# Do cops get paid all the hours they work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 14, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422 "2015-12-14T15:29:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bomberswarm2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bomberswarm2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bomberswarm2)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/1 "2015-12-14T15:29:24Z")
On Law and Order Svu, the dectetives seem to work pretty much 24/7, like over 100 hours per week. In real life, would the dectetives get paid all this (and therefore be making almost 3 times their normal salary, 300,000$ per year)? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/2 "2015-12-14T15:30:48Z")
Cops earn lots and lots of overtime. It’s one of the perks of the job, along with the retirement benefits. 100 hours a week is obviously a bit much, but I think 50-60 is quite common. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/3 "2015-12-14T15:35:59Z")
In some places (most, probably) police officers earn a lot of overtime. Here’s a[study](http://arcadenw.org/article/where-does-the-money-go) for Seattle Police > [@](#): > > overtime billing occurs most often for units with few employees—for example, the bomb squad. Additionally, specific officers are increasing their annual salaries 41–54% via overtime. Here’s an [article](http://www.policeone.com/investigations/articles/8655735-Why-Texas-police-top-the-list-of-overtime-earners/)about Austin, Tx > [@](#): > > City spending on police overtime has stayed roughly steady between the 2009-10 and 2013-14 budget years, with a low of $7.6 million and a high of $8.1 million. As of mid-June, the city had spent $7.2 million on overtime for officers in the budget year that ends Sept. 30. For even the top earners, however, it looks like it doesn’t hit $300,000 > [@](#): > > Christopher Moore is known within the Austin Police Department as a detective who investigates drunken driving cases, but he’s got another unofficial title: the city’s top overtime earner. > Moore, a 17-year veteran with the Austin police, earned $112,250.87 in overtime pay in the city’s last budget year, effectively doubling his earnings by working an extra 1,577.5 hours — the equivalent of three additional work shifts per week. That was on top of his regular salary of $100,800.96. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/4 "2015-12-14T15:59:07Z")
. . . and in some cities they don’t even need to work those hours to get paid for them. . . ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/5 "2015-12-14T16:22:19Z")
Aren’t cops always “on duty” in a certain sense? If they’re out to dinner with their wife and then a fight breaks out and they step in to control the situation, do they bill the city for that time? How does that part of the job work? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/6 "2015-12-14T17:15:53Z")
Here in the UK too, but their basic looks a lot less than a US city cop: > [@](#): > > Officers at the Met (_London_) earned the most in overtime. A total of 2,296 PCs in the capital earned between £50,000 and £60,000; 339 earned over £60,000; 53 more than £70,000 and 12 grossed over £80,000 – at least £38,000 more than their salaries. These amounts were likely to be higher than other forces because some Met PCs perform roles such as royal protection officers and so spend long periods outside the UK. > > Across the UK outside London last year, at least 9,353 PCs earned over £40,000 after overtime was factored in. The force with the most high earners was the West Midlands, which had 1,398 of its 6,816 officers taking home more than £40,000. In the Thames Valley region, a third of all PCs – 1,031 out of 3,022 – earned more than £40,000. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/7 "2015-12-14T20:17:31Z")
At some level in the hierarchy they would be salaried and not eligible for overtime, correct? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/8 "2015-12-14T20:56:27Z")
Cops are only going to get paid overtime for when something unusual happens and it expands out of their shift–the vast bulk of their time they are doing very routine things. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/9 "2015-12-14T21:37:00Z")
Also remember that shifts for detectives may not be as rigid as they are for uniformed officers. It’s entirely possible that detectives can/are expected to adjust their working hours according to the needs of the case. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/10 "2015-12-14T23:17:00Z")
It may be worth noting that many employers design their business model around overtime work to avoid hiring more people because in some circumstances it is cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/11 "2015-12-14T23:33:59Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > It may be worth noting that many employers design their business model around overtime work to avoid hiring more people because in some circumstances it is cheaper. This is especially true in occupations where costs for employees (such as benefits, insurance, etc.) are a major part of the expense. and police work is on of those. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/12 "2015-12-14T23:48:00Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > At some level in the hierarchy they would be salaried and not eligible for overtime, correct? In the UK, ranks above sergeant are salaried and get no overtime. This means that a sergeant may well be earning more (a lot more in some cases) than his boss. A major disincentive to promotion. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/13 "2015-12-15T00:42:59Z")
In my city, they not only get overtime, but the union has also won them the right to freelance for private organizations for things like directing traffic in and out of the parking lot during busy times, which they do in uniform and with full police powers. But often the job is simply to ensure that there are no significant traffic problems, so they actually spend much of that time standing around on the sidewalk chatting and enjoying free coffee or whatever else the store provides. With the possible exception of actors in TV ads, it’s probably a world record for rate of pay for drinking free coffee! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/14 "2015-12-15T01:08:43Z")
Around here, cops get overtime if they work over 40 hours a week. Once they gain seniority, they can volunteer for as much overtime as they want. Often they will lose up on overtime in the years before retirement, since that’s based on how much they made in their last three years. The unions won’t give that up, especially since they control the Conservative Party in the county: politicians won’t cross them since they need their endorsement. So cops work overtime all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/15 "2015-12-15T07:23:38Z")
OP specifically mentioned Lawn Order SVU detectives . . . Be interesting to hear from **Loach** on that. He’s one of those, isn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![bomberswarm2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bomberswarm2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bomberswarm2)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/16 "2015-12-15T13:13:10Z")
So it happens in the U.S. Now to see if it happens in Australia… ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/17 "2015-12-16T01:53:15Z")
Sometimes they don’t get actually paid for overtime, but get ‘Comp time’ (Compensatory time off) which is extra hours they can take off when they want. With the schedule approval of their supervisor. But often police departments are so busy that it’s hard for officers to use up this comp time. So many departments allow them to accumulate it, often over years. Sometimes that builds up until they retire, then they many have months-worth of accumulated comp time they can use up then. So they get paid past retirement, or use this to effectively retire early. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/18 "2015-12-16T04:01:51Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > On Law and Order Svu, the dectetives seem to work pretty much 24/7, like over 100 hours per week. In real life, would the dectetives get paid all this (and therefore be making almost 3 times their normal salary, 300,000$ per year)? This is one of the many B.S. things that TV police shows perpetrate; that’s cops work zillions of hours in overtime, have no vacation/sick leave, are always broke/in debt, etc… In real life the municipalities hover close regarding overtime and even for special services it’s restricted. If officers of any rank are routinely putting in for more than 20 hours per week OT there is eventually going to be an audit to determine if someone is gaming the system or if more staff needs to be added. When I retired from full time in 2007 I was a detective in the compliance sector of vice. I could have gamed 80 extra hours a week with plenty of reason but OT was watched over like crazy and one couldn’t get away with it. There are times when there is a lot of overtime for everyone. Overtime for special events like parades and fairs and such are always included in budgets. But some things are not. When the Vietnam vets who became police officers retired en mass there were tons of openings and a lot of hours to make up. It sucked. I was in the patrol sector at the time and worked a lot of double shifts and lost a lot of scheduled off days. This went on for almost 2 years! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/19 "2015-12-16T05:40:58Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > When the Vietnam vets who became police officers retired en mass there were tons of openings and a lot of hours to make up. It sucked. I was in the patrol sector at the time and worked a lot of double shifts and lost a lot of scheduled off days. This went on for almost 2 years! :mad: That is just incompetence on the part of your department management – the likely retirement dates of those officers was pretty predictable, based on their ages & hiring dates. So they should have participated in the suckage: all the former patrol officers now promoted to management shuld have been required to take OT shifts on patrol to help cover the shortage. Not very likely that happened, though! ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422/20 "2015-12-16T09:19:23Z")
I could go on and on about incompetence but: > [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > That is just incompetence on the part of your department management – the likely retirement dates of those officers was pretty predictable, based on their ages & hiring dates. This is false. There were a couple of tiers of retirement at the time. A lot of Deps left suddenly and took the first tier (one could retire same day if one wanted to and was qualified for it) and some stayed even past the 2nd tier. There had been no way of knowing that a huge flock would bail within that year. It takes 6months-1 year to get the budget approval to hire, and then 6-months-1 year to interview and train new recruits. Just because a Deputy leaves and is no longer being paid does not mean the Sheriff can automatically replace him. The county board still has some say in it. (I’m referring to here, YMMV depending on location. Civil service rules do differ). I myself retired at 25 years instead of 30 and I gave very little notice. Filed the papers and hit the bricks. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-get-paid-all-the-hours-they-work/740422.md?page=2)