[quote=BGinRB][quote=CA renter]
If any of the complainers think these employees are overpaid and underworked, by all means…step up to the plate.
What’s funny is that police and fire departments couldn’t find enough qualified candidates during the boom times. [/quote]
‘Qualified’ being the keyword.
[quote=CA renter]
The nature of these jobs (very specialized training that cannot be transferred from jobs outside of these sectors), and the costs required to recruit and train new employees, means the govt employers cannot afford a high turnover rate. They need people who will stay there through the ups and downs of the economic cycles. That means they’ll appear underpaid during the good times, and overpaid during the bad times.[/quote]
Bull.
How many years of training would a returning veteran need to learn how to put out a fire?
The government can train a 17-year old dropout to kill people using very expensive equipment in several weeks, yet it cannot teach him how to handle a hose?
[/quote]
FWIW, it costs around $35,000 just to get a recruit through basic training in the military. Then, you add on all the specialized training. And the DoD has the benefit of efficiency of scale.
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Anyway, from what I’ve seen, it costs anywhere from $50,000-$70,000 to replace a police officer:
As illustrated below by figures from the Cordele Police Department, replacing an officer who has
three years’ experience and earns $24,000 plus benefits with a new recruit may cost the agency
$58,900. These separation costs can substantially differ, depending upon the advanced training
attended by the individual officer, salary and benefits paid, and the selection procedures utilized
by the agency.
Table 1
Costs for Replacing an Officer
1. Separation Costs: $28,647
2. Recruitment: $1,250
3. Selection: $4,246
4. New Employee: $1,592
5. Training: $23,165
Total: $58,900
In recent years, police agencies nationwide have experienced increasing levels of staff turnover
and difficulty recruiting new officers. Several factors have contributed to this situation. For more
than ten years, the United States enjoyed a good economy. As established businesses grew and
new companies emerged, employers had to compete more aggressively for employees. This
demand for good employees reduced the size of the labor pool.
and…
Often, there is a tendency to focus on the short-term costs of replacing an officer and ignore the
investment that has compounded over the years. Much of the knowledge and experience an
officer possesses can only be obtained by doing the job. A great portion of this knowledge is
gained in the first five years of employment. When an officer is recruited away, or “poached,” the
knowledge and experience the department paid for him to obtain is lost forever. This investment
serves as a substantial grant to the new employer. Basically, the agency paid to train the officer
for his new employer.
Read the link to understand more about the costs of high turnover rates in these jobs.
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BTW, firefighters don’t just “put out fires” and police officers don’t just “write tickets” or “eat donuts.” Statements like that show tremendous ignorance about what police and firefighters do.
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Yes, police officers have shorter lifespans usually because of stress, unusual working hours, alcoholism/addiction as a result of the job, etc. It is one of the most stressful, depressing, and difficult jobs out there. You are dealing with the worst people in society every single day, and seeing some horrific things on a regular basis that most people will never see in their lives.
Again, if one of the complainers thinks they can do a better job for less, by all means, sign up and volunteer to show them your skilz!
