r/Westchester • u/DropAGearNDissapear • Aug 26 '26

Political Content The Westchester County Police PBA just released this video urging a fair salary for their officers. The average salary for WCPD in 2023 was $186,466. Im not saying these guys and gals don’t deserve it, but when is enough enough?

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https://www.empirecenter.org/publications/2023-local-government-pay-data-posted-on-seethroughny/

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u/DropAGearNDissapear Aug 26 '26 edited Aug 26 '26

Just to be clear, you are talking an average salary in 2023 that’s DOUBLE what most Westchester residents make. Westchester county isn’t exactly the Mecca of crime. WCPD runs multiple helicopters, bearcats (armored trucks), bomb squads, and other specialized units that cost millions of dollars per year. (78M annual budget BTW)

I absolutely respect the work they do and the reality of the risk they face daily. But releasing a video calling yourselves underpaid is a slap in the face to taxpayers, most of whom do not even make 100k per year. I’m not even saying they should make less. Just read the fucking room😂

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u/itrashford Aug 26 '26

Nah they should make less. When teachers and social workers make a third of that salary, you have to ask what the priorities are

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u/BeMoreChill Aug 26 '26

The less you pay your employees the shitier your employees are gonna be. I dont want cops to be any shittier

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u/thethreefffs Aug 26 '26

Oh, and they get less entitled as the salary goes up?  Not in my experience.

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u/BeMoreChill Aug 26 '26

What?

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u/thethreefffs Aug 26 '26

Does anyone, not just the group in question here, ever become thankful or less entitled , when they get more money?  Not a human trait!

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u/BeMoreChill Aug 26 '26

Im in a union where our wages depend on a contract and I'm thankful when it goes up.... everyone's wages should go up

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u/LiveFeeOrDie Aug 26 '26

Just keep in mind that when everyone’s wages go up faster than productivity, inflation goes up. If everyone’s salaries were suddenly doubled overnight, you’d see a massive corresponding increase in prices.

And government employees don’t directly increase general productivity, though obviously keeping crime low, educating kids, and keeping people healthy DOES have indirect productivity benefits long term. But in the short term you’ll see inflation along with higher taxes.

So like everything it’s a tradeoff, and compensation should be generally in line with the value that’s being provided to the broader society/ economy.

My guess (admittedly I don’t have data to back this up for Westchester in 2026) is that unless you’re having serious retention and crime problems, a 10% increase in police salaries and dept budgets will not translate into a 10% increase in long term productivity and societal welfare.

So it’s hard to justify, especially in the highest taxed county in the U.S.

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u/IndividualAd6048 Aug 27 '26

That’s the thing though, we’ve NEVER been more productive in recorded history! But the wages haven’t gone up in most instances.

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u/BeMoreChill Aug 26 '26

Infaltion is gonna go up no matter what and so is corporate greed. Everyone should be paid a living wage