# I generally support cops but why are they paid so well? My city spends 4 million dollars per officer **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 22, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-generally-support-cops-but-why-are-they-paid-so-well-my-city-spends-4-million-dollars-per-officer/696238 "2014-08-22T21:19:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-generally-support-cops-but-why-are-they-paid-so-well-my-city-spends-4-million-dollars-per-officer/696238/21 "2014-08-23T07:49:54Z")
Another possible reason for the pay raise at the 5-5.5 year mark could be retention. When you join the NYPD, do you have a service commitment like the military does? Generally speaking, when you enlist in the military, you have a service commitment of so many years, depending on your contract (4 or 6 years of active duty is most common, but I’ve seen 2 year contracts from time to time). What I have noticed from looking at the number is that one of two things usually happens around the end of that first enlistment: You either make NCO, or you get out to use your GI Bill benefits or get a civilian job. Sometimes both in rapid succession (someone makes rank quickly but, you know, maybe the job kind of sucks). Either way, the manpower numbers suddenly dips, and those folks staying in are typically qualified for higher levels of responsibility and authority, so the pay goes up. It’s possible that the NYPD operates on some similar principle. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-generally-support-cops-but-why-are-they-paid-so-well-my-city-spends-4-million-dollars-per-officer/696238/22 "2014-08-23T14:46:59Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Paid well? Have you seen cops moonlighting as security guards at grocery stores and other businesses? They wouldn’t be moonlighting if they were paid a good wage. A) Those cops at the grocery store may not be moonlighting, exactly. Some police departments allow stores ,malls, etc to pay the police department for security and then “Off-duty” cops are assigned. So what is actually happening is that Target is paying the police department (which may take a cut) which is then paying the officer. B) Just because people are moonlighting doesn’t mean they aren’t paid well. Plenty of people at my agency earn over $80K and have second jobs. In fact, they are far more likely to have second jobs than the people who earn $35K. One of the factors in NYPD salaries is the salaries in nearby suburban departments- Suffolk county pays something like $108K after 5 years. There are residency restrictions for NYPD officers- but it’s nothing like a requirement to live within 15 miles from the city. They can live in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Putnam counties as well as NYC. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-generally-support-cops-but-why-are-they-paid-so-well-my-city-spends-4-million-dollars-per-officer/696238/23 "2014-08-23T15:38:13Z")
The small town I live near got away with paying their chief of police just a little over minimum wage. Of course, that makes him [selling confiscated guns](http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourallekiskivalley/yourallekiskivalleymore/2755769-87/breznican-charges-apollo-trial-attorney-bee-case-evidence-firearms-general#axzz3BEJwutVW) on the side totally understandable. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-generally-support-cops-but-why-are-they-paid-so-well-my-city-spends-4-million-dollars-per-officer/696238/24 "2014-08-23T22:34:23Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > I’m not always the biggest fan of law enforcement as individuals ( I think the job environment attracts and breeds more than its fair share of macho assholes ). But it’s a hard fucking job, somebody has to do it and they deserve a decent living wage when they do. > [@aceplace57](#): > > You couldn’t pay me enough to go into a house after a forced entry was detected. I think it’s straightforward finding someone willing to kick ass under the umbrella of the law. You don’t even need to pay them that much. But if you want somebody to be willing to both bust down doors _and_ be polite when called for _and_ -you know- _protect and serve_, then you should pay a well justified professional salary. > [@kayaker](#): > > The small town I live near got away with paying their chief of police just a little over minimum wage. Of course, that makes him [selling confiscated guns](http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourallekiskivalley/yourallekiskivalleymore/2755769-87/breznican-charges-apollo-trial-attorney-bee-case-evidence-firearms-general#axzz3BEJwutVW) on the side totally understandable. This. Corruption isn’t a small issue either. In the third world they pay their cops little so they supplement their salaries with bribery. That can happen anyway of course: the NYC meter maids pocketed massive amounts for years. I support high pay for police officers but also believe that assholes should be shown the door. Not that my preferred policy is necessarily easy to implement. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-generally-support-cops-but-why-are-they-paid-so-well-my-city-spends-4-million-dollars-per-officer/696238.md?page=1)