I got layed off in April. So, I've been job hunting.
I came across many ads where police depts are hiring.
I cannot believe that they want people with college degrees to take a
starting salary so dirt fucking low and risk your lives!

My hat is off to you all!

~ s0ulzer0

The best had to be when I was in COBRA training, they showed us how to properly put on our gas masks and chemical suits.  After we were all suited up, he stops, get's our attention and says, "So you guys still think this is worth $35,000 a year?"

Shoot I'm gonna clear about $45,000 this year.  Not too bad for a 27 year old with only 5 years and 4 months on the job.  

I have always thought teachers and local LEO's should be paid more.  They start so low that it is insane.

$45K for a job where your life could end tomorrow?  No thanks.  Keep up the good work guys.

I just had to tell this quick story real quick.  Last night I'm dispatched to a welfare check.  I get to the house and see newspapers dated back to 5/18/03, mailbox full, stinky smell, and flies all in the windows.  Make forced entry and find a female in the shower in several inches of water laying face down.  She's been there since about mid may.  Needless to say it was gross.  

You said you were making $45K?  Not enough, not enough......

I could handle a partially eaten donut, or some toenails at $45K, but for month old dead bodies I think I might need $45 Billion, no thanks.

I guess the badge envy wore off......[;D]

Most of us I don't think really do it for the money. Sure, I went to college for 4 years and received a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice and have a good chuck of student loans to pay off. I made $36K last year and for me, that's enough. Thankfully, my wife makes about 50K a year working as a nurse.

I could not imagine doing any other job. I can't stand working inside a building all day, serving food to idiots, or doing hard manual labor all day long. I would hate dressing up in a suit to go to work every day. Just not me. So for me and my needs and likes, I love being outside all shift driving around in my squad.
I love seeing and going to bar fights, car wrecks(demented, I know), blood, oh yeah.........and arresting people!!
I love guns, gadgets, and cars.

True, it would be nice to work Monday through Friday and make 75K a year. But oh well. I knew what I was getting into and I knew I would NEVER become rich being a cop. I typically work 6 days a week, but have often worked 16 straight days in a row. I work straight MIDNIGHTS, so my lifestyle is pretty screwed up.
I work a decent amount of overtime and security jobs just to make my $36K a year.

I appreciate the thanks though! Having someone say thanks is a great feeling and it shows that atleast someone out there appreciates what we do.

Base pay is misleading simply because of the amount of O/T you get from court/in-service/range/training/shift coverage/prisoner transports/call outs etc etc etc.

6-3 rotation, 8 hour days.

WI mandates AA or AS minimum for all new hires.

I apparently make more than some here.

Then again I just got rid of my assigned car with 128K miles. (remember that car is what I use to get the AED, to where it is needed) My employer thinks vests never need replacing, and of course the one they issue is "low bid".

I have to provide my own gear, minus handcuffs, baton, one pr disposble ear plug, and CPR mask. The uniform allowance wouldn't be bad if they didn't keep CHANGING major parts of the uniform.

The pay, the public, etc are generally easy to deal with, it the Adminstrators that cause the stress.

My weekends are fri and sat!!!  I love the job too but I realize that having a life is much more important.

So, um, Ray...when you reach "Top Pay" that means you'll clear $17K after taxes, gear, etc...right?

You didn't need any money to live on, right?

[;D]

I went to dicks 4 years ago. I'm working 10 hour shifts (8-6) with Sat. Sun. and Mondays off. Great hours but man I miss the street SO BAD IT HURTS. My wife finaly got sick of me bitching about the stress and missin the road so she is forcing me to go back to patrol next april after our son is born.

I think I cleared 38K last year. I am topped out with 6 years on, a AA and a BS in Crim. and 2 1/2 percent Range Master pay. I could take home an extra $600 a month by crossing the river and going to work for a neighboring agency but I love my department. I have been here since I was 16. I started out as an Explorer then becam a Reserve then a Bailiff and finaly went full time. My wife makes much more than I and that makes things easier.

Getting a thank you from the public realy means a lot. I have broke major cases recovering hundreds of thousands of dollars of stolen property. The only thank you letter in my file is one from one of our school cops that I did a presentation for one of his classes for. If any of you non-LEO's ever realy want to say thanks to one of your cops who did good by you, write a letter to his/her boss. These go into our personel files and mean more than you can imagin.