Anyone work for DPS?

[jmp1937]

How is it? Is having a take home car really a big advantage? Overtime available? Are some officers forced to work in Yuma, etc...(outside the phoenix metro area)? Thanks

[AZLawDawg]

I'll answer your questions in the order you asked them
1. I like it alot.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
4. DPS will place you in an area that is either directly where you live now, or close to it. As of right now, there are openings in every district. If you live in Metro Phoenix, you have a very good chance of being placed there. Metro is notoriously short-staffed.

good luck!

[jmp1937]

What kind of overtime is available? Is it easy to get? When are the take home cars issued? Have you worked for a city police department? I was just wondering if you have experienced them as well. Thanks

[AZLawDawg]

What kind of overtime is available? Is it easy to get? When are the take home cars issued? Have you worked for a city police department? I was just wondering if you have experienced them as well. Thanks

Constant Staffing overtime has been continuously available, especially for Metro Central Swing Shift. Also, a bunch of overtime DUI details are there for the taking as well, and when big sporting events come to town, it's not uncommon to work a full shift of overtime on your day off.
The take home cars are issued on either the day you graduate, or the day before you graduate from the DPS Post-Academy.
I've never worked for a city department prior to joining DPS.

[phxsundevil19]

AZLAWDAWG, what office do you work out of now? i hope this is not a rude question. but what is the pay compared to say phoenix, tucson or mesa? is DPS pretty close? also does the state offer anything into the deffered compensation? also do DPS cadets all go to ALEA? i heard there was also one in tucson. thanks for your help.

[AZLawDawg]

1. Metro
2. Phx PD makes more, we're ahead of Mesa in pay, Tucson though - I couldn't tell ya.
3. Currently, all DPS Cadets go through ALEA, nowhere else.
4. Deferred Comp, I don't know the specifics, but I'll have an answer for you this week.

[Ritchie]

DPS has a wsritten and pt test on February 13th with QAB on the 14th and 15th.

hope to see some there.

and if you are not there....that might just increase my chances for selection.

[Ritchie]

AZlawdog.
on the application I submitted today, it asked me for three "general" places I would consider working. I put metro phoenix as number one. but what is metro phoenix? is that just the phoenix area? Is there a place on the west side? I saw a place in surprise.... what areas do they cover? Because I live in peoria 83 ave and deer valley and surprise would be close to home.

also can we change our mind about the places? or since I have written it down then it is set in stone.

I suppose I should worry about getting hired first.

[AZLawDawg]

AZlawdog.
on the application I submitted today, it asked me for three "general" places I would consider working. I put metro phoenix as number one. but what is metro phoenix? is that just the phoenix area? Is there a place on the west side? I saw a place in surprise.... what areas do they cover? Because I live in peoria 83 ave and deer valley and surprise would be close to home.

also can we change our mind about the places? or since I have written it down then it is set in stone.

I suppose I should worry about getting hired first.

Three seperate areas fall under the Metro umbrella.
1.Metro Central, which covers I-10 from 99th Ave to the Salt River Bridge. I-17 from milepost 194.0 to Deer Valley Road. All of SR51, and SR101 from I-17 to Scottsdale Road.
2.Metro East, which covers I-10 from the I-17 junction to the Pinal County line. US60 from the I-10 junction to Meridian Road. SR101 from Scottsdale Road to Frye Road. Both SR202 ( Red Mountain and the Santan ). SR143 from the I-10 junction to McDowell road. SR153 from University to Washington. SR87 from the Canal to Baseline and from the 202 to McDowell. SR347 from the Pinal County Line to I-10.
Metro West, which covers I-10 from the 101 to the La Paz County line. SR 101 from I-10 to I-17. SR74 from US60 to I-17. SR85 from MP134.2 to I-10. SR89 from US93 to Kirkland Junction. SR93 from the Santa Maria Bridge to US60. I-17 from the 101 to the Yavapai County line. US60 from the Maricopa/La Paz County line to the SR101. SR71 from US60 to US93, and the 303 in it's entirety.

If you want to work around Surprise, talk to someone in HR after you are further along in the process, and tell them you want to work in Metro West. Since Metro contains all three, being placed in Metro West shouldn't be a problem because if you choose Metro, they'll place you in the area of Metro that is closest to your house. You live in West, you'll most likely get Metro West, and so on.

[phxsundevil19]

AZLAWDOGS

do you do ride alongs by any chance? are you metro central or metro east??? also would you say the take home care makes up for the less pay than phx? im trying to gauge, i got am a civ with a "DEPT" hopefully u can tell which one because i will not say b/c i am on probation. i dont need to apply with this specific agency cuz its automatic to go to academy as long as i dont screw up, but i want to apply with DPS and maybe 1 more just to have options and not all eggs in one basket...

[AZLawDawg]

PM sent sundevil

[Ritchie]

a take home car?

you mean a car I use to go to the station and pick up the patrol car?

Or do you mean a patrol car so I just go straight to the highway or roads I will be in charge of?


on a side note.
I turned in my app to HQ yesterday. I felt really comfortable. Like I belonged there or something. Wife said she saw the differences in my face and the change in demeanor. Who knows, maybe it is a sign.

[AZLawDawg]

a take home car?

you mean a car I use to go to the station and pick up the patrol car?

Or do you mean a patrol car so I just go straight to the highway or roads I will be in charge of?

Yep, a take home patrol car, you are 10-8/on duty from your driveway, every day.

[Ritchie]

Yep, a take home patrol car, you are 10-8/on duty from your driveway, every day.

I think I may have misunderstood that.

is that on duty everyday from 10am to 8pm?
I guess you mean just on our duty days right?

Also I am not familiar with HP. I guess they have to go to HQ and receive the morning briefings right?

Our own car? Oh my..... I am going to be my childrens hero. even more than I already am. gonna teah my son how to vacuum and clean and make the wheels shiny .

[C2CXJR]

Ritchie, 10-8 is the radio 10 code for on-duty/available, not the work hours :-). DPS get take home cars, I believe, because it would be uneconomical for their officers to commute to one central location every day for a briefing and to pick up their cars, especially the officers assigned to the remote, outlying areas of Arizona.