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fair enough, but I want to see a comparison of top pay lieutenant (3 years) and top pay sgt with chart days....

The unions have been giving away things to receive concessions in the negotiations forever. The promotion to Lieutenant is worth it for the fact that there are that many less people telling you what to do. Additionally, anything big is going to be bumped up to the Captain.

   Then there is the pay: in 2018 at the top of the contract a top pay Sergeant will be making $109,360 base. A top pay Lt. will be making $125,000 base. That is a difference of $16,000. You would have to work nearly 200 hours of overtime to make the extra $16,000 in salary. The longevity and uniform allowance are also more as Lt. The Lieutenant's tour is also 12 minutes shorter than a Sergeants. 12 min X 243 appearances = 48 hours. This equates to an estimated $2,885 in additional salary. It also means you start earning overtime 12 minutes earlier.

   Don't forget about the annuity that the city contributes. It is more as Lt. Plus the terminal leave buyout (if you choose).

   Compare dental and prescription plans. There isn't that much difference now.

The rank of Lt is great for anyone to be promoted with less than 13 years on choosing to do only 20 years.  Plus getting in a detail within their last 5 years.  

Those doing 25 years, the earliest possible year to promotion, the better.  

For most on the 25 year plan, assuming a recruit join the department at 25 years to 30 years old, it seems this job will be their main career.   Promotion to the rank you want to achieve as high up as you can go, is beneficial. Pension wise.  Assuming the above factors, staying 30 years and achieving a minimum of lieutenant, would be the best option if I were to get on under the current system.   that's a lot of years for the contact percentages to climb and get the most out of my pension numbers.   

-- Edited by Boogie Knight on Friday 29th of July 2016 02:23:23 PM

It all depends on your personal situation. The promotion to any rank on this job isn't always a great move for everyone all the time. Just look at the Captain rank. There is a big quality of life issue with that rank right there, but you can't argue that after completing 3 years in that rank you have a great base salary, without ever having to depend on OT or the lack of it again. OT being cut across the board? No biggie... You're an executive. I guess it would depend on a bunch of different factors for any rank, like:

1) How far are you from your planned retirement? Long enough away from the concessions the new rank will give you to ultimately benefit from the rank? For example, if you have 15 years on the job and plan on leaving at 20... Is it gonna be worth it to take the promotion to Lt if you're a Sgt with tons of chart days and in a place where you are getting your 35-40 a month, and can suck up the loss of 30 or so chart days per year for the remainder of your career, and the likely loss of OT as a rookie Lt?

2) I hear the chart days aren't pensionable argument, but they are definitely a quality of life issue. Personally, 30 days a year that you can spend with my kids/family/friends is a big deal for some. I know it is for myself. I put this in a check mark for the negative column for the rank.

3) Annuity is higher for Lt. Uniform is higher for Lt. Longevity at the 15-year+ mark is not. The Sgts have higher longevity from the 15+ mark forward, they got this with last contract after they gave back the FLSA lawsuit... Not sure on the numbers but I believe around $300-$400 per year?

4) 7 years of chart days is a big give back. Lets be honest, I think the only rank that has a worse giveback is the DEA. I believe they lose chart days for 8 years... Wasn't a good move on part of the LBA, it is a giveback the Lt rank feels without a doubt.

5) I know a few Sgts who make Lt pay, and they haven't taken nor plan to take the exam. They are not on patrol. They are happy, they make great OT and they are in good gigs without many worries.

6) You can strive for LSA/LCD which will give you a base pay raise to $138,000 in 2018. While not as big as the jump from Sgt to Lt/SSA/SDS at $16,000, it is $12,500. Still pretty good.

It's probably a much tougher decision if you have some time on the job and are SSA/SDS making top Lt pay w/OT... But blanket statements like taking a certain promotion is better for everyone all the time just isn't true. I think it's probably like that in every job.

Boogie Night, your math is off.  A 5/2 5/3 (patrol cop/patrol sgt) chart works about 17 less days a year than a Lieutenant working a 5/2.  The chart days lost make it even more.  Still sucks though.  I miss those 3 day swings.  But atleast I get to leave 17 minutes earlier than my sgts. smh my union sucks

My biggest gripe is that as a lieutenant you work 45 min every single day for free. No chart days? Fine, but then I want to work 8 hour shifts, not 8:45. Screw that.