Small-town police in the USA?

[beatrice_dreams]

I'm hoping for a little assistance from an American view-point for the story I'm working on.

I you have a small, relatively rural town in most US states, what sort of officer would come knocking on someone's door to investigate a crime such as an assault? Would they be a deputy-sheriff from a sheriff's office, or would there be regular state police who would just introduce themselves as Officer Suchinsuch?

My experience has only been with Canadian (no, not the Mounties) and British police (yes, they do wear those funny hats), so any local knowledge would be much appreciated! Saves you all laughing at me when I get it disastrously wrong

Thanks!

 

[voluptuary_manque]

It could be any of the above. Some small towns have their own police departments, some use the county sheriff's deputies and in some states you could run into a state police/highway patrol. The usual default position is a sheriff's deputy but saying it's one of the others won't cause anyone to blink an eye. And any of them could be wearing a broad-brimmed hat.

 

[Darkniciad]

I'll back up the bear. That's pretty dead on.

 

[bossygirl5342]

I live in a small town just south of Dallas. Yes the usual default is the sheriff and the visual changes greatly around the country. If your story was set around here you would have the possibility of an unusually chatty 6'2" officer from China (yes he's that tall) who's a gadget geek, or a rather rotund Chief of Police who doesn"t get worked up about anything unless it cuts into his coffee time. And never presume that the officer wll be male! would make for a interesting twist on a story. Good luck!!

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

It could be any of the above. Some small towns have their own police departments, some use the county sheriff's deputies and in some states you could run into a state police/highway patrol. The usual default position is a sheriff's deputy but saying it's one of the others won't cause anyone to blink an eye. And any of them could be wearing a broad-brimmed hat.

Yes, this. My only comment is that if you talk about the town's governance in the story (for example, you mention a mayor and a town council), the town would probably have a police force, and not rely on the sheriff's office. Or at least, that's how it works in North Carolina.

The one exception is the northeast. In most New England states (and possibly other northeastern states), sheriffs are virtually powerless. In these states almost all non-park land is incorporated into towns and cities, and counties have very little power when compared to counties in other parts of the country. Connecticut doesn't even have sheriffs.

I grew up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and until I moved to the south, I thought that sheriffs were essentially a show position.

If you have a rough area of the country where you want your story to take place, this wikipedia page might help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriffs_in_the_United_States

 

[Darkniciad]

That's only if the door they're knocking on is within the city limits, though.

When you live in the boonies, you usually say you're from "town" even though you live somewhere on the outskirts. The city police usually have no jurisdiction out there, and it will be the county that has to do the door knocking.

Yes, this. My only comment is that if you talk about the town's governance in the story (for example, you mention a mayor and a town council), the town would probably have a police force, and not rely on the sheriff's office. Or at least, that's how it works in North Carolina.

The one exception is the northeast. In most New England states (and possibly other northeastern states), sheriffs are virtually powerless. In these states almost all non-park land is incorporated into towns and cities, and counties have very little power when compared to counties in other parts of the country. Connecticut doesn't even have sheriffs.

I grew up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and until I moved to the south, I thought that sheriffs were essentially a show position.

If you have a rough area of the country where you want your story to take place, this wikipedia page might help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriffs_in_the_United_States

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

That's only if the door they're knocking on is within the city limits, though.

When you live in the boonies, you usually say you're from "town" even though you live somewhere on the outskirts. The city police usually have no jurisdiction out there, and it will be the county that has to do the door knocking.

Yes, outside of New England, I suppose this is correct.

To be honest, unincorporated areas freak me out. I've lived in pretty rural New England towns with under 1,000 people, but the fact that they had an elected government, police force, and (volunteer) fire department was a comfort to me.

When I first moved to North Carolina I went for a run past a sign that marked the town line; it said something like "now leaving (town name)". I kept looking for a sign to tell me what town I was in, and simply refused to believe for an entire month that there was no town on the other side.

 

[TE999]

Most cities and towns in the southern US have police departments and the unincorporated areas are policed by a Sheriff's Department. The State Police are primarily involved in Interstate highway, federal and state road traffic enforcement (speed cops). Local cops usually wear short billed caps, the sheriffs and state troopers wear Smokey Bear hats.

 

[beatrice_dreams]

Thank you everyone for your answers! I knew you'd be able to help

If your story was set around here you would have the possibility of an unusually chatty 6'2" officer from China (yes he's that tall) who's a gadget geek, or a rather rotund Chief of Police who doesn"t get worked up about anything unless it cuts into his coffee time.

These are great mental pictures - who needs to come up with characters when they walk right out of real life for you, right?

Yes, this. My only comment is that if you talk about the town's governance in the story (for example, you mention a mayor and a town council), the town would probably have a police force, and not rely on the sheriff's office. Or at least, that's how it works in North Carolina.

The one exception is the northeast. In most New England states (and possibly other northeastern states), sheriffs are virtually powerless. In these states almost all non-park land is incorporated into towns and cities, and counties have very little power when compared to counties in other parts of the country. Connecticut doesn't even have sheriffs.

I grew up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and until I moved to the south, I thought that sheriffs were essentially a show position.

If you have a rough area of the country where you want your story to take place, this wikipedia page might help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriffs_in_the_United_States

I suppose I really should know better than to ask a general question about America! There will be as many answers as there are states

To be honest, unincorporated areas freak me out. I've lived in pretty rural New England towns with under 1,000 people, but the fact that they had an elected government, police force, and (volunteer) fire department was a comfort to me.

When I first moved to North Carolina I went for a run past a sign that marked the town line; it said something like "now leaving (town name)". I kept looking for a sign to tell me what town I was in, and simply refused to believe for an entire month that there was no town on the other side.

Anyone from England wouldn't quite know what to do with themselves! Here things are so squashed together that you never stop exiting one county or borough and entering another.

Thanks again for all the feedback everyone!

b_d

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Glad to be of service.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

That's only if the door they're knocking on is within the city limits, though.

When you live in the boonies, you usually say you're from "town" even though you live somewhere on the outskirts. The city police usually have no jurisdiction out there, and it will be the county that has to do the door knocking.

That depends. City police may well travel outside the boundaries of their municipality when they are investigating something that happened within those boundaries. They probably wouldn't go more than an hour or so away from their own jurisdiction, unless it's a very high profile case.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

I suppose I really should know better than to ask a general question about America! There will be as many answers as there are states

I'm afraid that's a substantial underestimate.

 

[beatrice_dreams]

I'm afraid that's a substantial underestimate.

Ok...there will be as many answers as towns?!

I'm used to a big country. Just not one that's actually populated. With people.

 

[Darkniciad]

Regardless, you can't go wrong with the Bear's response. It's common enough in all circumstances and rural locations across the country that nobody will bat an eye at it.

 

[JustaSCOUNDREL]

Regardless, you can't go wrong with the Bear's response. It's common enough in all circumstances and rural locations across the country that nobody will bat an eye at it.

I agree with the above post. What Darkniciad said is pretty much spot on unless you are writing about a real town in a specific state. Other then that I would not worry about it.

Mike

 

[El Folo]

Don't listen to any of these people. Every police force in America has a grizzly bear in a hat who's obsessed with forest fires, a crotchety guy who shoots petty criminals with a giant fucking revolver, a law-abiding cyborg who has visions of his past life, and two guys who are polar opposites but get the job done when it's all on the line. Every other officer either doesn't have a name, or is on the take from the local English-speaking drug cartel.

There are no exceptions to this.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

Don't listen to any of these people. Every police force in America has a grizzly bear in a hat who's obsessed with forest fires, a crotchety guy who shoots petty criminals with a giant fucking revolver, a law-abiding cyborg who has visions of his past life, and two guys who are polar opposites but get the job done when it's all on the line. Every other officer either doesn't have a name, or is on the take from the local English-speaking drug cartel.

There are no exceptions to this.

You forgot the female cop who seduces male criminals into confessions.

 

[El Folo]

You forgot the female cop who seduces male criminals into confessions.

Oh yeah! Dude's a hardened criminal, but he totally gives up his secret base and the special handshake for a peak of cleavage. Good job, asshole, you just failed "Any Crime Whatsoever, 101"...

And then of course in Hong Kong, Jackie Chan is, like, the ONLY cop.

 

[beatrice_dreams]

Don't listen to any of these people. Every police force in America has a grizzly bear in a hat who's obsessed with forest fires, a crotchety guy who shoots petty criminals with a giant fucking revolver, a law-abiding cyborg who has visions of his past life, and two guys who are polar opposites but get the job done when it's all on the line. Every other officer either doesn't have a name, or is on the take from the local English-speaking drug cartel.

There are no exceptions to this.

You mean they're not all easy-going guys with sons named Opie and well-meaning but bumbling deputy sheriffs and an interfering housekeeper?!

 

[El Folo]

You mean they're not all easy-going guys with sons named Opie and well-meaning but bumbling deputy sheriffs and an interfering housekeeper?!

No, afraid not. I mean, we have people like those POSING as law enforcers, but they're usually smuggling heroin in their rectums.

 

[R. Richard]

I'm very late, but here's some maybe useful info:
City scumbag (police), scumbag authority only within the city, except hot pursuit. However, serves warrants in the county.
County scumbag (sheriff), scumbag authority only within the county, except hot pursuit. However, serves warrants in the city.
County scumbag (HIGH sheriff), scumbag authority within all counties of the state. Mostly political.
State Trooper/Highway Patrol scumbag. Actually has authority within the state. However, NORMALLY makes arrests only for highway infractions. (In the past, there were separate state police, but almost all states folded the state police into State Trooper/Highway Patrol scumbag.)
There is another layer of semi-law enforcement personnel that were normally attached to the US Army as scouts. However, there exist legal provisions in some western states for a state to hire such persons.