How Much Money Does A Police Officer Make

A desire to help those in need is something most police officers share. They each want to be heroes, to face disaster and destruction with bravery and to help a community bond together. Though the idealistic view of the job can vary from the realistic work officers must do, police officers work toward those end goals with every shift. Being on a police force is a noble line of work that requires much dedication and training. Those who make it generally have a strong sense of right and wrong.

To Serve Justice

Most police officers enjoy their job immensely, both for the work they do in reality and for the ideals their station in life upholds. Police officers follow the law, and they ensure that society stays within the bounds of legislation. They search out wrongdoers and by doing so, they help repair damage done to countless victims. They help those victims move on with their lives by providing follow-ups and information. They are the true arm of justice.

To Protect People

<p>Police officers ensure maximum safety.</p>

An offshoot of upholding the law is protecting people. Police officers are called in to disarm potentially harmful situations, such as terrorist attacks. They clear the roads during major accidents. They help organize evacuations in large natural disasters. In emergency situations, police officers are often the first on the scene, and they delegate well, taking control and following protocol to ensure maximum safety. On a smaller, more personal, level, citizens can reach out to their police departments when a loved one goes missing or they have any complaint.

For Some Excitement

Police work is some of the most varied out there. One day you could be doing paperwork and filing, but the next you are out on the street, investigating a crime. Even specific jobs within the police department have many different facets. Traffic police could be directing one day, catching speeders another and chasing a stolen car the third. There is hardly a dull moment as a police officer, and for each of the quiet times, there are ample high-velocity endeavors.

For the Benefits

Being a police officer is not entirely selfless. The job requires long and odd hours, time away from family and often trauma. But for all those drawbacks, there is compensation. Police officers earned a median base pay of $59,680 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; investigators and detectives earned a median annual wage of $78,120. However, these men and women put in hundreds of hours of overtime a year and are compensated for that hard time away from home. They are also eligible for a hefty pension and early retirement plan, and many go on to hold another job after retiring from the force, earning them double the income.