City of Beloit PD

[toby101]

Hey, what do you guys think of the Beloit Police Department. I just got done filling out an application there, I am going to graduate next Spring but wanted to get my name out there. Any thoughts.


Thank you

Toby101

[Badgerland]

Beloit... I've often heard of Beloit as the armpit of Wisconsin. However, I've only seen the good parts of town. There are a lot of nice subdivisions from the Shopiere Road Interstate exit to Pohlman Field, which is where I go when I travel to Beloit. (Beloit Snappers minor league baseball)

One of my coworkers used to work for a municipality in Rock County. Apparently some kind of court used to be held in Beloit. The courthouse was right in the middle of the hood. He described walking past all sorts of gangbangers on the way to the courthouse. He was also warned that the gangbangers take photos of anyone who may look like an undercover cop going in the courthouse.

I had FTO school with a couple of Beloit officers. I thought they would hate the city, but they liked working there. The said they had a few bad pockets of town, but no different than anywhere else.

However, you are required to work an 8 1/2 hour shift in Beloit, and you do not get paid for your lunch break. That is in direct opposition of a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling. http://www.wicourts.gov/html/sc/98/98-0250.htm I brought that up to the Beloit guys, and they said their union would not fight for them.

[toby101]

Thank you for your responds.

Please check your PM.

[K9 Police]

Beloit... I've often heard of Beloit as the armpit of Wisconsin.

LOL! Made me laugh because that was what I always heard about Racine!

K9

[fiftyfour23]

I work in Rock County, Beloit is always hopping. Shootings, robberies, everything. Everyone I know that works there loves it. You certainly won't get bored.

[jeeper]

I have a pretty good friend that works for BPD. The city is nasty. There are some decent parts that are starting to spring up, but the center of the city is still pretty bad. They are a VERY busy department. IIRC, he took 2 shootings in his first week of FTO. Foot pursuits are a nightly occurrance. BPD is also VERY old school in the way they conduct business. This can be good and/or bad depending on the situation.

Just because of the call volume, I wouldn't mind working there.

[jonesj_83]

I grew up in Janesville (just north of Beloit) and it seemed that most of the drugs coming into Janesville came through Beloit or Rockford IL. It has some preety crappy areas. Its "gang-bangers" are a mix of Chicago hoods "expanding" their horizons and kids who wanna be thugs. My aunt used to live in South Beloit and her neighborhood had break ins regularly. They are trying to improve the city though. out by I-90 is actually starting to look good. I think i heard they are putting in a casino.

I must add as a side note i havent really been in that part of the country much in the last three years. Ive been in GA but mom says that Janesville and Beloit are getting worse.

[Sam Lathrop]

I Know This is an Old Thread, but I Have to Reply...

As we get ready to advertise for another recruiting effort, I was searching this site and came across this old thread, and felt obligated to reply. Here are some facts to address some previous "feelings" about our city and our PD.

First and foremost, Beloit is NOT an armpit of Wisconsin! In fact, we are the gateway to our great state, and we are a community on the move. Far from "getting worse" Beloit has actually seen some reductions in crime levels and are in a boom economy with unprecedented economic growth. New companies seldom locate themselves in the "armpit" of a community "getting worse." Fact versus fiction boys and girls.

BPD, Jeeper, is NOT "old school." Obviously, I'm a bit prejudiced, but ask around. BPD is usually on the cutting edge of law enforcement in our region. We have a tactical team that is second to none in our region. We have more capacity than most any other SWAT team I know of. The next SWAT team that I know of that can do explosive entries is FBI or Milwaukee PD. Our evidence team, likewise, is also one of the best trained, equipped, and utilized in the area. Who had OC first in our area? BPD. Who did DAAT first? BPD. Who put Tasers in the hands of our officers before anyone one else? BPD. Doesn't sound "old-school" to me.

Badgerland- the court case you refer to on paid lunch hours is a case that is specific to non-contracts. Our negotiated contract has identified an 8 1/2 hour work day. No violations here, just a 30+ year history of a 5-2 / 5-3 work schedule with 8 1/2 hour days. By the way- I can cite several occasions of the police union going to bat for their officers. They are well represented, trust me!

BPD is an awesome department that faces up to the challenges our city hands us with enthusiasm. If you want to come and work in a city where you won't get bored and you can make a difference- then check us out. We're hiring this year, and will be recruiting this spring. You current officers can lateral transfer- we'll put you in our pay schedule by giving you credit for your law enforcement service elsewhere. 5 years employed someplace else? You start at 5-year pay here.

BPD Strong!

Chief Sam Lathrop

[jeeper]

Chief, thanks for your replies on here.

My reference to being "old school" was not a slam at all, it wasn't a saying that the city is not progressive. Rather, in the Madison area, we consider old school a department that doesn't bow down to liberal politics and opinions but rather focuses on the LE job at hand. More empowering to officers rather than a supervisor being down their throats.

I guess I've primarily been to the ghetto areas of the city as far as my comments about the city being "nasty". Plus, this thread is two years old. I'm sure the city has seen alot of growth in the better areas, but not much growth in the bad areas.

I actually really respect and have heard excellent things about working for BPD. Its rare that you hear as many officers speak as greatly about their admin as BPD officers do. I wish I could speak like that about mine. I think it REALLY says alot about the department when you see the chief come on here to discuss his agency.

I've tossed around the idea of applying down there in the last couple years. I guess, maybe its time to more seriously think about it.