file photo by Boyd Loving
By Sergio Bichao May 15, 2017 4:00 AM
With reporting by David Matthau
Most police officers in New Jersey are earning six-figure salaries before overtime and benefits.
A New Jersey 101.5 analysis of municipal police salaries found the median police salary last year was about $105,000 — an increase of 4 percent since 2012. For comparison, the median household income in the state is $72,000.
But the highest-paid cops are not always the ones patrolling dangerous city streets.
The police departments with the most generous payrolls are often in towns that go decades without experiencing a homicide. According to use-of-force reports that departments file with their county prosecutor, cops in these highly paid towns often retire without ever having to fire their weapon in the line of duty.
Read More: Are NJ police salaries fair? Cops in high-crime areas get less | https://nj1015.com/are-nj-cops-salaries-fair-cops-in-high-crime-areas-get-less/?trackback=tsmclip
pay them whatever it takes to make the us safe.