Police Staffing, Scheduling and Deployment Services (720) 685-9550
The Not-So Hidden Cost of Burnout
The cost of hiring, training, and equipping a single police officer can be substantial, often exceeding $100,000 for the initial process alone, which can take up to 18 months before the officer is fully independent. Below is an itemized breakdown based on typical costs for a mid-sized police department.
If you could save the cost of hiring one officer…
Cost Category |
Estimated Range / Example Cost |
Notes |
|
Recruitment & Background Check |
$5,000 – $15,000+ |
Advertising, testing (physical/written), psychological evaluations, and extensive background investigations. |
|
Police Academy Tuition/Fees |
$0 (Department pays) – $6,700 |
Many departments cover the tuition, and some run their own in-house academies at the department’s expense. The officer is often paid a salary during the academy, which is covered under the “Salary during Training” section below. |
|
Basic Duty Equipment |
$5,000 – $15,000+ |
This includes the core gear worn on the officer’s person. |
|
Uniforms and Apparel |
$1,000 – $3,000 |
Initial issue of uniform sets, boots, jacket, insignia, etc. Departments may also pay for dry cleaning. |
|
Training (Post-Academy/Field Training) |
(Included in Total Initial Cost Estimate) |
The officer’s salary and the cost of the Field Training Officer’s (FTO) time/overtime for on-the-job training (often 12-18 months) is the primary expense here. The National Police Foundation cites a real cost of at least $100,000 for full training and 18 months of probationary duty. |
|
Overall Estimated First-Year Cost |
$111,000 – $190,000+ |
Don’t let burnout become a budget crisis.
The cycle of heavy workloads and high attrition has a six-figure replacement cost for every officer you lose.