To the Editor:
There are recent articles and editorials about police salaries that raised some questions in my mind based on my bargaining experience. Some conclusions reached by the reporter seem questionable to me, and I would like to examine what appears to be limited research.
There are 550 municipal police departments in New Jersey. Statistics from just under half were used in the articles. The study took two years; more time should have been allotted.
One area not dealt with is why the salaries climbed. The average starting salary for police is $48,000 without overtime. The current average salary across the board in New Jersey without overtime is $121,000. Benefits drive up municipal costs. This is why municipalities would rather pay overtime rates instead of hiring new police when a high-paid officer leaves.
For every exiting officer, municipalities could hire 2.5 new officers and still have savings. This is called breakage. Hire only one new officer and reap more breakage.
I also wouldn’t call a police chief “a rank-and-filer.” He’s a uniformed bureaucrat. They oversee and approve their own overtime.
– JOE MURPHY
Town Bank
