Expert: Jack Toomey - 12/21/2007

Question
what is the starting pay? how much education is required? is there an age reguirement? what are the physical reguirements? what benefits does the employer offer? hope you will beable to answer my questions. thank you! karri

Answer
Karri,

  First of all I have to explain that there are thousands of police departments in this country from the smallest three man departments to very large departments like New York City.  Every single police department in this country has different hiring standards, different rules, and a different pay scale.  You can probably appreciate that a rural department in the South would have a lower pay scale than a large suburban department on the east or west coast.  It would be the same as determining the cost of living.

   You asked about education and benefits.  Some departments require only high school, some two years of college, while a few require a degree.  Most departments offer health and dental insurance, life insurance, sick leave, vacation pay, and a retirement package.  But you won't know for sure what benefits that are offered until you ask the individual police department.

  I want to add this since many students and young people are not aware of it.  TV and the movies make the position of "homicide detective" very attractive and it appears that the detectives are always doing something dangerous and using their brains to solve crimes.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Most of the time is spent on paperwork, knocking on doors, talking to witnesses, investigating natural deaths (some are not pleasant), and doing mundane things.  And are you aware that you will spend many years in uniform before you would ever be considered for the position of homicide detective?  Some people think that they can walk right out of a classroom into a desk in homicide.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  It is a long process and only a very small percentage of each police department actually works in homicide.