Research Assistance Request

[BEESEA]

I am a graduate student conducting research on consolidated public safety departments in the United States, wherein the agency cross-trains personnel to perform law enforcement and fire suppression duties. If you know of any such agencies, would you be kind enough to post the name of the agency and the state in which it is located.

I know this is a controversial issue, but this is strictly a research project, and there is no intent to initiate a debate on the merits or disadvantages of such organizations.

Thanks

BEESEA

[gunnyv]

Michigan:

Kalamazoo
Fraser
Oak Park
City of Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe Park
Grosse Pointe Woods
Village of Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe Shores

Plenty more, just can't think of them now. Highland Park used to be but went to separate FD and Sheriff Dept coverage.

I know you aren't looking for opinions, but I can't mention them without saying i think it's a lousy system that shortchanges proper Fire and EMS work.

[BEESEA]

Michigan:

Kalamazoo
Fraser
Oak Park
City of Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe Park
Grosse Pointe Woods
Village of Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe Shores

Plenty more, just can't think of them now. Highland Park used to be but went to separate FD and Sheriff Dept coverage.

I know you aren't looking for opinions, but I can't mention them without saying i think it's a lousy system that shortchanges proper Fire and EMS work.

Thanks, Gunny, I have these and a lot more from Michigan. Seems Michigan is the public safety department capital of the nation. Probably has something to do with the fact that Grosse Pointe Shores started the first public safety department in 1911, and it spread from there.

I understand your feelings. I just don't want to start an angry debate here, so I am doing everything possible to keep it neutral. This whole project is nothing more than part of the research phase of my Master's Thesis.

Since you appear to be in Michigan, here is the list I have so far. If you can think of any I don't have, I would greatly appreciate a post.

Albion Department Of Public Safety
Berkley Department Of Public Safety
Beverly Hills Department of Public Safety
Blackman Township Department Of Public Safety
Bloomfield Hills Department Of Public Safety
Centerline Department Of Public Safety
Cheboygan Department Of Public Safety
East Grand Rapids Department Of Public Safety
Emmett Township Department Of Public Safety
Escanaba Department Of Public Safety
Essexville Department Of Public Safety
Farmington Department Of Public Safety
Fraser Department Of Public Safety
Gladstone Department Of Public Safety
Grand Haven Department Of Public Safety
Greenville Department Of Public Safety
Grosse Pointe Department Of Public Safety
Grosse Pointe Farms Department Of Public Safety
Grosse Pointe Park Department Of Public Safety
Grosse Pointe Shores Department Of Public Safety
Grosse Pointe Woods Police Department
Huntington Woods Department Of Public Safety
Ionia Department Of Public Safety
Ironwood Department Of Public Safety
Kalamazoo Department Of Public Safety
Kingsford Department Of Public Safety
Manistique Department Of Public Safety
Oak Park Department Of Public Safety
Petoskey Department Of Public Safety
Plainwell Department Of Public Safety
Springfield Department Department Of Public Safety

[ullrichk]

At one time Smyrna, Tennessee had cross-trained LEO/FF, but I don't know if they still do.

[ccfdblehman]

Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, KY has cross-trained LEO/FF's

[allineedisu]

A PSO May work in a small town but in lager cities where the FD and Police have union contracts, it is not there and will never be there,

I am not for pso's, as a cop can't fight a fire if he or she is investigating a mva! and a firefighter can't stop firghting a fire and respond to a hold up alarm.

It is just not a pratctical operation.

[BEESEA]

At one time Smyrna, Tennessee had cross-trained LEO/FF, but I don't know if they still do.

Thanks, ullrichk, I went to their wedsite, and it is apparent they have deconsolidated. There are six PSO's left, probably from the past structure, but the rest are either fire or police.

[BEESEA]

Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, KY has cross-trained LEO/FF's

Thank you, sir, I will check it out.

[BEESEA]

A PSO May work in a small town but in lager cities where the FD and Police have union contracts, it is not there and will never be there.

Interesting statement. Regarding population, where do you think the transistion from a small town to a large city begins? How do you define a large city?

Next, how would a union contract prevent the formation of a public safety agency once the contract had expired and the city decided to change the working conditions of its fire and police personnel?

Finally, are you aware of the new public safety law in Illinois?

[Lieutenant387]

At one time Smyrna, Tennessee had cross-trained LEO/FF, but I don't know if they still do.

Ullrichk, there a quite a few im Tennessee. A couple that come to mind are Kingston Springs, Johnson City

[BEESEA]

Ullrichk, there a quite a few im Tennessee. A couple that come to mind are Kingston Springs, Johnson City

Johnson City deconsolidated in July of 2005, leaving only Kingston Springs and Jonesborough that I can find. If you know of any others in Tennessee, EL TEE, I would appreciate the information.

[gunnyv]

A PSO May work in a small town but in lager cities where the FD and Police have union contracts, it is not there and will never be there.

Usually the city offers a 10-20% raise to the cops to take on the fire duties. The cops are happy to take the extra cash, and since they usually far outnumber the firefighters, the city will threaten to lay off the firemen, offer buyouts for the ones closest to retirement, or let them stay as apparatus drivers.

Here's proof that the police work takes precedence-from the Kalamazoo Public Safety Officer Job announcement. There are no fire related promotion opportunities mentioned:

"Promotional opportunities include: Detective, Canine Handler, Community Policing Officer, Crime Lab Technician, Honor Guard, Bomb Squad and Tactical Response Unit."

[spegram]

In Ohio:

Village of Oakwood (Suburb of Dayton)

Amberly Village (Suburb of Cincinnati)

[ullrichk]

Johnson City deconsolidated in July of 2005, leaving only Kingston Springs and Jonesborough that I can find. If you know of any others in Tennessee, EL TEE, I would appreciate the information.

How about the Nashville Airport? SgtScott31 posted this.

[BEESEA]

In Ohio:

Village of Oakwood (Suburb of Dayton)

Amberly Village (Suburb of Cincinnati)

Thanks, I have these. They are the only two in Ohio, according to the Amberley Village website. Oakwood Public Safety was formed in 1924, which makes it the second oldest public safety agency in the U.S.

[BEESEA]

How about the Nashville Airport? SgtScott31 posted this.

I have it on my list of possibles. I just haven't had a chance to research it yet. I have benn dealing with extremely pressing matters today, and I am still not done collecting from the chumps that lost to me on the superbowl. :-)

[NorcalMike]

Sunnyvale, CA in the South Bay used to have PSO's. Not sure if they still do.

[kuh shise]

Been 20 yrs since I toured the D/FW airport complex. but back then it was manned by a driver/engineer and an officer for each piece. At alarms the police went to the scene with TOG in each officers patrol car trunk.

[BEESEA]

Sunnyvale, CA in the South Bay used to have PSO's. Not sure if they still do.

There were five agencies in California up until last year. Brisbane, Lemoore, Marina, Rohnert Park, and Sunnyvale. Only Rohnert Park and Sunnyvale continue with the concept; the rest have deconsolidated.

[MalahatTwo7]

The Township of Esquimalt (located adjacent to Victoria) British Columbia was a cross-trained fire and LEO station until about 4 years ago. The only reason why they are no longer fire/LEO responders any more is because the Township emergency services were absorbed by the City of Victoria, and of course the unions would not allow cross-training.

By all accounts the system worked well there. They did split shifts - two days as fire, two days as LEO, and all seemed to like it a great deal. There was a lot of outcry from the Township and from the Members when they were ordered to "disband" as a combined unit. There was a lot more to this story, but its been a while, suffice to say that there were a lot of unhappy folks when the change was forced upon them.