highest paid police departments in pa
The state boasts the highest average pay in the country for police and sheriffs patrol officers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics most recent report. East Pittsburgh Police Officer Michael Rosfeld (pictured) was implicated in the fatal shooting of Antwon Rose II. Charlie Wolfson is an enterprise reporter for PublicSource, focusing on local government accountability in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. State troopers, professors, dentists, corrections officers and registered nurses were among those who earned more than Wolf in 2020. Pennsylvania (/pnslveni/ (listen) PEN-sil-VAY-nee-), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state located in the northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The Pennsylvania General Assembly paid more than $156 million to 3,040 employees in 2020. The Lower Merion Township Police Department is located in the Philadelphia suburbs and serves a population of over 16,000 residents. Applicants must be at least 21 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent. The vast shopping complex pays taxes, and also pays for a full-time officer assigned exclusively to its grounds. Non-cash benefit. WebEstimated salaries. [19] The report claimed the amount that Philadelphia paid to pension recipients limited the citys ability to use its budget effectively. 401 (k) View more benefits. Pennsylvania local government salary data is public records. The Lawrence County sheriffs department has a population of over 120,000 people. The Philadelphia Police Department is a great place to work for police officers who are looking for career advancement opportunities and high salaries. Welsh announced her retirement in January 2021. Here are the top 10 highest-paying cities and areas for patrol officers in California. On the lower end, Bucks County Sheriff Office You can drive a truck in the gas fields right now and earn $24 to $30 an hour.. (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette). The chief counsel to Cutlers office made $202,059, which is $71,379 more than the Republican speaker made himself. Police officers who work for local law enforcement agencies in the state of Pennsylvania earn around $55k+ per year. Non-cash benefit. The city of Pittsburgh is also very diverse, providing officers with a unique and enriching work environment. Applicants must pass a written examination, physical fitness test, polygraph exam, and extensive background check. 50 years ago this month, we exposed a state institution. Box 7113 Law enforcement Pennsylvania paid state employees $6.2B in Elections in 2023 | (Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette). Being a Police Patrol Officer requires an associate degree in criminal justice and/or additional certifications and at least 12 to 18 months of law enforcement experience. They just had a shooting in Kennedy that I have to assist on.. See user submitted job responsibilities for Police Patrol Officer. His eight-officer department regularly gives and gets help from all of its neighbors. While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $98,524 and as low as The Buck county sheriffs department has a population of over 600,000 people. (Pam Panchak/Post-Gazette), Shelly Bradburysbradbury@post-gazette.com. Wolf donated his salary to the State Employee Combined Appeal, an annual charitable giving campaign run by the state, as he has done throughout his time as governor, according to his spokesperson Lyndsey Kensinger. This means that more than a third of employee compensation came in the form of benefits. below national average. Taking a snapshot that looks at the entire workforce together is not a reflection of pay or any existing disparities, Downs said. 9 high-paying police departments. [19] The authors recommended three steps towards addressing the problem of high costs in pensions: improved data collection, expanded transparency initiatives, and reductions to the city's overall budget.[19]. Throughout much of 2021, 911 dispatchers were regularly forced to work double eight-hour shifts, sometimes with no notice. State police are required by law to provide free police services in areas with no local coverage. WebHighest paying cities for Police Officers near City of Lancaster, PA Philadelphia, PA $68,834 per year 43 salaries reported Allentown, PA $65,052 per year 10 salaries reported York, PA $64,482 per year 5 salaries reported Erie, PA $62,969 per year 5 salaries reported Harrisburg, PA $58,636 per year 7 salaries reported Middletown, PA However, this varies depending on factors such as education level and years of experience that an officer has worked for a police department. The Bucks County sheriffs office is located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. This department offers competitive salaries and benefits for its officers, excellent opportunities for advancement within the organization, a low cost of living in Lancaster county, as well as exceptional training programs. High $123,703. The Lancaster County Sheriff is an elected official who LMPD offers excellent training opportunities and career advancement potential, making it an appealing agency to work for. Thirty-one of the 50 highest-paid local government employees were police officers on Long Island, including 24 Nassau County police officers. The opportunity for career advancement is excellent at the Cumberland County sheriffs office. Michigan Police Chief Howard Burton said the disparity between his and other departments shows up in pay, training and length of service. Low $63,441. All figures above reflect the average annual salary of police and sheriffs patrol officers as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of April 2020. Tom Wolf earned $195,457 last year, earning less than 264 state employees on his sixth year on the job. Among full- and part-time employees, men had a median salary 20% higher than women, $52,156 to $43,246. @media ( min-width: 1px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 1px;}}@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 600px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}. The area also has many public transportation options for commuters looking to avoid driving on busy roads. The Pennsylvania State Police is a great place to work for individuals who are looking for a career in law enforcement that offers opportunities for advancement and statewide travel. Empire Center for Public Policy Top 10 Highest-Paying CA Cities/Areas for Patrol Officers. In 2011, Sunshine Review chose 152 local governments as the focus of research on public employee salaries. Ten Shelter Island police officers were paid an average of $131,362. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. Yet independent, small-scale policing has deep roots not only in Pennsylvania but across the nation. PSERS manages the pension plan for Pennsylvania school employees. You know your residents, you know who is trouble, you have a personal connection with those people, he said in September. Downs said these topline salary numbers can be attributed to union contracts and other factors that do not include race. The Post-Gazette requested budget, salary, staffing and policy data from all 109 police departments in the county and received information from every one. The current patchwork of police departments across the county wont work for the long-term, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said in a recent interview, and it reflects how some communities, forced to cut budgets after losing industry and revenues decades ago, are struggling to provide not only quality policing but also all basic municipal services, harming residents quality of life. Of the employees who earned more than the governor, 41% worked in PASSHE, 16% were in the Department of Human Services, 9% worked for PSERS, 9% worked for the State Police and the remaining 25% worked for different agencies. In 2010, he earned a salary of $132,569.84. It just beats them up it really does. *FBI Unified Crime Reporting Part 1 Crimes: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson. In the end, he decided to send his lone on-duty officer to the shooting, while he remained in his borough in case of an incident there. WebThe highest-paid regions are Suffolk and Nassau counties where a police officer earns $97,910. Computer Systems Administrator, Employee Benefits Analyst, Safety Instructor, Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic, Police Patrol Officer Salaries by Percentile, Police Patrol Officer's Average Annual Base Salary. All applicants must also pass a written examination, oral interview, drug test, and physical fitness assessment. He was the only employee to pass the $150,000 threshold. Struggling to keep policies up to date is a common problem at resource-strapped departments, Mr. Wexler said. Another thing to keep in mind is that the cost of living varies greatly from one city to another in PA. Albany, NY 12224, Phone: 518-434-3100 The Cumberland County sheriffs office is located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The Montgomery County sheriffs office is a great place to work and offers many opportunities for career advancement. High $56,280. Do you want to be a police officer or sheriffs deputy? Please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org to suggest an improvement. Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence. The most common way to become a police officer with the PSP is by applying through their civil service exam process. Lower Merion Township Police Department, FAQ About Working For a Police Agency in PA, Office is an excellent place to work for police, crime scene investigation, and emergency response, asked questions about working for a police, oral interview, drug test, and physical fitness assessment, hiring police officers, so it is best to speak with someone from the department directly. Brian Englert, a correctional officer at the jail and the officers union president, had a base salary of $74,145 but became the countys eighth-highest earner by racking up more than $100,000 in overtime pay. At least 18 Suffolk County police officers were also paid by village police departments during the period. I do know the people in Heidelberg really support this, he said. The average salary for a police officer is $53,522 per year in Harrisburg, PA. 4 salaries reported, updated at April 23, 2023. In Pay. This article may not adhere to Ballotpedia's current article guidelines. The average cost to attend a police academy in the state of Pennsylvania is around $5000+. Non-cash benefit. Montgomery County had four employees making over $150,000. In addition, many cities and towns in Pennsylvania have a lower cost of living combined with high quality of life opportunities that make this state an excellent choice for police officers who are looking to start or advance their career path. Westmoreland County also has a large population of over 300,000 residents and is located in the southwestern area of the state. Highest paying cities for Police Officers near Phoenixville, PA Erie, PA $67,777 per year 5 salaries reported Philadelphia, PA $66,693 per year 45 salaries reported Allentown, PA $65,052 per year 10 salaries reported York, PA $59,279 per year 5 salaries reported Middletown, PA $57,626 per year 12 salaries reported Harrisburg, PA $57,145 There are all different kinds of police departments in the state of Pennsylvania including city police departments, county sheriffs offices, university or college campus police agencies, railroad police agencies, transit authority patrol services, airport security units (like TSA), campus police agencies, and more. Twenty county employees earned a higher base salary than Fitzgerald in 2021, and 57 did so when including overtime and other pay. 10 salaries At some agencies, state-certified officers receive little to no additional training. The Erie County Sheriffs Office is a great place for police officers who are looking for both a career and a fulfilling life experience. A communitys crime doesnt dictate police resources, the Post-Gazette found. In the wake of the shooting, which was captured on video and attracted national attention, East Pittsburgh police admitted they did not have written procedures for the handling of critical incidents like officer-involved shootings. Allentown, PA. $65,052 per year. The Cumberland County sheriffs department has a population of over 300,000 people. 23%. 4. Theres movement at the state level to raise pay for part time officers, said state Sen. Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport, who plans to reintroduce legislation to do so next year. The economy is good, so there are well-paying jobs out there, he said. The Lancaster County Sheriff is an elected official who manages the day-to-day operations of the sheriffs office. Within these states, the editors of Sunshine Review focused on the most populous cities, counties and school districts, as well as the emergency services entities within these governments. For example, the highest salary in Pittsburgh in 2009 went to the Paramedic Crew Chief, who earned $174,881. | New Jersey All Pennsylvania police officers must go through 919 hours of basic training designed by the state, but subsequent on-the-job training varies greatly among departments. While larger police agencies are able to attend conferences and training, smaller agencies cant afford the same access and often work with policies that are decades old. Youve got to be really careful that you dont get the tail end of a double or a triple shift, because then you dont have them at 100 percent.. Kane Centers nursing homes (978 employees and 13% of the countys gross payroll). [14] In Pittsburgh, the average range of salaries for fire department employees was $40,000 to$43,000, and officials in the higher end of the organizational hierarchy made more than twice that: the fire chief made $93,697 in 2011. Need more information about one of our courses? Highest paying cities for Police Officers near Shippensburg, PA Philadelphia, PA $69,340 per year 46 salaries reported Allentown, PA $65,052 per year 10 salaries reported York, PA $64,482 per year 5 salaries reported Erie, PA $63,262 per year 6 salaries reported Harrisburg, PA $59,098 per year 6 salaries reported Middletown, PA Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Police Chief Nathan Harper, who had served in the position since 2006, earned a salary of $101,369.01 in 2011. The Lawrence County sheriffs office is a great place to work for police officers who are looking for a challenging and rewarding career. Average $53,355. And while the close proximity of neighboring departments allows police to help each other, it can also make it difficult for lower-paying departments to retain their officers, especially part-timers. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. and the countys Chiefs of Police Association maintain model policies and procedures that any department can use, Mr. Zappala said, but theres no way to force departments to adopt the standards. Bogen, whose tenure as health director started just as COVID-19 reached Pittsburgh, received a 2% raise last year and grossed $255,000. WebHighest paying cities for Police Officers near City of Lancaster, PA. Philadelphia, PA. $68,834 per year. WebBut salary per department still depends on a number of factors, from location to pay incentives. File photograph of the Waterfront in Homestead. Its 50 uniformed employees averaged $150,392. In September, Lincoln police Chief Richard Bosco was juggling a roster with four vacancies. With Ranks Slim, 17 Cops Top $. White men earned a higher median salary than any other group ($52,840), and Black women had the lowest median salary of any group ($41,604). The median compensation was up almost 7% from 2019. Florida These included 34 jail employees and 12 Health Department employees. Police Patrol Officer is responsible for patrolling an assigned area to prevent and discover crime and to enforce regulations. The average Police Patrol Officer salary in Pennsylvania is $61,609 as of January 26, 2023, but the range typically falls between $57,568 and $67,084. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. The department also offers a variety of career advancement opportunities, including: a promotional exam process, numerous specialized training classes and seminars available to members, promotions from within the department, and more. The Police Patrol Officer works under moderate supervision. Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/11/2019). 8. Unlike most jobs where there is eight to five shift, officers need to be on the alert 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Salaries for court employees are not included in the state database. These units include aviation, bomb squad, canine unit, detective bureau, and more. SeeThroughNY includes payroll and pension data for state and local government employees and retirees; detailed expenditure data for the state Legislature; comparative statistics on local government spending; a searchable database of state revenue and expenditures; and copies of all teacher union contracts and superintendent of schools contracts. Highest paying cities for Police Officers near Tennessee Mount Juliet, TN $57,562 per year 7 salaries reported Nashville, TN $56,692 per year 37 salaries reported Memphis, TN $55,104 per year 10 salaries reported Chattanooga, TN $50,216 per year 5 salaries reported Lebanon, TN $49,322 per year 26 salaries reported Cookeville, TN The average Police Patrol Officer salary in Pennsylvania is $61,944 as of March 28, 2023, but the range typically falls between $57,885 and $67,455. Sign up to receive updates about Empire Center research, news and events in your email. This Allegheny County had at least one official making over $150k in 2008. The incident led to the revelation that East Pittsburgh had no written police procedures. State and local courts | And when they looked at that scenario, and people started looking deeper into how the department is run, the background of the people, the training, I dont think they do have confidence that East Pittsburgh can run a police department.. In all, the state paid its legislators just over $23 million. To be a Police Patrol Officer typically requires 1-3 years of related experience, or may need 0 years of experience with additional specialized training and/or certification. At least 18 Suffolk County police officers werealso paid by village police departments during the period. WebAs of Mar 29, 2023, the average annual pay for a Municipal Police Officer in Pennsylvania is $50,220 a year. Pennsylvania local government salary, 2008-2011, "Overtime pay drives city's wage leaders,". Chelsea Police Department, Small communities regularly rely on each other to help shoulder the burden of local policing by coming to each others aid on critical incidents or busy days, crossing municipal borders to lend a hand. This story was written by Shelly Bradbury based on her reporting and that of Andrew Goldstein, Christopher Huffaker, Rich Lord and Ashley Murray. (Harrison Jones/Post-Gazette). below national average. Overtime costs made up 9% of all of the countys payroll expenditures in 2021 but was a more significant cost at some agencies, including the Kane Centers (16% of pay expenditures) and the jail (20% of pay expenditures). The best way to find out which agencies in Pennsylvania have the highest quality of life, low crime rates, and the most opportunities for advancement is by reading this blog post. Is this useful? The Montgomery County sheriffs department has over 800 staff members and covers a population of over 800,000 people. Maintaining an independent police department is a matter of pride for some small communities. Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry. Press@EmpireCenter.org. Sixty people employed by the county in 2021 were hired in the 1970s (18 of them left their job during 2021), 300 were hired in the 1980s, 633 in the 1990s, 1,290 in the 2000s, 2,857 in the 2010s and 1,190 in the 2020s. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), (Photos via Adobe Stock | Illustration by Natasha Vicens/PublicSource). I know there are neighboring places that have more than us, and there are neighboring places that have way less than us, he said. A lot of times its not a matter of getting the equipment and software its a matter of maintaining it, Chief Desimone said. This department offers an excellent compensation and benefits package, opportunities for career advancement, and a diverse cityscape. Press Inquiries: U.S. Congress | Gov. School districts | The police department of Bellmead, Texas, a city of around 10,500 about two hours north of Austin, has begun offering experienced officers a $5,000 bonus for Other top earners in the states public education system were Indiana University of Pennsylvania President Michael Driscoll ($406,018), East Stroudsburg University President Marcia Welsh ($334,890) and West Chester University President Christopher Fiorentino ($324,243). Counties | Salary schedules can be published as ranges, not as specific compensation figures, and may leave out compensation received through health and retirement benefits, as well as benefits such as commuter allowances and cell phone reimbursements. The department, which includes 37 correctional facilities, took about 17% of the states payroll. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; Cities This spacious zippered tote with a design by local artist Andrea Shockling represents different Pittsburghers walks of life, just like we strive for our nonprofit newsrooms journalism to do. Charlie aims to The 12 police officers of the village of Lloyd Harbor were the highest-paid local police officers in the state, averaging $187,973. Highest paying cities for Police Officers near Indiana Fishers, IN $65,817 per year 5 salaries reported Plainfield, IN $61,475 per year 5 salaries reported Lafayette, IN $61,367 per year 18 salaries reported South Bend, IN $60,992 per year 10 salaries reported Evansville, IN $60,992 per year 5 salaries reported Muncie, IN $60,992 per year 23%. Glen Cove had the highest-paid city police department in the state. Philadelphia also has a high cost of living, making it an undesirable place to work for police officers with families. Want to host Outside The Badge at your event or conference? This story was fact-checked by Abby Nemec-Marwene. Counties Chief Stroschein added he feels East McKeesports force is well-equipped. 2. Wisconsin. Average pay for Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) employees increased nearly 10 percent last year, to $123,000. Non-cash benefit. California As the states second largest agency, it employed 16,283 people and paid them more than $1.07 billion a 1.3% increase over 2019. Human services underwent a stressful return-to-office process during the Delta wave of COVID-19 in mid-2021, accompanied by a higher-than-normal number of staff departures. Individuals who were eligible to retire chose that option rather than continuing to work during COVID, she added. The best-staffed police departments in the county have 10 times more officers per resident than the least staffed, and the best-funded departments have more than 10 times the budget per resident than the poorest. The department offers several different career paths including police officer, detective, K-12 school resource officer, and special agent. So the way I look at it, Im hiring the right people and giving them what they need to be attractive to other places, because theyre getting hired at really good departments.. The jail, the Health Departments food safety team and the 911 center have each been the subject of dire understaffing reports. BECOME A MEMBER. The Bethlehem Police Department is a great place to work for individuals who are looking for career advancement opportunities in law enforcement that offers low cost of living and high quality of life. The Philadelphia School District superintendent earned the district's highest salary, making $348,140 in 2010. In December, East Pittsburgh shut down its force and accepted free coverage from Pennsylvania State Police. WebThe salary for police and law enforcement officials in the state of Pennsylvania ranged from the over $70,000 to close to $200,000. In addition to being a great place to work, the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office offers high-quality services and programs for its citizens. This office is dedicated to protecting those who live in Lancaster county as well as enforcing crimes committed within the county borders. On average, police officers in Allegheny County are paid $18 an hour. Applicants must pass an extensive background check, physical fitness test, polygraph examination, medical evaluation, and psychological evaluation. They are also responsible for protecting all of Pennsylvanias 67 state parks! WebHighest paying cities for Police Officers near Upper Providence, PA Philadelphia, PA $65,743 per year 43 salaries reported Allentown, PA $65,052 per year 10 salaries reported York, PA $60,070 per year 5 salaries reported Harrisburg, PA $58,636 per year 7 salaries reported Middletown, PA $57,878 per year 13 salaries reported Erie, PA This department offers excellent training and advancement opportunities to its employees, as well as a competitive salary and benefits package. In Heidelberg, which at 0.26 square miles is the geographically smallest borough in the county to have its own force, residents want to keep the nine-officer department, six-term Mayor Ken LaSota said. Under Greensteins leadership, PASSHE is currently hearing public comments on a controversial plan to consolidate six of its 14 schools in an attempt to cut costs and boost enrollment. Non-cash benefit. Is this useful? Fire departments, Philadelphia County Allegheny County Montgomery County Bucks County Philadelphia City School District Pittsburgh School District Bethlehem Area School District Allentown City School District Pittsburgh Philadelphia Philadelphia Police Department Allegheny County Police Department Montgomery County Sheriff's Department Bucks County Sheriff Office Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Philadelphia Police Department Pennsylvania State Police Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Philadelphia Fire Department, What's on my ballot? School districts was disbanded on December 1, 2018. Make a gift of $7/month or more to get yours today! District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. was the highest-paid elected official ($185,666), followed by County Executive Rich Fitzgerald ($138,664). The judiciary separately reports some salary information online. The average salary for a police officer is The average salary for a police officer is $56,470 per year in Chester, PA. 6 salaries reported, updated at April 25, 2023 Like in 2020, the countys biggest areas were: East McKeesport Chief Russell Stroschein, whos been at the department since 2003, has seen first hand a revolving door of part-time officers.