The Salary of a Police Legal Adviser
Police legal advisers are lawyers who advise police department and city officials on legal matters. This occupation typically provides police departments with legal advice on policy, procedures and labor concerns. They also track and handle legal claims against the department. The job outlook for lawyers in general is good, with average job growth of 13 percent expected between 2008 and 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Other People Are Reading
-
Overview
-
Police legal advisers are lawyers who are usually employed by a city or a city's police department. They give advice on legal matters that impact the police department, such as the proper procedures and liabilities related to local, state and federal law, criminal and civil law, and personnel issues. Police legal advisers must have a law degree from an accredited school, be in good standing with the state bar, and have several years of experience as a working attorney. They may serve as the city's attorney in legal proceedings and negotiate on the city's behalf. Many complete the Police Legal Advisor Training Program (PLATP) given by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). According to FLETC, its Legal Division instructors offer training in all areas of criminal law and procedure, including constitutional law, authority and jurisdiction, search and seizure and use of force.
Average Salary
-
As of August 2011, the average salary of a police legal adviser, according to Indeed.com, is $74,000, based on recent open positions. The average salary of a lawyer in the United States, according to May 2010 BLS statistics, is $129,440. BLS also reports that attorneys who work for local government agencies make an average of $92,220, as of May 2010.
-
State Salaries
-
According to Indeed.com, some average state salaries for police legal advisers are as follows: California at $79,000, New York at $86,000, Florida at $71,000, Texas at $71,000 and Illinois at $78,000
Salaries in states with high lawyer employment levels, according to May 2010 BLS statistics, include California, which posts an average salary of $155, 740, New York at $150,510, Florida at $118,040, Texas at $128,650, and Illinois at $132,620.
Metropolitan Area Salaries
-
In terms of metropolitan areas, those that pay the highest average salary rates for attorneys per May 2010 BLS labor data are San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California, at $184,660, Danbury, Connecticut, at $174,540, San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, California, at $172,080, Napa, California, at $171,380, Dothan, Alabama, at $170,390, and the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, California, metro area at $165,400.
In contrast, Indeed.com salaries based on recent open positions for police legal advisers average $92,000 for San Jose, $79,000 for Danbury, and $90,000 for San Francisco. Indeed posts a mean wage of $76,000 for police legal advisers in Dothan, and $76,000 for Los Angeles.
-
References
- BLS; Lawyers; June 2011
- BLS; Lawyers; Wage Information; May 2011
- Homeland Security; Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC); Legal Division Handbook; 2010
- Indeed.com: Salary Search
- Columbus City Attorney Richard Pfeiffer Jr.: Police Legal Advisor
- State of Maine: Board of Overseers of the Bar: Police Legal Advisor Opinion
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
