Outrageous NYPD Salary (Union, Boston, Nassau: environment, attorney, military)

[NooYowkur81]

I was under the impression that they had lowered what was considered a passing score. The general perception is that the standards have been lowered. Don't know how accurate that is.

When did college creds become mandatory? What year, and what was the min GPA?

[Guywithacause]

At the end of the day NooYowke I also believe that the standards have been lowered, not necessarily because the Force has done anything to lower them, but the value of what was once a HS education and Community College education has deteriorated across the board..so although they now require 2 years of College from ANY institution, the reality is that the additional education is really worse than the education of a HS graduate 20 years ago.

So yes I agree..although the requirements have increased, the reality is the recruits are worse than they used to be. But for the sake of argument, I pose the opposite view to hear what people have to say.

[baylovers]

Just another example of talented NYC police supervisors leaving the NYPD to take a demotion in a suburban department. Why? Beacuse of the salary AND poor working conditions.

Excerpt from:
http://[/url]www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19471878&BRD=1601&PAG=461&dept_id= 478677&rfi=6

The LBPD (Long Beach Police Department) last week hired two sergeants who were working for the NYPD, with Karl Geiger and Bonnie Gerth being sworn in as police officers in the Long Beach city manager's office on Tuesday, April 1....

The disparity in pay may also be one of the major reasons why the LBPD is the beneficiary of the thinning NYPD force. Even though Geiger, 28, and Gerth, 36, who were each earning reportedly around $71,000 in the NYPD, will be taking a pay cut of roughly 40 percent in their new deployment, they could quickly make that up. They could earn $96,000 after six years on the LBPD force, said Meyer. A sergeant could pull in about $117,000 after six years, but police officers cannot be eligible to become sergeants until they have served at least five years on the LBPD force, Meyer said. It would take an NYPD sergeant 20 years to earn a top pay of $91,000.

A starting salary for a rookie officer in the NYPD is just over $25,000, as compared with roughly $38,000 for an LBPD rookie, officials said.

In addition to better pay, the NYPD officers are also fleeing to work in the better environment of Long Beach , said Meyer.

"I'm just pleased that we could get highly qualified officers," said Meyer. "They have the experience and the training. In fact, they both made sergeant [in the NYPD] in a short period of time.

"We're so fortunate that these individuals are willing to give up something to come to Long Beach ," he added. "It's the work environment and it's the pay. In the short-term, they are definitely taking a cut in pay. But after a while the salary is better over here."

In addition, Gerth lives in Suffolk County and was looking to work closer to her home, Meyer said.....

[Henna]

I didn't read the whole thread so don't know if this was posted yet, but it seems rookie NYC cops have now resorted to robbing banks to make up for their low salaries. Check this out Gothamist: Rookie Cop Charged with $113K Bank Robbery

"According to Pennsylvania authorities, a 21-year-old NYPD rookie cop stole $113,000 from a bank in Mulhenberg Township yesterday morning. Christian Torres was charged with robbery and held on $500,000 bail; he was also suspended from the NYPD.

The complaint described Torres wearing a black suit and approaching a bank employee who was arriving to work at 8 a.m., asking her about mortgage rates. She told him to wait until the bank opened, but he then forced his way in with a 9mm gun. Torres forced her and one of her colleagues to the vault.

Though Torres got away, a third employee had triggered the silent alarm. When he was pulled over, he said he was a NYPD cop, but the officers found the cash, his gun, a blond wig, and a derby hat in the car. Mulhenberg police officer Christopher Orvech said, "He was very calm, almost like he was going to talk his way out of it."

Torres' neighbors in Richmond Hill were shocked. One told the Post, "I'm shocked. That isn't like him. The cops came by a few times today, and I thought maybe he got into a fight. I can't believe he robbed a bank." But another cop complained about NYPD recruiting to the Daily News, "No matter what they say, we are getting a lot of losers. Anyone with any other options is taking another job. What's left are thugs and gangbangers who then get busted."

[Inside Man]

Can you address why 4,500 VOLUNTEER over 1 MILLION hours per month as NYPD Auxiliary Officers? These VOLUNTEERS not paid, yet they do police work. And these are people with regular full-time jobs, just like you.

Originally Posted by Guywithacause

All great posts! I will address them one at a time:

1-Ilovemycuties:I don't think the "little person" comment was neither a justification for the "low pay" or the "desperation" by the NYPD. I believe that the LAW states you cannot discriminate on a person's race, religion, OR disability (among other things)...so instead of seeing it as an act of "desperation", I in fact see the Force complying with the LAW and providing EQUAL OPPORTUNITY to those that are otherwise qualified. Your superficial and quite offensive argument was the same ignorant statements used when the force FINALLY opened up to people of color, as people said "desperation" and "who wants THEM protecting me." Nice job!

Furthermore, and I repeat, I throughly respect the force, and have no ill will toward them at all. I recognize it is a thankless job, and that many do not value what they do. When I have a problem, I call them and am happy theya re there. However, who wants a police force full of people that hate the job, do not want to be there, and could care less? Not I....so I say if this is not the job for you, please step aside to let others do the job, as there are PLENTY that are eager t take their place, because, according to you, it's a "calling." Let others answer the "call."

I cannot answer the questions regarding pay in Nassau or wherever, except for supply and demand. If anyone else has insight into the pay difference..please advise.


2-InsideMan..your prespective into the police force was helpful and invaluable. Here are a few or my comments:

a-I am aware that a banker/attorney/detist etc will make much more than a police officer, as will the president of the US, the CEO of Citicorp, and a host of other fields and profession that require high levels of education, expertise, knowledge, experience, and savvy. The BIG differenece here is that those that are bankers/dentists etc and are in a host of other higher paying professions are those that went to school...ALOT of school, and oftentimes took on massive debt, and nonexistent pay while they were in school for all those years (sacrificed immensely) in order to be in the high paying profession. And even with all that education and debt, they are still NOT guranteed anything..in a louisy market they can be stuck in a lower pay scale with littel advancement...there are no gurantees.

Cops can have a mediocre public school education, an AA degree and, as you pointed out, can achieve $75,000+++ in under 5 years...what else would you be doing with an AA that will provide that pay and lifetime security?

B-I am aware of all the risks, the bureaucracy, the headaches, and everything else associated with being an Officer. I along with most others, value their service, and realize that they are not doing it JUST for the money, or the pension....I get that. But the fact remains that they know risks just as much as those in the military know the risks...but they CHOOSE to do the job for whatever reason. So why point out the obvious dangers..I get it..we all do. I cannot answer as to the thousands of reasons why someone would want to be a cop, but I can say that it is a lucrative, secure, and stable job for MANY who would otherwise have little to no earning potential, let alone such a noble profession.

[Inside Man]

Originally Posted by Irish Eyes

Having a weight and height restriction was not discrimination. You can debate whether or not the salary is adequate but there is no debating the standards. They have been lowered.

Generally, there are no MINIMUM height or weight restrictions, as they have been found to be discriminatory.

[Irish Eyes]

As I said there was a height and weight requirement. And as many others have said you can be hired with a criminal record. At one time they wouldn't take you if you didn't have a verifiable work record - meaning if you worked in a deli or pizzeria or some other place that typically pays off the books you wouldn't get into the academy. The background check used to be extensive and included, among other things, investigators coming to your neighborhood and talking to your neighbors.

From today's Daily News article on the rookie who robbed a bank in PA:

"No matter what they say, we are getting a lot of losers," said a disgusted NYPD housing officer with 15 years on the force. "Anyone with any other options is taking another job. What's left are thugs and gangbangers who then get busted."

[cjma79]

Originally Posted by ffknight918

Wow... nice post Inside Man. LAPD definitely has better pay. I'm currently in the hiring process with LAFD right now. I'm in the Initial Panel phase of my background check. I'd LOVE to be working for LAFD. Most firefighters that I've talked to say that with OT, I can make about $100k pretty easily. The average firefighter pay is about $120k.

Actually it doesnt have better pay in the upper level.. only the entry level pay.. After that the Lt. and detective is the same

[ffknight918]

Originally Posted by cjma79

Actually it doesnt have better pay in the upper level.. only the entry level pay.. After that the Lt. and detective is the same

Gotcha. I was comparing the fire dept because that's all I really know about, but you're right.

So are there no height or weight requirements for police? Many fire departments have them now, but it's not really a minimum. It would say if you are "this tall" then you must weigh between "this" and "this". That makes sense to me. You don't want to rely on someone rescuing you that is overweight. If they really want the job, they can lose the weight.

[Guywithacause]

This is more hooplah and BS by the Union and media. How can they use this bank robbery as an example of the "losers and thugs" that are joining the force, when the REALITY IS that the FORCE was BEYOND CORRUPT throughout the 50s-70..so much so the federal government stepped in due to the MASSIVE problems. Rampant rogue cops doing whatever the heck they wanted was the NORM...including mob ties/hits, robberies, planting evidence, falsifying evidence, forgeries, violence, extensive and encouraged racism...you name it...it was done...and it had NOTHING to do with the pay.

So as usual, I am injecting REALITY into the emotion based hype of this article. Those that are jumping on the article as a "sign of the times" know nothing of the police force, their history, and the REAL ACROSS THE BOARD SYSTEMIC problems they had..and not just the FEW bad apples you see today. Of course...the article is used by the Unions and the media to further perpetuate the FALSE perception....if they say it enough times....it must be true right? Cops never committed any crimes before right? Gimme a break!

InsideMan- I guess its because they like doing it! Is that what you want to hear?

Baylover- there is no doubt cops, along with MANY other people, are LEAVING the city for greener pastures, i.e. better pay, better working condition, better living conditions, better schools, better environments, better weather, cost of living in the city, etc. What's your point? Cops are going to face these pressures also..welcome to reality for everyone in this city!