NYPD pay question

[Big Will]

I'm considering the NYPD. It will be a financial sacrafice but I feel that you get an experirence that you could not get anywere else. That being said my fiance and I would have to relocate to NY. She wants to buy a condo in Westchester maybe Putnum county, we have substantial savings and she makes pretty decent money BUT I am not sure if this is possible given the NYPD payscale. On their website it says, "* These salaries do not include overtime earnings, night-shift differential, holiday pay and uniform allowance.
When including base salary, average overtime and night shift differential, holiday pay, and uniform allowance, a Police Officer earns over $35,000, on average, in the first year; $45,000, on average, in the second year; $77,000, on average, after 6 years". How accurate is this?

[jt32485]

Those numbers are roughly accurate. In order to earn 77K at top pay you would have to do aprox 15 hours overtime a month.

However, there are countless other departments with better pay, better working conditions, better policies, better training, etc.

Apply to other departments too. The 'prestige' of being on the NYPD wears off quick when you are struggling to make ends meet, like I am doing now.

[Big Will]

Those numbers are roughly accurate. In order to earn 77K at top pay you would have to do aprox 15 hours overtime a month.

However, there are countless other departments with better pay, better working conditions, better policies, better training, etc.

Apply to other departments too. The 'prestige' of being on the NYPD wears off quick when you are struggling to make ends meet, like I am doing now.

I am def applying to other departments but in CT there is usually only two or three openings in a dept. and 400+ candidates, so it is a little frusterating. The bigger cities usually hire more officers off a test but they dont test as frequently and I'm sick of waiting. My main concern is that I dont want to live check to check on a mortagage but I know that is how it is going to be if I join NYPD. I'm still trying to figure out if it will even be possible.

[NYState of Mind]

Well, NYPD is currently going through contract negotiations so in the academy you'll be making that 25,100 for 6 months. If you can swing it for 6 months, then do it.

[WM40]

I'm a lawyer in the Navy and it would be a massive pay cut for me, but it's something I've always felt I wanted to do, so I'm considering it. I am hopeful the contract negotiations end soon with at least a little higher starting salary. For me only big city police work is attractive and I'm from New York originally, so it seems natural to work for NYPD though I'm considering D.C. area departments as well.

[gbotj]

This hasn't come down yet, but word in 1PP is that they will be starting a "signing bonus" of $2,000.

[WM40]

Every little bit helps.

[RodFarva]

This hasn't come down yet, but word in 1PP is that they will be starting a "signing bonus" of $2,000.

Nice, you can use that to pay for your own equipment and uniforms!

[gbotj]

yeah, but the reason the bonus is going to take some time to get going is because they are afraid guys are going to spring the money on BS instead of needs. So they are really weighing it out right now.

[gbotj]

plus they also give you an Ipod in the academy!

[NYState of Mind]

WM40 did you take any test in D.C. already? If so, how's the Wash. D.C. Metro Police Dept.?

I'm a lawyer in the Navy and it would be a massive pay cut for me, but it's something I've always felt I wanted to do, so I'm considering it. I am hopeful the contract negotiations end soon with at least a little higher starting salary. For me only big city police work is attractive and I'm from New York originally, so it seems natural to work for NYPD though I'm considering D.C. area departments as well.

[Big Will]

plus they also give you an Ipod in the academy!

Why would they give you an Ipod?

[gbotj]

They put class lectures on podcasts so you can use them to study.

[WM40]

Haven't taken the MPD test yet, but am taking Arlington, VA tomorrow. I don't know a whole lot about MPD, but I have a distant relative who works for them and am planning to talk to him about it. We've been playing tag for a while about getting together, between our schedules. There is a thread on MPD on this website.

One thing that makes this area a little less desirable for me is that all the departments seem to have pensions that require 25 years of service. NYPD has 20 and you can collect something even with only 5 years. At this point I would be over 60 if I did 25 years and I don't envision myself still doing police work at that age.

[NYPD Ret]

Haven't taken the MPD test yet, but am taking Arlington, VA tomorrow. I don't know a whole lot about MPD, but I have a distant relative who works for them and am planning to talk to him about it. We've been playing tag for a while about getting together, between our schedules. There is a thread on MPD on this website.

One thing that makes this area a little less desirable for me is that all the departments seem to have pensions that require 25 years of service. NYPD has 20 and you can collect something even with only 5 years. At this point I would be over 60 if I did 25 years and I don't envision myself still doing police work at that age.

Doing the math here - make sure you fall into this category:

Applicants must not have reached their 35th birthday on or before the first day of filing of the exam they are applying for.
Those applicants who are 35 and over and have active United States military service may deduct up to six years from the age requirement.

[CLOCKWORK ORANG]

Let's not forget your union dues are $10,000 a year. Plus local and federal taxes. If you really add it up, they really really get paid badly.

[oflove13]

Doing the math here - make sure you fall into this category:

Applicants must not have reached their 35th birthday on or before the first day of filing of the exam they are applying for.
Those applicants who are 35 and over and have active United States military service may deduct up to six years from the age requirement.

That does not say anything about how old you have to be when you start the job just that you cant take the test after your 35. I am 34 so I took the test in Oct. I told them i want to wait until the July class but I will be 35 by then, and they did not have a problem with it So he can still do it as long as he takes the test before he is 35

[gbotj]

you just have to take the test before you reach 35. You can be 40 w/o being in the military and get on.

[WM40]

Thanks NYPD Ret, I appreciate you pointing that out. I'm 40, but have enough military time to just make it. I double checked before I took the test.

[5K Runner]

I am def applying to other departments but in CT there is usually only two or three openings in a dept. and 400+ candidates, so it is a little frusterating. The bigger cities usually hire more officers off a test but they dont test as frequently and I'm sick of waiting. My main concern is that I dont want to live check to check on a mortagage but I know that is how it is going to be if I join NYPD. I'm still trying to figure out if it will even be possible.

Hey, I used to live in CT. I heard Danbury / Bridgeport / Hartford / Waterbury are hiring. I saw something on the news saying they were having trouble filling their hiring requirements too.

[Big Will]

Hey, I used to live in CT. I heard Danbury / Bridgeport / Hartford / Waterbury are hiring. I saw something on the news saying they were having trouble filling their hiring requirements too.
Hartford and Waterbury are hiring and I'm going to test with them even though I'm on the other side of the state. Danbury is only taking certified officers and I wish Bridgeport was hiring but I have not heard anything.

[BPTCT]

I live in Bridgeport and they tested last year. CT departments are to tuff to get on with. You get placed on a list with 100 people and it expires by the time they get to you. I just completed the process with DC.

[MPDlateral]

I'm a lawyer in the Navy and it would be a massive pay cut for me, but it's something I've always felt I wanted to do, so I'm considering it. I am hopeful the contract negotiations end soon with at least a little higher starting salary. For me only big city police work is attractive and I'm from New York originally, so it seems natural to work for NYPD though I'm considering D.C. area departments as well.


Good morning....I too am originally from NY, also retired Navy. I was planning to go back and join NYPD. But my many friends currently on the dept and retired from the dept talked me out of it. The department is not what it used to be and the pay is insulting. I am with MPD now in DC. My base pay is over double what NYPD would have paid and the overtime is there for the taking. You and I both know that our Navy pay (I was a Chief), especially stationed in DC is pretty damn good.....beleive me you will not make it on NYPD's salary. I get a pension...and a base of 60k with MPD, and my paychecks are still a bit shy of what I used to bring home on Active duty....:eek:

[Big Will]

Let's not forget your union dues are $10,000 a year. Plus local and federal taxes. If you really add it up, they really really get paid badly.
No friggin way, Union dues couldnt be that much.

[Revsone]

No friggin way, Union dues couldnt be that much.

Dues work out to $772.98/ year

[CLOCKWORK ORANG]

Dues work out to $772.98/ year
That's what my professor says. He's a Lieutenant in the NYPD.

[jchughes05]

My cousin was a Marine lawyer, and I thought he made pretty good money.

[WM40]

The money's pretty good, but not as good as lawyers in law firms. It's the same as any Navy/Army/Marine/AF officer of the same paygrade gets. Lawyers get no extra for being lawyers. Some of your money is tax free, which makes it go much further as well. You do have to move around quite a bit though and not always to where you might like to go. We prosecute and defend criminal cases within our jurisdiction, we also have our own judges and appeals court. There are also lawyers who advise field/ship/air commanders on international law and the law of war, there is some environmental law and civil litigation as well. I have stayed in the criminal field. Still, if you have the bug to be more hands on in doing law enforcement, it's nothing like being a cop, regardless of the money.

[Big Will]

When I took the written one of the sgt's said that they are negotiating the new contract now and it looks like 40 after the academy and top pay of 80.

[CLOCKWORK ORANG]

When I took the written one of the sgt's said that they are negotiating the new contract now and it looks like 40 after the academy and top pay of 80.
Wow I hope this comes through by the time I join. I'm taking the exam in February.

[Khadafi310]

When I took the written one of the sgt's said that they are negotiating the new contract now and it looks like 40 after the academy and top pay of 80.

i can only pray that's correct

[gbotj]

sorry to break it to you, but heres how the contract is going to go.

$35,000 to start
11 less days off from days taken from vacation days, holidays, chart days etc.
top pay will go to $68,000 AT MOST.

PERB cannot award anymore PERB can only give 2 year contracts and for $80,000 that means that PERB would award a contract of a little under two 20% increases!!! PERB will most likely go with two 5% increases which would bring top pay to $65,780 thats what they went with last time. IF and this is a HUGE IF they go with two 6% increases they will top out at about $67,000.

No money is in public arbitration, the PBA needs to come to an agreement with the city of new york without PERB this way they can set up at least a 4 year contract of a couple 4's and maybe a 5 with a 3 somewhere in there (usually a 3 goes somewhere in a 4+ year contract).

Look at the rate of inflation, the $65,000 base will be the same as the $59,000 base in 2010 as it was in 2007.

[bklynbob]

can award a longer contract if both sides agree.....................they probably won't.....................