Whats it like working a rural beat...

[desdave]

I live in the LA area, and it is very metropolitan here.

But, I know that jsut a few hours from here, other parts of California are a whole different world. What is it like working a lonely beat in the middle of no where...

Like the Hwy 86 in Imperial County, or Highway 2 in the Angeles natl Forest... Or 395 up near Ridgecrest... etc... Maybe the 101 near Redwood country.

There are tons of these 'remote' beats, and I am curious if they are pretty scary out there or what... I mean, how far away is your back up?

Do your radios work out in the middle of no where?? Is anyone listening to them good enough to anwser the 11-99 call?

I have always wondered about this.

[not5150]

I live in the LA area, and it is very metropolitan here.

But, I know that jsut a few hours from here, other parts of California are a whole different world. What is it like working a lonely beat in the middle of no where...

Like the Hwy 86 in Imperial County, or Highway 2 in the Angeles natl Forest... Or 395 up near Ridgecrest... etc... Maybe the 101 near Redwood country.

There are tons of these 'remote' beats, and I am curious if they are pretty scary out there or what... I mean, how far away is your back up?

Do your radios work out in the middle of no where?? Is anyone listening to them good enough to anwser the 11-99 call?

I have always wondered about this.

I have many friends in San Bernardino Sheriffs who work up in the Victorville/Hesperia area. It used to be one deputy for one side of the freeway and another deputy for the other. The joke, not so funny one, was that it would take 30-45 minutes going lights and sirens to reach the other guy. My friends told me that you just have to learn to be extra careful up there. They also told me that working in a city could give a false sense of security. "Ahh backup is close, so let's pull over this car with 5 people in it."

Agencies cooperate heavily out in the boondocks and the entire world will roll when a 11-99 call goes out. The mobile/repeater system that the CHP uses is very good with reception, but it's impossible to get rid of deadspots.

That being said, even if help comes in 30 seconds, it will seem like an eternity.

[DESERT RAT]

I work in a rural area, at any given time my backup is 1hr away. Sometimes R/T times to collisions can take 2 hrs or better thats running code 3 as fast as you can. The main thing out here is Officer safety its real easy to get in trouble, so you learn to 10-22 things that you might not if you were in a metro area. Where ever you go, you will adjust and do the best with what you have.....

[Your Mentor]

Back up issues aside; you can't beat the view, the layed back people, the clean air, blah, blah, blah.

[Mac]

I've worked both rural and metro area, and like rural much better. Backup is much further away, and you definitely have to factor that into your decision process when making stops and dealing with people. You work more closely with the allied agencies, depending on each other for cover and assistance, but you'll also find that the local citizenry are much more willing to stop and help you if it looks like you're in trouble (at least in some places). You also find a lot more people who are willing to wave to you with their whole hand instead of just one finger! :smile: As YM said, I enjoy the scenery a lot more - as well as the lack of traffic and diversity of activity. Radio reception as a whole isn't bad, but there are some isolated "dead spots". In some areas the allied agencies scan us and will start responding when they hear something go out that sounds like we'll need assistance - and vice versa.

There are scary moments on ANY beat - whether it's in the middle of the city or the middle of nowhere.

[retchp]

On a rural beat you can always tell the tough guy from the hood to have a look around and notice he aint exactly in the hood tonight. Once they realize they aren't in their element they generally calm down.