With National Police Week starting on May 11 and the median annual salary for a police officer reaching over $77,000, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2025’s Best & Worst States to Be a Police Officer, as well as expert commentary.
In order to determine the best states to pursue a career in law enforcement, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 30 key indicators of police-friendliness. The data set ranges from the median income for law-enforcement officers to police deaths per 1,000 officers to state and local police-protection expenses per capita.
Life & Work for Cops in New York (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
- Overall Rank: 13th
- 4th – Law-Enforcement Officers per Capita
- 7th – Median Income for Law-Enforcement Officers (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
- 42nd – Median Income Growth for Law-Enforcement Officers
- 31st – Violent-Crime Rate
- 15th – % of Homicide Cases Solved
- 4th – State & Local Police-Protection Expenses per Capita
- 40th – Police Deaths per 1,000 Officers
Note: “Law-enforcement officers” includes police and sheriff’s patrol officers, detectives and criminal investigators.
For the full report, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-to-be-a-cop/34669.
Expert Commentary
Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?
“Technology and soft skills are, ideally, two sides of the same coin, at least to the extent that they are (and should be) oriented toward the same goal: maximizing policing’s public safety impact while minimizing its unintended consequences. There is no golden rule for how investments in each should be balanced, but there should be a constant recognition that investments made by the police should always serve community interests and needs. It should also be noted that technological and equipment investments go beyond those made into the purchasing of more weapons or surveillance tools; they also include investments into better internal infrastructure (like record management systems, electronic memo books, and the like) that can improve data collection, analysis, performance evaluation, and transparency. As such, when we think of technology, we should not only think about the technology we fear, but also the technology we can leverage to achieve our ideal vision for legitimate, accountable, and effective policing.”
Jorge X. Camacho – Policy Director; Clinical Lecturer in Law, Yale University
“I believe that there needs to be a balance between the human factor and the technological aspects of policing. There is absolutely a need for technology and equipment, but policing is a very interpersonal activity so a commitment to those skills is critical as well. The more interpersonal traits that the police can use, the better the quality of service that the officers can provide.”
David Hammel – Maryland State Police (Retired) Criminal Investigator; Professor, Anne Arundel Community College
What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?
“Improving relationships between police departments and minority communities requires a multifaceted approach that emphasizes and focuses on accountability, community engagement, and transparency. Some measures that help police departments strengthen these relationships include consistent dialogue and two-way communication, partnering with civic/community organizations, and actively recruiting and hiring new officers who reflect the communities they serve.”
Gary Krulish – Chair, Justice Studies, Berkeley College
“Public opinion polls show a polarized view of police. In some neighborhoods, the police maintain high levels of community support, while the opposite holds true in other parts of the jurisdiction. Community-building activities should focus on the latter. The police must engage in the hard work of creating positive, sustained relationships in areas where they do not exist. The application of fair and impartial policing practices, improved accountability, and incorporation of citizen input into policing decisions show promise. More general public relations efforts, especially those involving community members who already express high levels of support for the police, will do little to move the overall level of trust in the police.”
James R. Brunet – Associate Professor; Director, Public Safety Leadership Initiative, North Carolina State University
What strategies have proven effective in diversifying the police force so that it is more representative of the community?
“Many departments are actively experimenting with a range of strategies to improve the recruitment of officers, including those from underrepresented communities. More time is needed to develop a track record that allows us to confidently identify effective strategies, but some appear promising. Among these are mentorship programs that pair interested candidates with active-duty officers who can both serve as an informational resource as well as encourage applicants throughout the application process. This kind of engagement can help ensure that potential recruits complete the application process, which minimizes attrition. Additional strategies include focusing recruitment efforts at events that target members of sought-after communities (such as job fairs oriented to the hiring of minority candidates). Different police departments may experience different levels of success using these strategies, but on balance, the results will likely be positive, especially if departments commit themselves to sustaining and following through on their proactive recruitment efforts.”
Jorge X. Camacho – Policy Director; Clinical Lecturer in Law, Yale University
“Strategies that have shown to be effective in diversifying the police departments/forces include attending civic/community events especially those specifically aimed at minority populations, partnering with local organizations or educational institutions (i.e., high schools, colleges/universities), and advertising/marketing campaigns aimed toward social media outlets. Lastly, welcoming the community to participate in the process of building a more representative and inclusive police force that reflects the diversity of the communities they serve.”
Gary Krulish – Chair, Justice Studies, Berkeley College