Looking to Relocate/Lateral to Metro AZ. Which agencies should I look at?

[Reedo]

I'm getting sick of Minnesota winters and freezing my nuts off for 6 months straight. My aunt and uncle relocated to Scottsdale 25+ years ago with the Mayo Clinic, and my mom moved down there about 8 years ago. Every time I go down there, I love it.

I'm trying to decide where I should be looking if I do decide to pull the trigger on a move. I'd like to be within a reasonable distance to Scottsdale. Obviously it will come down to who will hire me, but it also involves the wife agreeing to it. Arizona is about the only place she'd agree to.
I was in Iraq for a year, so I can cope with extreme heat.

For those of you that are AZ LE, I'd like some honest input.

About me:
-4yr/B.S. in Law Enforcement from Minnesota Sate University
-8yrs Army Military Police (active and reserve), OIF1/2 combat veteran
-current LEO w/ 7yrs on at a medium-small metro suburban agency (30k pop.)
-2nd Generation Cop
-Crisis Intervention Team specialist
-Glock, AR15, Advanced AR15, Remington 870 Armorer
-Carbine/Rifle instructor
-Currently on SWAT operator wait list
-$75k annual base pay, plus OT
-Corrections experience in Army and PT at a sheriff's office during college (never again!)
-regularly lift weights (I'm a meathead/lunk by Planet Fitness standards)


What I'm looking for:
-Agency with top patrol pay at or above $70k
-Busy agency/stuff happens
-Ability to get lots of OT if I want
-Prefer large or medium sized agency
-K9 option
-SWAT option, preferably full time, but at least a SWAT team that sees more use than ours (joint multi-agency, which is once or twice per year )
-Strong firearms program
-Patrol rifle friendly (my area of specialization)
-No jail/corrections work
-No Tribal LE


What agencies should I be looking at?
I'm still a ways off from a final decision, but I'd like to start collecting info now.

[AzLaw_E]

Mesa is hiring a bunch right now and from what everyone says a really good agency. Everyone else is hiring a few at a time. I believe most valley agencies top out at over 70 with phoenix making the most, top out pay and cep points base pay 80k. Phoenix is not hiring right now but I've heard rumors as early as 2015, probably not though.

[JLee]

Anywhere you can get in...

[ZombieMonkey]

Wherever you can get on, but probably the closest fit I can think of that I would recommend would be Mesa.

[Fugitive Hunter]

I would think twice about it...our new pension system sucks for new hires. For the most part this is no binding arbitration, towns and cities just cut pay and benefits with the wave of a wand. I lateraled here from another state and would have went to Florida if I was going to do it again. AZ is very anti employee.

[JI603]

Phoenix or Mesa. Dunno about MPD but it'll take 10 years until you get a K9 or SAU(swat) spot w phoenix. Ditto on the crap pension for new hires.

[Reiland]

I'd say Mesa, but I'm biased Sent you a PM.

[HotSoup]

Phoenix or Mesa. Dunno about MPD but it'll take 10 years until you get a K9 or SAU(swat) spot w phoenix. Ditto on the crap pension for new hires.

You can get on before that with SAU but you'll really have to stand out. K9's also you can test for and be taken as well

[hemicop]

You ain't gonna find a 70k base pay in Az. However between assignments, CEP, OT, even a rookie patrolmen, hustling & wrking 3rd shift could make 60k or so on Phoenix. My question is: why Az.? If it were me, I'd go Fed & do the U.S.M.S. I flew "Con Air" with them as a civilan & had a blast---and that was only prisoner transport!