80k? What would you do?

[121Traffic]

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

[Bishop22]

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

[md123]

Well put Bishop.

[Scruit]

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

[Chgojock007]

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!

[03BlackChevy]

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.

[mcsap]

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

[03BlackChevy]

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...

[Joeyd6]

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!

[coobs]

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?

[inquiring mind]

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.

[Joeyd6]

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!