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How much should cops be paid?

How much should cops make in a year, on average?

  • Less than 50K starting

    Votes: 17 47.2%
  • 50-60K starting

    Votes: 11 30.6%
  • 60-80K starting

    Votes: 8 22.2%
  • 80K-100K starting

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 100K and up

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    36

Mensch

Mr. Professional
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I just noticed that my arresting officer is paid $123,000 yearly. I thought this was way too much, but I'm sure many would disagree.

Given that law enforcement is the role of government, this issue is best decided by the taxpayers and not the market.

I believe cops should be generously paid, but not more than 100k a year. The arresting officer was a low-level grunt and not a supervisor or a lieutenant.

In my opinion, cops should start out at somewhere around 50-60K a year and from there, the salary should increase. 123K a year is something a lieutenant, in my opinion, could be making. But not your average field officer. What are your thoughts?

This is just concerning their pay. Their pensions and benefits are an entirely different matter.
 
I do realize that there are many variables that contribute to the difference in pay. But this is generally speaking.
 
50-60k sounds reasonable. Perhaps with some fluxuation based on cost of living in their community. Maybe 75k for sergeant and 100kish for leiutenant.
 
60-70K seems reasonable. It should be more though if they work in a dangerous place.
 
Dunno where this is. NYC maybe.

In South Carolina, most cops make 20k-35k a year. Old vets and supervisors might make 40 or 50. I'll bet my paycheck there isn't a single cop in SC making 100k.
 
Enough that they can live and support a family in a reasonable level of comfort in the area where they work.
 
Enough that they can live and support a family in a reasonable level of comfort in the area where they work.

Let's look at it from the standpoint of what they could be making in private industry.

Most departments these days are requiring either a 2 year degree in Criminology, or a 4 year degree in whatever.

You must be physically able to pass the PT tests; learn to shoot to certain standards; attend several weeks of training at the Academy, and ongoing training forever; work under stressful and adverse conditions, dealing with danger and confrontation daily.

Sounds like they ought to be making what other educated and well-trained, versatile professionals are making in private industry, and that 50-100k is not unreasonable depending on experience/seniority/accomplishments and the cost of living in their area.
 
I just noticed that my arresting officer is paid $123,000 yearly. I thought this was way too much, but I'm sure many would disagree.

Given that law enforcement is the role of government, this issue is best decided by the taxpayers and not the market.

I believe cops should be generously paid, but not more than 100k a year. The arresting officer was a low-level grunt and not a supervisor or a lieutenant.

In my opinion, cops should start out at somewhere around 50-60K a year and from there, the salary should increase. 123K a year is something a lieutenant, in my opinion, could be making. But not your average field officer. What are your thoughts?

This is just concerning their pay. Their pensions and benefits are an entirely different matter.

dude, not to accuse you of being incorrect again but....I find it hard to believe that a traffic cop anywhere makes 123K
 
Dunno where this is. NYC maybe.

In South Carolina, most cops make 20k-35k a year. Old vets and supervisors might make 40 or 50. I'll bet my paycheck there isn't a single cop in SC making 100k.

Average copper salary in SC is $49,000. Supervisory copper salary average $61,000. Most people would be absolutely amazed at the salaries of our police officers. Combine their salaries with some of the most generous pensions on the planet, and you'll find out why they stand in line to sign up. Police Officer Salary in South Carolina | Indeed.com
 
It depends on where they are. One thing is CERTAIN..... no pension. EVER. Same goes with firemen. No pension. Also they need to pay a minimum of 80% of their healthcare.
 
I say the pay should depends on location,city or town budget, how dangerous it is to be a police officer in that town and what type of position or job duty the police officer has.
 
Average copper salary in SC is $49,000. Supervisory copper salary average $61,000. Most people would be absolutely amazed at the salaries of our police officers. Combine their salaries with some of the most generous pensions on the planet, and you'll find out why they stand in line to sign up. Police Officer Salary in South Carolina | Indeed.com


I seriously have to question the accuracy of that site.

I know for a fact that starting pay for many small-town cops is less than 20k. Thirteen years ago, starting pay for Deputy in one of the larger and more urban counties was about 26k, and State Troopers was about 28k. Raises could be from .25c /hour to maybe a dollar an hour depending. A Trooper Sergeant with 15-20 years in might make 49k, but I find it impossible to believe the AVERAGE cop in SC is making that much.

I'll do some checking when I have time.
 
Cops, firemen, and teachers should be the best paid workers, IMO. To me, these are the folks who are the foundation of civilized society.


Yet, they are often paid less than clerks and other bureaucrats... in some cases less than city garbage-men.
 
I just noticed that my arresting officer is paid $123,000 yearly. I thought this was way too much, but I'm sure many would disagree.

Given that law enforcement is the role of government, this issue is best decided by the taxpayers and not the market.

I believe cops should be generously paid, but not more than 100k a year. The arresting officer was a low-level grunt and not a supervisor or a lieutenant.

In my opinion, cops should start out at somewhere around 50-60K a year and from there, the salary should increase. 123K a year is something a lieutenant, in my opinion, could be making. But not your average field officer. What are your thoughts?

This is just concerning their pay. Their pensions and benefits are an entirely different matter.

Just noticed from where? There should be no place that an individual's salary is available for you to find. Perhaps a pay scale, but not what that copper made. Just doesn't make sense that any state or community would publish personal data like that.
 
I just noticed that my arresting officer is paid $123,000 yearly. I thought this was way too much, but I'm sure many would disagree.

Given that law enforcement is the role of government, this issue is best decided by the taxpayers and not the market.

I believe cops should be generously paid, but not more than 100k a year. The arresting officer was a low-level grunt and not a supervisor or a lieutenant.

In my opinion, cops should start out at somewhere around 50-60K a year and from there, the salary should increase. 123K a year is something a lieutenant, in my opinion, could be making. But not your average field officer. What are your thoughts?

This is just concerning their pay. Their pensions and benefits are an entirely different matter.

Sounds like you have an axe to grind. I don't believe what this officer made is the 'norm'. I have several friends in law enforcement that don't make anywhere near that amount of money.

It's funny to me that people think the cops are the 'bad guys' until they are being robbed at gunpoint, get into an auto accident or your house has been burgled, then suddenly, everyone wants the cops to show up.

It's amazing.

Any public servant that puts their lives on the line or who save lives without question, should be paid a lot more than they are.
 
Lol. 'Less than 50K starting'

Absolutely. No police officer is worth 50k.

If anyone should have their wages bumped up, it is Nurses and Teachers.
 
@ Goshin -- I hope you do check it out. I think you (most of us) would be very surprised.

Just noticed from where? There should be no place that an individual's salary is available for you to find. Perhaps a pay scale, but not what that copper made. Just doesn't make sense that any state or community would publish personal data like that.

If I'm paying your salary, it damn well should be available to me. Nothing should be more transparent than the salaries of those paid with tax dollars.

Sounds like you have an axe to grind. I don't believe what this officer made is the 'norm'. I have several friends in law enforcement that don't make anywhere near that amount of money.

It's funny to me that people think the cops are the 'bad guys' until they are being robbed at gunpoint, get into an auto accident or your house has been burgled, then suddenly, everyone wants the cops to show up.

It's amazing.

Any public servant that puts their lives on the line or who save lives without question, should be paid a lot more than they are.

Yours is the "sacred cow" approach that is strangling this country -- on a state level, especially. LEO salaries shouldn't be pulled out of thin air. When the line is long to get employed as a LEO, that means the pay is excellent. And there are no shortages of LEOs. They are coveted jobs.
 
Whatever it takes to get qualified people to seek the positions, no more, no less.

.
 
Whatever it takes to get qualified people to seek the positions, no more, no less.
Yeah, I don't know the numbers. But it should be enough to get well qualified candidates and to encourage people to want to do these important jobs. But from a taxpayer's point of view, no more than that.
 
Just noticed from where? There should be no place that an individual's salary is available for you to find. Perhaps a pay scale, but not what that copper made. Just doesn't make sense that any state or community would publish personal data like that.

Can't help but comment here, Summerwind. Are you not the same poster who celebrates WikiLeaks for their publishing state secrets? Calling it an effective disinfectant or some such?

Hmmm........
 
If I'm paying your salary, it damn well should be available to me. Nothing should be more transparent than the salaries of those paid with tax dollars.

Then do you also agree that we should be able to pull up how much $$$$ each individual on welfare is getting?
 
Then do you also agree that we should be able to pull up how much $$$$ each individual on welfare is getting?

Absolutely. That's a great point. Interesting you mention that. I can't even find (in Illinois) what base payments are. There is nothing on line that indicates how our tax dollars are being spent for Family Assistance.

WikiLeaks!!! Do yer stuff. Ha!
 
Absolutely. That's a great point. Interesting you mention that. I can't even find (in Illinois) what base payments are. There is nothing on line that indicates how our tax dollars are being spent for Family Assistance.

WikiLeaks!!! Do yer stuff. Ha!

yeah, at least the cops, firemen, etc earn the tax dollars we pay them.
 
Can't help but comment here, Summerwind. Are you not the same poster who celebrates WikiLeaks for their publishing state secrets? Calling it an effective disinfectant or some such?

Hmmm........

I think personal information probably shouldn't be unless it is related to some decisions that his salary effects. Scales should be posted though because decisions about budgets and taxes are related. Individuals' actual pay, no, I can't see a need to know that. If you can't tell the difference, that's you're problem.
 
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