Nation's Smallest Police Station?

**Emily** · 06-20-06, 11:19 PM

Alright, so I've heard of a itty bitty town in Florida having a telephone booth as a police station..... but, the great people in Friend, Nebraska are claiming that their's is the smallest? So I made a journey out there and took a few pictures......

Either way, it's kind of.....interesting?

**Terminator** · 06-20-06, 11:21 PM

More like pathetic than interesting. Not something I would want to brag about. How embarassing for the officer(s) that serve and protect in Friend, Nebraska.

**Emily** · 06-20-06, 11:29 PM

awww come on, they make do.

**Iron Man** · 06-20-06, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by Emily

awww come on, they make do.

Make do? 1 it looks like thay have very crappy equipment (That CV looks like its from the mid 90s) and 2, how shitty it must be to work in that small shack of a police station.

That's disrespectful for the officers that work there and I see it as having to be quite embarassing also.

**Terminator** · 06-20-06, 11:39 PM

From the City of Friend's website:

The city of Friend is equipped with a 911 emergency system. Equipment in the police department includes two police cruisers with radar, computers, and 24-hour communication as well as other standard equipment.

http://www.ci.friend.ne.us/geninfo.htm

I guess they forgot to mention a police station the size of my bathroom.

**Emily** · 06-20-06, 11:43 PM

http://www.nebraskapolice.info/Citie...ka/Friend.html

**Emily** · 06-21-06, 12:12 AM

By the way, I am aware that this thread may seem like I'm making a mockery of Friend's Police Department. In reality, I'm not... at all.

I spoke with a Friend officer before I took those pictures, a very nice gentleman. He didn't seem embarassed or ashamed. He took pride in it. He said his job wasn't about how small the station was.

I guess you shouldn't come to expect big, or even semi-normal sized stations from departments in the middle of Nebraska with less than 2,000 people. Heck, the city I live in has almost 20,000 and the station before the one they just moved into was so tiny the officers had to store their lunches and dinners in the same fridge as their evidence.

katiemh · 06-21-06, 12:20 AM

I'm totally with you. A lot of times the equipment and station depends on city funds, a small city has a lot less revenue coming in. I don't think it's anything to be embarrassed about. If they don't have a need for some of the fancier, more updated equipment due to smaller population and much lower crime rate why waste the money on it? I think it's kinda cool, like a real life Andy Griffith show.

**Autumn2009** · 06-21-06, 12:21 AM

I think being in a city with the name Friend is pretty kick ass.

FishTail · 06-21-06, 12:27 AM

Am I the only one who thinks there's something sinister about being the "Friend Police"?

**Crimebytes2** · 06-21-06, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by Emily

I spoke with a Friend officer before I took those pictures, a very nice gentleman. He didn't seem embarassed or ashamed. He took pride in it. He said his job wasn't about how small the station was.

While I mean no disrespect, I'm willing to bet he does it for the exact same reasons you do LongTail, LawEnforcementForums, and ThisGlock40. Every Where U.S.A., large or small, needs a first line of defense. Give him some credit.

FishTail · 06-21-06, 01:03 AM

What, exactly, do you mean by that? That post seems to be having a dig at the people mentioned and I for one would like to know why.

**MonsterMash** · 06-21-06, 03:44 AM

That station is smaller than our locker room.

**AgentParsons** · 06-21-06, 04:37 AM

Sheesh; the CVPI is worth more then the PD. They have more FF then LEOs. But then again they have a pop of 1,100. Must get tiring arresting the same person all the time! lol

I'm sure they do their jobs well and I'm not cracking on them I just find it amusing when I see small departments. Out in Hallsville MO the AD is in one bay of the FD. At least it was when I was out there in 97'. ITs a desk, file cabinet, Polaroid camera and print station. A single cell and they park their cruiser inside the station; opps I mean bay! Then again their right now the street from Boone County Sheriffs Station.

Here in Rhode Island there is the City of Central Falls; a full 1 square mile in size. Densely populated with multi family homes. Presently, the Central Falls Police force is comprised of 39 men and women who continue to serve the community. The department currently holds the positions of chief, deputy chief, 3 captains, 4 lieutenants, and 6 sergeants. The officers who presently serve the city still face the challenges of serving a culturally diverse community.

**Trojan 42** · 06-21-06, 05:00 AM

Originally Posted by LongTail

Am I the only one who thinks there's something sinister about being the "Friend Police"?

Seems like a good idea to me. I've got several friends who should be locked up.

**mavriktu** · 06-21-06, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by LongTail

Am I the only one who thinks there's something sinister about being the "Friend Police"?

I have a neighbor that reported me to the sheriff because when I pass him on the street I never smile

So now my wife and I refer to him as the happy police

**dla4079** · 06-21-06, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by AgentParsons

Must get tiring arresting the same person all the time! lol

Arrest? Where would they lock'em up at? And if they do have a jail, does the town drunk just go in and lock himself up? LOL. Seriously, I think it's cool. Crime must be nil to none.

**cntryboy0531** · 06-21-06, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by dla4079

Arrest? Where would they lock'em up at? And if they do have a jail, does the town drunk just go in and lock himself up? LOL. Seriously, I think it's cool. Crime must be nil to none.

"here's the key's to the cell. Go lock yourself up and let yourself out in three days. By the way, if you feel combative, kick your own ass too."

It wouldn't bother me working for a department that small. I love small towns.

Unless the mayor is an asshole and his mere presense makes me want to climb a clocktower with a shoulder fired rocket launcher.

**Crimebytes2** · 06-21-06, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by LongTail

What, exactly, do you mean by that? That post seems to be having a dig at the people mentioned and I for one would like to know why.

Because up until my post the three mentioned were the only ones who had made a comment. I didn't single out anyone; I mentioned the ones who had posted. I meant no disrespect, and said so. I just thought you were being a little hard on the guy, and voiced my opinion. My apologies to you, LawEnforcement Forums, ThisGlock40, and to the entire LEF community.

**doobiej** · 06-21-06, 03:06 PM

One of our dispatcher was an officer in the city I currently work for. He told me that back in the day they had phones boxes mounted on telephone poles with a red light mounted high on the pole in various parts of the city. When they were patroling if they saw the red light on they would stop and pick up the phone and that was how they got their calls. They didn't have dispatchers so when a citizen would call the P.D. that is how they got the calls.