The grass is always greener...

If the grass is truly greener on the other side, i.e. its pretty much the same everywhere... well then you might as well have a take home car and not have to pay into your pension, right?

See that's only 2 points, but $$$ ones, and $$$ talks.

You have us on take home cars, but look at the down side of having one. There have been a couple shot up (in one case it also hit the deputy's house) and one torched near the county line here recently. I don't like the bad guys knowing where I live not to mention knowing when I am home and when I am not.

Now retirement. We do pay into ours, but we also retire at 75% at 23 years with a 3.25 percent multiplier maxing out at 85% not 60% at 25 years like you.

Greener grass, depends on what you want..... no need to recruit on this board.

Actually, the FRS has a 3% multiplier, so they get 75% at 25 years. Since LPD officers pay 5% into thier own pension, over a 23 year career that can cost about $40,000 in today's dollars, but the contibution is tax-exempt. I wonder if a FRS participant would invest $40,0000 in pretax money to hit 75% two years early. I have a calculator.....LPD has a better pension....and it keeps getting better. Besides, what really is important is staying in one plan long enough to get the benefit. Jumping around only makes you a bad employment risk, and it puts you behind the 8-ball.

With FRS, shift differential (5% or 10%) and the overtime related to work (not off duty details) are factored into YOUR pension. LPD, straight up base pay, regardless of what shift or how much duty related OT you have to endure. You're talking minute differences. It comes down the quality of career you want over that 23 or 25 years. Just put some $$$ aside so when ever and where ever you do retire from...YOU NEVER HAVE TO WORK AGAIN!

Not many people make it to the 23 year mark at LPD to get that retirement. I think you have to make the choice to endure working in a crappy environment or test the waters and see what else is out there. When I left LPD it didn't have anything to do with the money. Good luck to the people who gut it out.