KS City Metro Patrol

[Lawson]

http://metropatrol.org/

Anyone got any info on these guys?

[N. A. Corbier]

They're Merchant Private Police. I'm not quite sure what the hell that means, but it seems to be some kind of city program where they swear in "merchant police." They seem to be LEOs, though.

Also, there's the San Fransisco Special Patrol Police. Another merchant police (from the 1870s) department.

[Lawson]

Their application process looks like they are Armed Security Guards. I wonder if they require a Police Academy for these guys to run the blue lights and whatnot.

[N. A. Corbier]

Nope. Its some kind of city thing. They seem to be security, but allowed to carry the title "merchant police." In other words, one of those really old laws that allowed merchant districts to raise private police forces to guard their property.

[N. A. Corbier]

Ok, I looked up Kansas State statute... Here we go. First, Kansas State Statute notes that only "authorized emergency vehicles" may display blue light. Since these guys are "merchant" or "security police," the city seems to deem them emergency vehicles. This is just like Wisconsin Statute calling people "guards or private police."


12-1679. Merchant or security police; fingerprints required; municipal license or permit prohibited if vehicles not registered in Kansas. (a) As used in this act: (1) "Municipality" shall mean any incorporated city or county of this state;

(2) "Merchants or security policeman" or "merchants or security police force or agency" shall mean any person engaged for hire in the business of guarding, watching, patrolling or otherwise attempting to provide security for the real or personal property of another person; and

(3) "Person" shall mean any individual, partnership, association, firm, corporation or other business entity.

(b) Every municipality which requires a license pursuant to this act shall acquire or collect the fingerprints of any person who applies for a merchants or security policeman's license from such municipality. The municipality shall submit the applicant's fingerprints to the Kansas bureau of investigation and to the federal bureau of investigation for the purpose of determining whether the applicant has a criminal record.

(c) No municipality shall license, permit or otherwise authorize or allow any person to do business within such municipality as a merchants or security policeman or as a merchants or security police force or agency, unless every motor vehicle, as defined by K.S.A. 8-1437, and amendments thereto, which is used in any way by such person while doing business as a merchants or security policeman or police force or agency is properly registered.

[gonzo1510]

They're Merchant Private Police. I'm not quite sure what the hell that means, but it seems to be some kind of city program where they swear in "merchant police." They seem to be LEOs, though.

Also, there's the San Fransisco Special Patrol Police. Another merchant police (from the 1870s) department.

I understand that the City of Los Angeles has a similar program going with their retired officers. They work security(if you can call it that, they sit by their bike napping) at movie sets. They ride around on their motors stopping traffic with red lights and siren when the film being made has action shots(i.e. driving though city streets.).

The San Francisco thing sounds alot like the constables or B.I.D program here in LA.

[OccamsRazor]

Looking at their photo gallery, they seem to really be impressed with their cars.

[SecTrainer]

Also, there's the San Fransisco Special Patrol Police. Another merchant police (from the 1870s) department.

"Special Patrol Police"? Sounds sorta like the "Department of Redundancy Department" to me.

[N. A. Corbier]

"Special Patrol Police"? Sounds sorta like the "Department of Redundancy Department" to me.

They came up with the name in the 1870s. No clue. I think it was because they're the Special Patrol, and they Police.

[Lawson]

I sent these guys an email with a series of questions, have yet to hear back from them.

[N. A. Corbier]

I asked on SPE, they seem to be security. Waiting for a cop from that city to reply, though.