Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Hi everyone,

Again - I've found these boards to be very useful in helping me along in the applicationg process for the NYPD.
Right now I only have the Physical test (wed) left to do and a meeting with my Investigator next week. So far - it looks good.

However, As i've mentioned in the past - I struggle with the decision of whether to accept a position (if i pass) or not.

I am idealistic I suppose, so I want to get a sense of satisfaction in my job (after all - you devote about 2,100 hrs a year to ur job). I 'slightly' feel satifsfied in the computer industry I work in, but I dont think it would come close to the personal satisfaction I would have as a cop.

SO, in the process of applying to the NYPD, i've gotten an offer for another job to make 80k yearly.

For those of u on the Job, would u say that your Job is not measure by the $$ you make (or dont make)?
If you were in a position to make 80k in another field or 35k starting out in the nypd - which would you choose?

Im not the type of person to base a career decision on the words of strangers I don't know, but I am curious to see what those of you who have been on the Job - would choose.

Thanks,

That is a decision that only you can make, but for me the decision would have been an easy one because the pay was not a major motivating factor in my decision to enter this profession. Good luck to you either way.

Can you not do the computer thing on the side?

Coobs,

FWIW if you feel that LE work is a calling than one would not expect to get rich. If you take the job just to have a job,then the answer is plain to see. I wouldnt trade my 25+years in this business for a million bucks. Thats me,there are others on the job that would disagree. I would rather go to a job that I liked/loved and made a living then go to WORK and be unhappy. Life is all about choices... Good luck in your endeavors no matter which way you decide.

On the side? Well - not for 80k, thats for sure.
I could do some computer stuff on the side (and I know alot of cops have a 2nd job), but apart of me doesn't want to work too much that I'll never see my wife/kids.

Comp. stuff is tricky because there is a need for specific kinds of comp. guys.
The stuff i do would probably require more of a full time status.

Ugh, i just dont like the corporate scene and would rather be in the nypd and try to work my way up, but when you have responsibilities like a wife and bills - you have more then just yourself to look after ya know?

I love my wife and love to provide for us, but it just seems like doing something I 'may' love would require a substantial financial loss.
And at this point after talking to a diverse group of cops and reading different boards, it seems like the general population of cops want to do 20 years and get out....so maybe its not something people love as much as I think it is?
I dunno =)

It is none of my business, but have you discussed your wifey working? Is that an option? I don't know about that department, but you can double your pay by working overtime. And with court and stuff like that it won't be too much extra time. Just a thought. I know a lot of people that run their own side business out of their home. That is why I suggested an on the side type thing.

Coobs,
Also keep in mind that there is much chance of advancement and there are a number of Computer related positions,some Investigative and others just MISD type stuff.Furthermore,if you take the job and don't like it , I would think that there are other 80k jobs out there somewhere. Think about the vacation,the retirement,medical benefits etc. If you have to pay for these in the 80k job,that can add up.

This is true. When i've asked people about advancement - ive generally gotten 2 replies.
One from an inspector i know who said that there is room to move up, but it takes alot of studying, (usually a hook), and luck. Sometimes it gets slow where theres somewhat of a freeze, but that only lasts a few years here and there (if at all). But his thinking was that you CAN move up/around and that its flexible.

Other people have said that it really isnt as easy as people say it is - to move around. Like my investigator said that they've been stuck in theyre job for 4 years and they havent been able to move around.
Others have said to get into something like computer forensics would DEF. take a hook.

My wife will be working after her masters degree is complete (2 years). BUT - if we have kids, she'll only work part time from home doing what she does. Its good money, but im not going to rely on her income.

Im not into misd really (from what ive researched its just networking stuff). Im more into security....finding pedophiles, investigating cybercrimes, etc. There a division for that?

Coobs,

The promotions are Civil Service,except in the Detective ranks,that being said you do well on the test you get promoted. The problem comes as you go higher in the dept the "Hook"becomes big for choice assignments. Yes there is a Computer Investiagtions Division or whatever it's called these days. I for one think that 4years on the job,not at top pay,is still a Rookie and Patrol is where they should be. It doesn't always work out that way but thats my .02.

I have been making 80k for some time now. I am looking to leave for a career as a LEO. I am not saying I would do it for NYC pay (especially if I lived in the city), but I plan on taking a big hit none the less. I already bought my house, and my wife works to help with the mortgage, so my situation might not be the same as yours. I am willing to make the sacrifice. It will either be the smartest, or stupidest thing I've done. We'll see ;)

I don't know if you've discussed this before, but when you leave one career to go into policing, alot more will change than just your pay. Not sure how much you've researched it, what your family thinks about it, etc, but those are definately factors that come into play, as well as the money factor. My husband has been at work many holidays, and very seldom gets to be a part of the neighborhood impromptu BBQ ~ he's usually working when everybody else is home. That's just part of life when you're in LE.

In our area, we have a reserve program. My hubby has a friend that has been a reserve cop for over 30 years. He works about once per week on the street doing patrol, just like one of the other guys. But, he still works his day job for a heck of a lot more money. He gets the best of both worlds. Not sure if something like that is available in your area, but it's just a thought if you're still unsure whether you want to make the jump or not.

If I were making 80k (and enjoyed what I was doing), I would consider keeping that job and being a reserve officer/deputy.

I only know of the aux. police around here (especially nassau/suffolk county).

The cost of living in ny is crazy and so that adds to my situation.

I know my wife isnt crazy about the hours and isnt crazy about the cut in pay, but she wants me to be happy with what i do.

Its a hard decision to make. Some guys love their job, some guys are just waiting for the 20 years to be up to move on.

After talking to a few cops who were stationed to sit outside a hotel or financial building all day - they say that they would not have joined the nypd if they could do it over again.
They say the hours can suck, you gotta wait around until someoone relieves you (not like a 9-5 job obviously) and that your outside rain, snow or shine, and the politics make the nypd horrible.

So, i guess it depends on what kind of personality you have and what your looking for in the job.

For nypd guys - do u find that the work you do really leaves you feeling satisfied with your job? And if it does, does the low pay, bad hours and thus not seeing your wife/kids, city politics and such override your feeling of 'satisfaction' from the job?

For nypd guys - do u find that the work you do really leaves you feeling satisfied with your job? And if it does, does the low pay, bad hours and thus not seeing your wife/kids, city politics and such override your feeling of 'satisfaction' from the job?

Again, I am not a cop, but lets try to be realistic. (not that you are not, or are not trying to be) I am sure that there are cops who like what they do (I know NYC cops who do). I have also met NYPD who can't wait to retire. But, if you are going to be able to make the best of your days with the NYPD, and make the most of your career there, and be glad you are no longer a computer programmer then you'll probably be ok. If you think you might say to yourself that 'this' was not worth the pay cut, and constantly compare police work with what you used to do, you are probably going to be miserable.

I think it comes down to how you feel in your gut. How badly do you hate your job now? If you are pretty content, then maybe you should stay put. If you gotta make a change in career for whatever reason, and policing really appeals to you, then maybe you should go for it.

This is what has been going through my head. Hope that helps.

Coobs,

Each to there own but when I have come across the cops who say how the job sucks etc I just tell them to quit. There is not a gun to their head making them stay against their will. Now I realize if they only have short time to go,over the years it takes its toll,thats another story than the guys w/4 years on. When I tell them to quit they just stare at me. None of them ever quit.

Have you thought about applying for a smaller PD? Policing in the NYPD and in a smaller, tighter-knit department I think would be really different. My impression of NYPD is that as a portable (beat-walker), and even a radio car cop, you are the lowest of the low, and you have a long way to go in order to advance. I mean we are talking about a department of what...30,000 cops? That's insane...you'd be hard pressed to find more than a handful of towns out here in CO that have that many CITIZENS. You are in competition with all those guys for advancement. Add to that the fact that patrol in the NYPD is probably pretty basic. A LOT of traffic control, a LOT of standing where your supervisors tell you to, a LOT of securing perimeters, etc.

Department I'm hoping to get on here in a bit...starts at 35k (for FT...I'm going Reserve) and only has a patrol force of 17 for a town of about 2 square miles. There are 10,000 censused citizens with a probably 9-13K illegal immigrants. The thing is, a lot of emphasis is placed on the duties of patrol in a department like that. Homicide scene, it might take a while to wake one of the detectives up. You are taking measurements, taking crime scene photos, dusting for prints...stuff that a bigger department would just send a CSI team out to handle. Personally, I like that aspect of being involved in much of the investigation process...the canvassing, the grid-walking, collecting shells, possibly being on the on-call SWAT team, things like that. When you have 17 officers, you know everyone, there is more of a team attitude, and the world doesn't seem so unconquerable. Add to that the fact that you are competing with less people for the same relative amount of promotions. That, and the fact that I think the networking is a LOT better...you know more officers and staff in surrounding cities, making laterals just a bit less harrowing. Smaller departments often rely on neighbor agencies for back-up, so I think there is a bit more inter-agency cooperation.

I'm not saying the NYPD wouldn't be an awesome place to work, I just think it is a slightly different mentality of policing. You can start out at a smaller department (not necessarily 17 officers, lol, maybe 50, 100, or a couple hundred, whatever you want) for the same pay, top out at the same level after the same amount of time, and live somewhere with a drastically lower cost of living. The shifts might be better too...NYPD, you may be on graves for YEARS. Smaller departments you may have more say in when you work...after a couple shift rotations anyway.

All that being said, I know a couple guys around here that work for departments of a couple hundred cops, been there long enough to top out damn near 75K, and make close to 85K with the occasional overtime, and still spend good time with their fams...

Just a thought.... :D

Hey Coob,

Im a NYPD candidate like you. Just this past Friday I was offered a promotion at my job. No where near for 80k a year you were offered, but its a chance at a good career with great money down the road. I may never have a chance to get again. So for a second, I was not sure which path to take. But my girl simply said to do what makes me happy.

I thought about the all the pros about becoming a police officer and I feel the NYPD is for me. I watch as the patrol cars race down a street with the sirens on. I also watched a documentary on ESU (which is what I hope to do someday). All those things just get me pumped and it is definitely something I want to do among all the other responsibilities. We have all heard the good and the bad of the department. How difficult the odds seem to get into our dream units. But they way I see it, we would never know unless we try.

Even if I do not make "my dream unit", I will still be happy as a patrolman. In my opinion, helping people, never knowing what’s going to happen next, etc; is much better than doing the same boring and predictable job day in and day out. Just a little something I thought about this past weekend, hope it helps a little. Hopefully we'll run into each other July 1st.

Good Luck

Well put Bishop.

Coobs,

I am in the same pos as you. If I quit my job as IT Manager then I'd be taking a 50% pay cut. If I was single I woudl do it, but I have a wife and kids to think about and college and braces and ...

I have two choices. Work another couple of years and pay off every penny of debt except the mortgage, then look at the finances again and see if we could get by. If I join the local City PD they gat 55-60k after 4 years service. Starting at 40k 1st year etc. After the 4 years that will have worked out to about a 30k cut, which I could live with, but it would be tough.

The second choice is to join that dept (or the local county sheriff) as a reserve. I'd have to pay my own training, euipment etc and wouldn't get to drive the cruiser, but I'd be doing the work and helping out, giving that officer a partner/backup for the night that he/she otherwise wouldn't have. Plus I'd keep my job and current salary. One shift a week would do me fine. Give me friday night, please... :eek:

I'm working towards being a reserve. My wife is a little iffy ont he subject of me being an LEO at all, so talking her into taking a 50% pay cut for 4 years (ie 'paying' 160k so I could be a cop...) would NOT go over well... :D

Hello,

I'm not a police officer but if I were you I would follow my heart. You should go with your gut feeling because anything and everything in your life could change in 4 years during that "pay cut" and you possibly passed on the shot to realize your dream.

Just my opinion...good luck!

ok let all these other ppl out of your mind, we all know the real reason we work is to have what we want and live the best we can, now most people probably won't agree with me but dang man if you take that much of a pay cut your gonna need to sell some stuff, remember all the tax's and stuff you still gotta pay, if I was in your case there wouldn't be a second thought, i'd take that 80k/year job in a heart beat.

Do you want to be a LEO or do you just want to make more money ?

well seems he would rather be an LEO, but still make good money, cause once you pay good pay like that, it's gonna be real hard to turn yourself away from that good of a paycheck, I know I couldn't do it, heck if all you do is program your making good money...

Coob,
This is from a guy on teh job who took a 50% cut in pay, lost a company car, lost the ability to make my own hours and lost a regularly scheduled life to do the NYPD.

Would I do it again knowing everything now? YES. Why? I get satisfaction out of the job. DO I make decent money? NO. DO I have to have a second job? YES! Do I see my wife enough? NO! But she understands all of this. She understands I work my tour...do my second gig and roll in at 2 am and have to get up at 5 to go back to work. So we see each other a few nights a week for a few hours if we are lucky. But it works for us now. Do at times I regret taking teh job...sure. WHo wouldn't miss the $ and easy schedule and spedning time with my frineds and family like normal people. But I still ike what I get out of the job.

Don't take this job if you need a $80K salary to pay your bills. It won't happen unles syouhave a side gig. Take this job if you really want it and your heart says to. If you have doubt.....I suggest you don't take it till you have 0% doubt this is what you want. It will only make those tough days harder.

Promotion andmovement in the NYPD is tough. Scoring decent on a test is only one part. Guys will get extra credit for living in teh city and certain medal they earned or veterans credit stuff. So you may get a 91, along with me....but because I live in teh city and have more medals my score will go to 96. What is the difference between 96 and 91? Try about 1000 people! There also is very little movement into special units unless you have a hook or speak arabic or other ME languages right now. You may be the greates computer guy in the world, but there are very few of these positions in the NYPD so your chances of sliding into an opening are very slim!

Only you can answer what is best for you. But follwo your heart and make sure you have no doubt!

Thanks everyone, i appreciate it.

Joeyd6 - I agree w/ all you said and I know I want the job. But - I don't think doubting it is wrong - i think its wise to weigh your options and that usually happens if you question a decision you make.

Im going to apply myself and do my best to get some overtime and hopefully advance, but what I don't like is the idea of only seeing my wife and someday kids...only a few hours a week.
" She understands I work my tour...do my second gig and roll in at 2 am and have to get up at 5 to go back to work. So we see each other a few nights a week for a few hours if we are lucky. But it works for us now. "

----I'm not sure how that will work out w/ my wife and i...and especially if/when we have kids. I guess this area is different for different families.
I just dont like the stats of cops who become alcoholics and end up divorced. I know the statistic is bad in general even if your not a cop, but it seems like the LEO profession has a higher divorce rate.

I guess you just take ur chances with the Job. If you love it, u dont care what hours u work and such. But then again, when does your family come first if your constantly working and hardly see them?

Whats ur input Joey?

Not Joey, but a police wife here...

You have already mentioned that she's wary of this change. Being married to an LEO definately has challenges...especially since you will be a rookie in a large department. You will wind up working most holidays, work either evening or night shift...far from banker's hours to say the least. As I mentioned before, you will most often be working when others aren't, so you will have to forgo the impromptu get togethers, unless you have vacation time saved up and want to take the day off.

I'm not trying to paint the job in a bad light, because it certainly has it's rewards, but I do want to paint a realistic light for you and your wife. I really would encourage you to talk in detail about your expectations when/if you make the career change. Not just the obvious things like bills/debt, but when you expect to see each other, what do you plan to do when/if kids enter the picture, how will you both feel about your working holidays, etc.
I don't think that meeting with a couselor to discuss these things in detail would be a bad idea either....as you already mentioned, you don't want to become a statistic.

I still have headaches with her over certain things but teh key is we work it out togther. I am not a drinker so that wards off many problems. We live about 3 hours from her family so on holiday if i am working, i encourage her to go to her family. She hases tehthought of me being a lone but I want her with familiy than home alone waiting for me. You definately need to sit down and discuss it with her. And not just one 2 hour talk. You need to have multiple talks over many days. There is also a great book for her to read while you work it out......called "I love a cop" See amazon or B&N. My wife got a lot out of it and it explained some thinsg I could not. Whiel my job is demanding...family comes first. So when teh boys are going out...I go home. Now fewer and fewwer go out anyways....too much trouble. We do get togther with our wives for dinner or a movie or something though. It makes thinsg go smoother. My wife and my partners wife are alwasy on the phone and good friends when we are at work....but when we are at home with them they rarely talk to each other. Kinda funny if you think about it. Don't get discouraged! Just talk it it out. See how she and yourself feels about working holidays and birthdays and maybe mid-nights or 1800x0200. You will make the right choice!