Just my opinion, but the police depts with lower pay have an incredible turnover, because higher paying depts are obviously more desireable. Then you send a new officer through the academy, pay their tuition and salary for 6 months, just to have to do it again in a couple years.
The higher paid depts typically hire experienced officers that do that. I can not say which way saves money, but their is a definite positive to that part.
Our officers have such a burden on them, Walking up on domestics, people that have mental issues, thiefs, etc. It's not a job that I think they are overpaid,
I support our police, like I am sure the other posters do on here. It's probably one of the few things we all agree on