# "Who's the boss, city cops, state cops, or the Feds?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [January 15, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-boss-city-cops-state-cops-or-the-feds/148787 "2003-01-15T18:31:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aus55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@aus55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aus55)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-boss-city-cops-state-cops-or-the-feds/148787/1 "2003-01-15T18:31:07Z")
Dear Cecil, I am an avid reader of your online site. Today I read your commentary about who has authority in dealing with criminals. I’ve recently graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and there is one point that you failed to allude to. Some times who gets jurisdiction is a matter of politics too and not simply expendiency. Especially for high stakes crimes and/or crimes that the media is paying particular attention too. This can occur both for prestige and as an example of the ‘effectiveness’ of a unit when funding becomes an issue. This is even more the case in the event a specialized unit/special task force is involved, ie: ‘drug cops’ v. other city cops. This may be the closest I come to correcting you, since you did not get it wrong, simply you ommitted it. RS ps:If anyone cares to see this in a completely satirical manner, watch the movie Super Troopers. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-boss-city-cops-state-cops-or-the-feds/148787/2 "2003-01-15T18:51:05Z")
Welcome, **Aus55**. Just as an FYI, it’s pretty standard to link to the column you’re referring to in your post, so here it is: [Who’s the boss, city cops, state cops, or the Feds](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_146.html) And I don’t know about you, but I think the only correct answer to the question “who’s the boss” is Tony Danza. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-boss-city-cops-state-cops-or-the-feds/148787/3 "2003-01-15T20:15:32Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment. Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site. To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL). Cecil’s column can be found on-line at the link provided by Eonwe. * * * moderator, «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)» ---
**Author:** ![aus55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@aus55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aus55)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-boss-city-cops-state-cops-or-the-feds/148787/4 "2003-01-15T20:38:00Z")
Thanks, Sorry about that. RS ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-boss-city-cops-state-cops-or-the-feds/148787/5 "2003-01-15T20:44:40Z")
So aus55 why aren’t you out there catching _real_ criminals? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![aus55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@aus55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aus55)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-boss-city-cops-state-cops-or-the-feds/148787/6 "2003-01-15T21:41:41Z")
I want to try em and fry em, not catch em = Law school, yea i’ve heard all the jokes. that and possible deployment. RS ---
**Author:** ![Labor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Labor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labor)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-boss-city-cops-state-cops-or-the-feds/148787/7 "2003-01-15T22:16:13Z")
It’s always fun to read the old answers from Cecil. Now that 20+ years have elapsed since the original responce I am wondering if Cecil would tell us about his experience at the wrong end of the six shooter. Please Cecil, PLEASE!!