LE to LP

[thatsmyname]

Hey everyone,

I am currently working as an intake officer for my local police department. (Prisoner Processing) I used to work in Loss Prevention for 3 years. 6 years total in the security field.

I recently got an offer to be a Loss Prevention Manager at a major retailer but wasn't sure what to do! PLEASE HELP!

I like LE but I have a feeling LP is the way to go, I just find it more interesting. Any input would be great.

Just a FYI, the starting salary this major retailer is offering as a LPM is 36,000 to negotiable. I am not quite sure thats the greatest salary :eek:

[Bill Warnock]

At times LE to LP is a good fit, but not always. Most line officers through years of experience develop a keen sense of observation and human behavior.
The best of luck.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[bpdblue]

First off, welcome aboard to the forum.

I am a fairly recently (Dec 2006) retired police officer, who recently got back into the security field.

While it is hard to give someone an opinion on what's best for them, even with alot of info to base a decision on, I will try.

If you are a current police officer, or someone with similar status, and you like that field, I strongly suggest you stay in that field, and work until you can retire. Normally, at least in California, you are paid a Much higher salary, with better benefits than 90% (in my opinion) or more of all but the highest paying security workers in the industry. (ie-in 2006, my BASE salary was $45+ per hour, not counting benefits)

If you are in a non law enforcement (ie- you don't carry a gun) position with the police department, and you want to get into law enforcement (and your getting paid what you feel is resonable, and what you can get by on, plus you have benefits,) I suggest you stay with your current job (unless you hate it), as you will be getting experiences that the average person will not get, that you can use to your advantage when applying for law enforcement jobs (the gun carrying kind.)

Now on the other hand, if your not in law enforcement, and you don't want to be in law enforcement, and the job offered is something you really like, pays as much or better than the current job, has benefits as good or better than the current job, has a retirement set up as good or better than the current job, and that you have no problem believing will be there for quite some time, than you should consider going for it.

[thatsmyname]

Thanks a lot for such quick responses guys! If it helps, I am not a sworn police officer, I work behind the scenes and when no one is in custody, I handle abandoned vehicles/parking complaints.

[Nauticus]

Do what you enjoyed the most.

If it helps, consider that the private security field (loss prevention included) is on a huge increase, and will be for quite some time. The private security industry is encompassing a lot more than what it originally did.

[Curtis Baillie]

thatsmyname - As others on this board, I spent years in LE before moving to LP. It all comes down to what direction you want to take in your life. As I have written elsewhere on this site, it's not always a smooth transition - making the change from the black and white world of LE to the grey world of LP. I don't think you would have an issue yet as you are not a sworn officer.

I truly appreciate your kind words in your PM - it must mean that I'm going to die soon. :eek:

[thatsmyname]

Thanks again for all of your input!

And Mr. Baillie, it is what it is. :cool:

[Curtis Baillie]

Thanks again for all of your input!

And Mr. Baillie, it is what it is. :cool:I have a sign, over the door, leading to my office that says exactly that.:)

[thatsmyname]

I like how you roll :)

If you know anyone in the PA/ Bensalem Philadelphia area hiring for LPM let me know! My resume is on CareerBuilder.com;)

[Curtis Baillie]

I would look at www.lpjobs.com - I frequently post jobs when I'm contacted by recruiters.

[SecTrainer]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is considered by many to be an authoritative source of wage information and this shows that in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington MSA (Metropolitan Service Area) the mean annual salary for first-line managers of protective personnel is about $48,000.

Another take on this is to look at the salaries of other management positions in department stores (for instance, people who manage retail clerks). In your MSA, the mean annual salary for these positions is almost $45,000.

Bottom line: Use the links below to put solid information together and then use that to negotiate for something better than $36,000...at least $40-42+, I would think.

Here's the information on occupations in your MSA: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_37980.htm#b21-0000

To see protective service job information, follow the "Community and Social Service Occupations" link and scroll down to that category, which is right under Health Care.

To see retail management salary information, follow the "Sales and Related Occupations" link and you'll see Managers of Retail Workers or something like that near the top.

[thatsmyname]

WOW than you so much SECTrainer!:)