Given the current economic meltdown, are the Police on Long Island overpaid? (Nassau: schools, college)

[Hi, my name is...]

Originally Posted by LongIslandCitizen

LOL, That's ridiculous! Their incentive for the pay out is not to call in sick. The cops cash out at 50% per sick day accrued as opposed to 100% if they took the day off and didn't save it and that doesn't figure in if someone was called in for overtime at time and a half to fill his or her position.

As for not figuring overtime. That's funny. A cop comes in on his day off or extends his shift and you don't want it to count? Absurd.

Police are not only entrusted to save lives but make a split second decision to end a life as well. I can't put a price on that kind of trust and responsibility.

and again I salute our military , Firefighters, Police, EMT's , Teachers, and and all of our heros that we take for granted everyday.

In the private sector (and the NYPD for that matter) the incentive to not call out sick is that you'll lose your job if you call out sick too frequently.

And guess what else? Overtime is not included in the calculation for most pension plans these days! And the cops don't work overtime out of the goodness of their hearts - they get paid time and a half of their already BLOATED salary!

Soldiers and EMT's are entrusted with lives as well, why aren't they paid the same bloated rates as the NCPD???

[dman72]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

How many cops are there in NCPD?

2000 or so..SCPD is 2500 or so.

[NHP Guy]

Originally Posted by LongIslandCitizen

As for not figuring overtime. That's funny. A cop comes in on his day off or extends his shift and you don't want it to count? Absurd.

Why is that absurd? I work for the state and have worked many many hours of O.T. over my nearly 20 year career and have worked weekends countless times in order to get my job done. Guess what - as a salaried, non-union employee I've never seen a penny of O.T. pay.

I don't have a problem with the O.T. pay per se, but taken as a whole, their compensation package is ridiculously generous given their actual job duties and the educational requirements that they need to fill the job.

[Jrprofess]

Originally Posted by LongIslandCitizen

LOL, That's ridiculous! Their incentive for the pay out is not to call in sick. The cops cash out at 50% per sick day accrued as opposed to 100% if they took the day off and didn't save it and that doesn't figure in if someone was called in for overtime at time and a half to fill his or her position.

Sick days should only be paid if you are in fact sick when you take them. I can not understand why people can't understand this...if you are sick you are supposed to stay home (e.g. spreading illness, e.g. swine flu). As for the overtime costs against this, OT should also be straight time for the first 5 hours worked instead of immediate time and a half, like the general private sector. Sick days are not paid time accrued like vacation, and in some states, like personal days. They are money owed if you are in fact ill that day. And I personally know SCPD (and other law enforcement for that matter) that all play the "OT" game the last few years to push up the retirement package for those who are cashing out after their 20+ years. It is generally understood to be the practice, and everybody knows it. I do not blame them for doing it, they are working within the system, but on the issue of pension and healthcare costs, I think the SCPD needs to make some concessions if they do not want eventually cause their own demise. Maybe not tomorrow, but 25 years from now. They have a fiduciary responsiblity as a public service union. I would be happy with revised healthcare and appropriate concessions on their OT bloated pension. Leave the salary scale, as although everybody is kidding themselves if they think we would not get the same applicants paying 20k less, I find it difficult to put a price on those putting themselves in harms way.

[WIHS2006]

Originally Posted by dman72

2000 or so..SCPD is 2500 or so.

There's actually only about 2,000 SCPD officers but the taxpayers are paying for 2,500.

In biggest to smallest it goes:

SCPD - 2,000ish
SCSO - 1,200ish (900 Correction Officers + 300 Deputy Sheriffs)
Southampton Town PD - 110ish
next I think is Riverhead Town PD
then East Hampton Town PD
Southold Town PD
Suffolk County Park Police
then all the village PDs with either Southampton Village, East Hampton Village or Amityville being the largest
the smallest PD in Suffolk is Ocean Beach with 2 full time officers.

[lifetimeliguy]

Originally Posted by NHP Guy

Why is that absurd? I work for the state and have worked many many hours of O.T. over my nearly 20 year career and have worked weekends countless times in order to get my job done. Guess what - as a salaried, non-union employee I've never seen a penny of O.T. pay.

I don't have a problem with the O.T. pay per se, but taken as a whole, their compensation package is ridiculously generous given their actual job duties and the educational requirements that they need to fill the job.

One great thing about being a "professional" is you do not receive overtime. (at best compensatory time, or maybe paid dinner) .But they do indeed love using that term.
Regarding the danger element, I suppose we should pay our sanitation guys six figures as their jobs are certainly as dangerous as the police (read the statistics). They deal with traffic, health hazards and of course the dangerous machinery. And if you think sanitation workers are not important, visit NYC on a summer day during a sanitation workers strike.

[LongIslandCitizen]

Originally Posted by WIHS2006

There's actually only about 2,000 SCPD officers but the taxpayers are paying for 2,500.

.

500 cops short?

[SierraHotel]

I can't seriously believe that you think someone who is trained to stand in harms way for you, possibly give his or her life for you is overpaid? Are you kidding me? Think what you'd say if one day, an officer responded to your cries for help and answered you: "Sorry, I don't get paid enough for that buddy! Good luck!"

These overpaid folks you're talking about run into buildings without thinking of their own safety. Get threatened, harrassed and even killed for trying to keep law and order in our cities.

If anything, they are under appreciated, under acknowledged and under paid.

I don't see Police or Fire Officers taking million dollar bonuses and private jets yet, they would and have given everything for a salary that sometimes makes me ashamed.

My opinion, as an American, I get to have and voice one. Another thing you can thank those boys in blue for.

SierraHotel

[dman72]

Originally Posted by SierraHotel

I can't seriously believe that you think someone who is trained to stand in harms way for you, possibly give his or her life for you is overpaid? Are you kidding me? Think what you'd say if one day, an officer responded to your cries for help and answered you: "Sorry, I don't get paid enough for that buddy! Good luck!"

These overpaid folks you're talking about run into buildings without thinking of their own safety. Get threatened, harrassed and even killed for trying to keep law and order in our cities.

If anything, they are under appreciated, under acknowledged and under paid.

I don't see Police or Fire Officers taking million dollar bonuses and private jets yet, they would and have given everything for a salary that sometimes makes me ashamed.

My opinion, as an American, I get to have and voice one. Another thing you can thank those boys in blue for.

SierraHotel

The PBA thanks you for your support.

The stats show that being a cop on LI is a very safe occupation. There is not a chance in hell that SCPD or NCPD are UNDER paid. You wouldn't be able to fill the Coliseum with prospective applicants if they were underpaid.

["Big Jim"]

You people should be ashamed of yourselves! This should not even be a debate. THESE PEOPLE TAKE BULLETS TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR KIDS SAFE Moderator cut: Let's not call names, please.....

In my opinion Police officers can not get paid enough. That goes for our military, firefighters,ambulance crews, and doctors as well. These people keep us all safe and healthy.

The ONLY smart posts I see here are by "LongIslandCitizen". This individual should have ran for president.

Enough said...