Cops lead earners for Schenectady All but one of city's top 28 municipal earners last year were police By Paul Nelson, Staff writer Published 10:21 p.m., Monday, January 23, 2012
SCHENECTADY — A crime scene police investigator more than doubled his salary last year to become the city's highest-paid employee on a list dominated by police, according to records obtained by the Times Union.
All but one of the top 28 municipal earners in 2011 were city cops, with Investigator John Ericson, who serves as an evidence technician, topping the list, according to the figures released under a state Freedom of Information request.
His base salary last year was $66,345, but overtime boosted his pay to $149,428.
Because that department is budgeted for 145 members but has only 131 on the payroll, coupled with an increase in the volume, leads to overtime. Police Chief Mark Chaires said targeting crime hot spots with added patrol officers often requires overtime.
Assistant Chiefs Michael Seber and Jack Falvo grossed $149,181 and $146,852 to secure the No. 2 and 3 spots, in part because of a lump sum payout they received last year for accumulated sick and vacation time in lieu of cashing it out when they retire. The agreement with the city calls for the two assistant chiefs to receive two more payments in the coming years.
Police officers received what averaged out to be a 3 percent salary raise in 2011.
Fire Chief Michael Della Rocco, who was appointed to the top job in April, was the only municipal employee not on the police force to crack the top 10.
All told, 55 city staffers made six figures, whereas in 2006 that number was only 23.
Chaires said Monday that crimes to which Ericson and the department's other three evidence technicians respond include all felonies. With one of the technicians currently on long-term disability leave, the others were on call.
10 biggest paychecks Schenectady's top earners in 2011 Job title Salary Gross John Ericson Police investigator $66,345 $149,429 Michael Seber Assistant police chief $123,816 $149,182 Jack Falvo Assistant police chief $123,816 $146,853 Eric Clifford Police Lieutenant $80,070 $141,615 Mark McCracken Police Lieutenant $80,070 $140,260 Wayne Bennett Public safety comm. $124,432 $138,173 Patrick Morris Police Sergeant $71,899 $136,624 Thomas Adach Police investigator $66,345 $127,804 Jeremy Pace Police investigator $66,345 $125,202 Michael Della Rocco Fire chief $129,933 $124,582 Source: City of Schenectady
And the administration of the city wonders why the taxpayers are upset with them, lets not forget the vehicles given to the evidence tech on top of his salary.
Can't question those salaries...It is for public safety...Every penny they earn is justified because 'they risk their lives everyday'. They could make $1 Million and you can't question it.
After all, it is money well invested. The City is MUCH safer because they are paid so well.
Quoted Text
All told, 55 city staffers made six figures, whereas in 2006 that number was only 23.
Do you really think the police are the only factor rlated to crime. By the way, the robbery artes are about 1/3 lower since 2006. See for yoruself at the
DCJS website.
23 versus 55 this year compared to 2006 - do you think there are other factors that might contribute to that (e.g., raises, less officers)?
And, who said you cannot question or complain about it?
Can't question those salaries...It is for public safety...Every penny they earn is justified because 'they risk their lives everyday'.
Really? What about soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines?
I don't see them pulling $150k a year and thier job is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more hazardous than a mere Sch'dy officer
"Approval ratings go up and down for various reasons... An example is the high post 911 support for GWB even though he could be said to be responsible for the event." --- Box A Rox '9/11 Truther'
Melania is a bimbo... she is there to look at, not to listen to. --- Box A Rox and his 'War on Women'
Do you really think the police are the only factor rlated to crime. By the way, the robbery artes are about 1/3 lower since 2006. See for yoruself at the
No, actually I think the police have very little factor in violent or property crime. Look at the top earners; they are investigators, the people that show up after the crime has been committed. The police show up after the crime is committed and file the report and hopefully catch the person who committed the crime. The only crimes they can really make the claim to prevent are drug crimes. And those are non violent crimes.
I DO believe that the SPD's reputation has a negative impact on crime in the City. If you talk to people in the neighborhoods where crime is the highest, the residents (the people that can actually prevent crime) have very little respect for the police because of the reputation the SPD earned over the years. When you have so many in the police department acting lawlessly, it is a justification for the people they are policing to act lawlessly.
When you have the history of an ex police chief running a cocaine ring in the City of Schenectady right under the noses (no pun intended) of these high paid investigators, it gives the impression to the public that certain people are above the law.
Sorry visitor...Until the people in Schenectady wake up and realize they need to replace the city leadership and police leadership and rebuild the city’s reputation based on rule of law, the city will continue to foster a culture of crime, corruption, lawlessness, cronyism, and special privilege. You can't have such a discrepancy of the haves and have not's, and the can do's and can't do's.
Talk to some of the folks who live/work/play in the Crane Street area of schenectady and see if they think the SPD is worth the money!!! Seriously...really....ax 'em!! They have stories that would make your toes curl as well as infuriate you!!!
Check the respond times to break-ins! Check who some of the cops 'converse' with! ..............just to name a few ............
Don't be fooled....there are 'private citizen meetings' where information sharing(supported by photos) is being done and documented!!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
10 biggest paychecks Schenectady's top earners in 2011 Job title Salary Gross John Ericson Police investigator $66,345 $149,429 Michael Seber Assistant police chief $123,816 $149,182 Jack Falvo Assistant police chief $123,816 $146,853 Eric Clifford Police Lieutenant $80,070 $141,615 Mark McCracken Police Lieutenant $80,070 $140,260 Wayne Bennett Public safety comm. $124,432 $138,173 Patrick Morris Police Sergeant $71,899 $136,624 Thomas Adach Police investigator $66,345 $127,804 Jeremy Pace Police investigator $66,345 $125,202 Michael Della Rocco Fire chief $129,933 $124,582 Source: City of Schenectady
These numbers are only part of the facts you'd need to make a reasonable assessment on this issue. Have the number of police been reduced in the last 10 years?... if so it would explain the overtime pay that drove up these numbers. Could the city actually save money by hiring more personnel at straight time, and reduce the overtime paid out to others?
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
I ahve been at some of those commuinty meetings and the people ther seemed quite willing to work with the police.
And, the department's troubled history has little to do with pepole thinking they acn act lawlessly. People seel drugs, shoot at each other, beat their wives and girlfriends, and steal beacuse the police department has ahd a lot of problems. Ridiculous. So, gievn teh sam epopulation the crime would be lower if police officers had not gotten in trouble.
They aren't 'those kind' of community meetings! They are 'private'....
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
The nice thing is that those who ARE critics of the men and women who risk their lives every second as Police Officers -- ARE outing themselves here as being against Public Safety.. Indeed it will be a good day, nay I say - a GREAT DAY -- when they are brought to account by these very same public servants who they seek to run DOWN..
"We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society." ---Angela Davis
"When you put a tiny and despised minority up for a popular vote, the minority usually loses." ---Andrew Sullivan
Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid - John Wayne
TIP TO NEW VISITORS TO THIS FORUM - To improve your blogging pleasure it is recommended to ignore (Through editing your prefere) the posts of the following bloggers - DemocraticVoiceofReason, Scotsgod08 and Smoking Bananas. They continually go off topic, do not provide facts and make irrational remarks. If you do not believe me, this can be proven by their reputation scores or by a sampling of their posts.
10 biggest paychecks Schenectady's top earners in 2011 Job title Salary Gross John Ericson Police investigator $66,345 $149,429 Michael Seber Assistant police chief $123,816 $149,182 Jack Falvo Assistant police chief $123,816 $146,853 Eric Clifford Police Lieutenant $80,070 $141,615 Mark McCracken Police Lieutenant $80,070 $140,260 Wayne Bennett Public safety comm. $124,432 $138,173 Patrick Morris Police Sergeant $71,899 $136,624 Thomas Adach Police investigator $66,345 $127,804 Jeremy Pace Police investigator $66,345 $125,202 Michael Della Rocco Fire chief $129,933 $124,582 Source: City of Schenectady
These numbers are only part of the facts you'd need to make a reasonable assessment on this issue. Have the number of police been reduced in the last 10 years?... if so it would explain the overtime pay that drove up these numbers. Could the city actually save money by hiring more personnel at straight time, and reduce the overtime paid out to others?
The number of police has not been reduced in the past 10 years. We have been told by the current administration that the city is improving but yet we see the increases in costs to fight crime. The population in the city is flat if not less than it was 10 years ago. State aid has also gone up considerably.
The overtime is up because the contract rewards them to get overtime. Overtime is given to the highest paid and near retirement. Overtime hours are rounded up. One half hour OT is rounded up to 4 hours. The police are put on paid leave for disiplinary issues and the rest get OT. That makes sense. The police get disability pay that never ends. The rest get OT because of it. The police accrue an insane amount of guaranteed paid sick days and holiday pay, then get OT. If they take 2 sick days (8 hours) and then work 40 hours they get rewarded for by 16 hours of OT. Makes sense. Same thing for a holiday combined with a sick day and 40 hours worked in a week.
Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid - John Wayne
TIP TO NEW VISITORS TO THIS FORUM - To improve your blogging pleasure it is recommended to ignore (Through editing your prefere) the posts of the following bloggers - DemocraticVoiceofReason, Scotsgod08 and Smoking Bananas. They continually go off topic, do not provide facts and make irrational remarks. If you do not believe me, this can be proven by their reputation scores or by a sampling of their posts.
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