6 Countries That Pay Police Officers The Highest In The World
Police officers are a very important segment when it comes to running a country since they enforce law and order within their jurisdictions. In some countries, the police force is among the best paid while in others they are among the worst paid.
These are some of the countries with the highest-paid policemen in the world: (salaries are converted to US dollars for comparison)
6. United Kingdom
Salary – $67,000
The national average salary for police officers in the UK is £31,000 ($38,000) a year and their full-time working hours is around 40 hours per week in 8-hour shifts. Overtime hours are paid at a higher rate and the average London officer makes around £4,000 a year in overtime salary.
The starting salary for police constables in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is between £19,400 and £23,000. In around 7 years it rises to around £38,300.
Typical salaries with several years of experience is £36,900pds – £42,000 for a sergeant; £47,730 to £51,771 for an inspector; and £52,830 to £55,005 for a chief inspector.
Those who work in London get an extra amount of £2,373 as London weighting.
5. New Zealand
Salary – $77,000
According to New Cops, during the first 20 weeks of training at the Royal NZ Police one gets a total annual salary of NZ $56,219. In the first year out of college, one gets an annual salary of NZ $81,710 (inclusive of allowances). A police officer who has done over five years of active duty is expected to earn an annual salary of NZ $93,268. Highly experienced officers earn between NZ $95,728 and NZ $129,517.
4. Australia
Salary – $96,000
An Australian Federal Police is expected to work for around 40 hours per week. The salaries vary depending on the level of experience and location. During training, one is expected to earn a gross base of AU $65,589. After, one becomes a probationary constable for 18 months and earns an average of AU $103,463. After this, the average salary stands at AU$110,523.
After 5 years, one can climb ranks to other positions. The first promotion is First Class Constable (AU $119,469), after more than 9 years one can become a senior constable (AU $126,032), then sergeant (AU $138,780), and finally senior sergeant (AU $149,131).
3. Canada
Salary – $104,000
The average salary for a police officer in Canada is over CA $100,000 a year. They can earn high from services like “Paid duty” whereby they get a higher rate for standing guard at construction sites or private functions. They also get a high amount of overtime hours simply by waiting around to testify in court.
An entry-level constable will make CA $50,000 at the start and after 3 years of service, it will jump to $82,000 a year. A corporal makes between CA $86,000 – $90,000, a sergeant CA $95,000 – $98,000, an Inspector $126,000, and a superintendent CA $140,000.
The top-paying province is British Columbia where one can earn as high as CA $61.06 per hour. Other high-paying provinces include Alberta (CA $60.82), Manitoba (CA $57.69), Ontario (CA $57.69) and Quebec ($57.69).
2. Switzerland
Salary – $135,000
In Switzerland, each of the 26 cantons operates its cantonal police agency while the federal government provides specialized services and is responsible for the protection of the Swiss border. The cantonal police commanders are on a board that coordination of national-level law enforcement.
A police officer based in Zurich earns an annual salary of between CHF 71,000 and CHF 122,000.
1. United States
Salary – $149,000
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median average salary for police and sheriff patrol officers in the United States is around $66,000. The salary amounts vary depending on the state one is employed in and the level of experience. Some of the highest-paying states are California ($104,000), Washington ($92,250), New Jersey ($90,520), Hawaii ($89,640) and Alaska ($85,000)
Below is a list of salary expectations based on rankings of different police officers:
$77,441 – Entry-Level Police Officer
$85,325 – After 30 months (Private First Class)
$132,391 – Maximum earning potential at the Private First Class Rank
$139,011 – Maximum earning potential at the Corporal Rank
$149,253 – Maximum earning potential at the Sergeant Rank