City could save

by hiring FBI Agents

Staffing PD with G-Men would be like a trip to Bargain Town

By Robert Schussel, Ph.D

10/3/11

Purpose

To compare the wages and benefits of Vallejo Police Officers to FBI Special Agents in the Bay Area.

Background

The Vallejo police union (VPOA) has often stated that their members deserve their high wages as they are well educated and trained and have a dangerous job. Various analyses done by VIB have shown that the Vallejo Police are some of the highest compensated in the state.

FBI Special Agents actually are some of the best trained and most highly educated law enforcement officers in the US. Some of their assignments can be extremely dangerous such as pursuing drug dealers, gang members etc.

The question is: How do the wages and benefits of FBI Special Agents compare to Vallejo Police Officers?

Caveats

1) All of the data for this analysis came from the City of Vallejo and FBI websites.

2) For comparison purposes, Vallejo Police Officers ( Police Officer rank) were compared to FBI Special Agents in Grade 10 in the Federal wage guidelines (entry level equivalent to Vallejo police officer rank).

3) The wages and benefits of individuals with 3 years and 10 years experience are compared.After 3 years the Vallejo Police Officer rank is at Step 5 (the maximum base salary) . For FBI Special Agents it takes 10 years to reach the maximum base salary for the equivalent job. To adjust for cost of living the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland Ca Locality pay for Special Agents was used--( approximately 35% higher than the national rate).

4) Although the educational requirements for a Vallejo Police Officer is a high school degree only college graduates are being hired. Thus for comparison purposes Vallejo Police are assumed to have a college degree.

5) For health insurance, The Kaiser HMO plan was chosen as it the richest plan that is fully paid for by the City of Vallejo. A very similar plan is also available to FBI Special Agents.

6) The size of one's pension was based on each person having wages of $100K per year.

Findings

1) The educational and work requirements for becoming an FBI Special Agent are higher than for a Vallejo Police Officer.

Typically the FBI is hiring individuals with a

• CPA,

• Computer Science/Information Technology degree (including electrical engineering, Cisco Network Professional certification etc),

• Language degree (especially Arabic,Russian,Middle East languages etc and able to pass Defense Language Proficiency Test)

• Law Degree (JD)

• Diversified: BS or BA in any discipline and 3 years work experience, or an advanced degree and 2 years work experience – desirability of candidates in this category is “very limited”.

All FBI applicants must have at least 3 years of professional work experience except those with highly desirable advanced degrees who may qualify with 2 years of work experience. No such requirements exist for the VPD. However Vallejo Police Officers do attend a police academy.

2) The wages of a Special Agent are significantly lower than those of a Vallejo Police Officer. With 3 years of experience a Vallejo Police Officer's base wage surpasses that of an FBI agent, also with three years on the job, by $33,924.79 (Approximately 33%). This difference does not include an additional $3,000 Vallejo officers receive for having a BS degree, courtesy of the educational incentive pay provision in the Vallejo contract.

After 10 years of service a Vallejo Police Officer's base wage is still $19,488.79 higher than their counterpart in the FBI (see chart below)

3) The benefits that Vallejo Police Officers receive such as vacation, sick leave, holidays and health insurance are somewhat richer than what FBI Special Agents receive. In particular Vallejo Police receive free health insurance while Special Agents must pay for some of the cost of their health insurance coverage. For a family plan, the amount paid is $4,112.64 per year.

4) Even with a government pension and Social Security, an FBI Special Agent's pension (at the $100K per year income level) is about $10,000 less than a Vallejo Police Officer who receives with the same wages.

Comments

The Vallejo Police Union (VPOA) continues to regularly make the argument that they deserve their high pay and benefits due to the nature of their work and the skills required. However, how do they then rationalize the fact that FBI Agents who have higher educational and experience requirements and a job that is just as dangerous make significantly less (adjusted for Bay area wages) than VPOA members? It would seem that negotiating skills and political influence are more important than job skills when it comes to golden compensation packages.  

Every study has shown that Vallejo Police Officers make more than almost any of their peers statewide. This status quo has been preserved by the raises granted Vallejo's Police by the City Council majority while the city struggled with bankruptcy. It is time that expectations for wages and benefits come more in line with what other law enforcement officers make.

Comments

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Retired_IBEW   |October.06.2011 I don't want to jump into the middle of a shitstorm here, but I will say that the job of an FBI agent is much different than that of a City Police Officer, they don't have to walk into potentially dangerous domestic situations, make car stops on people who in all likelihood have guns; and most of their work is done behind a desk, they rely heavily on local police departments for 'backup' when they are going to make an arrest or do a search, so your comparing apples and oranges here..

Firebug   |October.06.2011 And a Police Sergeant is considered blue collar and gets overtime, yet the white collar FBI agent does not.

MisInformation   |October.05.2011 I meant GGrade 13.

MisInformation   |October.05.2011 Anon A grade 12 with 10 years experience is more like a Sergeant with 10 years experience. Nice try in the deception department.

anon   |October.05.2011 Agents "start" at Grade 10 (chart includes 35% locality pay) http://www.opm.gov/oca/11tables/html/sf.asp and can expect to make Grade 12 after 10 years hourly rates below: http://www.opm.gov/oca/11tables/html/sf_h.asp The pay grade of FBI agents increases based on the number of years spent working for the organization. As you gain more experience, you're likely to go up the FBI pay scale. For example, an FBI agent can reach a pay grade of GS-12, which comes with a salary of $87,000 a year based on 2009 data. To reach this amount, you need to work for the FBI for a minimum of 10 years. The starting pay for an agent is less than VPD patrol. If that is where you wish to end any cost comparison and not look at a full career of 30 years, then you will get the figures you want. Go beyond that and the cost benefit is not at all clear with SSI, pension and employer matching contribution to pensions.

Mousy   |October.05.2011 The various anons here are only going to pick apart a study that doesn't support the high local wages. Other way around they'd be defending it. They are perfectly capable of running the data themselves as a private citizen as Dr Schussel is. Provide the data and refute the argument guys. Ball is in your court. Personally I think this as close of an approximation as you're going to get without having access to some major research center's data.

Trying to defend the undefenda   |October.05.2011 Anonymous and Anon Anon according to you a special agent earns 126,880 annually according to your numbers. Give me a break--this isn't entry level or even 3 years. Dr Schussel gave a base number for 3 years and 10 years grade 10. Grades 14 and 15 are for real managers not corporals etc as in the Vallejo PD.

Anonymous   |October.05.2011 "I used the 2010/11 wages for grade level 10--see my article--not 2006 as you did.Grade 10 is equivalent to the Police officer rank." New Agent Salary As of 2006, all special agents start at $47,297 per year at GS-10, Step 1. Agents remain at this salary through new agent training and at the start of their first assignment. This base salary increases as the agent gains years of service and promotions. I think using GS 10 for cost comparison is ridiculous

Anonymous   |October.05.2011 BS, Oso. CalTrans workers have more dangerous jobs than cops.

Firebug   |October.05.2011 payscale.com did not reveal its sources for data and contradicts the data on the fbi website.

Specia Agent Oso   |October.05.2011 At the advice of a colleague, I looked at your comparison. Take caution to believing this diatribe. Although I may be more educated than your traditional beat police officer, as an agent I am in a considerably less hazardous environment than your police officers. The overtime that I receive is dependent upon the job being completed. I always have the ability to work and can dictate my earnings. The working conditions in this part of the county alone would deter me from any possible employment with this city. I will keep my hidden-firearm-undercover-office job any day of the week.

anon   |October.05.2011 http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Employer=Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation_(FBI)/Hourly_Rate Rate + locality pay (rate x 35%) = hourly rate 46 + (46 x 35% = 16.1) = $61.10 per hour

Firebug   |October.05.2011 17. How does the FBI pay scale work for white-collar employees? Most FBI white-collar personnel are paid according to the U.S. Governments General Schedule (GS). The GS scale consists of 15 job grades (with 15 being the highest) and each grade has ten steps (with ten being the highest). Therefore, the highest paid GS employee is a grade 15, step 10. Job grades are determined by level of responsibility and difficulty, and steps are determined by length of tenure and job performance. Each grade and step combination has a specified salary as determined by the U.S. Governments Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Review this year's General Schedule base salary table. The government also pays an additional locality adjustment rate that is based upon labor market conditions in the region in which you work. Locality pay rates range anywhere from an additional 12.5% to 28.7% of base salary depending upon your locality pay area. Review a complete set of this year's locality pay tables (i.e., base salary + locality adjustment). Some FBI employees are also eligible for additional compensation, such as overtime pay, danger pay, availability pay, bonuses, and other allowances." http://www.fbijobs.gov/61.asp#4 Looks like Special Agents are White Collar employees and do not get overtime. For someone that was stuck on hourly compensation you seem to have had an epiphany for total compensation all of a sudden.

anon   |October.05.2011 The "point" was in lipstick red print as the title I thought: Vallejo Could Save Millions "by hiring FBI agents". Where is it that the FBI wage and benefits is the "bar" for all law enforcement in the US? If you want to show the difference so it is clear: FBI agent total compensation x 100 = $xxx VPD total compensation x 100 = $xxx A total $ for 100 persons would be clear

YOU MISSED THE POINT   |October.04.2011 Anon The point of Dr Schussels articles is that other Law Enforcement officers such as the FBI work for a lot less than Vallejo PD and get poorer benefits. The Vallejo police need to realise that they are overpaid and start to make concessions.

anon   |October.04.2011 Mr. Schussel. The overtime pay, danger pay, availability pay, bonuses, and other allowances was lifted from the FBI website for special agents. It may be difficult to work it into a "total compensation" $ number but it is still an expense. I think recruitment will be extremely difficult but remove that pay and my opinion is it will be impossible. Can you show the $ saved by a direct comparison; VPD total compensation x 100 = $x,xxx,xxx's FBI total compensation x 100 = $x,xxx,xxx's

anon   |October.04.2011 Is there a model that can be looked at that shows the interest of FBI special agents moving from the bureau to municipal PD's? Any examples?

Firebug   |October.04.2011 Some of our rank and file retirees make as much as a working grade 10 Special Agent. AKABA, MARK $9,170.11 $110,041.32 VALLEJO BECKER, RONALD $12,735.66 $152,827.92 VALLEJO BENNE, RICHARD $8,519.18 $102,230.16 VALLEJO BENNIGSON, HARRY $8,801.29 $105,615.48 VALLEJO BOSTON, JIMMIE $10,459.81 $125,517.72 VALLEJO BOWDEN, JERALD $9,117.92 $109,415.04 VALLEJO BUNCH, JOHN $10,249.43 $122,993.16 VALLEJO CARDENAS, RUBEN $10,351.52 $124,218.24 VALLEJO COOLEY, ERROL $10,169.27 $122,031.24 VALLEJO COUGHLIN, JAMES $10,082.94 $120,995.28 VALLEJO DANDRIDGE, RAYMAND $11,251.30 $135,015.60 VALLEJO DASILVA, ALVARO $9,295.02 $111,540.24 VALLEJO http://database.californiapensionreform.com/

Robert Schussel   |October.04.2011 anon I used the 2010/11 wages for grade level 10--see my article--not 2006 as you did.Grade 10 is equivalent to the Police officer rank. Some of the things you mention like overtime pay, danger pay, availability pay, bonuses, and other allowances are not standard pay and are NOT normally included in total compensation analyses for a class of employees such as FBI Special Agent. While FBI special agents can retire at age 50 they will not get SS until age 62--they will earn much less in retirement than Vallejo Police who retired at 50. It should be noted that the City contributes significantly more for pensions than does the Federal Government. I used 30 years service for both groups as it appears to be a more realistic comparision. When it is all and done Vallejo police total compensation is much higher than for Special Agents.

Try reading article   |October.04.2011 anon Try reading Dr Schussels article. The wages are for Police officers not Police Captains or FBI Directors. Most of what you say is BS. Vallejo police get overtime etc . What you don't like is that Vallejo police are shown to be making more and have richer benefits. Try whining to your Topix buddies.

Firebug   |October.04.2011 I wonder how many years to get from grade 1 to grade 15? Petty critique so far Dickie.

anon   |October.04.2011 Salary table 2006-SF http://www.opm.gov/oca/06tables/pdf/saltbl.pdf show a top salary of $143,000, Schussels table shows $101,971. Why the $42,000 difference. As much as VIB pushed for "total compensation" figures it seems that there is much information missing before supporting any type of hiring shift. FBI agents are elegible to retire at age 50 after 20 years. One must include the employer contribution toward their SSI, pension and version of 401k. What about some FBI employees who are also eligible for additional compensation, such as overtime pay, danger pay, availability pay, bonuses, and other allowances? Pretty weak analysis so far

Insanity   |October.04.2011 And yet some still think VPOA deserve more money and benefits...Must be nice to live in fantasy land.

John K   |October.04.2011 Hello, if you'll read the caveats, item 3, you'll see that Dr. Schussel did indeed adjust for Federal locality pay. "To adjust for cost of living the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland Ca Locality pay for Special Agents was used-- ( approximately 35% higher than the national rate)." And Council Member Schivley voted against giving employee raises during Vallejo's bankruptcy.

Hello   |October.03.2011 Bob I have heard that Federal employees get compensated for living in curtain geographical locations? Is that true? If so did that factor into your numbers I did not see it. I want to believe the things I read on your site but I think you use this for political gain more than education. Have we all forgotten when the majority went Shivleys way?

Hey Firebug!   |October.03.2011 You crack me up!!!!!

TRUE COLORS   |October.03.2011 ...and nobody that approved the police contract has any business calling themselves "public servants" or claiming that they are "serving the community".

TRUE COLORS   |October.03.2011 Anonymous, I won't forget either. Nobody should forget who approved the contracts which promised money bankrupt Vallejo didn't have.

Anonymous   |October.03.2011 Slammer, if you want more reality in employee compensation, then vote to create a new Council majority in November. Vote for Sampayan, McConnell and Schivley. And don't vote in the PSU-funded candidates: Hannigan, Malgapo, Logan or Davis. I will never forget that Hqnnigan and Davis were the ones who gave RAISES to the cops while the city was in bankruptcy (with Sunga, Wilson and Bartee).

Anonymous   |October.03.2011 Why do you think every time VPD gets more stimulus funds/grant money to hire new officers the chief announces a former VPD employee has left his/her new city to come back to work in Vallejo?

Slammer   |October.03.2011 Isn't it interesting how law enforcement that is outside the "Perpetual Wheel O' Raises" is so much less expensive. Please City Council use your success with Measure A to get rid of this rip off comparison of cities to support raises. It's not only a royal rip-off, it's a perpetual royal rip-off that never ends as raises beget raises beget raises.

Park Rangers   |October.03.2011 That is... Park Rangers at Alcatraz are PH.Ds working for low wages. They love the people and job and it is obvious. Vallejo Ham is Mad Ham!!!

Park Rangers   |October.03.2011 They are PH.D cops just above minmum wage. Isn't PH.D a pretty good education? The liCal cops are theives and liars as per VPOA.

Mr :)   |October.03.2011 Nice article. But I still say the correct comparison is between currently employed VPOA and what an unemployed but equally skilled police officer would accept(*). I do not see an FBI agent as a drop in replacement for a Vallejo cop. * This might be a surprisingly low number as if you are unemployed now you may never be employed again as a cop ever, so you would be best serve by accepting anything an hope for an economic boom in 10 years or so. Just one anonymous message board ranter's opinion.

A Fan of the Doctor   |October.03.2011 I think this is an excellent presentation that clearly demonstrates how out of touch our city's compensation is relative to just about anything, including fiscal sanity. If only we can seat a council majority that understands what most already know. Good work Dr. Schussel! And think you for all your efforts on behalf the community.

Anonymous   |October.03.2011 Not one bit surprised by these numbers.

Firebug   |October.03.2011 Or better put, I am here from the City of Vallejo and I am here to help myself. LOL!

Mousy   |October.03.2011 Why is that any better than "I'm from the local government and here to help?" I think we need to include the FBI as part of our comps from this point on.

Anonymous   |October.03.2011 Hello, I'm from the federal government and I'm here to help. Ah, no thanks.

wharf rat   |October.03.2011 WOW !!! you just nuke'd the issue as always a great article / analysis could you imagine recieving a traffic ticket from a G man . the mmd's would be running for the hills and the crooks would be hiding under their rocks . this is a great idea a city suffering from the effects of a closed federal military base recieving some help from the FBI for local enforcment the fed might even pick up their pension costs . word on the street would be dont play in vallejo they got g=men there . it is not a far fetched idea with an election comeing who know's.....

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