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Would you risk your life for $30,000/year?

2K views 24 replies 13 participants last post by  Lineman 
#1 · (Edited)
There currently is a national movement by some politicians and labor organizers to increase the minimum wage to $15.00/hr. A full-time worker generally works 2,000 hours per year. This equates to $30,000 per year for people who have no education, no formal training or marketable skill, or professional experience. $30,000 per year.

Now, in contrast .... " The average starting salaries of new police officers ranged from $26,600 to $49,500, with larger jurisdictions generally paying higher wages, ..." OMG, how can these people be serious? No wonder police departments across the country are having a hard time keeping their units fully staffed.

A Police Officer's Starting Salary | Chron.com

This is shameful.
 
#4 ·
I agree. But had you known up front a burger flipper would make as much as you, would you still choose to be a police officer?

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#3 ·
The Board of Alderman here in the Lou voted for a $15 minimum wage also ..

It wasn't welcomed in open arms at all...To think that someone that I hand money to in a drive thru window is making more than cops and soldiers makes me ill...

This wage hike will kill the small business owner and force the McDonald's and Wendy's of the world to pass it on to us and a $10 Happy Meal will be the norm...

Minimum wage increase promises bleak future for St. Louis : News
 
#5 ·
I don't know where police officers are making $30,000.00 a year. Around here they are starting in the upper $40's, we have two guys just out of college that work out at our gym and they have been applying at some of the mid size towns in northern Illinois. As far as getting applicants they are telling me that for every opening a department has they average well over 100 applicants.
 
#6 · (Edited)
;)Aren't you forgetting all the coffee and doughnuts I like coffee and doughnuts. Just kidding! I think finding the recruit with the proper mental aproach to do the job has gotta be difficult by itself. That alone tells me they should be paid more. Do not forget the burger flippers are probably now getting subsidized medical on top of jacked up minimum wage. How about Trump for Pres. and Carson for VP?
just a thought.
 
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#13 ·
It's about pride in your work, and, for some, living out a dream. I always wanted to fly planes; so I went to college, got a degree, racked up $150,000 in debt and started out my pilot career making a measly $12,000 my first two years. My first airline saw some improvement with my salary going to $20,000 up until about 2 years ago. After 4 years of struggling, I'm just now at a point where bills aren't greater than my salary. No, I'm not comparing this to police work or military service; I'm simply saying it's all about doing what you love and loving what you do.
 
#14 ·
I appreciate y'alls feedback. I've never been in law enforcement, but my son and my son-in-law both are. SIL has been with the county police, US Secret Service, and some other federal agencies. Son is retired military and wanted to continue flying helicopters, so flying for the sheriff's department was a good fit. They both make very good money, needed to in order to support all my gandkids. :)

The point of my original post is, how did our world get so twisted that public perception places so little value on the hazardous job of law enforcement, yet thinks burger flippers deserve more? :shakehead:
 
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#16 ·
I do understand what you where saying, I was talking to a friend yesterday that's a Police Officer, and told him I never thought I see the day where a car salesman was more respected than he was. I said this joking but at the same time there's some truth to it. We don't put enough value on the people we depend on in the worst times. And we have a generation of people that doesn't respect anything
or anyone. To answer your questions, I would not want to do their job for what they get paid. The should be paid more. But I do belive there are police officers on duty, that if they could afford to, they would do it for free.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Well, I always heard that "if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life" It seems in today's world there is very little pride in what one does. Was just reading that the average young person will change jobs 25 times in their life now. I've been doing what I'm doing not for 45 years and sitll love it.

I love the movement that Zoomy got going to show appreciation, love and respect for our law enforcement. I am not sure anyone is paid enough to put their life on the line, I feel most of them do it for their love for others. If we can't pay them more, show them love, support & respect. See them in a restaurant, pay their meal withouth them knowing and have the waitress just tell them, "thank you for your service".

To end this, my Dad spent 32 years in the military, was a pilot during WWII, Korea & Vietnam. I was with him one day just before he retired and a guy walked up to him and spit on him and called him a "baby killer" my Dad's heart was broken. We owe them MORE THAN THAT.

Sorry about my rant

Sorry Gator, I didn't answer your question, Yes, I would do it. There are 3 kinds in the world, sheep, wolves and sheep dogs. Some of us are sheep dogs and God put us here to take care of the wolves. I am in a private situation and have more than 500 children and folks that depend on me keeping them safe and I will do it at any cost to me, because there are wolves out there that are after my sheep, they will not get them on my watch.
 
#18 ·
Having a real hard time giving a crap what any body makes, when lets just pick a E-3(private first class) with hazardous duty pay makes $1973.00 a month. He's working a hell of a lot more then eight hours a day, stands a pretty decent chance of coming home in a box, all for $2.74 an hour(when in a combat zone).
Yeah our priorities in this country are outawack, what does that prick Sean Penn make a movie or the latest rapp star make to spew hate.
Meanwhile the guy fighting for their right to be an over paid pice of crap makes less then a welfare mother.
 
#21 ·
I don't have much of an opinion on Sean Penn, but I have to give him some credit for making an effort when it really counted. He's done more then most, and more importantly when it counted the most.

Read "A Sliver of Light"

A Sliver of Light: Three Americans Imprisoned in Iran

Sean Penn but a lot of effort and personal time into getting these 3 kids released, whereas our US Government didn't do jack.
 
#23 ·
I am a volunteer firefighter. Most of my responses have been for heart attacks or automobile accidents. I was assigned to a call a few weeks ago for fire watch. We had a fire which I responded to. I worked a 12 hour shift. I did not expect to get paid as I am a volunteer. I guess they have to pay me to cover my ass in case I get hurt. Bottom line is that I grossed $7.24 an hour for fighting a honey oil fire. After taxes it is about $6.00 an hour. I did not stop at the golden arches on the way back home. $15.00 an hour? Bite me. NUTZ
 
#24 ·
Gator - I totally agree, but not just for the sake of LEO's. Paying $15 per hour to unskilled labor undermines the efforts of skilled workers who had to work their way up to that wage.

For example, I graduated from vet school in 1998. I had been in college for a total of 8 1/2 years to earn that degree. I earned $36,000 per year at my first job after graduation, & I was PROUD of that salary. Prior to that I worked various part time jobs, mostly at or near minimum wage. I would not have been very proud of that salary if it was the same as those minimum wage jobs.

I agree with others on here who said that pride in your job is worth more than a big paycheck. I am proud of what I do for a living, not only because of what I do for society, but because I strive to be the best I can every day at that job.
 
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