Houston cops making $172,000

[kurth]

Houston Chronicle / April 22, 2006
Officer's pay tops $172,000
Overtime on DWI cases inflates some salaries
By MATT STILES and STEVE MCVICKER

As a senior officer in the Houston Police Department, William Lindsey Jr. received a salary of about $72,000 last year.

Because he is on the department's DWI Task Force, however, Lindsey's overtime pay put him at an income level rivaling Mayor Bill White and Police Chief Harold Hurtt.

The 27-year HPD veteran grossed more than $100,000 in overtime pay in 2005, and he wasn't the only task force member pulling in a six-figure income.

Lindsey's total income of more than $172,576 from HPD last year put his pay above White's $165,000 but below Hurtt's $184,000. The mayor and police chief are not eligible for overtime pay...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3812910.html

[DS1]

1. Unsurprising

Police overtime is one of their greatest assets.

Here in MA you won't see a highway construction job with less than three guys sitting in their cruisers with the back blue flashies on. I'm all for keeping construction workers safe, but this seems a little excessive, espcially considering these guys are making upwards of $60/hr to sit there.

[leftofthedial]

2. I wonder why "standards"-based repukes haven't insisted

that police pay be indexed to the crime rate?

[riderinthestorm]

3. Police, teachers, fire dept. personnel deserve good pay

I don't begrudge any of these professions finally earning their due.

[wake.up.america]

5. You could not pay me enough to be a cop in Houston.

I like where I lve, even at a lot less money.

[wakeme2008]

4. They also belong to a Union...

:)

[Poppyseedman]

6. Wal-Mart buys Houston Police Dept

will be the headlines after the rethugs get a hold of this story

[951-Riverside]

7. I read somewhere Lee Baca (La Sheriff Dept) makes $500,000 a year

[Sinti]

8. Police should be well paid, it's a dangerous job and a service to us all

high level corporate executive wages, and the ridiculous expectations of ever-exponentially-rising stock prices, however, are like parasite on the rest of society.

Good for the Houston police, they can perhaps afford to buy a home and send their kids to college. Now make sure they follow the laws they're tasked to enforce. :thumbsup:

[400Years]

10. Yeah, they give us alot of service alright:

:eyes:

http://www.unknownnews.org/stinkybadges.html

http://images2.jokaroo.net/videos/prickcop.wmv

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5091960&mesg_id=5092891

http://www.legitgov.com/front_schiffler_clearwater_102305.html

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-beat19.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x372800

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2098644

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=701897&mesg_id=701897

http://bridgenews.org/news/042006/pictrial

[Neil Lisst]

9. I'm not troubled by police getting lots of overtime.

I much prefer that to seeing them supplement their income by moonlighting in jobs where they essentially rent out the power that goes with their uniform and gun. I don't care for that, because it allows private interests to get too close to officers.

Pay them well, and give them lots of hours, but don't let them moonlight.

IMHO.

[elehhhhna]

12. too much ot or extra curric-jobs SHOULD be a concern--

effectiveness of all employees generally drops super-dramatically after 10 hours per day... Police work is dangerous enough.

[elehhhhna]

11. He's working 75 hours per week, every week,

all year? My foot.