Saturday, February 25, 2006

Austin has highest paid cops in nation

Via Officer.com, Austin, Texas has the highest paid police force in the country when compared to the cost of living, according to PolicePay.net. Plano, Lubbock, Corpus Christi and Dallas also made the top twenty. (Wanna bet that makes them the highest paid cops in the world?) Here are the wage scales for police in various Texas cities:

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

so what's your point? should we cut cop salaries so all the good ones go elsewhere??

Anonymous said...

He hates cops so the idea of them being well-paid is repugnant to him.

Anonymous said...

I don't think he made a point. I think only the ignorant people assumed he did.

Gritsforbreakfast said...

I don't think PolicePay.net "hates cops" because they compiled this information, nor did this post convey any animosity toward police. I bet a lot of people find this useful and interesting information, including a lot of cops. It's public data, after all, and the taxpayers are footing the bill.

Anonymous said...

Don't try to backtrack Grits. You insinuated that cops were overpaid and that protecting the environment and affording to keep open records are more important than having good cops on the streets.

Here is the quote you posted on the Austin Bloggers website regarding your little "fact checking" mission:

"Austin has highest paid cops in nation. And you wonder why the city can't afford to open records or protect the environment?"

If you are going to try to make a statement to prove a point, i.e. cops get paid too much and city services/environment suffer, at least have the courage to back it up once you get called out on it.

Gritsforbreakfast said...

Oh, so that means I "hate cops"?

In Austin, in particular, I argued at the time the labor agreement was approved that the salary hikes would shut out spending on other things the public cared about. I stand by that, and think history has shown that was completely accurate. All spending has tradeoffs, but pointing that out doesn't imply animosity toward cops.

I do find it ironic, I must say, to be lectured on my lack of "courage" by someone commenting anonymously. Take care.

Travis said...

Somebody sure axed those links in a hurry.

Anonymous said...

107 of 109 of the highest paid city employees were police. Are you serious? $227k (highest) - $175k (lowest), and 61 on the list is an officer, no rank, just 'officer'. I have no problem with the police in general, it's a job I wouldn't want (well until I saw these salaries) but these salaries are ridiculous. If you think they are worth it, just ask everyone in the Roxbury area.
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