If you dont like the pay leave!!

[Blue Falcon]

After watching all this *****ing for years about pay I offer this advice. You all knew what the pay was when you applied then come here and act shocked and insulted by it.

Second you all have FL LEO Certs LEAVE go apply elsewhere and find that pay you think you deserve!! If you just stay and complain then you are part of the problem.....

And before you whine about pensions and all that crap SO's and many city police agencies are on the same pension plan so you wont loose anything..

Stop complaining nobody is keeping you at FHP if your not a slug then apply elsewhere and earn that pay you think your worth.


PS> Before you attack me yes I think FHP is underpaid, but so is all state LEO and has been for 25+ years. WHen they got rid of the step plan in the 1990's spelled the doom of state LEO's. Realize its a fact of life do your two years then bounce!!!

I also knew the deal when I hired on and I did and still do like the job. But like most, you would expect wages to keep up with inflation, the private sector, and other law enforcement agencies. I don't believe that to be an unreasonable expectation and yes the the option to leave is always there. Its not just about the pay, benefits somewhat balanced things out. For example a lot of Sheriff's Office have horrible insurance and high monthly premiums, which is offset by better pay. In the last few years the State has been chipping away at what kept a lot of us around. A few years ago, they took away the 3% annual cola after you retire, they mandated a 3% contribution to the FRS, and now in the next couple of years they are going to chip away at the health plans. There are a lot of things that are being changed to mirror the private sector except the salary. If you think we have it bad, try being a non sworn state employee. Most make next to nothing, a low 1.6% a year multiplier, have not had a raise way longer than us even though they provide valuable services to the state. I don't think the answer is if you don't like the pay leave. I think that its okay to vent to your peers. I like what I do , but I definitely believe that the state has taken advantage of its employees for a long time and we need to stick together to change things.

[Unregistered]

Knowing that you want to be a Deputy or Officer yet applying with FHP and working 2 years before eventually joining an SO or PD is a joke imo. It really isn't that hard to put yourself through a basic L.E academy, you can get fin. aid or a grant and it doesn't cost 50k anyway. I just couldn't imagine doing 6 months of b.s near Tallahassee with this "paramilitary" and "you're the best" non sense, then doing an aspect of law enforcement I do not enjoy, in an area I might not like, with a laughable salary among other issues, to have the right after 2 years to apply with an SO or PD. And guess what, some recruiters would rather hire a candidate with no previous L.E experience but a degree, fluency in foreign languages etc. over a Trooper with 2 years in the field. This is just silly to me. Now if you join FHP and then realize it isn't what you thought it would be and apply elsewhere, that I can understand. And being hired with FHP is not necessarily easier than being hired by a PD or SO once you get your certification form a civilian academy when you take into account the amount of applicants and the low number of rookies who walk out of FHP academy every year.

[Unregistered]

Knowing that you want to be a Deputy or Officer yet applying with FHP and working 2 years before eventually joining an SO or PD is a joke imo. It really isn't that hard to put yourself through a basic L.E academy, you can get fin. aid or a grant and it doesn't cost 50k anyway. I just couldn't imagine doing 6 months of b.s near Tallahassee with this "paramilitary" and "you're the best" non sense, then doing an aspect of law enforcement I do not enjoy, in an area I might not like, with a laughable salary among other issues, to have the right after 2 years to apply with an SO or PD. And guess what, some recruiters would rather hire a candidate with no previous L.E experience but a degree, fluency in foreign languages etc. over a Trooper with 2 years in the field. This is just silly to me. Now if you join FHP and then realize it isn't what you thought it would be and apply elsewhere, that I can understand. And being hired with FHP is not necessarily easier than being hired by a PD or SO once you get your certification form a civilian academy when you take into account the amount of applicants and the low number of rookies who walk out of FHP academy every year.

You're right, the academy wouldn't cost you 50 but when you add the numbers, it is probably a lot more than you realize. Tuition, materials, application fee, student fee will run you about $4000.00. FHP pays your salary while you attend the academy. As a state employee, they also pay your benefits (health insurance, pension contributions etc). 6 months of starting FHP salary (after July 1) would be about $18,000. Factor in an average of 35% benefits (conservative number), and you are up to nearly $27,000. FHP also pays for your lodging and your meals while you are at the academy. I've know recruits who have lived at the academy while they attended. Conservatively, rent would be about $500 a month and food is easily $50 a week so there is another $4200.
That is over $35k conservatively net to your bottom line that you wouldn't get by attending the academy on your own. Sure, you could work full time while attending full time and get 2 hours sleep a night for 6 months and maybe come close to that. The choice is yours; I know I would take FHP any day over that option.

[Unregistered]

Get out while you can snowflake, because with your attitude you have to be on the $hitbag radar.
Oh, maybe that is why you are here and unhinged, you are a $hitbag and nobody will take you. Pathetic.

You delusional hillbilly, you work for the Department of Motor Vehicles and Highway Safety.
What is the "Core Mission" of your agency?

[Unregistered]

You're right, the academy wouldn't cost you 50 but when you add the numbers, it is probably a lot more than you realize. Tuition, materials, application fee, student fee will run you about $4000.00. FHP pays your salary while you attend the academy. As a state employee, they also pay your benefits (health insurance, pension contributions etc). 6 months of starting FHP salary (after July 1) would be about $18,000. Factor in an average of 35% benefits (conservative number), and you are up to nearly $27,000. FHP also pays for your lodging and your meals while you are at the academy. I've know recruits who have lived at the academy while they attended. Conservatively, rent would be about $500 a month and food is easily $50 a week so there is another $4200.
That is over $35k conservatively net to your bottom line that you wouldn't get by attending the academy on your own. Sure, you could work full time while attending full time and get 2 hours sleep a night for 6 months and maybe come close to that. The choice is yours; I know I would take FHP any day over that option.

Or, option #3. Get hired by FHP, get through the academy, and immediately start applying elsewhere.

Yes, when you factor in cost of living, putting yourself through an academy costs a lot more than $4-5k over 6 months. Let the state pay you to get your certification, while providing room and board at the same time, and start building toward that FRS pension.

But what about the $10k they demand back when you quit before doing 2 years? SO WHAT?!?!?!? Take your certification to any half-decent SO, and you'll make $10k more than you would have at FHP in just your first year. Hell, take out a personal loan and pay it off over 2 or 3 years if you want. Even better - save it up while you're at the academy since your living costs are mostly covered! That way, when they say "you owe us money because you didn't fulfill your 2-year obligation," you kindly reply with "kiss my @$$," cut them a personal check on the spot, and strut out like a boss...

This is not rocket science, people...

[Unregistered]

OP, don't all of you in command get tired of saying "if you don't like it leave?" Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds times, year after year. Take a hint you ancient, ignorant a$$, old ba$tards. They don't like it. And they are leaving.

[Unregistered]

OP, don't all of you in command get tired of saying "if you don't like it leave?" Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds times, year after year. Take a hint you ancient, ignorant a$$, old ba$tards. They don't like it. And they are leaving.

Well..... Bye!

[Unregistered]

Well..... Bye!

Smh. FHP is dead.

[Unregistered]

Or, option #3. Get hired by FHP, get through the academy, and immediately start applying elsewhere.

Yes, when you factor in cost of living, putting yourself through an academy costs a lot more than $4-5k over 6 months. Let the state pay you to get your certification, while providing room and board at the same time, and start building toward that FRS pension.

But what about the $10k they demand back when you quit before doing 2 years? SO WHAT?!?!?!? Take your certification to any half-decent SO, and you'll make $10k more than you would have at FHP in just your first year. Hell, take out a personal loan and pay it off over 2 or 3 years if you want. Even better - save it up while you're at the academy since your living costs are mostly covered! That way, when they say "you owe us money because you didn't fulfill your 2-year obligation," you kindly reply with "kiss my @$$," cut them a personal check on the spot, and strut out like a boss...

This is not rocket science, people...

You still have to go through the process with FHP, again with no guarantees to get the offer as there far more applicants than many believe, and that for a few positions each year. So you might just waste months, and money, just to get a "try again in a year" letter. You get the offer, great, now you have to go to Tallahassee, sleep there, go through the wannabe para military b.s, and finally you have the right to apply with a PD or SO, fantastic. It just doesn't make any sense for me, unless you have no financial aid and so on (it will still cost you hundreds of $ to apply with FHP though, medical exam, trips etc). I see it as a complete waste of time, 2 years or not.

[Unregistered]

You're right, the academy wouldn't cost you 50 but when you add the numbers, it is probably a lot more than you realize. Tuition, materials, application fee, student fee will run you about $4000.00. FHP pays your salary while you attend the academy. As a state employee, they also pay your benefits (health insurance, pension contributions etc). 6 months of starting FHP salary (after July 1) would be about $18,000. Factor in an average of 35% benefits (conservative number), and you are up to nearly $27,000. FHP also pays for your lodging and your meals while you are at the academy. I've know recruits who have lived at the academy while they attended. Conservatively, rent would be about $500 a month and food is easily $50 a week so there is another $4200.
That is over $35k conservatively net to your bottom line that you wouldn't get by attending the academy on your own. Sure, you could work full time while attending full time and get 2 hours sleep a night for 6 months and maybe come close to that. The choice is yours; I know I would take FHP any day over that option.

I took the self sponsored path and I do not regret it, financial aid covered the cost of tuition and other fees. I worked part time during the academy. I believe in integrity to begin with, trying to join FHP with the idea of working for a PD or SO even before you complete your Trooper application is dishonest in my opinion, and I really can't imagine what kind of b.s I could come up with to sell myself during the oral board or whatever kind of interview you all went through, maybe the more disinterested you sound the more they like you? Whatever, I wish to any good applicant seeking a career to find what they want, but putting yourself through an academy is anything but impossible or crazy, you'll save everybody's time by doing so imo. Finally, FHP experience doesn't necessarily impress SO and PD recruiters, actually some folks involved in the hiring process of a PD or SO cannot stand anything FHP related and might put your app at the bottom of the pile.