SALARY & BENEFITS
The starting salary for a beginning police officer as of January, 2012, is $43,614 annually with a raise after six months to $48,496.
Some of the other benefits are:
- Health insurance coverage through five different options (some of these programs are at no cost to the employee)
- Thirty-seven and one-half (37-1/2) hour work week
- Pension covered through the Wisconsin Retirement System: contributions made by employer and employee
- Educational incentive pay plan after forty-two (42) months of continuous service
- Wage, life, and disability insurance plans
The educational incentive pay plan is particularly noteworthy. After 42 months of continuous service, your base salary will increase relative to the amount of education attained. For example, an associate's degree will realize a pay increase of 9%; putting your base pay at $57,619. For a bachelor's degree, a pay increase of 18% ($62,379) and for a master's degree a pay increase of 22% ($64,482). The aforementioned base pay does not include briefing time, shift differential or other routine overtime (i.e., court).
WHAT KIND OF TRAINING IS PROVIDED?
Our Academy usually runs from 8am-4pm, Monday-Friday. It is not residentially based; at the end of the workday, recruits go to their own homes - - not a barracks or dormitory. The tone of our Academy endeavors to treat all of our recruits as continuing adult learners. Those ultimately hired will receive extensive training in such areas as law, crisis intervention, firearms, and use of community resources. This initial training lasts six months, and is one of the most comprehensive in the country. It is conducted in Madison under the direct supervision of the Madison Police Department Training Staff. It is not unusual for our newly-hired officers to have widely varying technical and non-technical skills. Our goal is to provide a base of training which builds on each individual's unique body of knowledge and expertise. As a recruit in training, full salary and benefits apply. *Note: MPD does not provide an exemption from the pre-service academy for officers interested in lateral employment to our department. Everyone hired, regardless of certification, must participate in our academy.
The educational incentive pay plan is particularly noteworthy. After 42 months of continuous service, your base salary will increase relative to the amount of education attained. For example, an associate's degree will realize a pay increase of 9%; putting your base pay at $56,214. For a bachelor's degree, a pay increase of 18% ($60,858) and for a master's degree a pay increase of 22% ($62,910). The aforementioned base pay does not include briefing time, shift differential or other routine overtime (i.e., court).
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER COMPLETION OF INITIAL TRAINING?
After the Academy, the new officers are initially assigned to Patrol Services as Probationary Police Officers and are responsible for general patrol duties within assigned sectors and as backup for other officers when needed.
ARE THERE PROMOTIONS OR OTHER JOBS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT?
New hires are placed on a eighteen month probationary period which commences on the first day of the Academy. Upon graduation, officers are assigned to Patrol Services. Promotional opportunities begin after four years of service (the four years begin upon successful completion of probation). There are also a variety of positions in the Department which officers may apply for after three years. Some of these are full-time positions while others develop special expertise to be utilized in specific situations. These include such areas as safety education officers, neighborhood officers, educational resource officers, traffic enforcement safety team, special weapons and tactics (SWAT) and community policing teams.
