# Police officer salary?



## auxiliary22

How much should a first or second year police officer expect to make per year, per week, or per hour in a good size town or smaller city?


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## 94c

as much as he wants to make without running out of hours.


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## Bravo2-7

The above's true, although, if the department's base pay isn't that high, expect to make some sacrifices while in the academy and if the department has an FTO program. That nine months was tough, but once I could start working OT and Details, it balanced out.


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## auxiliary22

About how high during the academy? 15$ or higher? at 40 hrs per week? Any benefits while in the academy?


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## Guest

It really can vary by town and/or job. I know people that made 15$/40hours while in the SSPO, and am currently pursuing a job that will only pay 10$ per hour while in the academy. It's kind of a crap shoot. If a town is really strapped for cash, get ready to shell out $$ for academy costs etc...

The bottom line is, if you want the job, you will find a way. I pick up cans on main south for my academy fund.


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## auxiliary22

thank you


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## auxiliary22

Anyone else have any info?


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## trel

It really depends on the town/city/college you are working for. I would say generally from $15-low $20s an hr depending all on your dept. Some dept even make there recruits pay for the academy as well. There are also a lot of expenses in the academy such as dues and equipment that your dept will not provide you. These item may include anything from boots to ballistic vests. Prepare to take a hit while in the academy and FTO but if you make it out there is plenty of $$$ to be made in the ot and details to make up for it.


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## SPS5592

come to florida and they will sponsor you through the academy, 40k to start plus bennies(thats pinellas county)...all you have to do is buy your choice of weapon and boots..all else is taken care of.


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## auxiliary22

Im not too sure about Florida, kinda held down to mass.


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## auxiliary22

?


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## auxiliary22

Once working, do towns limit the amount of overtime hours? How much is over time? Time and a half? Or a set hourly rate? How do towns decide how much to pay individual officers? Do you get yearly raises? Do they pay more for college degrees? If so, how much more? Do they reimburse you for college? Bottom line, can i support a wife and 15 month old during the academy, or will i need a part time job, im not afraid to work, only afraid that the 9 months is going to put me in a deep hole. I currently make 18$hr 40-60hrs a week, NO overtime is paid, very uncertain paychecks. I really want a law enforcement career, I'm just making sure this is the right move. The $ in law enforcement is the only thing I am cocenrned with. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you


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## Irish Wampanoag

auxiliary22 said:


> Im not too sure about Florida, kinda held down to mass.


Thats your first fatal career mistake!


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## Irishpride

auxiliary22 said:


> Once working, do towns limit the amount of overtime hours? How much is over time? Time and a half? Or a set hourly rate? How do towns decide how much to pay individual officers? Do you get yearly raises? Do they pay more for college degrees? If so, how much more? Do they reimburse you for college? Bottom line, can i support a wife and 15 month old during the academy, or will i need a part time job, im not afraid to work, only afraid that the 9 months is going to put me in a deep hole. I currently make 18$hr 40-60hrs a week, NO overtime is paid, very uncertain paychecks. I really want a law enforcement career, I'm just making sure this is the right move. The $ in law enforcement is the only thing I am cocenrned with. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you


Typically the only restriction is the amount of hours you are allowed to be on duty (usually 16 hrs.). OT is normally time and a half (includes Quinn Bill) details are a set rate (no Quinn Bill). Pay is usually established by collective bargining (unions). Do a search here for Quinn Bill and you'll see how the college $ thing works. As far as supporting your family....some PD's don't pay recruits while they are in the academy some pay the regular entry wage (step 1 on the union pay scale). I would be very careful about a PT job while your in the academy, some forbid it, and some PD's frown upon it, you don't want to piss off the powers that be while you're in the academy. Basically if you're surviving on $18 on a 40 hour week now you should be fine because not many PD's that I know of pay that much less than that, you might only be looking at a $1 or $2 an hour cut, no big deal. Once you graduate and finish field training, depending on the size of the PD you can literally work as much as you want.


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## auxiliary22

Thanks for the info, it helped alot, guess all I need to do now is get hired, shouldn't be that hard right?


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## NegroRotary

Florida is not a bad gig, at least there no civil service crap and no age limit, and the salary is about the same as here, but cost of living is cheaper.


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## A12

Is pinellas county looking to hire?


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## Guest

I have always been interested in Fla. What kinds of questions do they ask you on the lie detector test? I have never taken one so I am curious


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## NegroRotary

I did't know Vegas had a recruiter here LOL.....in florida some department do polygraph or voice stress and they just ask the usual question like have you ever used drugs or beat your wife, or have ever steal something, etc


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## JDT

Hey SGT_GRUNT_USMC,

Is there any residency requirements to applying with LVPD? I have an uncle on the force here in MASS and I was pondering applying here. I like the package LVPD has to offer, the cost of living in housing is pretty good too. If you could shed some light here that would be great since you seem to know a bit about it. Thanks -- JT


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## JDT

Thanks! Are you with LVMPD? If so how long have you been with them, and hows the turnover rate. I just was wondering if the department is growing or if there are alot of people quiting.


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## JDT

Ok, so when is then next exam date? Here in Mass its every two years. I was also wondering if that salary you mentioned earlier is paid when you start academy training or when you graduate. Sorry to keep asking questions. -- JT


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## Macop

I took a CVSA for West Palm BEach Police, I was easy as pie. I heard NLVPD was a pretty sweet gig. $51,000 to start and max was like $74,000 Base salary!!


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## JDT

Yea Ive been looking around at the LVMPD website and theres a whole lot of stuff about accidents homicides and other various crime. Im sure all there officers are busy when they work. So i bet they really earn that starting salary.


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## JDT

So do you need to undergo the police cadet training if you have no prior policing experience? It looks like its a program for underage recruits.


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## MPDReserve

I thought that police officer salary was supposed to be public knowledge, but I can't find any website that freely lists it. I tried looking at the city budget, but it doesn't list individuals.


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## Guest

MPDReserve said:


> I thought that police officer salary was supposed to be public knowledge, but I can't find any website that freely lists it. I tried looking at the city budget, but it doesn't list individuals.


Listing every city employee's salary would be way too time consuming. If you're really that interested, filed a FOIA request with the city, but it will cost you something in research & duplication fees.


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## NegroRotary

I heard NYPD are getting ready to negotiate a new contract, including a better starting salary, anyone knows about this?

JDT, apply to LVMPD, I had a coworker that just finished the academy in Dec, he said the cost of living there is way cheap, apply as many department as you can, don't limit your options.


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