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Comment by alexnewman | Hacker News Reader

112k seems pretty high for entry level work, considering they most likely don't have a college education, but maybe it makes it possible for them to live here

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You don't need any form of education (besides high school) to become a police officer? If true, that's pretty surprising to me.

It's true in most jurisdictions, as far as I know. Having a college degree of some sort can help get you on the fast track to promotions and/or investigative positions. At the sheriff's office where I worked in the past, you didn't get beyond Captain without some college (with certain exceptions for under-the-table nepotism of course).

In San Rafael, CA, you need a college degree to become a police officer.

There's a range listed because (I can't speak for SF specifically, but I have police friends in other Bay Area cities) different skill sets get you a different starting pay. For example, if you have a college degree and speak Spanish, your starting salary will bump up from 80k. If you are part of a K9 unit, your starting salary will bump up from 80k.

Why would they need a college education?

Police officers put their personal safety on the line daily. I think this compensation is adequate.

I wonder how it compares to other 'public' sector roles that are less unionised - e.g. nursing. Do they earn 100k a year?

So do quite a lot of other people. Consider the rates of fatal injuries and salaries at http://www.businessinsider.com/most-dangerous-jobs-in-americ...

Safety makes a huge difference. It is so ingrained into firefighter culture such that despite the risks of this profession, it doesn’t rate as one of the most dangerous jobs (although overall it’s much higher than would seem to be the case - 44 fatalities would put it on this chart, but for the large numbers of volunteer firefighters in remote areas that rarely see a call).

> 112k seems pretty high for entry level work, considering they most likely don't have a college education, but maybe it makes it possible for them to live here

Couldn't you say the same about many software developers earning six-figure salaries?

After all, we all know that one doesn't need a college education to be a successful developer either.

Doesn't the salary reflect what the people of San Francisco believe their work to be worth?

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