Using occupational data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’ve analyzed and compiled a round-up of the average detective salary in each state in the U.S. Read on for a full breakdown of where detectives make the most money, and where they’re making the least. After five and one half years of service, the annual salary of a New York police officer more than doubles. In addition, New York police officers with five years of service receive 27 paid vacation days.

Each of these ranks afford members the opportunity to earn significantly higher salaries. “There are blocks in East New York that the government is spending millions of dollars on policing and incarcerating residents as opposed to investing in their education and job training and things that make a difference,” she said. For people seeking careers that are simultaneously challenging, meaningful, and exciting, executive assessment questions it is tough to beat becoming a crime scene technician. However, to join the New York Police Department, applicants must have 60 college credits or have served two years in the military to be successful candidates. Pursuit Magazine , an online resource for investigators, reports that licensure is necessary for practice in 46 states and provides a convenient table of PI licensure policies by state.

Similarly, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives provides the Pathways Internship Program to qualified high school and college students. Students are encouraged to contact local agencies for available opportunities. While the path towards becoming a police detective may vary, generally, after obtaining a high school diploma or GED, it can take anywhere from five to eight years to be promoted from a police officer to a detective. The Civilian Complaint Review Board is an all-civilian, 13-member panel tasked with investigating misconduct or lesser abuse accusations against NYPD officers, including use of excessive force, abuse of authority, discourtesy and offensive language. Complaints against officers may be filed online, by mail, by phone or in person at any NYPD station. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the police reforms into law on June 12, 2020, which he described as “long overdue.”

According to a 2021 FiveThirtyEight analysis, New York City spent at least an average of $170 million USD annually in settlements related to police misconduct over a ten-year period. In 2017, the Quinnipiac poll found that New York City voters approve of the way NYPD, in general, does its job by a margin of 67-25%. Approval was percent among white voters, percent among black voters, and percent among Hispanic voters.

While it is no longer an option for new hires, officers who were issued the weapon may continue to use it. In 2019 the NYPD responded to 482,337 reports of crime, and made 214,617 arrests. There were 95,606 major felonies reported in 2019, compared to over half a million per year when crime in New York City peaked during the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s. Officers graduate from the Police Academy after five and a half to six months of training in various academic, physical, and tactical fields. For the first 18 months of their careers, they are designated as “Probationary Police Officers”, or more informally, “rookies”.

There are also professional certifications available to detectives and PIs outside of police forces. After the academy, aspiring detectives are urged to take on advanced training and responsibilities in investigative units to build their resumes. There are various branches of investigation, including homicide, surveillance, fraud, computer crimes, financial crimes, and missing people. Some students may choose to seek out volunteer opportunities through their local police departments, civic organizations, or federal agencies to get hands-on training in the field. For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigations offers the weeklong Future Agents in Training program to interested high school students.