Total Cost of a single LEO?

[AJAX22]

I'm trying to get some data together and haven't been able to find anything resembling accurate information.

I have found salary info, but nothing which addresses the Marginal cost of fielding a single LEO (taking into account benefits, retirement, consumables, training etc.)

Discounting of course the fixed costs, (although I would love to get figures on that too)

Salary is a significant component of cost, but I believe it is misleadingly low when compared to the total sums involved.

I'm trying to derive the actual cost of fielding one additional man... and it would be nice to get the the mean, median, range, and standard deviation... but even getting a ballpark figure would be nice...

Someone must have an estimation table whipped up for doing annual budgets and determining hiring policies and staffing level.

Any help would be appreciated, the internet just seems obsessed with salary data which is only marginally useful.

[SVT-40]

Salary and benefits would be the main costs.

However to put a dollar figure on some items would be almost impossible because say for instance a department or SO has their own academy.

You would have all costs related to having, running and equipping a facility, as well as a training staff salary's and benefits.

Contrast that cost to a smaller department who only hired lateral applicants or applicants who have put themselves through an academy.

Here is list of costs associated to hiring and maintaining a LEO:

All personnel and facility costs related to staff for hiring, training, equipping, maintaining and supporting.

Salary and benefit costs for the individual LEO during academy and or training.

Safety equipment for the individual including maintenance or replacement.

Some additional questions would be. Does the addition of another LEO raise the staff level to the point where an additional police car and related equipment is needed? Would there be any additional staff costs if a new LEO was added to the staffing level? How about facilities costs? Support staff costs? Ect.

I have been told the cost of training, equipping and maintaining a LEO is approx $200,000.00 to $250,000.00.

Probably about right.

[AJAX22]

1/4 mill anual or one 1/4 mill sunk cost?

[SVT-40]

Original cost from hire date to the time he is set loose on the public on his own after training. This time period is usually around 18 to 20 months.

Each year there after the only things would be salary, benefits, Training, equipment purchases and repairs. Overall less than 1/2 the cost of a new hire.

Thats why it's important for Police / Sheriff to pay decent salary's and benefits and promote a good working environment. If a agency has good pay and benefits and a good working environment it will retain most of its people thus driving down overall costs even with high wages.

It's much cheaper to retain than train. As the saying goes!!!

The counter to that is a agency where there are poor wages and benefits as well as a poor working environment. Officers will hire on and after a few years lateral to another department. This makes the agency hire a new officer with all the associated training cost to bring him up to speed and release him on his own. Not to mention the time lag of keeping staff and paying overtime to replace the officers who left while a new officer is hired and trained.

In addition agencies with a high turn over rate will usually also have a much higher cost for liability awards resulting in greater legal costs to the city.

I know it seems counter to logic. But paying higher wages and benefits is much cheaper in the long run that having sub-par wages and benefits.




There are some hidden costs as in all employment situations such as work comp ect. So these have no relation to your question.

[AJAX22]

Is workmans comp paid as a blanket policy or is it tied to the number of officers?

What about insurance to cover liability?

[SVT-40]

Same as any other business on work comp as far as I know. X employees times X dollars.

As in liability insurance? Most cities are either self insured, or are part "Pool" of cities who group together and self insure.

So there are no costs as long as there are no judgments against the city/county.

[yzErnie]

I have been told the cost of training, equipping and maintaining a LEO is approx $200,000.00 to $250,000.00.

Probably about right.

WOW!! You guys must get paid good and have a great bene package. To field one deputy on our dept the average cost is about $90,000 annually.

[wilit]

At my company, I have to cost out our internal labor which is approximately 160% of base salary. This covers the salary itself plus benefits and admin costs. So for an employee that makes $45/hr, we cost out for $72/hr.

[SVT-40]

WOW!! You guys must get paid good and have a great bene package. To field one deputy on our dept the average cost is about $90,000 annually.

I wish.. Actually there are some hidden costs which your county pays which never show up in you salary. Such things as work comp insurance is a good example.

It really adds up when a newbie is in a training car. A senior FTO total compensation plus the rookies total comp. really add up quickly.

[socalblue]

Base salary x 1.6 is a good average starting point that should provide a reasonable budgetary number. 2 years base salary for initial costs for a new officer & ~9 months base for a lateral (Hence the reason so many agencies love laterals).

[xr650r]

Don't forget the pension cost. Oh, wait...the public pays for that out of budget. Disregard...

[mlatino]

Don't forget the pension cost. Oh, wait...the public pays for that out of budget. Disregard...

What's the relevence in your comment, other then the obvious fact that you're bitter?

[xr650r]

...that there is more to the cost of a single officer than has been mentioned so far.

How does my input make me "obviously bitter"?

[003]

Don't forget the background investigation and the hiring costs, remember the poly, shrink and physical are just part of it. Most Cal agencies take about a full year just to get one person in the academy. The total cost to get a fully trained cop on the street ready to do police work is pushing the 1/2 million dollar mark the first year. Factor in the FTO and all the time in training where the trainee is really not doing his full share as it relates to polic work - - still in the learning curve. Factor in all of the support costs, vehicle, equipment, the dispatch center, records, the janitor that sweeps the floor. All of that costs money, just to get one cop on the street. Think about how big a navy aircraft carrier is and how many sailors it take just to keep 90-100 planes in the air and ready. While the cost are certainnly much more, the concept is the same. How many support people does your agency have in able to field the officers.

[AJAX22]

Support people would factor into the fixed, not marginal costs... Marginal cost is the cost of one aditional unit... I.e the first order condition of the cost function.