Costa Mesa PD and their starting pay, $70k. What's the catch?

[Sean Archer]

Hey guys

I'm looking into the CMPD and the $70k pay is VERY tempting.. I was looking into Irvine PD, Newport PD, and HB PD and their pay is nowhere near the $70k pay grade.

It seems too good to be true, so is there a catch? You sign a 5 year contract w/ them?

And also, does anybody know what their work schedules are like?
E.g. Irvine's schedule is 4x10 (M-Thur) and 3x12 (Fri-Sun).

[Blkside]

I dont know what their catch is but its a very easy version of the POST and the PAT is standard. I think they are just the latest to fight for a raise. I believe that Santa Ana and a few others are using that for leverage because NB I think got theirs through so they should be big money soon.

[RicardoTubbs]

The catch is:

You need to be an applicant with qualifications they desire. Even though CMPD is one of the larger municipal PDs in OC, I'm sure they're sought after and hire a candidate based on want rather than need.

They are the highest paid at this time due to the fact CMPD's Union fought hard for their current contract. By looking at their total benefit package, they have it really good right now. REMEMBER, today's highest paid can easily become tomorrow's lowest.

Other PD's WILL catch up once more contracts are up for negotiation, so you need to look at the overall picture.

I'd rather be happy making a little less than paid more and being miserable. Some departments are way more political than others so talk to the Officers and do lots of ride-a-longs to see where you fit best.

[Sean Archer]

thanks for your input guys. I've applied here as well, so i'm just awaiting their call.

[pkagel]

One of my friends was in their reserve program at CM and then went full time with Anaheim. He had nothing but good things to say about CMPD.

[Garbage Man]

There is no catch and that pay is not that great. Only thing you need to look at is whether they include the 9% for PERS in that...,most do...

About 3 years ago they had a chief who everyone hated so many laterally out. they fired him and brought in a cops chief. When you have a lateral problem you lose all your middle seniority guys so its like a donut..lots of vets lots, of rookies. They really want to hire laterals right now. Buddy of mine went there and was senior man on the shift with 5 years on. He had more time than his FTO.

2 cool things about them...they use the tazer more than anybody. they go months w/out day passing and no a tazer usage. They put the tazer right about hands on level. Start to run, thats a tazering, refuse to sit...thats a tazering. Look at their feet thats a tazering (Last part an obscure Simpsons reference)

2nd they have INS in their jail. Every body who gets hooked that aint a US cit say adios amigo! My friend said its so bad cops will sometimes hide their arrestees from the INS guys cuz they actually feel sorry for them. He told me about this one dude who was a chronic r/o violator who was illegal but he came into US when he was like 2... When they told him they could deport him he laughed and said "F-you, you cant do that to me I dont even speak spanish." He is down there now discovering the Mexicans dont put anything into anybody else language. :D That's job satisfaction right there.

[hbliam]

2 cool things about them...they use the tazer more than anybody. they go months w/out day passing and no a tazer usage. They put the tazer right about hands on level. Start to run, thats a tazering, refuse to sit...thats a tazering. Look at their feet thats a tazering (Last part an obscure Simpsons reference)



That's a good thing? :confused: Waste of time if it's truly at "hands on" level or used for stuff like refuse to sit, etc. The majority of that can be taken care of with command presence or minor pain compliance techniques. I'd rather keep my house then get in the habit of tazing people for no reason.

[IE Copper]

Our department does not use a use of force continuum, however, we are very liberal with our use of the Taser. Our admin would rather us taze someone than go hands on. Less injured officers, less injured suspects. There are no lasting effects of the taser, besides the occasional head bouncing of the ground when they fall.