# Hypothetically speaking....



## Paulyboy978 (Jan 31, 2016)

Would you rather take a promotion to sergeant with the DOC, or get on a civil service town police force but take a 35-40k hit on your salary?


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

Depends on what your goals are in life. I have a family so I wouldn't take the paycut to be a good for nothing rookie and start at square one at a new place where I know nobody and get treated like snot.


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## PBC FL Cop (Oct 22, 2003)

Life is short, follow your dreams, whatever they may be and where ever they may lead you. Don't look back on your life and say "what if". The biggest regrets I have are the things I didn't try, not the mistakes I have made trying!


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

Paulyboy978 said:


> Would you rather take a promotion to sergeant with the DOC, or get on a civil service town police force but take a 35-40k hit on your salary?


That's a tough call. Most guys would stay with the money for family reasons. If your single and don't mind taking the substantial pay hit the PD would be a better job.


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## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

Think long term, not short. 

I took a $70k pay cut to start a career path that ended me up where I am now. Let's just say that in the long run, it was very much worth it financially. 

You could end up making up that difference with rank, some details and OT, but maybe not immediately. Do you want to stay at the DOC long term? 

Play the long game.


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## Patr8726 (Dec 12, 2015)

It's not a bad dilemma to be in, consider yourself blessed to have either opportunity. If I were you, before deciding emotionally, sit down & figure out if it's possible to take the paycut. Get your spouse & a calculator, and take a serious look at how either would impact your life. Would you have to move for either? Can you stand to live 2 hours from aunt Velma or to put your kids in a new school system? What will scheduling, seniority, retirement look like from the new job? It pays to be brutal with such an assessment too. If you get wishful, telling your wife that you can carpool to work with the new police chief, you're setting yourself up to fail.

Once you know whether or not your life can sustain either new job, you can roll both around in your heart to see which one you truly want. My guess is since you're posting this on MassCops.com, and not MassCorrectionsOfficers.com, that you identify more with the lower paid, higher speed variety of employment.

You want my advice? DOC hires in big bunches all the time, but a CS police job is at the top of most wishlists. Take the police job, and if the workplace satisfaction doesn't outweigh the paycut, re-take the DOC test and you'll be pretty much where you are now shortly after. I'd imagine you'd be happier having given your dream an honest shot.


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## RodneyFarva (Jan 18, 2007)

Go for the CC LEO job, unless you like your breath smelling like a combination of gun scrubber and hoppes9...


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## Paulyboy978 (Jan 31, 2016)

Patr8726 said:


> It's not a bad dilemma to be in, consider yourself blessed to have either opportunity. If I were you, before deciding emotionally, sit down & figure out if it's possible to take the paycut. Get your spouse & a calculator, and take a serious look at how either would impact your life. Would you have to move for either? Can you stand to live 2 hours from aunt Velma or to put your kids in a new school system? What will scheduling, seniority, retirement look like from the new job? It pays to be brutal with such an assessment too. If you get wishful, telling your wife that you can carpool to work with the new police chief, you're setting yourself up to fail.
> 
> Once you know whether or not your life can sustain either new job, you can roll both around in your heart to see which one you truly want. My guess is since you're posting this on MassCops.com, and not MassCorrectionsOfficers.com, that you identify more with the lower paid, higher speed variety of employment.
> 
> You want my advice? DOC hires in big bunches all the time, but a CS police job is at the top of most wishlists. Take the police job, and if the workplace satisfaction doesn't outweigh the paycut, re-take the DOC test and you'll be pretty much where you are now shortly after. I'd imagine you'd be happier having given your dream an honest shot.


Thanks for the detailed advice. Shift would probably be midnights either way but the leo job would be a 2 minute commute. The only thing that makes this even remotely a debatable decision is budgeting with kids. If this was a few years ago, I could see this being an easy decision.


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

You have 4 years to go back to the DOC.
I'm not going back, but for some C/O's with young kids it's too big a hit,
Then again seen guys leave for the staties, suck it up and do alright after a couple years.


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## Paulyboy978 (Jan 31, 2016)

pahapoika said:


> You have 4 years to go back to the DOC.
> I'm not going back, but for some C/O's with young kids it's too big a hit,
> Then again seen guys leave for the staties, suck it up and do alright after a couple years.


People have mentioned that. The Civil service website says 5 years but the contract says 3 years. HRD wasn't sure what the policy was. 
Either way, plenty of time to try it out.


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## Paulyboy978 (Jan 31, 2016)

Thankyou to everyone for your input/advice.


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## PBC FL Cop (Oct 22, 2003)

Best of luck in whatever you choose! Stay safe!!


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## felony (Oct 24, 2014)

He will have to complete a MPOC at recruit pay for 6 months, probably go to midnights and make 20 something an hour then bust ass for details. If you're comfortable where you are, then take the promotion. If you want something different then try the PO job. Like others have said, you can try to get on a small PD as a reserve. I know DOC and Fire guys that have gotten on part time and make a killing in details. I have kids and know how it is to put them first, even when your dream job comes true.


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