Liberty City Police Department (HD Universe)


 * For the LCPD in the GTA III era, see LCPD in GTA III Era. For information about how the LCPD pursue the player, see Wanted Level in GTA IV and Wanted Level in GTA Chinatown Wars. 

The Liberty City Police Department (LCPD) is the police department for Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, which share the same rendition of Liberty City. The LCPD is based on the New York Police Department (NYPD).

Overview
The Liberty City Police Department is around 40,000 officers strong, with many different roles, most notably on beat patrol all throughout Liberty City. They reign in a "complete operational" status over Liberty City, meaning they are the single Law Enforcement organization in the whole city, besides for the FIB and NOOSE. The department is then organized into different divisions. They include Highway Patrol Units (while usually freeway/bridge duties are transferred to a State Police agency), tactical response units from NOOSE tactical units, aviation units, plain clothes officers from the Anti-Crime department and the harbour units. The Aviation Unit of the LCPD (formed in 2001) has a fleet of several helicopters (consisting of Maverick type copters) which are on constant patrol. Aviation assistance can be summoned from one of the four stations with aviation facilities. The Police Mavericks can be seen often in the skies of Liberty City, most often patrolling with NOOSE Annihilators above major bridges such as the Hickey Bridge and East Borough Bridge. The LCPD is otherwise underfunded, unable to afford specialized pursuit vehicles and as a result have to use their regular patrol cars to chase suspects. They very often injure, kill, or arrest the very citizens they are assigned to "protect and serve". For instance, if a civilian is seen pushing the player, the civilian is arrested or flees. Many police cars accidentally or on purpose hit and kill civilians while chasing the player.

The LCPD is known for its very aggressive techniques in pursuing crime, most notably, saturating an affected area of high crime rate with dozens of officers and patrol cars. They take the famous NYPD rationale of having a large police presence ensuring prevention and quick response. In times of emergency they respond appropriately, and pour all available resources into stopping or containing an incident. The LCPD (along with NOOSE and the FIB) become extremely aggressive when the player is wanted, and continue to shoot at the player even after the protagonist has died and "grayed out". While chasing criminals, the player or occasionally whilst driving, police vehicles hit civilians with their cars.

LCPD officers are sometimes seen writing tickets (as noticed around Middle Park and in Highway Patrol duties on the various bridges where they await speeders). Officers on foot patrol are sometimes seen chasing and apprehending criminals, which after they are caught, a radio car is contacted to take the criminal away for processing. The LCPD is also on an active recruiting campaign, with "Join The LCPD" posters and billboards at select locations throughout the city, and adorning the front of the LCPD Star Junction Sub-Station, (which is in front of a Liberty City Services Booth). They also appear in the streets if the player dials 911 to summon a police car with two officers inside. One officer will check around for any incidents. If a criminal attacks an officer, two officers wield pistols and pursue the criminal and catch the protagonist at gunpoint. If there aren't any criminals around, they will get back inside the vehicle and leave. Unlike civilians, who report crimes via the telephone, a lengthy process, police sightings are reported immediately. Further crime, attacking a police officer, and evading arrest will increase the player's wanted level. At two stars, police cars are sent to the area. At three stars, NOOSE vehicles are deployed, as well as police maverick-type helicopters. At four stars, NOOSE Annihilators and FIB Buffalos, complete with four FIB Special Agents in body armor and equipped with automatic weapons, are deployed. LCPD Officers are authorized to commandeer civilian vehicles to continue chasing a suspect or respond to an emergency, often stating it as "Official Police Business" to the driver as they pull them out of the car.

Senior Management
Police Commissioner Deputy Police Commissioner
 * Mitt Fitzsimmons
 * Francis McReary

Rank Structure

 * Chief of Department
 * Bureau Chief
 * Assistant Chief
 * Deputy Chief
 * Inspector
 * Deputy Inspector
 * Captain
 * Lieutenant
 * Sergeant
 * Police Officer, Detective

Liberty City
The uniforms of the LCPD resemble that of the famous New York Police Department (NYPD). Depending on the in-game weather, the officers may be wearing different uniforms, such as a raincoat marked "LCPD" and a white hat cover. Officers uniforms are generally navy blue with black buttons. Officers can wear either a long sleeve, short sleeve, or short sleeve with a long sleeve black under shirt. Officers also have the choice of wearing hats, ties and either leather or normal police jackets. The officer's tie clips have "LCPD" engaved in the middle. Officers who wear sky blue shirts, as opposed to navy blue shirts, are believed to be of a senior rank; However, it is unknown whether they are Sergeants or Lieutenants (Most likely Lieutenants, since the department the LCPD is based off of, the NYPD, have their officers who rank as Lieutenant and higher wear white shirts, as opposed to sky blue in the LCPD).

Alderney
Alderney Police wear different uniforms than Liberty City police, despite being from the same department. Alderney police uniforms bear resemblance to those of the New Jersey State Police (NJSP). However, they drive the exact same cars, use the same weaponry, and have stations saying they're the Liberty City Police Department.

Police Logo
When looking closely at the police logo it can clearly be noticed that the LCPD are known for police brutality. In the middle of the logo, two officers are shown with batons dragging a man on the floor. Below this the scales of justice are weighing a coffee cup and a doughnut. Alderney Police bear a State Police logo on their shoulder pads, the same as NJSP, although the stations bear the LCPD logos, as do their vehicles.

Equipment
Police officers carry a range of equipment although in GTA IV the nightstick, or baton, has been removed due to its use being rather unrealistic and police do not beat a suspect just for minor offences, it is used as a weapon of defence. The police carry personal radios in order to report crimes and call for assistance - they can sometimes be seen talking into them while patrolling, as can security guards. The standard issue police firearm is a Glock 22 pistol. This is used when making arrests, pursuing suspects and self defence. If an officer is disarmed, they will resort to using their fists to defend themselves. If an officer is patrolling in a vehicle, and the suspect has a two star wanted level or more, the officer carries a pump shotgun. Officers patrolling at places of high security such as The Statue of Happiness, Civilization Committee Headquarters and subway stations carry M4A1 Carbine Assault Rifles, which are a good deterent of terrorist activity and crime.

Website
The in-game Internet features an official LCPD website which can be found at www.libertycitypolice.com. The website features a secret link at the bottom of the page to the criminal database, which contains profiles for all characters in the game.

Vehicles
See Police Car for the standard police car (and associated articles). See Police Cruiser and Police Patrol for the two specific police cars used in GTA IV.

Other vehicles include the Enforcer, Police Stockade, Police Maverick and the Annihilator.

The Ballad of Gay Tony also includes two more LCPD vehicles, the Police Buffalo (named "Police Cruiser" in game) and the Police Bike, a new police motorcycle. Both vehicles are not used by LCPD officers, and are only available in The Ballad of Gay Tony multiplayer.

Trivia

 * In Grand Theft Auto IV, the LCPD patrol in Alderney. However, Alderney is a separate state from Liberty City. The only difference between the Liberty City police and Alderney police is the uniform and sometimes, the accent of the officers.
 * At higher wanted levels (five and six stars), the LCPD seem to begin disappearing as more FIB and NOOSE officers begin to show up. This may indicate that the LCPD are too afraid of death to take on the player, or simply are handing over the chase to the better prepared and more capable.
 * When the player has a three star wanted level, the officer talking through the tannoy of the police helicopter often shouts "This is the LPCD!", when in fact it should be LCPD. This could indicate that the helicopter pilots care less about shouting LCPD to the player than normal officers.
 * At the LCPD station in East Holland, If the player enters the parking lot in the back and ascends the stairs up to the helipad, he/she can find one to three officers surrounding a body.
 * GTA IV is unique for letting the player be able to shoot the gun off an enemy without killing the enemy. When an officer's pistol is shot off, the officer will flee. When any other weapons an officer is wielding is shot off, he will pull out a pistol. This also applies to the FIB and NOOSE.
 * In The Ballad of Gay Tony, police officers are more aggressive, doing drive-bys at 4 stars instead of 5 stars and wielding more powerful weaponry such as Assault SMGs and Automatic Shotguns. Officers also wield Advanced MGs from helicopters.
 * A Liberty City Police Department twitter page has been made by a fan. It includes fictitious crimes from throughtout the city sort of like a police scanner.