Public Safety Survey (2008)

California Statewide Survey Results

Other Law Enforcement

The table below presents the summary of the data collected in California relative to the Other Law Enforcement Group classes. While nearly all survey agencies reported matches to the Investigator and Supervising Investigator benchmark classes, approximately half of the agencies reported Criminalist benchmark matches, and only a handful reported matches to the Park Ranger benchmark class.

Compares the State's salary and compensation to the medians for all jurisdictions surveyed

Classification	State of CA Maximum Base Salary	Survey Median Max Base Salary	State Relationship to Median	State of CA Maximum Total Compensation	Survey Median Max Total Compensation	State Relationship to Median
Investigator	$5,705	$6,363	-11.52%	$7,102	$8,619	-21.37%
Supervising Investigator	$6,265	$7,559	-20.65%	$7,722	$10,056	-30.23%
Criminalist	$6,534	$7,135	-9.20%	$7,607	$8,621	-13.34%
Park Ranger	$4,786	$4,319	9.76%	$6,370	$5,994	5.90%

The Total Compensation of the State of California matches to the Investigator and Supervising Investigator benchmarks (Senior Special Investigator and Supervising Special Investigator I, respectively) is below the survey median maximum Total Compensation for these benchmark classes by a significant margin, 21.37% and 30.23%, respectively.

Some caution should be taken with regard to this data. As noted above, the State of California utilizes a large number of Investigator classifications and series. Most of these classes have been designed for use within a specific State Agency, and have a specific investigative area as their primary focus. (While some of these State of California classifications are not sworn peace officers, the benchmark Investigator class described in this Total Compensation Survey is a sworn peace officer.) In determining matches to the Investigator and Supervising Investigator benchmarks, survey respondents, as expected, looked to classifications used within the investigative units of their Police Departments, Sheriff's Departments, and District Attorney's Offices. Investigator classes in those organizations tend to be assigned a very wide range of investigative duties, including those involving serious and violent crimes. As a result, it was expected that the median maximum Total Compensation reported by respondents for the Investigator and Supervising Investigator benchmark classes would be higher than the State of California classes matched to these benchmarks. This should be taken into consideration when reviewing the Investigator and Supervising Investigator survey data.

Matches to the Criminalist benchmark class were reported by eighteen California cities and counties. The data shows that the State of California class (Senior Criminalist) Total Compensation is 13.34% below the median maximum Total Compensation reported by respondents for the Criminalist benchmark class.

There were only six California cities and counties that reported having a sworn peace officer classification matching the Park Ranger benchmark class description. As a result of this limited data, considerable caution should be taken in interpreting the survey results relative to the Park Ranger benchmark class.

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California Statewide Survey Results

• Patrol Group
• Corrections Group
• Other Law Enforcement

Updated October 6, 2008 at 12:07 PM.