THE SCOOP

You’re sitting there minding your own business when some guy in a Chevy practically creams you as he runs that four-way stop. Where are the cops when you need them? Well, according to a recent study conducted by the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Assn. the average ratio of police officers to civilians in Los Angeles County is 1.7 per thousand, just a little below the national average. But some areas have a better chance at procuring protection than others: --Beverly Hills: Over 5.69 square miles, 127 sworn peace officers protect a population of 31,783. That means 4 police officers per thousand residents are keeping Rodeo Drive safe for humanity.

--West Hollywood: 119 cops are contracted through the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to keep the city’s 1.9 square miles safe for the free and brave population of 36,118, making the ratio of 3.3 per thousand.

--Los Angeles: A population of 3,485,398 is protected by 8,332 peace officers who patrol the 465 square miles of this enormous village daily; every thousand Angelenos should be able to find 2.4 officers in their midst.

--Pasadena: The Rose Bowl and its environs are watched over by 220 police officers--1.7 per thousand--who roam the 23.5 square miles looking for trouble in Greene & Greene’s hometown.

--Burbank: 94,000 residents get 150 sworn officers combing the 17.1 square miles; that’s 1.2 per thousand.

--Compton: 135 sworn officers protect 90,454 people over 10.06 square miles, making the ratio--1.5 per thousand--one of the lowest in the county.