Steve Levy Proposing Wage Cut for New SCPD Recruits

[RichieRichNY1]

This was taken from News12.com:

(12/26/07) BRENTWOOD - Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy wants to cut salaries for new recruits of the county's police department.
Levy is currently negotiating a new contract with Suffolk's police force, one of the highest paid departments in the country. While any cops currently under contract will be protected, the county executive is looking to decrease the base pay for the county's next batch of recruits.

The starting salary for Suffolk cops is about $60,000. After serving on the force for five years, base pay jumps to around $98,000. Nassau officers, on the other hand, start at $34,000 per year, which jumps to $96,000 after eight years.

"We can bring [starting salaries] down and still attract a very good, high-quality officer," says Levy.
Jeff Frayler, president of Suffolk's Police Benevolent Association, refused to comment about Levy's salary cut proprosals.

[ChrisF202]

Good, if you ask me the SCPD pay should be slashed to the same levels as the town/village police department's and the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office has no problem finding qualified recruits and their pay is about half of what the SCPD pay is.

We can pay 2 deputy sheriffs for the cost 1 county police officer. Quite frankly, the SCPD should be disbanded and merged into the sheriff's office, the deputies already do the same thing plus more and for half the cost. Granted its a matter of appx 300 vs 2,400 but even if the SCSO was twice the size as the SCPD they would still be cheaper.

[Army2PD]

There's still a pot of gold @ the end of that rainbow!

[Stackit02]

When does the current contract expire? It is not unusual for contract talks to last a long time, which would still allow some people off this list to maybe stay at the current starting salary.

[Dinosaur32]

Most unions will sell out the unborn to protect the top end salaries of those already onthe job. The SCPD police function is quite different than the function of the Suffolk County sheriff's Office. The SCPD was formed with the creation of the Police District in the 5 western towns of Suffolk County. Each town surrendered its legal right to have a police force. The eastern towns did not wish to surrender local jurisdiction to the Police District and retained their individual town police forces. They do contract with SCPD for certain services. The Suffolk Sheriff controld the jails and performs civil functions and serves court orders.

[DOCSatTheGunk]

I wish my department paid that well...new COs in New York are making 34k..I started at 28k

[ZELAYA13D]

Has any heard any more news on this topic. Any one know what they would want to cut the pay down if they go for it.

[Jimmy tied 08]

Good, if you ask me the SCPD pay should be slashed to the same levels as the town/village police department's and the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office has no problem finding qualified recruits and their pay is about half of what the SCPD pay is.

We can pay 2 deputy sheriffs for the cost 1 county police officer. Quite frankly, the SCPD should be disbanded and merged into the sheriff's office, the deputies already do the same thing plus more and for half the cost. Granted its a matter of appx 300 vs 2,400 but even if the SCSO was twice the size as the SCPD they would still be cheaper.

how can you sit there and say their pay should be cut in the acadeny you make 57,000 before taxes anyone with a family ,mortgate, and car payments will be sucking wind on that salary yet you think it should be cut thats mindblowing. 100,000 dollars on long island is not a lot of money and you think the starting salary wich is half should be cut you are crazy

[GoldBadge]

how can you sit there and say their pay should be cut in the acadeny you make 57,000 before taxes anyone with a family ,mortgate, and car payments will be sucking wind on that salary yet you think it should be cut thats mindblowing. 100,000 dollars on long island is not a lot of money and you think the starting salary wich is half should be cut you are crazy

It's a starting salary that increases dramatically over a few years. Nassau & Suffolks cops are among the best paid in the country.

The whole thing is a vicious cycle. One reason why LI is so expensive is because of property taxes (I pay $12K a year), in part because public employees have been paid very well over the years (some too well). It's unrealistic to keep pay public employees increasingly big salaries and still keep taxes from going sky high.

When I started as a cop, I made a decent wage, nothing I'd get rich over, but I was able rent for an apt for a couple of years until my salary increased and I can buy a house. Now, I make over $100K/year and my wife also works. LI is a two income area and anyone who applies for a job should plan their lives based on what salary they can expect to receive.

[oflove13]

They dont do anything anyway but chase kids on mopeds and sleep at the fire house all night lol.
even if they do cut the starting salary you will still be making great money if those guys at the nypd can survive for 6 months making 25000 and Nassau 34000 you can survive. even if they do cut it they will probally still get 30,000 apps because the top out is so high

[richbrown123456]

Maybe but prob. not, Look at ncpd the top out is just as high but the starting isnt and they had 1/3 of suffolk's test takers. Alot of people see instant money.

[Chrisk327]

If anyone thinks 25K is a realistic salary for a police officer on long island, you're nuts. An assitant manager at McDonalds makes that much.

I am trying to start in Nassau, it is going to be a very painful paycut to take the job. With two incomes at around the starting salary, I will definately be short (more bills than income) on a monthly basis for at least a year. I am planning to take it because it does jump to a higher salary quickly. Although it will be years before I'm near my current salary.

Depends on what your thoughts are, should they be hiring kids just out of highschool living with their parents then 20-30k might be reasonble.

If you're looking to hire real adults who can afford to live on the island you better get out of the 20s and even 30s quickly. You should be able to afford to live near the area you police and I wouldn't say in your parent's house or illegal basement apartment should be considered "living". Rents in Nassau are expensive $1200 or more for a 1 br, same with auto insurance and most cost of living items.

[formerFAM]

The whole thing is a vicious cycle. One reason why LI is so expensive is because of property taxes (I pay $12K a year), in part because public employees have been paid very well over the years (some too well). It's unrealistic to keep pay public employees increasingly big salaries and still keep taxes from going sky high.


If you look at your taxes closely, you will see that state and county government accounts for a small percentage. The biggest chunk of your property tax goes to your local school district and special districts like water and library. This is why taxes differ depending on the school district you live in. If you live in the Town of Oyster Bay, you pay the same town, county and state tax whether you are in Jericho or Farmingdale. But, your taxes will be way higher in Jericho because of the school district tax.

So, the cop's salary is not really to blame for property taxes.

[GoldBadge]

If you look at your taxes closely, you will see that state and county government accounts for a small percentage. The biggest chunk of your property tax goes to your local school district and special districts like water and library. This is why taxes differ depending on the school district you live in. If you live in the Town of Oyster Bay, you pay the same town, county and state tax whether you are in Jericho or Farmingdale. But, your taxes will be way higher in Jericho because of the school district tax.

So, the cop's salary is not really to blame for property taxes.

I follow my tax bill very carefully and I do live in the Town of Oyster Bay.

No, it's not just a cop salary, it's the secretary's salary, the park landscaper's salary, the assistant to the assistant Public Work's manager's salary, the school janitor ... you get the gist. They all make $40K-$60K, with great benefits.

I'm assuming you heard about the benefits employees of the Plainview Water District were getting. Completely free orthodontic work with retroactive coverage. It's obscene.

Salaries for Nassau Co. employees are inflated, ostensibly to allow them to buy a house in a county that has some of highest property taxes in the nation. Well how do we end that cycle? What is so wrong with reducing the starting wage to a more reasonable amount to taxpayers? They'll still make well over $100k in five years. I didn't start my gov't job making $100k/year, but I saw the salary scale, did my budget calculations and made it work. Anyone newly hired at Nassau or Suffolk Counties can do the same thing.

The average price of houses even in this slow market averages close to $500k in Nassau, taxes routinely exceed $10K/year. How is anyone but the wealthy going to be able to afford to live there?

Steve Levy has got a reasonable idea to help contain costs in Suffolk and there's nothing wrong with it. There will still be 500 applicants for every police position.

[ChrisF202]

Well, that is true but you would still have those who become a cop because they want to be a cop and not just because the read the Newsday article about their paycheck and then happened to get lucky on the test so I dont think a drastic cut would hurt things that much. That being said, I still feel that a significant portion of SCPD officers are officers just for the paycheck, if tomorrow morning we slashed the pay in half and prohibited them from hanging out at the fire house except for briefings and shift changes then I guarantee we would see quite an exodus, it wouldent really be a loss because the ones left would be the ones who actually have a desire to do something.

As for the NYPD; I know more then a few NYPD officers who live out here in the burbs (in rented apartments and houses) and if they can get by on an NYPD salary then so can an SCPD officer. I have more then a few friends who's families get by on well less then $100,000 here on Long Island as well.


The fact remains, someday we will not be able to afford to pay them what they are paid if we continue to pay them at this level.

[formerFAM]

I'm assuming you heard about the benefits employees of the Plainview Water District were getting. Completely free orthodontic work with retroactive coverage. It's obscene.

Salaries for Nassau Co. employees are inflated, ostensibly to allow them to buy a house in a county that has some of highest property taxes in the nation. Well how do we end that cycle? What is so wrong with reducing the starting wage to a more reasonable amount to taxpayers? They'll still make well over $100k in five years. I didn't start my gov't job making $100k/year, but I saw the salary scale, did my budget calculations and made it work. Anyone newly hired at Nassau or Suffolk Counties can do the same thing.

[GoldBadge]

Your point about the Water District is exactly my point. Lets say we wack down the NCPD salary, and also cut county property taxes accordingly. But, the water district and school district keeps its rates. So now the young NCPD cop is making less. His county taxes are lower but the lion's share of his tax bill (water/sewer/school districts) are still sky high. What then?

As I said, I don't begrudge anyone a living salary, but something needs to be done to cut LI taxes. Levy has been taking steps and I respect that. If Nassau can attract tons of cops at a $34k starting salary, why can't Suffolk? As to the water and school district, my position is the same. It needs to across the board cuts. The madness has to be stopped.

I started with the gov't in 1989 with a salary of about $18K (without LEAP), about $10K less than my previous LEO job, but I saw much money in my future. FormerFAM, you worked for the gov't in a NYFO, how many 0083 series jobs in NY do you know of that start at $60K (without OT) and go up to $100K base after 5 years?

Can ya tell that I'm real ****ed about my ever increasing property tax bill? :mad:

[gbotj]

yeah your ****ed until you get called for suffolk PD. Then you beg for them not to touch the starting pay.

[ChrisF202]

yeah your ****ed until you get called for suffolk PD. Then you beg for them not to touch the starting pay.
You shouldent become a cop simply because of the paycheck. You should become a cop because you have the desire to be a cop or because you have an interest in law enforcement, the last thing we need is a bunch of cops who dont want to do anything except collect paychecks and need their sergeants to practically force them to respond to calls .. oh wait, we already have that problem :rolleyes:

[formerFAM]

FormerFAM, you worked for the gov't in a NYFO, how many 0083 series jobs in NY do you know of that start at $60K (without OT) and go up to $100K base after 5 years?

[gbotj]

"You shouldent become a cop simply because of the paycheck. You should become a cop because you have the desire to be a cop or because you have an interest in law enforcement, the last thing we need is a bunch of cops who dont want to do anything except collect paychecks and need their sergeants to practically force them to respond to calls .. oh wait, we already have that problem "

I never said anything about doing it for the money, just that I doubt that if anyone was going on suffolk PD tomorrow starting at 57k and they cut salary to 30k today would be very happy.