New Jersey State Police, New Jersey, 2009-2011
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New Jersey State Police employee salaries are public records under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act.
In 2009, New Jersey police salaries ranked highest in the nation, with median pay of $90,672.[1]
Salaries
The current starting salary for a trooper is $58,748.29 (including uniform allowance).[2] The second-year total compensation jumps to $65,662.39. Top pay for a Trooper I is $101,872.02. All recruits receive $777.78 every two weeks, plus overtime pay. Room and board are also provided while training.[2]
Benefits
A health care option is available for state police employees. Additional benefits include:[2]
- Dental coverage
- Prescription Plan
- Vision care program
- Leave of absence
- Deferred compensation plans
- Life insurance
- Retirement package
- State-paid health benefits
- Pension benefits and disability
Leave
There are 13 paid holidays per year.[2] Troopers are allotted one vacation day per month in the first year of service, as well as three personal days per year. The initial vacation allotment of 12 days increases after a trooper has been on the job for five years and increases at regular intervals after that. Sick leave is also allotted.[2]
Salary records project
In 2011, Sunshine Review chose 152 local governments as the focus of research on public employee salaries. The editors of Sunshine Review selected eight states with relevant political contexts (listed alphabetically):
1. California
2. Florida
3. Illinois
4. Michigan
5. New Jersey
6. Pennsylvania
7. Texas
8. Wisconsin
Within these states, the editors of Sunshine Review focused on the most populous cities, counties and school districts, as well as the emergency services entities within these governments. The purpose of this selection method was to develop articles on governments affecting the most citizens.
The salary information garnered from these states were a combination of existing online resources and state Freedom of Information Act requests sent out to the governments.
A study published by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia said the city of Philadelphia faced challenges owing to the cost of public employee pensions.[3] The report claimed the amount that Philadelphia paid to pension recipients limited the city’s ability to use its budget effectively.
The report said there were more individuals receiving pension benefits—33,907 claimants in 2006—than workers in the city—28,701.[3] The authors recommended three steps towards addressing the problem of high costs in pensions: improved data collection, expanded transparency initiatives, and reductions to the city's overall budget.[3]
Salary schedules can be published as ranges, not as specific compensation figures, and may leave out compensation received through health and retirement benefits, as well as benefits such as commuter allowances and cell phone reimbursements. This project aimed to close the gap and provide a more accurate picture of public employee salaries for the sake of public education and transparency.
See also
External links
- N.J. police and firefighter salary cap proposed in Trenton, New Jersey Newsroom, November 23, 2010
- State Budget Solutions -- New Jersey
Footnotes
- ↑ "N.J. police salaries rank highest in nation with median pay of $90,672," NJ.com, September 19, 2010
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 New Jersey State Police Recruiting - Salaries and Benefits
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 '’Philadelphia’s Quiet Crisis: The Rising Cost of Employee Benefits, Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, January 23, 2008
