Cops and Their Part-Time Jobs (Houston, Katy: apartment complexes, employment, construction)

[renorich1950]

I see that a lot of HPD cops have after-hours jobs at bars, retail outlets, apartment complexes, and highway construction sites. In an ideal world, I would like to see their base salaries much higher than they are right now so they wouldn't need supplemental income from other jobs. My concern is one of proper rest and mental alertness on their full-time jobs. If you work day shift at HPD and then six or eight hours at a second job, how well rested are you going to be the next morning?

For starters, why do we need a cop at every freeway construction site? I have seen this practice in Boston as well, but in Nevada, flag persons were able to control safety just fine. Plus it is unseemly and unprofessional to see cops' private cars with light bars at the highway construction sites. A Toyota Camry or Chevy Cobalt with flashing blue lights doesn't reflect well on the professional image of HPD.

I am in no way anti-cop, in fact quite the contrary. But if our men and women in blue must work extra jobs, maybe we should consider increasing their salaries so they don't need the supplemental income.

[Texascrude]

Originally Posted by renorich1950

I see that a lot of HPD cops have after-hours jobs at bars, retail outlets, apartment complexes, and highway construction sites. In an ideal world, I would like to see their base salaries much higher than they are right now so they wouldn't need supplemental income from other jobs. My concern is one of proper rest and mental alertness on their full-time jobs. If you work day shift at HPD and then six or eight hours at a second job, how well rested are you going to be the next morning?

For starters, why do we need a cop at every freeway construction site? I have seen this practice in Boston as well, but in Nevada, flag persons were able to control safety just fine. Plus it is unseemly and unprofessional to see cops' private cars with light bars at the highway construction sites. A Toyota Camry or Chevy Cobalt with flashing blue lights doesn't reflect well on the professional image of HPD.

I am in no way anti-cop, in fact quite the contrary. But if our men and women in blue must work extra jobs, maybe we should consider increasing their salaries so they don't need the supplemental income.

Yes... you need to be at the top of your game to spot an expired safety inspection sticker. Can't just let those hooligans run loose!

[crbcrbrgv]

Originally Posted by Texascrude

Yes... you need to be at the top of your game to spot an expired safety inspection sticker. Can't just let those hooligans run loose!

I used to be a big offender when it comes to my inspection sticker. I never once got pulled over in Houston. In the suburbs, I got pulled over often.

[Alphalogica]

Starting pay for police officers is even worse in more rural Texas locales. I once saw a job posting online for a Needville PD officer and the starting pay was $27,000.

But yes, I do agree with the OP.

[westhou]

Originally Posted by Texascrude

Yes... you need to be at the top of your game to spot an expired safety inspection sticker. Can't just let those hooligans run loose!

They have been brutal along the Katy Freeway recently at the Beltway and also at Gessner.

A lot of people could use a pay raise. Not just cops.

[elnina]

http://www.houstontx.gov/controller/audit/2007-11.pdf

[oceangaia]

Greed is an inherent part of human nature (not saying it's bad in moderation). If you raised HPD pay you'd still have cops moonlighting to supplement their salary so they could live an even better lifestyle. Peace officers are certified by the state not the police department. They are essentially "free agents" who get employed by police departments and can also accept employment from other sources as well.

[elnina]

Click on the link and read the article. Cops are ( by law) permitted to work up to 16 hrs a day.

You are so worried about cops, but forgot that working extra shifts is a norm in a health care. Aren't you worried about the "mental alertness level" of your doctor, especially the one performing important surgery?

[David Dollar]

Yeah. Before you raised HPD, you need to supplement teacher salaries.

[14Bricks]

I actually like going out at night and seeing cops working security, it keeps the knuckle heads in line.