Overtime?? How much?

[Jcentsr6]

I would like to know info on how much overtime $ you can make on average. I will be taking a big pay cut to step into the LE world in my area...and would like to make sure I will be able to provide for my family. I realize I may have to drop a few hobbies...but im sure it will be well worth it. Also my wife will not be working soon...we have a baby on the way in sept. (the main reason for these questions) Thank you in advance.

[LeanG]

Why would you want to take a pay cut?

[Fuzz]

OT is going to depend on your department, what type of job in LE you have (corrections,transport,officer,etc), your cities finances, etc. I made an additional 40-45% of my base pay last year for OT due to being on a motor. Others in my department didnt have nearly that much.

[Jcentsr6]

Why would you want to take a pay cut?

I dont want to take a pay cut....but have wanted to become a LE officer my whole life. Right now I am a Service Manager for a Mazda dealer in Annapolis, MD (the pay would drop avg about 30k a year) But I have seen LE officers living in bigger houses and better areas than me...I would think it was a result of overtime and/or 2nd security jobs. I would love to make the position switch without getting hurt to badly to start off, untill I worked my way up.

[Jcentsr6]

OT is going to depend on your department, what type of job in LE you have (corrections,transport,officer,etc), your cities finances, etc. I made an additional 40-45% of my base pay last year for OT due to being on a motor. Others in my department didnt have nearly that much.

Motor??

(motorcycle? right)

[exComptonCop]

But I have seen LE officers living in bigger houses and better areas than me...I would think it was a result of overtime and/or 2nd security jobs.

Not necessarily. As a LEO, I made descent money, and had great benefits, but it was DW(darling wife) who made the real $ snaps $

Motor??

(motorcycle? right)

Right.

[Jcentsr6]

Does a morotcycle cop get higher pay?

I roadrace motorcyles...maybe that can help

[GPOC]

If you go in depending on OT,you will likely screw yourself

[Jcentsr6]

If you go in depending on OT,you will likely screw yourself

Starting to look that way huh.

[LeanG]

Look, why take a pay cut. It looks like you make pretty good money now. Sure, you can probably make double (or triple, depending on where you are) your salary with OT, and off duty jobs. But why?? It takes away from family time, and your wife (significant other) will not appreciate it too much. If sacrificing all this is worth it and its in your heart to become one, good luck.

[exComptonCop]

Have you considered keeping your current job, and becoming a reserve?

[Fuzz]

If you go in depending on OT,you will likely screw yourself

Absolutely....never go in depending on OT to pay your bills. I can live off of my base pay, but that OT is great for fixing up the house, buying toys, paying off bills early, etc.

[Bing_Oh]

Absolutely....never go in depending on OT to pay your bills. I can live off of my base pay, but that OT is great for fixing up the house, buying toys, paying off bills early, etc.

Truer words have never been spoken on the subject.

OT is never a guarantee in LE. It's usually very instance-specific. I might have 20 hours of overtime on one check and nothing on the next, simply because I had a particularly busy week and the action happened to fall at the end of shift.

Plus, you're dealing with government finances. A department gets a specific budget each year and, when the budget gets low or it looks like the department is overspending, the first thing that gets axed is overtime.

Like Fuzz said, never depend on OT to pay the bills. You should be able to live on only your base pay.