What branch of law enforcement would arrest a criminal in San Fran

shrimpsdad

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I have searched for two weeks and cannot find an answer. I kindly ask for any help.

I have written a character that committed a hit and run crime in Los Angeles resulting in death. The character has fleed to San Francisco obviously still in the state of California thus no FBI. The detective in Los Angeles knows the killer is going to depart at a specific time from San Francisco international airport SFO. Who would arrest him at the airport?

Detectives in Los Angeles have statewide jurisdiction, but surely they would need the help from another agency since the arrest will happen in the SFO airport.
There are so many overlapping agencies because the state is so large. The US Marshalls would be called if the killer was a convicted felon on the run but he is not. All of the research I have done continues to lead me back to the LAPD homicide detective making the arrest but that doesn't seem right. Especially since the arrest is going to occur at the airport in a different county.

Both Los Angeles and San Francisco are Charter Counties. But the SFO airport is technically in San Mateo County. Too many jurisdictions.

Well, any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

cornflake

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I have searched for two weeks and cannot find an answer. I kindly ask for any help.

I have written a character that committed a hit and run crime in Los Angeles resulting in death. The character has fleed to San Francisco obviously still in the state of California thus no FBI. The detective in Los Angeles knows the killer is going to depart at a specific time from San Francisco international airport SFO. Who would arrest him at the airport?

Detectives in Los Angeles have statewide jurisdiction, but surely they would need the help from another agency since the arrest will happen in the SFO airport.
There are so many overlapping agencies because the state is so large. The US Marshalls would be called if the killer was a convicted felon on the run but he is not. All of the research I have done continues to lead me back to the LAPD homicide detective making the arrest but that doesn't seem right. Especially since the arrest is going to occur at the airport in a different county.

Both Los Angeles and San Francisco are Charter Counties. But the SFO airport is technically in San Mateo County. Too many jurisdictions.

Well, any help would be greatly appreciated.

I don't understand why you feel they need any help? They know where he's going; he's their catch. It's their state.... it's a few hours away. They might call up to have someone local go to the airport in case they can't get there or something but...
 

Richard White

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As you said, the LAPD has statewide jurisdiction. However, if they know he's going to be at the airport *and* they can't get there in time, I'm certain they'd coordinate with the SFPD or the SFIA Police to pick up the person at the airport and hold him for transportation back to Los Angeles. They could even coordinate with the TSA in case he already had his tickets. They could pull him out of line for a cursory search and then have Airport Security detain the man until SFPD or LAPD arrived (whichever your story needs).

Oh, and please don't have anyone from San Francisco call the place San Fran. Only people from out of town call it that and it's like scraping fingernails on a blackboard to an SF native. (Learned that the hard way my first visit. *sigh*)
 

blacbird

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Oh, and please don't have anyone from San Francisco call the place San Fran. Only people from out of town call it that and it's like scraping fingernails on a blackboard to an SF native. (Learned that the hard way my first visit. *sigh*)

Or, worse, "'Frisco". Saying that to a San Franciscan could get you exiled to Oakland. The only Frisco in the U.S. is in Texas, north of Dallas. The Dallas Cowboys have a training facility there.

caw
 

ironmikezero

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+1 on the "Frisco" caution . . . Just don't.

Also, don't overlook the fact that states, like the federal government, have warrant databases available to any/all law enforcement agencies. Any duly sworn LE officer with jurisdiction/powers of arrest can take someone into custody pursuant to a "hit" (active warrant) on such a database.

http://californiawarrant.org/

https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ncic

In your scenario, even the airport police could make the arrest and hold the subject for the responding LAPD detectives (or transport personnel so assigned) to return him to L.A. and face the outstanding charges articulated in the warrant. It could all happen within a day.

Since this is all within one state, interstate extradition is moot. Federal agencies would not be involved absent a request or a specific violation of federal law.

You mentioned the U.S. Marshals (one "l", not two). They would assist if requested, or should the case be submitted for consideration as a task force case. U.S. Marshals have the broadest authority among federal LE agencies, and pursuant to law (28USC37. Sec. 564) may exercise the powers of a sheriff in whatever jurisdiction they happen to be working. This is one of the reasons they can adopt local/state cases as task force cases (the state/local lead investigator in the original case is typically assigned to the task force, and specially deputized for the duration of the investigation).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marshals_Service

A simple traffic case (hit & run), absent some significant extenuating circumstances, would not not be sufficient to get the USMS involved. I'd recommend you keep it simple, and focus on the LAPD.

Best of luck!
 

Kjbartolotta

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Call it "The City". Frisco is such a ridiculous term that even after ten years away it still gets under my skin people call it that.
 

Roxxsmom

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Oh, and please don't have anyone from San Francisco call the place San Fran. Only people from out of town call it that and it's like scraping fingernails on a blackboard to an SF native. (Learned that the hard way my first visit. *sigh*)

You beat me to it. Locals call it "The City." Sometimes it's referred to as "SF" when people want to abbreviate.

Of course, the viewpoint (or narrating) character in the story is probably from out of town, and his annoying the locals by calling it "San Fran" could be part of the story. Definitely show the consequences of if this is the case, though.
 
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shrimpsdad

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Got it!!!
No San Fran and no Frisco.
Thank you to everyone for helping me figure this out. I will keep it simple and let the TSA detain him until the LAPD arrives for transport back to L.A. I do live in L.A. and that's acceptable for abbreviation. HaHa.
Truly thank you.
 

Hunt & Peck

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I have searched for two weeks and cannot find an answer. I kindly ask for any help.

I have written a character that committed a hit and run crime in Los Angeles resulting in death. The character has fleed to San Francisco obviously still in the state of California thus no FBI. The detective in Los Angeles knows the killer is going to depart at a specific time from San Francisco international airport SFO. Who would arrest him at the airport?

Since the crime occurred in Los Angeles, LAPD would have dibs. However, I don't see them dragging themselves to San Francisco just to arrest a hit and run suspect. If anything, they'd just call the airport police and have them arrest the suspect, who would then be transferred to LA. Easy peasy.

If the airport doesn't have a PD, then city police where the airport is located would be asked to make the arrest. If the airport is outside city limits, then the county sheriff's office would be asked to make the arrest.
 

InkStainedWench

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My father grew up in Southern California and always pronounced it Los "Angless," to rhyme with "hang less." I've heard it pronounced that way in old noir movies, too.