Become a Cop >> Browse Articles >> Career Resources
Top 25 Cities for Police Officers
Stock Photo
Kevin Powers, PoliceLink.com
#18. Columbus, OH
Population: 747,755
City’s Average Salary: $40,770
Starting Salary for Police Officers: $41,745
Cost of Living Rank (in a 1-100 list): 17
Average Commute Time: 20 minutes
Job Growth Rank (in a list of 372 Highest Growth Cities): 178
Unemployment Rate: 7.9
Columbus boasts a robust economy, ranking in the top 10 in the nation. Government jobs provide the largest source of employment here, followed by its large higher education institutions. Columbus offers a relatively low cost of living and also boasts the lowest unemployment rate of all the 25 best value cities on this list.
Next Page: City #17 >>
clobster
over 5 years ago
1552 Comments
If you plan on coming to Seattle to work, plan on a horrendous commute between 5am and 9pm on weekdays. Week-ends are hit or miss.
DallasCo417
over 5 years ago
390 Comments
DAllas PD starts at 42? and mesquite pd starts at 52... why didnt they get mentioned??
BMWMOTOR8
over 5 years ago
36 Comments
Oh, and population is floating around 2 million in the valley, but there is North Las Vegas and Henderson as well...Nlv is over 200,000, and Henderson is somewhere about that same number.
BMWMOTOR8
over 5 years ago
36 Comments
Wow, I am surprised to see Las Vegas didn't make the list. Very good pay and benefits out here, one of the fastest growing cities in the US and commute is controllable by moving near your station. Lots of recreation out here as well, definately one to consider.
alex43223
over 5 years ago
70 Comments
If he fires 200 cops we need to fire him.
president9
over 5 years ago
2 Comments
Don't leave your agency to come to Columbus PD anytime soon-- The City's admin./Mayor is threatening to lay off 200 officers if a tax increase doesn't pass on Aug. 4th-- including 26 that were just rehired with COPS GRANT funding that brought the President to this great city as an example of where the COPS GRANT dollars were being used to retain or hire back cops---- the Mayor will look real great by sending the money back to the White House and laying them off with some 170 Plus other officers hu????
Mantis
over 5 years ago
174 Comments
The fourth largest city in the US, and one of the most dangerous (Houston) needs to get its head out of the sand, didn't even rank in the top 25, and two Texas cities take the top two seats. How pathetic
cubano
over 5 years ago
24 Comments
way to go boston P.D,77,000 its good.
kmgibbs
over 5 years ago
8 Comments
what about Omaha? population of ~450,000, third highest salary for cops when accounting for cost of living, in general, a low cost of living, commute time is ridiculously low, there has been steady increase in hires of police since a massive retirement push a few years ago, and Nebraska is the only state with declining unemployment! What gives?
pfsdaugherty
over 5 years ago
2 Comments
Well....Columbus is about to get some layoffs for police and fire if the levy doesnt pass
liljenjen
over 5 years ago
176 Comments
I thought this article was very enlightening,and thank you to chucky for his input as to the difficulties in California.
chucky
over 5 years ago
514 Comments
I do not know who wrote this article, but the author is way misinformed. We are the lowest compensated department in CA. We are the most understaffed largest city in the nation, cover may literally be 20 minutes away if not longer. Because the Mayor of the city is upset with the SDPOA, he has imposed 13.5 % percent in deductions of Salary/ Benefits, which is forcing about 150 officers to retire early before July 1, 2009. We are loosing over 40% of our new hires because they can not make it past training.
I do love working for this department because we operate with officer safety number one always. If there is no cover unit, calls hold for officer safety reasons. It is a fun department to work for, it is the mayor and city council that will never let this department grow to its great potential.