Outrageous police salaries (school, calculated, dangerous)

[Hwy phantom]

Originally Posted by Boompa

How much is the average house in Palo Alto?
I'm betting well over $500,000

Your assuming he lives there, I doubt he does.

[Cyanna]

[quote=Hwy phantom;16199180]

Originally Posted by Boompa

Nope, I never got a ticket, in fact I've never been arrested and never applied so you can give that a rest. And for your information since the formation of the San Ramon police department in 1983 there has not been one officer killed in the line of duty. In fact the likelihood of an officer being killed is quite rare but they always use that talk to get gullible tax payers like you to pay their salaries.

My grandfather was a cop, and his son was a cop. They put their lives on the line to protect others. Doesn't matter that they were not killed in the line of duty. What matters is that they were willing to sacrifice their lives. Besides facing possible death cops also face the possibility of injury, abuse, and false allegations by disgruntled jerks who need to make someone else "pay" because they were caught doing wrong. I am happy to pay the salaries of these brave men and women.

[Floritar]

I understand that people who have relatives involved in the get on board the gravy train , inflated police salaries and overtime, or those that hope to, my daughter is majoring in criminal justice! Who wouldn't want to, considering the wonderful ,disproportionate benefits that are basically not available in most jobs unless you go for a long education and have the intellect and fortitude to do so in certain select Fields and are lucky enough to get a job. You really can not match the police situation. What I do not understand is the constant comparison to professional athletes. Using the minutely small percent of talented athletes that are luck enough to get the opportunity to play pro sports, and say why do the deserve the money, what does that have to do with overpaying thousands of police officers, a job that almost any able bodied 20 year old can do. Almost everybody on my street and yours can become a police officer, what are the chances of any body up and down your street of ever becoming a pro athlete. That is why pro athletes are such big earners, no one has yet to point out why it is a good idea why you would need to pay a police officer over 100,000 a year when a state cannot pay its bills. When so many would want the job for probably 30% at least less.

[Houston3]

[quote=Cyanna;16200724]

Originally Posted by Hwy phantom

My grandfather was a cop, and his son was a cop. They put their lives on the line to protect others. Doesn't matter that they were not killed in the line of duty. What matters is that they were willing to sacrifice their lives. Besides facing possible death cops also face the possibility of injury, abuse, and false allegations by disgruntled jerks who need to make someone else "pay" because they were caught doing wrong. I am happy to pay the salaries of these brave men and women.

With your reasoning ever soldier is the mid east should be making 1/2 mill a year.

Why, because they put their life on the line more than most police officers ever will..

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Floritar

... You really can not match the police situation.
... overpaying thousands of police officers, a job that almost any able bodied 20 year old can do. Almost everybody on my street and yours can become a police officer, ...
... why it is a good idea why you would need to pay a police officer over 100,000 a year when a state cannot pay its bills. When so many would want the job for probably 30% at least less.

What makes you think it's easy to be a cop? ... that "almost any 20-year-old [could do it]"? If so many would want the job "for probably 30% less" why doesn't every 20-year-old apply? The statistics that show police work as not being as dangerous as some other professions are misleading, as stated earlier in this thread. The psychological fortitude required to withstand the constant threat -- which is very real on a near daily basis -- while standing up to some pretty tough characters who are hopped up one way or another -- enduring the taunts and incoherent babble of citizens encountered under stress -- being held at a social distance by most in the civilian community, as well ... and not many people are cut out for the endless report-writing and internal department political chickensh*t 'on the job' either. It is extraordinary. You obviously have no idea at all what it takes to eat the crap dished out from both the public and upper management to last at this miserable profession. And don't get me started on the 'liability' issue! The accusations of brutality and bribery and sexual misconduct -- being sued and reprimanded .... ... it goes on and on.

It IS true that the pay has become very generous and the benefits are strong. But getting 20 + years under your belt is a grueling ordeal -- worst job in the world. True enough, however, the angle that should be addressed by budget analysts is police retiring with overtime earnings totaled into their percentage calculations.

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I am very pro police, but have to admit, these salaries are a little over the top.

Nita

I am neither pro or anti but I agree, after carefully thinking about it, these salaries feel anywhere from 30% to 60% higher than what they really should be in spite of the cost of living in their respective areas. In the movies they always portrait cop salaries to be in the mid to high 5 figures but never anything this high.

Perhaps they are paying them so high so that they wouldn't get bribes and become corrupt? lol

[Mr. Fantastic]

You would think if you were getting paid that much you should be at least good at your job.

But cities like Oakland have had entrenched crime for the past 30 years.

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Mr. Fantastic

You would think if you were getting paid that much you should be at least good at your job.

But cities like Oakland have had entrenched crime for the past 30 years.

That's not the cops' fault ... look to management -- and by that I mean all the way up the ladders to economics and social services and education at local, state, and even national levels. Cops on the street are very limited as to what they have to work with against the forces that create criminal environment. The police are just referees and clean up crews ... they don't run the sport or the stadium.

Police are paid what they are because what they do stinks and not that many people are both qualified and capable of living the life. It sucks. I'm not saying the pay rates are right on -- or that all cops are even good at what they do. I'm just saying it's a shi**y business. Not an easy thing to put a price on -- but whatever the price, it ain't gonna be cheap for what the job demands. Anyone who deprecates what it takes to be a career cop is just plain clueless.

[Mr. Fantastic]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

That's not the cops' fault ... look to management --

Uhh, I don't know if you have read any newspapers, but those guys are pretty over paid too. So although it goes without saying, the point still stands.

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Mr. Fantastic

Uhh, I don't know if you have read any newspapers, but those guys are pretty over paid too. So although it goes without saying, the point still stands.

uhh, EVERYBODY's overpaid -- except me ... under appreciated, overworked ... oh wait, I'm retired now ... nevermind