Atlantic City, NJ Police Among the Best Paid

Many will tell you it's one of the most difficult jobs.

They're the target of a lot of vitriol, yet when someone's in trouble, they dial 9-1-1, and the police respond without question.

It takes the nerves of steal to run toward danger while everyone else runs away.  While it's not a job for everyone, most who are cops serve with bravery and honor.

Over the past few months, as I scrolled through my Facebook feed, I couldn't help but notice the large number of police departments that have put out the call for new officers.

During a recent one-week period, I counted no less than 10 different departments looking for recruits.

So I wondered, why is it so difficult to find people interested in these positions?

You would expect that perhaps it's about the money, right?  So I did some digging, and I was surprised to see where New Jersey police rank vs police in other states.

According to USAFACTS.com, the states with the lowest average police salaries are

Arkansas ($39,040),

Louisiana ($44,620),

South Carolina ($46,800)

West Virginia ($46,960).

The report states that even when the pay is adjusted for the cost of living in these states, all but West Virginia remains low.

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West Virginia is the 7th lowest paid in the country.

The state with the highest average police salaries according to USAFACTS.com is, California, where the average police officer earns just over $104,000.

Washington police officers are the second highest earners in the country with an average annual salary of just over $94,000.

The state with the third-highest average annual salary for police officers is New Jersey.

According to the report, officers in the Garden State earn an average annual income of $88,000.

Guess which departments in New Jersey are said to pay the best.  If you said the Atlantic City-Hammonton area, you'd be correct.

That region is among the highest in the country.

In addition to their salaries, many police departments offer extensive benefits that include early retirement, overtime opportunities, incentive pay for specialties, and excellent health benefits.