Victim of Detroit's 911

**Philbo** · May-05-09, 10:21 PM

Hey Ray, I heard the D.P.D were poorly payed back then. Is that true?

**Ray1936** · May-05-09, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by Philbo

Hey Ray, I heard the D.P.D were poorly payed back then. Is that true?

Yeah, you wern't going to get rich. I think it was 1963 when we finally got up to $5,000 a year. And all overtime was paid in comp time, no cash.

Up until 1947, the officers in the DPD had to buy their own uniforms, too.

**Gsgeorge** · May-07-09, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

Yeah, you wern't going to get rich. I think it was 1963 when we finally got up to $5,000 a year. And all overtime was paid in comp time, no cash.

Up until 1947, the officers in the DPD had to buy their own uniforms, too.

Ray, love reading your firsthand accounts from back in the day. For the record, in 2009 dollars your yearly pay comes out to about $35,000 a year.

**Ray1936** · May-07-09, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

Ray, love reading your firsthand accounts from back in the day. For the record, in 2009 dollars your yearly pay comes out to about $35,000 a year.

I'm not sure what the current pay rate is, but it's not a heck of a lot more due to the city's financial state. Police officers in other jurisdictions, however, are making up to twice that today. With paid overtime, a lot make 100k.

I always liked the comp time factor for the overtime, until the Labor Department had laws passed requiring pay. I'd build up a lot of 'comp time' and take a lot of four-day weekends in the summer.

I can remember roll calls where all cars were manned and there were a slew of beat men. The lieutenant would often ask, "anybody want comp time today?" [[Usually weren't many takers 'cause you were already at work, but some guys would opt for four hours.)