Maryland State Police is hiring

j_h_smith said:

I understand your concern for teachers (which I share with you) but you're comparing apples to oranges in my opinion.

Click to expand...

Truth.

Folks serving the public are paid less for a reason.

They want folks who are there for the job and the commitment.

They don't want folks serving the public who are only in it for the money.


.02 of course.

They should just eliminate the LD and put all those troopers back in the highway.

Fox123 said:

If the pension is still there at retirement, and you cannot raise a family on that salary.

Click to expand...

Sure you can.

99% of police officers get lots of OT and PT money beside, so that base salary is very misleading, and does not include holiday pay and shift differential.

The benefits are not just "OK," they are outstanding, meaning top tier health care programs at little or no cost to the employee and very generous retirement benefits.

As for "if the pension is still there," everyone is in the same boat. If state pension systems fail, you can bet your IRAs, Money Markets, the Stock Market and your private pension plans will be crumbling too.

Six one way, half a dozen the other.

I am a police officer retired under the Maryland State LEOPS system, which is marginally less than MSP gets, and I do well, plus lifetime top tier health care for me and my dependents, so don't let 49K (to start, it goes up) fool you, its better than you think.

A1Uniform said:

Sure you can.

99% of police officers get lots of OT and PT money beside, so that base salary is very misleading, and does not include holiday pay and shift differential.

The benefits are not just "OK," they are outstanding, meaning top tier health care programs at little or no cost to the employee and very generous retirement benefits.

As for "if the pension is still there," everyone is in the same boat. If state pension systems fail, you can bet your IRAs, Money Markets, the Stock Market and your private pension plans will be crumbling too.

Six one way, half a dozen the other.

I am a police officer retired under the Maryland State LEOPS system, which is marginally less than MSP gets, and I do well, plus lifetime top tier health care for me and my dependents, so don't let 49K (to start, it goes up) fool you, its better than you think.

Click to expand...

I agree with you almost 100%. If a new recruit can make it through the first 3 years on the job they can make some money if they don't let their spending get out of control.

Maybe I'm wrong or just getting older, but if you have a job, where you must find part time work or work a lot of over time to make ends meet, one of two things are happening. One, you are living way too far past your means, or two you are under-employed. Now I'm not saying that something can't come up that you need a short term part time job, or a need to work extra over time. But if you need either or both to survive, then you need to look over your situation and find a solution if possible.

I'm just saying...

j_h_smith said:

Maybe I'm wrong or just getting older, but if you have a job, where you must find part time work or work a lot of over time to make ends meet, one of two things are happening. One, you are living way too far past your means, or two you are under-employed. Now I'm not saying that something can't come up that you need a short term part time job, or a need to work extra over time. But if you need either or both to survive, then you need to look over your situation and find a solution if possible.

I'm just saying...

Click to expand...

I would say absent great health insurance, pension, extra days off, 2-5 weeks vacation time, near perfect job security, movement opportunities, promotional opportunities, and the chance to create private sector retirement gigs the job wouldn't pay enough.

If someone in the field has to work 2-5 years of part time or OT to ensure a comfortable lifestyle, and considering all the benefits, no one should be crying them a river.

Folks can literally get hired between 18-21, work hard for a few years, get promoted 1-3 times, and retire at 43-45 and live very comfortable in many states.

Sure police, firefighters, teachers (9 month employees), nurses, etc should all be paid more if we value a guy who can run fast and catch a football in the millions but none of these folks in this state are living broke due to their pay. They might have to bust their butts a bit more at times to pay the bills but if they manage their money and lifestyle there is no reason they can't have a decent life.

I know there are several retired LEO's and firefighters on this board...would any of them not steer someone in that direction based off of pay and benefits? They might not recommend it for various reasons but I haven't spoke to a retired LEO or FF that said don't do it you'll never be able to pay your bills.

I'll agree with some of the comments about the benefits of the job above, especially the OT and PT part. Some of it depends on the agency though. AA County there is no holiday pay, the shift differential is a whopping 7% for after 5pm IIRC. No overtime for lieutenants and higher when I was there. I pay in about $550 a month for my healthcare family plan, and starting next year I will likely have to also pay the difference on top of my contribution if I fail to choose the cheapest plan the county offers. And the AA County Council is making efforts to drop health care partially or altogether for retirees.

I retired after 25 years with 16 years in grade as a lieutenant, making just under 100K a year. My retirement is about 47K a year, or 41K if you take out the health care premiums.

I have a C5-C7 fusion in my neck, an 18% disability in one forearm, and a 60% loss of strength in another hand. I have assorted other health issues I don't have time to list. I hope to make it to my 70th birthday, but am not overly optimistic when being a realist about it.

I have a Master's Degree in Management from UM (IT Management Concentration), a Bachelor's in Social Science (Magna) from UM, and an AA from Harford Community in CJ. And I've literally been turned down for car salesman jobs (let alone IT) because "everybody knows retired cops are lazy." Fortunately the firearms industry found me useful. A rare stroke of luck in a very small group of people.

So yeah, I got to retire at 46. Not bad. I know I won't be homeless at least. But it isn't all rainbows and kittens. And you still need to make it to retirement. The road is a very dirty, nasty, shitty place that gnaws away at everyone who works it every day they come to work. A few it kills outright but all it kills slowly. So look before leaping. It's not just a job, it's an identity.

Chaim said:

For those complaining about the money, certainly police (including state police) should be paid better. But, all state and local government employees tend to be underpaid. That new State Trooper making just under $47K/yr can get that job with only a high school diploma (though probably has a year or two of college on average) plus the 6 months of training that is the academy during which they are paid $36K/yr. In comparison, a first year teacher for Anne Arundel County has to at minimum have a bachelors degree for training (which they paid for themselves) and many have a masters degree. With a bachelors that teacher is being paid about $1000 less than the State Trooper, and with a masters the new teacher is making only $1760 more than that State Trooper with a high school diploma.

Click to expand...

That 6 months at the Academy is tough!
The competition is extremely high for these jobs.
And I saw lots of people doing the Physical Agility test, and many not passing.
My son went through the process last year and got a Cadet position.

So what is the allure of what coincidentally sounds to be simultaneously one of the lowest paying and most demanding police agencies in the state?

Friend of my little sisters happens to be finishing up msp Academy right about now.

zoostation said:

I'll agree with some of the comments about the benefits of the job above, especially the OT and PT part. Some of it depends on the agency though. AA County there is no holiday pay, the shift differential is a whopping 7% for after 5pm IIRC. No overtime for lieutenants and higher when I was there. I pay in about $550 a month for my healthcare family plan, and starting next year I will likely have to also pay the difference on top of my contribution if I fail to choose the cheapest plan the county offers. And the AA County Council is making efforts to drop health care partially or altogether for retirees.

I retired after 25 years with 16 years in grade as a lieutenant, making just under 100K a year. My retirement is about 47K a year, or 41K if you take out the health care premiums.

I have a C5-C7 fusion in my neck, an 18% disability in one forearm, and a 60% loss of strength in another hand. I have assorted other health issues I don't have time to list. I hope to make it to my 70th birthday, but am not overly optimistic when being a realist about it.

I have a Master's Degree in Management from UM (IT Management Concentration), a Bachelor's in Social Science (Magna) from UM, and an AA from Harford Community in CJ. And I've literally been turned down for car salesman jobs (let alone IT) because "everybody knows retired cops are lazy." Fortunately the firearms industry found me useful. A rare stroke of luck in a very small group of people.

So yeah, I got to retire at 46. Not bad. I know I won't be homeless at least. But it isn't all rainbows and kittens. And you still need to make it to retirement. The road is a very dirty, nasty, shitty place that gnaws away at everyone who works it every day they come to work. A few it kills outright but all it kills slowly. So look before leaping. It's not just a job, it's an identity.

Click to expand...

Wow, that insurance premium is higher than I would have guessed for a cop. The crazy truth is that as expensive as health care is, working in the health care industry is where it's at (most of the time) as far as benefits.

Allure..??

protegeV said:

So what is the allure of what coincidentally sounds to be simultaneously one of the lowest paying and most demanding police agencies in the state?

Friend of my little sisters happens to be finishing up msp Academy right about now.

Click to expand...

Hell..I don't know. I came back from Vietnam in Oct 1968 after 26 months there. I was bored 'poopless' so I filled out the MSP App.

I was selected for testing the summer of 1969. When I went to the testing center (Eastern High School) In Balto. City we were told that that there were 3,000 applicants taking the test that same day. Approx. 1,500 at the Eastern High School (split between AM/PM). The balance of applicants at Easton and Hagerstown, Md

Hearing that I almost walked out. There were testing for 75 slots in the Jan. 1970 Class. I was a High School dropout with a GED gained while in the Army.

I took the test, went through the rest of the drill..Agility test..physical and the final board interview. Then I waited. Approx. mid-Nov I received my letter to report to MSP Pikesville for training. I went and graduated 5th in my Class.

I spent the next 23 1/2 yrs with the MSP. Retired with about 27 yrs for paycheck purposes because my Military time counted.

Allure???.. The excitement maybe. It became for me eventually dealing with bad guys thinking they were smarter then me. Some were. Any monkey can be trained to write traffic tickets. The more experience you get and the better your expertise MSP will find a slot thats suitable for you and them. Disappointments along the way? You betcha.

Allure???..sometimes you just stumble into something you like. Maybe that's when the "allure" starts. Beats me but I will say this. I was provided with a brand new (take-home)1971 Ford with a 429 CI engine that would do in excess of 140MPH. All the excitement I missed from VN and alot of pleasureable time during night patrol.

Maybe you'd be best to ask your " little" sisters friend why it was so alluring. By the way,congradulations to her friend. The academy isn't as hard (pysically) as it was 46 yrs ago, but it ain't easy.

Rob

protegeV said:

So what is the allure of what coincidentally sounds to be simultaneously one of the lowest paying and most demanding police agencies in the state?

Friend of my little sisters happens to be finishing up msp Academy right about now.

Click to expand...

There is an upside and downside to every agency. One just needs to find their niche or determine what works for them. And despite what many residents may think the MSP has a well known reputation in the U.S. For more then just writing tickets. Many of its personnel travel the country training and lecturing in their respective fields.

Guys, when you JOIN the law enforcement community, you are not doing it for the money. It is a calling and not all are cut out for it. I don't know how the shift works today, but I remember working days, nights, mids in rotation. You don't know anyone who has weekends off, 'cause you don't. The only women you meet are shopping in the supermarket, bars or hospitals. There is plenty of overtime but then you don't have time to spend it.

God bless the guys who can put in twenty five years of that. I couldn't.

kgain673 said:

There is an upside and downside to every agency. One just needs to find their niche or determine what works for them. And despite what many residents may think the MSP has a well known reputation in the U.S. For more then just writing tickets. Many of its personnel travel the country training and lecturing in their respective fields.

Click to expand...

I have a few questions. I am a few years away from retiring (AD Military) and was very interested in the MSP. I have zero LE experience past working with the FBI and other federal agencies on a analyst level. I love intelligence, but I think I would prefer to be an LEO. Is any consideration given to retirees? I mean they do come with a pension and medical coverage already. Since MSP is not a federal entity the pay should not affect their petition, but if you have to retire before 55 and cannot complete 20 years of service before that, do you still get any retirement compensation? I am not concerned about pay. We will always make due. I have never served for the money so why start now? I mean 55 is not even old enough to draw from an IRA without incurring some heavy penalties. And forget Social Security. Anyway just some general advice. The physical requirements and background checks should not prove to be a challenge. The 6 months of Academy might prove a tough sell to the wife, but we have done deployments before and it can't be much different than that.

Isaakb said:

I have a few questions. I am a few years away from retiring (AD Military) and was very interested in the MSP. I have zero LE experience past working with the FBI and other federal agencies on a analyst level. I love intelligence, but I think I would prefer to be an LEO. Is any consideration given to retirees? I mean they do come with a pension and medical coverage already. Since MSP is not a federal entity the pay should not affect their petition, but if you have to retire before 55 and cannot complete 20 years of service before that, do you still get any retirement compensation? I am not concerned about pay. We will always make due. I have never served for the money so why start now? I mean 55 is not even old enough to draw from an IRA without incurring some heavy penalties. And forget Social Security. Anyway just some general advice. The physical requirements and background checks should not prove to be a challenge. The 6 months of Academy might prove a tough sell to the wife, but we have done deployments before and it can't be much different than that.

Click to expand...

Call Cpl. Jackson at 410-653-4348, apparently he's the military recruitment liaison and I'm sure he would be able to answer your questions.

Thanks I will.

zoostation said:

I'll agree with some of the comments about the benefits of the job above, especially the OT and PT part. Some of it depends on the agency though. AA County there is no holiday pay, the shift differential is a whopping 7% for after 5pm IIRC. No overtime for lieutenants and higher when I was there. I pay in about $550 a month for my healthcare family plan, and starting next year I will likely have to also pay the difference on top of my contribution if I fail to choose the cheapest plan the county offers. And the AA County Council is making efforts to drop health care partially or altogether for retirees.

I retired after 25 years with 16 years in grade as a lieutenant, making just under 100K a year. My retirement is about 47K a year, or 41K if you take out the health care premiums.

I have a C5-C7 fusion in my neck, an 18% disability in one forearm, and a 60% loss of strength in another hand. I have assorted other health issues I don't have time to list. I hope to make it to my 70th birthday, but am not overly optimistic when being a realist about it.

I have a Master's Degree in Management from UM (IT Management Concentration), a Bachelor's in Social Science (Magna) from UM, and an AA from Harford Community in CJ. And I've literally been turned down for car salesman jobs (let alone IT) because "everybody knows retired cops are lazy." Fortunately the firearms industry found me useful. A rare stroke of luck in a very small group of people.

So yeah, I got to retire at 46. Not bad. I know I won't be homeless at least. But it isn't all rainbows and kittens. And you still need to make it to retirement. The road is a very dirty, nasty, shitty place that gnaws away at everyone who works it every day they come to work. A few it kills outright but all it kills slowly. So look before leaping. It's not just a job, it's an identity.

Click to expand...

Well put Zoo!

I would just add to his Excellent post!

The STRESS that and officer deals with can and will definitely shorten their life. Also the STRESS that gets added to an officers family by not being there at night, working on most holidays, & just not knowing if they(the officer) will come home after they walk out the door to do a job that most people Don't appreciate them for doing. Agencies vary as ZOO said and not all of them have good pensions or health care. Also, there are the horrible and despicable things that an officer sees during their career that they will never forget their whole life even long after they Retire. A sound or a smell can bring these things back as if it just happened or were just seen.

But I would not Discourage anyone who wants to Serve the Public as is an Honor and Privilege to do Serve!