Why are Police officers paid so little to take abuse daily and possibly get shot at?

Answer 1

The police officers here get paid very nicely. And the increases each year are substantial. All overtime is paid at double time.

Answer 2

You are not that bright. I will make over $55,000 this year and I live in the mid west. The average income where I live is
$42, 000. This is plenty of money. I would do my job, which I love, for much less. Heck, I've only been doing this a couple of years. Abuse? You can get that anywhere. Always remember police get the last action...arrests, tickets, ordinance violations, etc. Getting shot at? My wife is a banker. She has just as good a chance, if not better than I do at getting capped. So, I guess it really doesn't matter.

Answer 3

Not every officer takes abuse daily. I work for a county Sheriff Department, and I go to work most days and get nice, warm, helpfull responses from the people I meet during my shift.

Yes the possibility of getting shot at looms in our area almost all the time, but the realization comes down to area and training. Your less likly to get shot in a nice municipal town than a city like New York, Newark, or Paterson.

So now to your question, Why do we get paid so little to take abuse and possibly get shot. It all comes down to the town, County, State, or Federal government trying to keep spending down. When the the Police Union (Either it be the PBA or the FOP) goes to talk to the governing body to agree on a contract the police union will consist of a group of Cops and the Governing body will consist of a group of Councilmen, Mayors, and or Sheriff. The government wants to have them sign a contract that is very low, while the Cops want to sign a contract that is very high. Sometimes they usually go in to arbatration where someone has to come in a decide on a deal for the two sides. The arbatrator usually favorors one side based on the points they make, or how fair the deal sounds in his view.

My answer may be the best answer, it may be the worst answer, but this question is kind of a touchy one for me. My department has screwed us on contract extras for the last 6 years. Good luck

Answer 4

Police Officers are paid little b/c at the current pay scale people are applying to become police officers.
I agree they should get paid more, however as long police departments are filling vacancies and hiring new police cadets- Police officers will not see a large pay raise

Answer 5

i agree i think if they got paid more you would have a better grade of people serving but who the hell wants the job the law is so messed up a child molester gets out in 2-3 but you catch me with weed and i get 10 i serve my neighborhood stand up and be a man fight crime yourself be fair and righteous and always tell the truth. even the gangs respect me for they know ill do whats right they even cough up the bad ones to us some cops tell me good job keep it up i think they are the wise ones the others tell me let us do our job stay out of it i think they suck they are cowards afraid if they do whats right they will lose they're jobs or the other cops wont like them as far as pay they don't get enough cant even afford rent
and they are under staffed for sure.( i am not talking about the ones who serve in rich places you never see the real world you hide in you community even though the rich do more hard core drugs then the poor they can afford it

Answer 6

Good question. So many service jobs, teachers, firefighters, soldiers, police. All get paid so little for such necessary professions.

Answer 7

we are paid low due to the fact that the government, local and state, do not want to fund something the public sees as a negative. it would rather spend its money on the fight against global warming, putting in new grass at the local park, education, etc. I agree that education and out local parks need funding as well, and everyone knows that teachers are WAY underpaid. but I feel, as a cop, that we should be entitled to a pay increase.
there are a ton of public service workers out there and they are all way underpaid. maybe the mayor, and his city coucelmen should take a pay cut to fund us real workers, because thats what the city needs.......

Answer 8

Because we don't value our heroes in the community. Teachers, firefighters and teachers. The politicians get paid better. I think we should cut their salaries and spread it around to schools police and firemen.

Answer 9

BETTER QUESTION IS WHY ARE SCHOOL TEACHERS PAID SO LITTLE - WHEN THEY EDUCATED THE PEOPLE WHO WILL RUN THIS COUNTRY AND POSSIBLY GET BEAT UP OR SHOT

Answer 10

This is an interesting question, and one that intrigued me for many years.