29,000 To Take Police Exam - New York

Now this is how we should be handling the education system, not just the criminal justice system.They made nearly $300,000 to hire 100 people.

EAST ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) -- The exam isn't until Saturday, but 29,300 people apparently have already done the math. With a starting salary more than double that of the nearby NYPD - and potential patrols on sandy beaches or quiet suburban streets - tens of thousands of potential recruits have plunked down a $100 entrance fee to take the Suffolk County Police Department entrance exam.

It is believed to be one of the largest numbers of applicants to ever sign up for a police test in the United States.

"We're very excited that we're bucking the national trend of police departments having recruiting problems," said Lt. Robert Donohue, who is in charge of Suffolk County's recruiting effort. "We have an overwhelming number; we have the pick of the litter."

A big reason for the droves of potential recruits is the salary. Suffolk County pays newcomers to the police department $57,811, and that figure climbs to a top salary of $94,417. And that doesn't include the overtime that often pushes officers' annual salaries well above six figures.

The numbers easily dwarf the salaries of the officers who patrol the streets of New York City. New hires at the NYPD start at $25,100, then receive $32,700 after six months and $34,000 after 18 months.

Rocky Mountain News