30,000 Applicants Sign Up For Suffolk PD Test

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About 30,000 people took police test

Payoff could be big for thousands lining up to join LI police

Eyewitness News

(Long Island - WABC, June 9, 2007) -

Recruiting qualified candidates has been a problem for police departments across the country. But one local force is bucking that trend.

Saturday, nearly 30,000 people showed up to take exams hoping to become part of the Suffolk County Police Department.

Exactly, 29,300 people apparently have already done the math with a starting salary more than double that of the nearby NYPD and potential patrols on sandy beaches or quiet suburban streets tens of thousands of potential recruits have plunked down a $100 entrance fee to take the entrance exam.

It is believed to be one of the largest numbers of applicants to ever sign up for a police test in the U.S.

"We're very excited that we're bucking the national trend of police departments having recruiting problems," said Lt. Robert Donohue, who heads Suffolk's recruiting effort. "We have an overwhelming number; we have the pick of the litter."

A big reason for the droves of potential recruits is the salary. Suffolk County pays newcomers to the police department $57,811, and that figure climbs to a top salary of $94,417. And that doesn't include the overtime that often pushes officers' annual salaries well above six figures.

The numbers easily dwarf the salaries of the officers who patrol the streets of New York City. New hires at the NYPD start at $25,100, then receive $32,700 after six months and $34,000 after 18 months.

With enough people to fill the Nassau Coliseum twice over, Suffolk officials are conducting their test on Saturday at nearly 50 schools across eastern Long Island.

And those who score the very best on the exam, which tests applicants on "general knowledge of all areas of life," according to Donohue, will be eligible for what is expected to be 100 openings a year on the 2,700-member police force over the next four years.

Donohue didn't have statistics on the largest number of applicants ever to take the test, but believes the 29,300 represents a record for departments in the region, and perhaps the country. Applicants must be between 18 and 34, be a high school graduate or have a GED diploma and each must pay $100 to take the exam, Donohue said.

Michael White, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said the strong interest "is a little surprising. For the last several years police departments in major metropolitan areas have been understaffed."

The problem is particularly acute in New York City, where 700 to 800 officers will be hired out of the next Police Academy class, far short of the department's goal of 3,000 officers. Until 2005, the starting pay for new NYPD officers was about $36,000. But as part of an arbitrator's decision, entry-level salaries were slashed.

Chief Rafael Pineiro told a New York City Council hearing this week that the NYPD believes "the difficulty in attracting a significant number of qualified candidates ... is due primarily to the low starting salary while recruits are undergoing their initial training in the Police Academy."

The pay is so high in Suffolk County largely because of arbitration rulings over the past several decades in favor of the county's police unions.

Donohue said approximately 30 percent of the officers who are eventually hired have experience working in neighboring police departments, particularly the NYPD. Suffolk certainly has its share of crime, with a growing gang problem and other issues, but working conditions are generally considered better than for a cop on the beat in New York City.

"Many of the cops who work in the city come from Long Island," he said. "It's not just about the money. They are able to reduce their commutes and Suffolk County has a terrific reputation as a great place to live."

William Murphy, 33, of Riverhead, used to work as a stock broker on Wall Street, but said he has always dreamed of being a police officer. So he signed up to take the test.

"For me, the money is secondary," said Murphy, who is currently an administrator in Suffolk County government. "You can always get a good-paying job, but I've always wanted to be a positive role model for the kids and the community."

Jonathan Albright, a psychology student at the state university in Binghamton, is considering joining the "family business." His father, grandfather, an aunt and an uncle are all officers in the New York area.

"In the realm of public service, the pay is much better than any other job," said Albright, 21, who lives in East Islip and has signed up to take the exam on Saturday. He said while he still hasn't made up his mind completely about being a police officer, he wants to keep his options open.

He says his family is "very supportive; it's been a good job for them."