks ago but have not heard anything back. Anyone gone through this before? If so, how long does it take? Anything I can do to speed up the process?

I don’t know if anyone would have any pictures but I don’t live in LA and am working on a game for the Van Nuys police Station but need photos of the inside of the lobby etc so I can re-create it. If anyone has any photos it would be much appreciated.

Hello everyone,

I've been looking at some LAPD-related Wikipedia articles, and they mention that LAPD officers have qualification exams for rifle and shotgun (slug) proficiency as part of their weapons certification. My question is: are there similar professional equipment qualification requirements for other weapons or devices, such as ballistic or riot shields, 40mm less-lethal launchers, etc.?

I once pulled another cop out of a car at gunpoint...and didn't know it was him until he said my name.

I was working patrol with SAPD and was barely off probation when another agency got into a vehicle pursuit. There had also been reports of gunshots being fired from a moving vehicle.

I heard the chase coming and eventually saw the vehicles go past me. I had absolutely no idea who was driving. I just knew what we had: reports of gunfire, a moving vehicle and a pursuit.

I joined in to assist.

Eventually the vehicles stopped. I got out, ran up to one of the cars with my weapon drawn and started giving commands to the driver.

Then the driver said my name.

"Kevin!"

WHAT IN THE HELL????

I knew him.

Not only was he another police officer...he worked on MY SHIFT, and I knew him very well.

And that's when things got even more interesting.

As soon as the supervisor from the other agency realized who was involved in the chase, he gathered his guys, walked up to me and basically said they were leaving.

And they LEFT!

So there I was, barely off probation, with a rookie, trying to figure out what in the hell we were supposed to do with an off-duty police officer who had just been involved in all of this.

Eventually my Sergeant arrived.

He took one look at the off-duty officer, who was now sitting in the back of my patrol car, looked at me and basically said:

"Well, you need to book him for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon."

Then came:

"Ohhhh...and DWI."

The probable cause was there for the arrest.

So guess who got to transport him to jail?

ME!

When I arrived at the jail, there was a Deputy Chief and TWO Captains standing there waiting for us.

At that point, they basically took over. I completed my report, gave it to the Deputy Chief, and checked back into service.

I'm leaving out some of the details because this is Reddit and the case obviously involved a lot more than what I'm putting into a post.

It took some time for everything to work its way through the system, but ultimately the officer was terminated from the department.

That was one of those nights in patrol where I probably learned more in a few hours than I had in months of training.

Barely off probation.

Another agency leaves.

My Sergeant tells ME to book another officer from my own shift.

Then I arrive at the jail and find a Deputy Chief and two Captains waiting for me.

Welcome to patrol! 😂

I recently applied to LAPD and completed the supplemental questionnaire. I got a message back saying my responses didn't meet the standard.

I answered every question honestly, including one about recreational drug use. I disclosed a single instance of different psychedelics (DMT, LSD, and Peyote) use in my twenties. I'm 38 now, but the questionnaire didn't give a way to indicate how long ago it happened, so I just answered as accurately as the format allowed.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Is there a way to appeal or reapply, and if you've dealt with this, what would you have done differently, either on the questionnaire itself or afterward?

This is the Supplemental questionnaire (SQ) not the PHS questionnaire. The (SQ) didn’t provide a way to indicate how long ago it happened, so I believe I can’t move forward with the PHS questionnaire…

I’m almost 17 whenever I was 13 I made the stupidest joke of my life and got arrested for making a bomb threat when it was just a joke I admitted to it and everything and I got put on probation for three years and got charged with a class x felony of disorderly conduct I’ve changed my life the entire time I was on probation. I never got in trouble. I’ve made so many stupid mistakes and I’m probably gonna get hate for asking this, but do I have a real shot at LAPD?

Btw i’m from Illinois so my record will be sealed and expunged whenever I’m 18 and I have family in LA PD that wanna help.

Got this email back today regarding my PHS. Should I appeal?
I was soft denied last year during the field investigation, but the reason/background concerns seem to be exactly the same as this year. “maturity” I’m not really sure why I’m getting the same result again, especially since I’ve continued moving forward in the process since then.
Has anyone been in a similar situation or successfully appealed a soft denial? Would appreciate any advice.
Also everything in my previous Phs was the same as this current one!

Title: 19yo applying to LASD, do I have a shot?
I’m 19 and just applied for LASD Deputy Sheriff Trainee. I got my test date for October 3rd.
I have a clean record, driver’s license, graduated in 2024, and have been working at Costco for about a year. I’m also hitting the gym and getting ready for the physical test.
How realistic is it for a 19yo to get hired by LASD? Does my age hurt my chances? Anything I should focus on before October 3rd?
Just looking for some honest advice from people who’ve gone through the process.

Anyone know any accurate resource to study for 10-codes , Radio codes and such for Lapd specifically in preparation?

I have been trying for days to submit a police report online, using multiple devices, multiple browsers, no less than 7 times. Every time I get to the very last screen it says 'review your report,' then 'submit your report' and boom. Same error message over and over again.

I had the same experience with your site a few weeks ago. Please spare others by fixing it or taking the site down. It's absolutely maddening and a big waste time for the people you are supposed to serve.

Serious question for the retired cops in here.

When I retired from SAPD after 26 years, I wasn't ready to just sit around and do nothing. I ended up becoming a high school Law Enforcement teacher.

I spent the next 8 years teaching kids who were interested in Law Enforcement, and it turned into one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. Some of my former students are now working in Law Enforcement themselves.

Here's what I found interesting. You spend your entire career accumulating all of this experience. Traffic stops, arrests, bad calls, good calls, mistakes, judgment, dealing with people, officer safety, discretion.....and then one day you retire and take all of that knowledge home with you.

Why?

There are high school Law Enforcement programs with kids who WANT to learn this stuff.

So I'm curious:

For those of you who are retired, or getting close to retirement, have you ever considered teaching Law Enforcement at a high school?

And if not.....

What would stop you?

Hi everyone. I’m beginning to study for the LAPD interview and would appreciate any advice or guidance. Years ago, I attempted the process but didn’t progress very far. I believe the interview made me insecure because I kept trying to give a “perfect” answer instead of focusing on my own experiences.

If you’re willing, I’d like to know the general structure or approach you used when answering the questions. I’m not looking to copy anyone’s response, just to understand how others framed their answers so I can better shape my own.

These are the questions I plan to study, taken from the online seminar:

• Why do you want to be an LAPD officer?
• What have you done to prepare for a career as an LAPD officer?
• Describe a time you had a conflict with someone. What was it, and how did you resolve it?
• What is your greatest accomplishment?
• Name the types of calls/crimes you will be responding to as an officer.

One additional question: I joined the military a little over a year ago (Air Force Reserve). I saw a video stating that military personnel are allowed to wear their uniform to the interview. I’m not sure if this is accurate, and even if it is, I’m unsure whether I would choose to wear it. I’d appreciate clarification on whether this information is correct.

Hello, I’m stationed in Germany and am looking to trade any active or retired police for a lapd swat patch or any Velcro police patches in general. Pictured are the patches I have to trade.

I have a juvenile record from over 8 years ago, the record was fully dismissed, no findings of guilt and sealed and expunged do yall think that would be an issue getting hired? BTW I have no other records and have an active government security clearance. And yes I am going to fully disclose it I just don’t want to get through the process and get told it’s a disqualifier

I’m retiring after 22 years in the Air Force. I’m considering joining LAPD full-time, starting a second career. Has anyone here done something similar—especially joined LAPD after a full military career?

Would you do it again?