Why do police get paid so little?

[StackUnderflow]

I don't know where you get your statistics but...

Generally speaking, a degree leads to higher pay.

https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=77

Don't have a college degree but graduated high school and want a career path? Law enforcement seems to be a good option.

 

Your chart specifically left off PhDs (not in it's own category) because the data wont fit their nice trend. If you go industry you might make more, but most industry jobs don't require a doctorate.

NIH Guidelines for post-doctoral work:

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-15-048.html

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/research/funding/general/nrsa-fund-guide

 

My point is, I think the enjoyable jobs are the less paid ones rather than basing it on education.

[dragoon20005]

look here

 

http://morethanjustajob.spf.sg/#!uniformed_careers/content/4

 

 

Assistant Superintendent of Police $3,880 - $4,770

 

that equals to 58K yearly not including benefits, medical benefits and group insurances

 

    Annual leave of 32 - 35 days
    Annual medical leave of 14 days or 60 days with hospitalisation
    Subsidised medical and dental care
    Comprehensive group life insurance
    Marriage and child care benefits
    Use of local and overseas holiday bungalows and chalets
    Postgraduate study sponsorship[2]
    Annual study leave of 12 days[2]

 

 

INVEST Scheme

Newly-appointed Senior Police Officers can enjoy retirement benefits with the INVEST plan. Under the plan, the officers will receive additional monthly contributions of 11.75% of their monthly gross salary into their INVEST Retirement Account. This contribution will start from your date of appointment. A lump-sum payout will be made upon your retirement.

[AlwaysFSX]

Same reason the military gets paid very little. We don't value the people who actually protect and serve, especially the ones who make the budgets in the higher ups while they play ping pong in their mansions, sipping on expensive ass wine.

 

Before someone makes the comment "Police don't protect you!" like they're some kind of sovereign citizen or something, shut up. No one cares.

Yeah but that's a touchy subject.

[Speedyv]

Your chart specifically left off PhDs (not in it's own category) because the data wont fit their nice trend. If you go industry you might make more, but most industry jobs don't require a doctorate.

NIH Guidelines for post-doctoral work:

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-15-048.html

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/research/funding/general/nrsa-fund-guide

What are you even arguing? (I'm honestly confused lol) Are you saying postdoctoral pay levels of after a certain amount of years? That seems logical.

But how is that relevant to police officers? Becoming a police officer requires a Highschool diploma! That's all that I'm saying. If there were higher barriers of entry there would be a higher pay. But because a lot of people don't plan on/want to become police officers, there have to be low barriers of entry.

[BlazingGunnerFTW]

Being a policeman or solider means serving the country and people = civil servants

 

if you are taking about yearly pay of 49K, you might be looking at the lowest rank which is Police Constable

 

if you are higher ranking officer the pay will surely go north

 

but it also differs from country to country

Yeah I agree with that too. It seems about right.

 

Hey guys. I was actually kind of considering becoming a police officer because I like the job and its roll in society. I was just curious as to see how much police get paid, and I found out they get paid 49k average. That's already very little, and that means when you start you're probably going to earn even less than that. Why is it that police persons, people who go out and risk their lives to help others, get paid so little? I know that isn't the whole point of wanting to be a cop, but still. I know the whole argument 'because you don't have to be smart or talented to be a police officer', but then why not up the standards? 

Well, go ahead. You being a police officer will first of all get you a job, and you will get chances to get promoted, and when you do, you will get paid more. And that chance is more likely to happen because you seem like an intelligent person, so go ahead, get a job. And plus, it's not like your working at mcdonalds.

[StackUnderflow]

What are you even arguing? (I'm honestly confused lol) Are you saying postdoctoral pay levels of after a certain amount of years? That seems logical.

But how is that relevant to police officers? Becoming a police officer requires a Highschool diploma! That's all that I'm saying. If there were higher barriers of entry there would be a higher pay. But because a lot of people don't plan on/want to become police officers, there have to be low barriers of entry.

 

No, I'm just pointing out that the standard "more education == more $$$" is not true at the (sometimes not even) highest levels of education with an example. That job has one of the highest levels of barrier of entry but still has shitty pay. I added on to the post later that my hypothesis is that for jobs that people actually want to do, the pay seems to be less (another factor of supply in the labor market).

 

The websites I linked are just for reference of an average level of salary (in academia) after doctorate, which your previous chart did not include.

[Speedyv]

No, I'm just pointing out that the standard "more education == more $$$" is not true at the (sometimes not even) highest levels of education with an example. That job has one of the highest levels of barrier of entry but still has shitty pay. I added on to the post later that my hypothesis is that for jobs that people actually want to do, the pay seems to be less (another factor of supply in the labor market).

The websites I linked are just for reference of an average level of salary (in academia) after doctorate, which your previous chart did not include.

Ah I see.

There are outliers for every case. Some jobs require very little education but have very high pay... But nobody really wants those jobs.

And from my understanding you are talking about that specific field/career. I know for a fact that a doctorate makes a big difference in some fields (like education).

But that all depends on circumstances.

[StackUnderflow]

Ah I see.

There are outliers for every case. Some jobs require very little education but have very high pay... But nobody really wants those jobs.

And from my understanding you are talking about that specific field/career. I know for a fact that a doctorate makes a big difference in some fields (like education).

But that all depends on circumstances.

 

I'm a graduate student. From personal experience (there should be some form of data backing this up but I'm too lazy to find them), around 50% of the people who graduate STEM PhDs stay in academia at least for a short term, and pretty much all STEM jobs in academia after grad school and before a junior faculty position (which is super hard to get) have crappy pay. To be completely fair though, the people I know are all in academia since I'm in academia, and if you go out of academia, you get paid more. I personally blame this on the government for not giving enough public research funding. But it could also be that you're also getting credit for your work in publications. It's a weird place, sure, but it's not that uncommon for STEM doctorates to go into these low paying positions.

 

You're right in terms of those jobs that require little education but get high pay. It's the labor market supply and demand. More overall education will drive up supply of "white collar" jobs, causing the equilibrium price to drop. It also decreases supply for low education jobs since less people will want them (waterbed effect of some sort has to happen since the population remains constant). This will cause the equilibrium price for those jobs to increase. This is why I don't put much weight in blanket statements that just say "more education will == more $$" outright.

[Speedyv]

I'm a graduate student. From personal experience (there should be some form of data backing this up but I'm too lazy to find them), around 50% of the people who graduate STEM PhDs stay in academia at least for a short term, and pretty much all STEM jobs in academia after grad school and before a junior faculty position (which is super hard to get) have crappy pay. To be completely fair though, the people I know are all in academia since I'm in academia, and if you go out of academia, you get paid more. I personally blame this on the government for not giving enough public research funding. But it could also be that you're also getting credit for your work in publications. It's a weird place, sure, but it's not that uncommon for STEM doctorates to go into these low paying positions.

You're right in terms of those jobs that require little education but get high pay. It's the labor market supply and demand. More overall education will drive up supply of "white collar" jobs, causing the equilibrium price to drop. It also decreases supply for low education jobs since less people will want them (waterbed effect of some sort has to happen since the population remains constant). This will cause the equilibrium price for those jobs to increase. This is why I don't put much weight in blanket statements that just say "more education will == more $$" outright.

I have no idea about post-doctorate pay in academia but you make a clear point. But with jobs like teaching, wouldn't it be more logical to raise wages rather than raise educational requirements (I know easier said than done). The supply will stay the same but the demand would be much higher and would raise the equilibrium point.

My point is: more education doesn't guarantee higher pay (useless majors and so on), but someone with higher pay will most likely have a higher level of education. How else would they seperate themselves?

Don't even know if any of this makes sense lol. I'm tired.

[Albatross]

Same reason the military gets paid very little. We don't value the people who actually protect and serve, especially the ones who make the budgets in the higher ups while they play ping pong in their mansions, sipping on expensive ass wine.

 

Before someone makes the comment "Police don't protect you!" like they're some kind of sovereign citizen or something, shut up. No one cares.

 

Exactly the words I was going to say. Exactly.

 

+42

 

Police don't protect you? Well that's news to me...

[Kobathor]

Why aren't teachers paid more?

That's just how it works.

Looking at the teachers at my local high school, the other few high schools in town, schools around the metroplex.. You can tell why they don't get paid a ton. 

 

Most don't care. And I mean most. Most are there for the check and nothing more. 

[Kobathor]

Same reason the military gets paid very little. We don't value the people who actually protect and serve, especially the ones who make the budgets in the higher ups while they play ping pong in their mansions, sipping on expensive ass wine.

I personally think it's more like "what are we going to pay them with?" Lots of our taxes go to public services now, and all the free stuff we give people that don't care to work. Not much is left to pay law enforcement. 

 

Anyways, you also get lots of benefits by being in law enforcement/military. 

[dragoon20005]

I personally think it's more like "what are we going to pay them with?" Lots of our taxes go to public services now, and all the free stuff we give people that don't care to work. Not much is left to pay law enforcement. 

 

Anyways, you also get lots of benefits by being in law enforcement/military. 

yes most dont understand why the pay is so low

 

but the benefits are huge IMO

 

below is for high ranking police officers

 

Annual leave of 32 - 35 days

    Annual medical leave of 14 days or 60 days with hospitalisation

    Subsidised medical and dental care

    Comprehensive group life insurance

    Marriage and child care benefits

    Use of local and overseas holiday bungalows and chalets

    Postgraduate study sponsorship[2]

    Annual study leave of 12 days[2]

 

 

INVEST Scheme

Newly-appointed Senior Police Officers can enjoy retirement benefits with the INVEST plan. Under the plan, the officers will receive additional monthly contributions of 11.75% of their monthly gross salary into their INVEST Retirement Account. This contribution will start from your date of appointment. A lump-sum payout will be made upon your retirement.

[Guest Kloaked]

Exactly the words I was going to say. Exactly.

 

+42

 

Police don't protect you? Well that's news to me...

 

I like your profile gif.

 

I personally think it's more like "what are we going to pay them with?" Lots of our taxes go to public services now, and all the free stuff we give people that don't care to work. Not much is left to pay law enforcement. 

 

Anyways, you also get lots of benefits by being in law enforcement/military. 

 

Military benefits are a joke for the most part. They should be getting first-class treatment. Instead they get the shittiest service because they went to war for our government, while the White House gets everything handed to them on a silver platter.

[beau]

In my country police that do traffic duty get $500 a day for a few hours work.  This is a bonus on top of their regular wage because of the hazards and bullshit that's involved I guess.

It's a shit role though, waving your arm all the time but still good money

 

My source is a retried cop so maybe things have changed.

[Kobathor]

I like your profile gif.

 

 

Military benefits are a joke for the most part. They should be getting first-class treatment. Instead they get the shittiest service because they went to war for our government, while the White House gets everything handed to them on a silver platter.

Well.. It also takes years of school to get into the White House (unless you're a friend of Obama), compared to the high school diploma they usually want to sign up for the military. 

 

When my mom was going to go into the Navy, they were going to give her a full scholarship for college. After college, she'd go into the Navy, serve her time, then leave (or sign again.) After, she'd get medical benefits, dental benefits, some tax deductibles- that doesn't sound like a joke. This was 20 years ago, maybe it's changed now. 

[Philosobyte]

I'm thinking it's supply and demand. If they need more cops or if cops get a bad image and no one's signing onto the job, they'll raise the salary. But there seem to be more than enough cops

[JamGorby]

Hey guys. I was actually kind of considering becoming a police officer because I like the job and its roll in society. I was just curious as to see how much police get paid, and I found out they get paid 49k average. That's already very little, and that means when you start you're probably going to earn even less than that. Why is it that police persons, people who go out and risk their lives to help others, get paid so little? I know that isn't the whole point of wanting to be a cop, but still. I know the whole argument 'because you don't have to be smart or talented to be a police officer', but then why not up the standards? 

The real reason (so few have the balls to say) is that cops really don't do a whole lot (on average). While the media would have you believe that being a police officer is oh so dangerous and stressful, the truth is it's not. It's a lot of time sitting in a vehicle listening to a radio, or doing surveillance at a point of interest (like a glorified security guard), or sitting at a desk filling out menial paperwork. Here in the US, with the exception of the major cities, being a cop is a pretty boring job. And the inner city police forces make up a very small part of the actual average. 

[minibois]

Because it's a job that comes from the government and is under appreciated by them

[elecxonica]

It's probably like why someone like the prime minister isn't paid that much. They don't want people going to the job because it pays well, they want them going to the job because they'll be good at up holding the law, and because they'll be able to deal with the stuff they'd end up seeing.

[ShiftHitTheFan]

Here, its about 100k min, with full benefits. Canada eh

[Real_PhillBert]

Supply and demand. 

 

The entry requirements are reasonably low, and people like the power the position holds, so there is no shortage of applicants. When there are a surplus of applicants, the value of each goes down.

 

Take Chicago for example, there they have a lot of trouble getting officers to stay because of the shitty conditions, so after 18 months you make $65k/year. If your local has a great work environment, and little danger, they have a much easier time getting officers to stick around, and therefore pay less. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Police_Department#Pay

[swampi800]

It,s dirtwork and believe me it,s getting dirtier!

[GDRRiley]

 

 

When my mom was going to go into the Navy, they were going to give her a full scholarship for college. After college, she'd go into the Navy, serve her time, then leave (or sign again.) After, she'd get medical benefits, dental benefits, some tax deductibles- that doesn't sound like a joke. This was 20 years ago, maybe it's changed now. 

no not much has changed, it is the same thing.

[Kobathor]

no not much has changed, it is the same thing.

Then it's a decent deal if I've ever seen one.

 

The only problem is the nature of jobs today. After you get out of the military, you still need to get experience before finding a job. My friend's brother got out at 26, being an engineer in the military, and when he went to search for engineering jobs they said he "didn't have the experience" to get the job. I mean, you'd think 4 years of engineering all day all week would be experience enough.. but no.