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Salary and Benefits

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Employment Benefits

PAY

The salary for Recruit candidates starts at $42,449 and rises to $59,014 per year ($61,014 per year with a qualified Bachelor’s degree) after one year of service with additional incentive payments for bilingual officers, college degrees, merit pay, etc. The full pay calculator for NOPD Officers is available here. 

NOPD Salary Calculator

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

Employment benefits include but are not limited to:

  • 27 weeks state-certified law enforcement training
  • Group health, dental and vision insurance
  • Free life insurance
  • Excellent retirement plan
  • Shift differential pay
  • 13 paid vacation and 13 sick leave days per year
  • 10 paid holidays per year
  • 15 days of military reserve paid leave
  • Yearly uniform allowance
  • Deferred compensation plans available

ANNUAL SPECIAL PAY INCENTIVES

Awarded to highly-qualified officers within certain NOPD units

  • $1,500 Field Training Officer
  • $1,500 Special Operations Division
  • $1,500 Marine Unit (Divers)
  • $1,500 K-9 (Handlers)
  • $1,500 Mounted (Horse)
  • $1,500 Traffic (Motorcycle)
  • $1,500 Bomb Squad

Annual bonus paid to higher education degree holders:

  • $1,000 Associates
  • $2,000 Bachelors
  • $3,000 Masters or Doctorate

Annual Property Tax Disbursement (millage dedicated for police and firefighters)

OFFICER Recruitment & RETENTION incentives

Current Officers

  • $20,000 retention incentive
    • $5,000 paid for every 5 years of service up to 20 years.
  • $10,000 retention incentive
    • $10,000 lump sum to be paid at the end of the first complete pay period after October 21, 2025.
  • Guaranteed pay raises
    • 5% increases in 2024 and 2025.
  • For individuals in the classification of Police Officer only
    • $5,000 paid at the end of each year to Police Officers who are not otherwise eligible for the recruitment incentive payments being disbursed to new recruits and laterals (up to $20,000 max).

Current & New Recruits Hired through October 24, 2024

  • $20,000 recruitment Incentive
    • $4,000 paid at the completion of nine months of service;
    • Annual pay supplement equivalent to State Supplemental Pay pending eligibility for State Supplemental Pay (up to $7,200);
    • $5,000 paid at the completion of the second year of service;
    • $5,000 paid at the completion of the third year of service.
  • $10,000 retention incentive
    • $10,000 paid three years after graduation from the academy.
  • $20,000 retention incentive
    • $5,000 paid for every 5 years of service up to 20 years.
  • Guaranteed pay raises
    • 5% increases in 2024 and 2025.

Lateral Transfers Hired through October 24, 2024

  • $20,000 recruitment incentive
    • $5,000 paid at the completion of nine months of service;
    • $5,000 paid at the completion of the second year of service;
    • $5,000 paid at the completion of the third year of service;
    • $5,000 paid at the completion of the fourth year of service.
  • $10,000 retention incentive
    • $10,000 paid three years after completion of NOPD training.
  • $20,000 retention incentive
    • $5,000 paid for every 5 years of service up to 20 years.
  • Guaranteed pay raises
    • 5% increases in 2024 and 2025.

YOUNG LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (YLC)

Free one-year membership in YLC, a civic organization that offers young professionals an opportunity to network socially and participate in a variety of unique civic engagement activities.

COLLEGE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation Tuition Assistance Program reimburses NOPD employees $50 per undergraduate credit hour with a C or better and $100 per graduate college credit hour with a B or better for eligible out-of-pocket expenses such as tuition, course books and mandatory education related fees up to a maximum of 6 hours per the three traditional semesters.

Federal Student Loan Forgiveness

The NOPD is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Specialized Units

NOPD contains many highly-specialized units and Officers are encouraged to pursue a career path in the area that best utilizes their talents.

  • Asset Forfeiture
  • Bomb Squad
  • Bureau Of Field Ops - Administration Unit
  • Canine Unit
  • Central Evidence and Property
  • Child Abuse Unit
  • City Attorney Investigator Detail
  • Court Liaison Unit
  • Crime Analysis
  • Crime Lab
  • Crime Prevention
  • Crime Scene Unit
  • Criminal Records
  • Crisis Management Unit
  • DEA (Drug Task Force)
  • Digital Forensics Unit
  • District Attorney
  • Domestic Violence Unit
  • DWI Unit
  • Family Violence Unit /Elder Abuse
  • Fatality Unit
  • Field Training Program
  • Financial Crimes Unit (Fraud)
  • Gang Investigations Unit
  • Homicide Unit
  • Intelligence Unit
  • Inspections Unit
  • Juvenile Unit
  • Marine Unit
  • Mayor's Security Detail
  • Mounted Unit
  • Narcotics
  • Patrol 
  • Permits Unit
  • Police Academy
  • Public Information Officer (PIO)
  • Public Integrity Bureau (PIB)
  • Range
  • Recruiting and Background Investigations Unit
  • Research & Development
  • Reserve Police Unit
  • Secondary Employment Unit
  • Sex Offender Unit
  • School Resource Officer
  • Special Victims Section
  • Tactical Negotiator
  • Traffic Enforcement Unit (Motorcycle)
  • Traffic Investigations (vehicle crimes)
  • Vice Squad
  • Victim / Witness Assistance Unit
  • Violent Offender Warrant Squad
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