Building strong, equitable, and safe communities should be among the highest priorities for states and municipalities. Yet, traditional safety models that rely on police do not address the root causes of crime, often harm communities, and come at a high cost, especially when compared to investments in social services. According to new data from NJ.com’s The Pay Check database on law enforcement salaries, police officers in New Jersey make more than double that of the average community or social service employee, despite growing evidence that community-based services better address root causes of crime and promote safety for all residents.
The Pay Check database provides unprecedented access to local and state police salaries in New Jersey — including overtime and off-duty pay — and shows that police officers receive exceptional compensation when compared to other professions crucial to public safety, such as school counselors or social workers.
Police Salaries In New Jersey
New Jersey is one of the most lucrative states to be a police officer, with the second-highest base salary for law enforcement officers in the country, behind California.[i] When added to benefits and pensions, the salaries of New Jersey police officers often top six figures.[ii] As detailed in the chart below, the average salary for other community and social service occupations is much lower.[iii]
The community and social service occupations category includes social workers, mental health and substance abuse counselors, community health workers, and clergy — all occupations that contribute to broader public safety.[iv]
There are also twice as many police and correctional officers as substance abuse, behavioral, and mental health counselors combined.[v] The chart below outlines just how few mental health professionals there are compared to law enforcement.[vi]
To truly promote public safety, New Jersey must reassess how investments in that area are made, recognizing that public safety depends on more than police officers. Creating stronger communities requires investments in community and social services that use health-centered approaches to prevent, reduce, and safely intervene in harmful behavior, while limiting the damage caused by policing and incarceration. Yet, as detailed in the NJPP report, To Protect and Serve: Investing in Public Safety Beyond Policing, budgets, which provide the resources on which communities depend, rarely support these services to the level of law enforcement officers.
Equity and safety require that the compensation disparities detailed above should be closed so all of the people who call this state home feel safe and valued.
End Notes
[i] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020). Occupational Employment and Wages, Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333051.htm#st
[ii] Ford, Chang, Cao, & Philip (2021). How the Police Bank Millions Through Their Union Contracts. ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/new-jersey-police-contracts
[iii] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (May, 2020) State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, New Jersey. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nj.htm; The Pay Check. https://projects.nj.com/paycheck/
[iv] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May, 2020). Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: New Jersey https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nj.htm
[v] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May, 2020). Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: New Jersey https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nj.htm
[vi] Note: the chart does not include transit police, bailiffs, and other specialized officers.
