How much does a first-line supervisors of police and detectives make?

The median first-line supervisors of police and detectives salary in the United States is $106,040 per year ($50.98/hour). Salaries range from $63,350 (10th percentile) to $165,110 (90th percentile). There are 154,610 first-line supervisors of police and detectives jobs in the U.S. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.

Is first-line supervisors of police and detectives a good career?

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives employment is projected to grow 2.9% from 2024 to 2034 (as fast as average). There are approximately 10,900 job openings per year. Typical education required: High school diploma or equivalent.

What certifications should first-line supervisors of police and detectivess get?

Top-ROI certifications for first-line supervisors of police and detectivess: FBI-LEEDA Supervisor Leadership Institute (SLI) ($695 (typically department-paid)); FBI-LEEDA Command Leadership Institute (CLI) + Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) ($695 each (typically department-paid)); FBI National Academy (FBI-NA) (Tuition covered by FBI; department covers travel and pays officer during attendance).

How do you negotiate a first-line supervisors of police and detectives salary?

Anchor on documented market data (BLS median $106,040, p75 $132,620), specific outcomes you've delivered, and the specific band for your years of experience. Given 8 years of patrol experience, 3 years as Sergeant with a 100% in-policy use-of-force review rate and zero sustained IA complaints, 9 FTO probationary officers signed off, FBI-LEEDA SLI + Homicide School completion...

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Salary

Q: Which state pays first-line supervisors of police and detectivess the most?

The highest paying state for first-line supervisors of police and detectivess is California at $163,960 median salary.

Q: What interview questions are asked for first-line supervisors of police and detectives roles?

Common first-line supervisors of police and detectives interview questions include: "You're the watch commander. An officer on your shift uses lethal force. Walk me through the first 60 minutes.", "One of your officers has been using force that meets policy but is generating a lot of citizen complaints. How do you handle it?", "How do you handle roll call for a shift covering a large protest?". Interview format at top employers ranges from behavioral panels (STAR method) to technical case rounds — for example New York Police Department (NYPD) typically uses Multi-year promotional cycle.

Q: What is the career ladder for first-line supervisors of police and detectivess?

The typical first-line supervisors of police and detectives career ladder: Sergeant / Patrol Sergeant / Detective Sergeant (3-10 (post-hire; 0-5 as a sergeant) yrs, $85k-$135k base + OT (base plus OT often adds 20-40%)) → Senior Sergeant / Detective Sergeant / Specialty Unit Sergeant (10-20 yrs) (10-20 yrs, $105k-$165k base + OT + differentials) → Lieutenant / Watch Commander (15-25 yrs, $130k-$195k base + differentials) → Captain / Division Commander (post-Lt track) (20+ yrs, $160k-$240k+ at large jurisdictions).

The median first-line supervisors of police and detectives salary in the United States is $106,040 per year ($50.98/hour). Salaries range from $63,350 at the entry level to $165,110+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 154,610 first-line supervisors of police and detectives jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 2.9% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Salary

$106,040

per year

Hourly Rate

$50.98

per hour

Employment

154,610

jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile

$63,350

25th percentile

$81,860

Median

$106,040

75th percentile

$132,620

90th percentile

$165,110

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+2.9%

As fast as average

Annual Openings

10,900

jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

High school diploma or equivalent

+ Less than 5 years experience

Training Needed

Moderate-term on-the-job training

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for first-line supervisors of police and detectivess.

First-line supervisors of police and detectives — sergeants, lieutenants, watch commanders, and detective sergeants — run patrol shifts and detective bureaus. They lead squads of 6-12 officers, conduct roll call, review reports, sign off on use-of-force, oversee FTO (Field Training Officer) programs, and take command of scenes until a captain or higher arrives. Promotion is governed by civil service or department-specific systems that combine written exam, oral board, and merit criteria (TEAM — Tenure, Education, Assessment, Merit — is common). Median pay is $106,040 with p10 near $63,350 (rural or small-agency sergeants) and p90 near $165,110 (senior sergeants and lieutenants at NYPD, LAPD, Boston PD, SFPD, and other high-COL jurisdictions where base plus overtime plus differentials plus longevity clear well into six figures — a top-step NYPD sergeant with OT can exceed $200k in a given year). Nationally, employment is about 154,610. The role sits at the collision point of officer welfare, community accountability, and department policy — a sergeant signs off on the arrest paperwork, the body-cam retention flag, and the IA referral all in the same shift.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Roll call and shift command

Open shift with the roll-call brief — BOLOs, active warrants, high-priority calls-for-service patterns, community concerns, officer welfare check-ins, equipment inspection. Set the tone for the shift; safe shifts start with disciplined roll calls.

Use-of-force review and Graham v. Connor standard

Review every use-of-force report against the objective-reasonableness standard from Graham v. Connor (1989) and department policy. Sign off, flag for supplemental review, or refer to Internal Affairs. Body-worn camera footage is reviewed alongside the written report.

Body-worn camera policy and retention

Ensure officers activated cameras per policy on every enforcement contact. Review flagged footage. Manage evidence.com or Motorola CommandCentral retention tagging (evidentiary vs administrative). Failure to activate is a documented performance concern and increasingly a disciplinary trigger.

Field Training Officer (FTO) program oversight

Supervise the FTO cadre and probationary officers. Review Daily Observation Reports (DORs), sign off on phase transitions, decide who exits probation and who doesn't. FTO oversight is the primary lever a first-line supervisor has on department culture and quality.

Internal Affairs process and Garrity/Miranda distinction

Know when a citizen complaint stays on the shift as informal counseling and when it must go to IA. Understand Garrity v. New Jersey — compelled statements from officers in administrative investigations cannot be used in criminal prosecution. Advise officers on the difference between an IA interview and a criminal interview.

Incident command and NIMS/ICS structure

Take command until the appropriate rank arrives. FEMA ICS 100, 200, 300, 700, 800 completion is standard by promotion. Establish command post, run tactical channels, coordinate with fire/EMS, request specialty resources (SWAT, K-9, negotiators, air support).

Officer welfare, EAP, and post-critical-incident response

Sergeants are the first line of officer wellness — recognize signs of PTSD, alcohol issues, marital strain. Refer to EAP, peer support, and department chaplain. After an officer-involved shooting or in-custody death, ensure the officer is off-duty, has union rep present, and has mandatory psychological consult before return to duty.

How to Become a First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

1
Complete a police academy and become a sworn officer
State-certified academy — 4-9 months typically, longer in some states. POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) or equivalent commission certification. Some large departments (NYPD, LAPD) run their own academies; others send recruits to a state or regional academy.
2
Complete Field Training and probation as a patrol officer
FTO phase — 12-18 weeks typical, riding with a certified FTO who signs DORs daily. Probation runs 12-18 months. Failing probation ends the career at that agency; failing FTO but before probation ends is a common exit point.
3
Serve 3-7 years as a patrol officer before eligibility for sergeant
Time-in-grade requirement is agency-specific but usually 3-5 years minimum. Many candidates also do specialty rotations (detective bureau, gang unit, motor unit, K-9) that add to the promotion competitiveness.
4
Pass the sergeant's promotional process — written exam, oral board, assessment center, TEAM composite
Written exam covers state penal code, criminal procedure, department policy, supervision principles. Oral board is scenario-based — how would you handle X. Assessment center (used in ~40% of large agencies) runs in-basket exercises, roleplay, and structured decision scenarios. TEAM (Tenure, Education, Assessment, Merit) is the composite ranking. Prep programs (Cross Country Educational, Ovanov Consulting) cost $500-1,500 and are standard investment.
5
Complete supervisor academy and advance — Sr Sergeant → Lieutenant → Watch Commander → Captain
Sergeant is the first rung; the ladder continues through Lt (usually 5-10 years post-Sgt), then Captain (10-15 years), then Commander/Deputy Chief/Chief. Each rank has its own promotion process. Education (BA / MA in criminal justice or public admin) becomes increasingly important above Sgt.

Career Progression

Sergeant / Patrol Sergeant / Detective Sergeant

3-10 (post-hire; 0-5 as a sergeant) yrs$85k-$135k base + OT (base plus OT often adds 20-40%)

•Command a patrol squad of 6-12 officers per shift; run daily roll call
•Review and sign off on reports, use-of-force incidents, arrest packages
•Supervise field training officers and probationary officers
•Take command of scenes until a Lieutenant or Watch Commander arrives

Next: Senior Sergeant / Detective Sergeant at 5-10 years, or Lieutenant at 8-15 years.

Senior Sergeant / Detective Sergeant / Specialty Unit Sergeant (10-20 yrs)

10-20 yrs$105k-$165k base + OT + differentials

•Lead a detective bureau squad or specialty unit (Gang, Narcotics, Sex Crimes, Homicide, SWAT)
•Oversee complex case management across multiple detectives
•Represent unit at DA charging conferences and case reviews
•Serve as acting Lieutenant during rank absences

Next: Lieutenant / Watch Commander at 15-25 years.

Lieutenant / Watch Commander

15-25 yrs$130k-$195k base + differentials

•Command a full patrol watch (all squads across a shift), typically 30-60 officers and 4-6 sergeants
•Own operations across the shift — incident command escalation, scheduling, discipline review, community meetings
•Interface with community stakeholders, elected officials, and city departments
•Serve on department-level committees (use-of-force review, hiring, promotion process design)

Next: Captain at 20-30 years.

Captain / Division Commander (post-Lt track)

20+ yrs$160k-$240k+ at large jurisdictions

•Command a full division (patrol precinct, detective bureau, training academy, IA)
•Own division budget, personnel, and 24/7 operations
•Serve on command staff; report to Deputy Chief or Chief
•Long-term strategic planning, community partnerships, and department-wide policy

Next: Commander / Deputy Chief / Chief of Police, or lateral to a smaller-agency Chief role.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 18 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. You're the watch commander. An officer on your shift uses lethal force. Walk me through the first 60 minutes.case

Priority is scene, officer, and evidence integrity. First — ensure the scene is secured, medical is en route to any injured party, and additional units are managing crowd control and traffic. Second — separate the involved officer from the scene. They should not be interviewed by anyone yet — they get water, they call a family member if they want, and they wait for a union rep and an attorney. Notify IA, PIO, and the on-call homicide detective per department protocol. Body-worn cameras stay on until officially told to deactivate by IA. Preserve every scene item, including uniforms if department policy calls for it. Document my own actions contemporaneously — every decision, every call, every time. Never let the involved officer discuss the incident with anyone before their union rep and legal counsel arrive.

Q2. One of your officers has been using force that meets policy but is generating a lot of citizen complaints. How do you handle it?situational

Distinguish policy-compliant from good policing. Complaints in-policy still tell you something is wrong — the tactics, the demeanor, the escalation pattern, or the assignment might be. Pull the body-worn camera footage for the last 10 use-of-force incidents. Review with the officer, non-adversarially, and identify specifically what's happening in the escalation phase — are they closing distance too fast, giving commands that aren't clear, missing verbal de-escalation opportunities. Assign remedial training if warranted. Adjust FTO or squad pairing. If pattern continues, escalate to IA for early intervention. Document everything — a lawsuit against the officer will pull my supervision record and I want it to show I intervened.

Q3. How do you handle roll call for a shift covering a large protest?situational

Structured brief. Set the operational objective — protect First Amendment activity, protect property, protect officers, protect community. Assign zones, squad leaders within the squad, and radio channels. Review use-of-force expectations specific to protest — dispersal orders, chemical munitions if authorized (usually escalation-of-authority up the chain), mass-arrest protocol. Body-worn cameras on at all enforcement contacts. No unnecessary force, no chants, no politicization in uniform. Confirm mutual-aid coordination if outside agencies are on scene. End with an officer safety check-in — anyone dealing with something at home who wants a different assignment for the day. Roll call is the culture-setting moment for the shift.

Q4. One of your officers isn't activating their body-worn camera. What do you do?situational

Depends on pattern. First offense — direct verbal counseling, document in the shift log, review policy with the officer. Second offense — written counseling and a review of the last month of contacts to see if there's an audit-worthy pattern. Third offense or evidence of intentional deactivation during use-of-force — this is IA. Body-worn camera policy compliance is a documented performance factor and increasingly a disciplinary trigger; the department relies on the footage for civil suits and DA prosecution alike. As a sergeant, my sign-off on the shift's BWC compliance is on record.

Q5. Why do you want to make sergeant? Or, why are you looking to move from patrol sergeant to detective sergeant?culture

The honest answer that resonates: I want to shape how officers on the ground handle contacts, and the sergeant role is the highest-leverage rung for that. Every officer who becomes a sergeant, I influenced through FTO or squad partnership. Every use-of-force review I sign off on trains the officer for the next one. Every roll call sets the tone for that day. Detective sergeant specifically: I want to move from real-time scene command to case-driven investigation management, and I want the DA relationship experience that comes with owning felony cases through charging. Say something specific about the department's current initiatives (Zero Suicide, LEIA-model early intervention, procedural justice training) that you want to contribute to.

Resume Template — Sergeant (3-10 yrs post-hire)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Sergeant (3-10 yrs post-hire)

▸Patrol Sergeant, 3rd Watch (2200-0600), commanding squad of 8 officers across District 4; annual arrest volume 340+, use-of-force incidents in-policy 100% under my review with zero sustained IA complaints in 24 months.
▸FTO program supervisor — signed off on 9 probationary officers over 3 years; 8 of 9 completed probation and remain active; 3 promoted to specialty units.
▸Incident Commander on 22 significant events including 2 barricaded-subject callouts, 4 mass-arrest events, and 1 officer-involved shooting scene preservation prior to homicide bureau arrival.
▸BA Criminal Justice + FBI LEEDA Supervisor Leadership Institute (SLI) + ICS 100/200/300/700/800. Bilingual English/Spanish. Top-5 finish on 2022 Sergeant's exam (of 340 candidates).

What Gets You Rejected

✗Any sustained IA complaint on a serious matter — dishonesty, excessive force, biased policing, sexual misconduct. Sustained findings for these are Brady/Giglio material and effectively career-ending.
✗Failure to activate body-worn camera during use-of-force incidents — increasingly treated as disciplinary rather than administrative.
✗Signing off on incomplete or misleading reports — the sergeant's approval is on record and a false report follows the supervisor as much as the officer.
✗Retaliatory supervision — giving unpopular assignments, denying leave, or writing up officers who cooperated with IA. Federal and state whistleblower protections apply.
✗Failing to escalate patterns — an officer's use-of-force pattern that a sergeant saw and didn't refer for early intervention lands on the sergeant's record in the ensuing lawsuit.
✗Poor decision-making under stress at IC-level scenes — dropping the ball at a barricaded subject, missing a scene-preservation step at a shooting, failing to establish incident command structure.
✗Alcohol issues or off-duty conduct that becomes public — sergeants set the standard and the public and press watch them more closely than line officers.

Salary Negotiation Levers

✓Overtime and step differentials — top-step sergeant plus court OT plus special-detail OT often adds 25-45% to base. Know the department's overtime bank rules and detail assignment eligibility.
✓Specialty pay — detective, FTO supervisor, SWAT operator, motor officer, K-9, and bilingual differentials stack (typically $50-500/mo each).
✓Longevity pay — most large jurisdictions add 1-3% per 5 years of service. Sergeants with 15+ years hit maximum longevity.
✓Education incentive — BA and MA add 3-8% under most Peace Officer Bill of Rights / MOU structures. Public agency common.
✓Metro vs suburban vs rural — NYPD sergeant top-step base ~$130k plus $30-70k OT typical. Boston, LA, SF, Chicago, DC comparable. Rural sergeant base can be $65-85k with limited OT ceiling.
✓Union / MOU cycle — the biggest raises come at contract renegotiation, not at hire. Know where your MOU sits in its cycle when you negotiate an internal move or promotion.
✓Detail work — federal task force, port security, movie/film security, sports venues — often supplemental $75-125/hour at top-step rates.

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First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) →

Salary Map — Click a state for details

$60K

$164K■ No data

Top Paying States

Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.

State	Median	vs. National	Employment
California	$163,960	+54.6%	13,200
New Jersey	$142,990	+34.8%	7,650
Hawaii	$140,590	+32.6%	700
Alaska	$137,320	+29.5%	320
Washington	$136,280	+28.5%	2,750
Illinois	$135,080	+27.4%	4,900
District of Columbia	$134,760	+27.1%	1,230
Nevada	$132,100	+24.6%	1,300
Delaware	$131,080	+23.6%	410
Colorado	$126,810	+19.6%	2,790

Showing 1–10 of 51

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Salary by Metro Area

Metro Area	Median	vs. National
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$175,840	+65.8%
Vallejo, CA	$175,070	+65.1%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$172,590	+62.8%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$167,600	+58.1%
Napa, CA	$164,150	+54.8%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$163,810	+54.5%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$163,700	+54.4%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$161,440	+52.2%
Anchorage, AK	$161,100	+51.9%
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$159,810	+50.7%

Showing 1–10 of 364

Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.

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