The copy desk is part of the news desk. Most other departments have copy editors within the staff. I am one of the copy editors in the features department. Frontline editors go through it before the copy comes to me. People are copy editors because they have chosen to be, not because they are waiting to get a writing job.
Communication is good.
Reporters listen to desk editors and the assigning desk listens to copy editors. Other papers 9. Enough time to give good reads and a design person who takes care of the really fancy pages. Don't know 11. Eight years 13.