Poll: LEO's with side jobs?

**countybear** · 10-09-08, 05:59 AM

How many Law Enforcement Officers reading this have only one job, two, three?

(LEO's only please, all votes are anonymous).

**Five-0** · 10-09-08, 11:54 AM

My family lives on 75% of what we make. 15% invested and 10% to our church. The extra jobs just supplement our income and allow us to invest a little more. If anything is left from the used 75% we pay extra on the house note, or save up for extras. For example, now is a good time to buy a grill so we save what we can to make that happen. Paying cash is the way to go.

**CT209** · 10-11-08, 06:25 AM

We use our AMEX for just about everything. It gets paid off each month. Other than the mortgage, about the only thing we finance are cars. And my wife is a pit-bull when it comes to debt. I don't think we ever keep a loan for the entire period.

**TXCharlie** · 10-11-08, 06:40 AM

I could use some extra money even though I make a halfway decent corporate salary (I actually make less than some patrol officers I know of, but they work gobs of overtime and off-duty jobs).

Since I'm only a Reserve, though, it's illegal for me to work side jobs as a cop and keep the money. I could work an off-duty job but the money would have to be donated back to the PD, which the Reserve Battalion does at the Sheriff's Department (in the county I live in) during special events to help make their battalion self-sufficient.

Of course, I could get an armed security guard license to work as a non-LEO and keep the money, but at $15 per hour it's almost not worth it.

I didn't vote since I'm special

**jcsdscott** · 10-11-08, 07:34 AM

One job, deputy sheriff. One calling, minister. That's about it.

**mavriktu** · 10-11-08, 08:01 AM

Hey CB,does the occasional trip to the casino constitute a side job??

**TXCharlie** · 10-11-08, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by mavriktu

Hey CB,does the occasional trip to the casino constitute a side job??

Wouldn't that just constitute the reason you need a side job?

Oh, that CB

**mavriktu** · 10-11-08, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

Wouldn't that just constitute the reason you need a side job?

Oh, that CB

I dunno,last Tuesday,in about 2 hours,I made more than I would have working a 20 hour deatail.

**krauty** · 10-11-08, 09:50 PM

It's the only job I have but I am going back to school working towards my Bachelors Degree. Right now I am taking 14 credits, not fun.

**adroitcuffs** · 10-11-08, 10:35 PM

I have one official job - the LEO gig that puts the roof over my head. I also volunteer as a coach with a local colorguard (as in marching band). I have a jewelry business that I could make some decent money at, but I haven't really been putting any time into it lately.

**lewisipso** · 10-12-08, 09:49 AM

Full time LEO, part time deputy city marshal, part time security gig, and as much OT as I can squeeze in without my kids wondering who I am.

**armygrnt502** · 10-12-08, 09:51 AM

I actually have 3 jobs. My main source of income is my LEO career. I work a security job on the weekends (average 10 hours a weekend) and during the week, I help out one of my buds with his garage, doing repairs and general shop upkeep.

Working 3 jobs isnt my idea of kicking back, but its a ness. evil for the short duration. Doesnt leave much time for sleep, but theres at least a light at the end of the tunnel.

**Motorwaycop** · 10-12-08, 03:56 PM

One job is enough and does pay the bills, just.

I get very little in the way of overtime which is why many cannot afford to join our particular unit.

**Bob Loblaw** · 10-12-08, 04:23 PM

Other than my real job, I have 1 regular off-duty gig (two days a week I pick up the deposit bags from the schools and take them to the bank..2 hours/$75 a pop). I also fill in as security at a local theater about twice a month and fill in as security at a local bank on Saturday mornings about once or twice a month. Since my wife decided to stay at home with Bob Jr., we basically took a $50,000/year pay cut. We're still trying to get things trimmed down, but to help with the adjustment I work a lot off duty. Mine and the missus' agreement was that I would work more out of the house to take in some extra cash and she would do all the stuff around the house. Working out well, if you ask me...all the time I used to spend cleaning is now time out hustlin' some dolla bills, so I'm not working any harder than I was before.

Good news is, like many who already posted, we have zero debt (except for the house) after paying off her car last week) and we're a cash-only family. She'll probably start doing some freelance journalism stuff in the next year or so, so our arrangement is only temporary.

**Coloradocop** · 10-15-08, 04:36 AM

I only do the standard 40 hour week most of the time.

Two summers back I had a sweet off-duty policing gig for a construction company at night, and I loved the extra money that it provided. But, the work eventually dried up as the jobs were completed, and I didn't go looking for anything else.

I am frugal, and I save money every month. Plus, LE has fairly competitive pay in this part of the country. Otherwise, at this point in my life, I typically value my time more than the extra money. The toys don't do much good if you are so busy working that you can never enjoy them.

**BIGDOG** · 10-15-08, 11:52 AM

my main job is the LEO full time but I also work part time for another department (somewere between 2 and 5 shifts a month) and I also work for some of my friends that have farms or construction companys. but with the faming season coming to an end I may have to get another job stocking shelves at the local walmart (gotta love child support and divorce)

**Bama512** · 10-16-08, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

Of course, I could get an armed security guard license to work as a non-LEO and keep the money, but at $15 per hour it's almost not worth it.

We still have some smaller agencies starting out well under $10/hour in this state. Thats sad.

I work emergency management as a full time job and part time police now. I was a full time police officer and part time campus security officer prior to that.....anyway you slice it, I've been doing 2 jobs for 10 years now.

**Kimble** · 10-25-08, 10:28 AM

Don't have a side job yet, but I'm currently pursuing teaching CJ classes part-time.

**Retdetsgt** · 10-29-08, 06:41 PM

I would do a gig every great once in a while working security for visiting celebs. It was really good money, but a pain. I did it about 6 or 7 times and then bagged it.

One job was enough. Mine paid well and with OT, it paid real well. I wouldn't have stuck with it if I HAD to take an extra job to make ends meet. Like CT209, I paid off my credit cards each month and lived within my means.

When my kids were in college, I worked homicide which paid a lot of OT. Dead people paid for my kids education, seriously. I worked a hell of a lot of hours to do it, but neither them or I had to take out any loans and they graduated debt free.

But even when they weren't in school, I made it a point to stash at least half of any OT I made and not just buy toys. It paid off when I retired. I live in the biggest, nicest house I ever had, drive newer cars that I paid cash for. And I make payments into a savings acct to be able to pay cash for the next ones. Some sacrifice in the early years paid off big time later for me. Some of my friends who lived pay check to pay check are having to work side jobs in retirement. That's fine IF you want to, but no one should have to work after retirement. I love having all my time to myself and all the money I need from my pension and investments.