Police supervisors/detective salaries and cost of living (Los Angeles, Santa Clarita: mortgage, how much)

[batdavid90]

I am curious about how the higher level police such as the supervisors and detectives of the lapd or other nearby cities of los angeles do with their salaries and affording the cost of living. Do they make much better money to the extent they can actually afford the cost of living? That is something I have wondered about since every blog always seems to ask only about the uniformed patrol rather than the supervisors and detectives.

[batdavid90]

I found on another thread that this question may be like "opening pandoras box." so if no one wants to answer, it's fine.

[JohnG72]

Base pay for LAPD Sgt's starts at $92k and goes up to $111k.

Police Officer 3, which is training officers, senior lead officers, etc, have a base pay of $67k-90k

Those amounts might be enough to buy a house or townhome in places like Lakewood, La Mirada, Whittier, etc, which some officers do. Assuming the spouse works, homes here in the $400-500k range are affordable and schools are above average.

But since officers are on a three day workweek, it's far more common that they buy new build larger homes in less expensive outlying areas like Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, and Inland Empire.

[1200RT]

John's point is very accurate.

While law enforcement (and fire, medic) salaries in the LA area higher due to the cost of living, they are not proportionality higher. Most officers live in surrounding areas where the COL is much cheaper, and have longer commute times, as they are normally commuting during off hours.

[batdavid90]

Ok thanks.

[HarryKerryJr]

The LAPD website has ALL the figures and details. Not only are LAPD and LASD (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department) among the best paid on the country, but several of the other municipal agencies in the LA metro area offer competitive salaries. So, with competitive salaries and benefits, most people are drawn to LAPD or LASD because of the diversity of opportunities beyond patrol duty such as Air Support, Equestrian, SWAT, or Metropolitan services, and more. Also, some choose those 2 departments because they really want to be in the thick of it and make a difference on the streets.

I do know as was surprised to see how LOW NYPD was paying, but not so as I realized that explained a lot of the incompetence there.

If you're a cop in the LA Metro area, you are doing pretty well compared to colleagues in other metro areas.

[1200RT]

Originally Posted by HarryKerryJr

The LAPD website has ALL the figures and details. Not only are LAPD and LASD (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department) among the best paid on the country, but several of the other municipal agencies in the LA metro area offer competitive salaries. So, with competitive salaries and benefits, most people are drawn to LAPD or LASD because of the diversity of opportunities beyond patrol duty such as Air Support, Equestrian, SWAT, or Metropolitan services, and more. Also, some choose those 2 departments because they really want to be in the thick of it and make a difference on the streets.

I do know as was surprised to see how LOW NYPD was paying, but not so as I realized that explained a lot of the incompetence there.

If you're a cop in the LA Metro area, you are doing pretty well compared to colleagues in other metro areas.

If you're looking at strictly salary, yeah, you're doing pretty well - but taking COL into account, its all relative.

[batdavid90]

Yeah I saw how beyond the patrol level, the salary seems good. Not sure if I will find myself in California, but at least I know now how much I could be spending on rent/mortgage if i ever do.

[bigjake54]

Originally Posted by HarryKerryJr

I do know as was surprised to see how LOW NYPD was paying, but not so as I realized that explained a lot of the incompetence there.

A rather uninformed comment.
Promotional Opportunities | NYPDRECRUIT.COM
NYPD officer base pay is $91K, plus OT. Someone I know made almost $24K in OT.
NYPD has 10,000 sergeants and detectives, making $98K - $109K base pay, plus OT.
1,500 LTs average $125K, 450 captains $160K.

[HarryKerryJr]

Originally Posted by 1200RT

If you're looking at strictly salary, yeah, you're doing pretty well - but taking COL into account, its all relative.

Although not as common in this economic mess, many police officers (and I do mean the low rungs on the ladder) did a lot of overtime, and they ended up making 6 figures a year, quite regularly. So the COL wasn't really much of a factor. In fact, the issue or overtime for police and fire is very controversial as cities find ways to cut. The LAPD is almost at a point when they will have very little overtime offered to officers because they will be very close to being fully staffed, and the cops DON'T want overtime to go away for them.

Further, most of these cops are part of a 2 income household. So, the hubby or wifey is bringing in their salary often pushing household income beyond the $100,000 per year mark BEFORE factoring in overtime. Cops in the LA area can have a very good life with nice homes and nice toys and things found in almost every American suburban neighborhood. I've never met a cop who after a few years along and with the spouses income was even close to struggling. In fact, they classify as, maybe not rich, but "affluent." Also, you have to factor what was always a superior retirement package with being able to retire as early as 55. These cops often tire of the city and run off to buy a ranch in Wyoming with good retirement checks and benefits to live off of. No, most don't need to keep working at some other job or career when they retire at 55 or so. That is how good the deal has been for a very long time.

Also, did you all not see the report that some police and firefighters we making over 200,000 per year--we're NOT talking about command staff who are very well paid, but low or mid-level on the line people--because of overtime. Now, some of these people were pilots of the water dropping helicopters who fly day and night during some of our serious fires, as one example, but there are other such examples cited in the report regarding other fire and police situations. The attitude of the press report seemed to be that in these times, or any times, such wages are excessive, but I disagree. We WANT our water dropping helo pilots up there and working for as long as they can and they do save our homes and lives with their skill and hard work. They work long hours, then rest, then back to the air, and our pilots are extremely skilled. I say considering the skill and commitment and RISK to their own lives during emergencies, I say they deserve every bit of the $200,000+ per year they can rack-up working very long hours on high stress situations. Would any of us really prefer that our homes burn or citizens lose their lives because we are too cheap? Keep in mind it is extremely difficult finding qualified candidates for such highly skilled work as water dropping even with training provided. The standards a very high and should not be diminished.