Federal law officers’ salaries fall short of big-city counterparts

On average nationally, federal law enforcement officers make more money than their counterparts at the state and local levels. But federal officers in some high cost-of-living areas earn significantly less than local officers in equivalent positions, according to a new Congressional Budget Office report.

The study found that in Los Angeles and New York, federal police officers were paid 11 percent less than their state and local counterparts, and in San Diego federal officers received 8 percent less.

Federal corrections officers in New York also make 11 percent less than state and local corrections officers, according to CBO.

The report noted that pay for many state and local law enforcement jobs is set through collective bargaining, which is not allowed at the federal level. By its very nature, CBO noted, collective bargaining makes pay rates more responsive to local labor-market conditions.

The study was conducted at the request of the House and Senate subcommittees that deal with federal workforce issues. CBO was responding to concerns that pay disparities would cause recruitment and retention problems.

CBO split the category of law enforcement officers into five job types of jobs: police officers, investigators, corrections officers, police supervisors and corrections supervisors.

The variation in pay differentials among the positions was significant, CBO found. For example, federal investigators, as opposed to police officers and corrections officers, made more than their local and state counterparts in high-cost cities like New York.

CBO reported that nationally, federal law officers do better than officers at other levels of government. Even after adjusting for factors such as education and experience, federal corrections supervisors nationwide make an average of 25 percent more. Investigators are paid 19 percent more, corrections officers an additional 11 percent and police officers 4 percent more.

CBO found several reasons for the differential. One is that while nonfederal officers might attend police academies or training courses for a few months, federal investigators train for up to two years.

The CBO also found that federal officers often have more responsibility than their nonfederal counterparts. Federal corrections supervisors generally oversee larger facilities than those supervised by state and local officials.

The report noted that the new personnel system under development at the Homeland Security Department--which employs about one-fourth of all federal law enforcement officers--will set separate pay schedules for each group of officers, in an effort to allow more flexibility in responding to recruitment and retention problems.