Best Police Departments in Florida in 2022
Table of Contents
Why Serve?
Top 4 Reasons to Become a cop in Florida
Diversity
Many police departments in Florida have a diverse workforce so your gender, race and ethnicity won't be an issue.
Benefits
Law enforcement agencies in the sunshine state offer amazing benefits like paid vacations, dental, health insurance & more.
Career Advancement
The units that you can join are endless like SWAT, K-9, Beach/Marine Unit, Detective Unit, and more.
No State Tax
Florida is one of only 9 states that doesn't levy personal income tax. This means your earned income will stretch further.
WATCH: How to Become a Police Officer
Requirements To become a cop
Basic Qualifications
The FDLE sets the basic requirements to become a police officer in Florida. However, each individual agency sets its own standards to determine if a candidate is suitable for the position of police officer.
- Must be a citizen of the United States
- Must Be at least 21 years old
- Possession of a valid driver’s license
- U.S. high school diploma or GED
- Military Veterans with an honorable discharge
- Must have a clean criminal record
- No Felony convictions
- Must Be of Good Moral Character
The Following Will Result in Disqualification
Disqualifies
- Concealing information during the hiring process
- Convictions involving perjury or false statement
- Dishonorable discharge from the military
- Convictions involving Domestic battery
- Pending Criminal Charges
- Failed Drug Test
- Driving Privileges are suspended
- Active Criminal Warrant
The Hiring Process
The selection process will likely be around 2-6 months depending on the agency, as well as the complexity of the applicant’s background
- Application
- Written Exam
- Physical Fitness Test
- Polygraph Test
- Drug Screening
- Oral Board Interview
- Background Investigation
- Medical Examination
- Pysch Test
- History Questionnaire
Best PD by Average Salary
Top 10 Highest Paying Police Dept. in Florida
The website GOBankingRates recently conducted a study on how much police officers earn in every state.
According to the study Police Officers on Average make $58,400 per year in Florida.
*The figure below does not reflect supplemental pay for education (e.i. AA, BA, MA), experience, overtime pay, lateral transfers, incentives, etc.
- JUST MISSED THE LIST: Hallandale Beach PD, Miami Beach PD, Pincrest, Homestead PD, Lauderhill PD, Miami Shores PD, Surfside PD
Find Best Police Jobs in Florida
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The job of a police officer is very demanding. If you live in Florida, or are considering relocating to the state to work as an officer, there is some good news. The state of Florida is projected to have an increase in the demands for new law enforcement officers in the next 5-8 years.
Florida is a good state to be a police officer. Florida police officers are paid well, have excellent benefits, and Florida is a great state to live. With excellent weather, plenty of attractions, and a projected need, there are plenty of opportunities to work for some of the best police departments in Florida.
Most of the departments have similar requirements and many of the departments in Florida require an Associate Degree or two years of college. It is the philosophy of the Florida law enforcement community that an educated officer is better able to handle the rigors of the job.
Below is a list of police departments that any applicant living in Florida should consider applying to. Some are known for their superior training, diversity and others for the salary. Regardless of the reasons, it is a great time to start looking for a career in law enforcement in the state of Florida.
Miami-Dade Police Department
The Miami-Dade department is the largest of its kind in the state. Starting pay is around $52,000 a year and there are about 2,700 total police officers in the Miami-Dade department. The department has an excellent reputation as one of the best trained police departments in Florida.
The department has built up their reputation by offering continuing training for their officers in both tactics and technology. They understand that a well-trained police force is best for the citizens in the community they patrol.
Tampa Police Department
The Tampa Police Department is home to close to 1,000 officers. The department is one of the departments in Florida that likes to recruit candidates with college degrees. While a degree is not mandatory, they do require at least 2 years of college. Preference is given to candidates with 4 year degrees.
The department has been around since 1887 and has regular evaluations from national organizations. Many officers feel that Tampa is the best city to be a cop in Florida because of the professionalism that the department displays. This translates to a good working relationship within the community and many people who have worked for TPD report a good satisfactory experience with Glassdoor.com (current review rating is 4.3).
Orlando Police Department
Orlando is home to some of the biggest tourist attractions in the state of Florida. As a result, they have a need for quality police officers to help with the steady influx of tourists to the area. They want to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for the citizens and guests of the city, so that they want to come back again.
The Orlando Police Department is home to some of the most loyal and dedicated officers in the country. They have a strong working relationship with the citizens they help protect and are known for their professionalism and dedication to the city.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is located in Tampa, Florida. They are one of the largest Sheriff’s departments in the United States. They are a very well-respected agency and have a history of being one of the most stable and dedicated departments in the state of Florida.
They are always looking for new deputies and they work to attract the most professional candidates in the state. They work as a family to help each individual work to his or her true potential. They are committed to employing veterans and are a positive influence on the community where they serve.
Broward Sheriff’s Office
The Broward Sheriff’s office is located in Fort Lauderdale and employs 5,400 sworn and support personnel. The department serves 16 different areas in the county and even patrols the waterways surrounding the area.
They have a very well-trained and professional department that also has a Special Units and Divisions section that has a variety of different employment opportunities. They offer much more than just a traditional patrol, they also have a mounted patrol, dive team, and a highly competitive motorcycle unit.
Boca Raton Police Department
The police department in Boca Raton is on the smaller side and it can be somewhat competitive to become and officer there. They are looking for new officers and they have a history of recruiting only the most qualified candidates for their department.
As a result of their competitive hiring process, they get the best of the best in the area to work as law enforcement officers. They are one of Florida’s best paid police departments with a starting salary of $68,000.
They do want candidates who have at least 60 college credits or two years active duty military. They also accept individuals who have prior law enforcement experience as well.
Coral Springs Police Department
The Coral Springs department is another smaller department, employing about 210 full time police officers. They are known for their dedication to their community and the officers who are employed at the department.
Coral Springs boasts one of the lowest crime rates in the state for populations over 100,000. They are very proactive with their presence in the community, and even have a variety of substations throughout the community. Not to mention that Coral Springs is one of the best places in the state of Florida to live and raise a family.
Fort Lauderdale Police Department
The Fort Lauderdale police department is one of the highest paying departments in the state of Florida. One of the perks of working for Fort Lauderdale is that they have over 30 different specialty units, so potential officers have a variety of options once they are eventually hired on.
The population of Fort Lauderdale is a growing community, which means that there is an increasing need for more officers to help with that growing population.
Delray Beach Police Department
The Delray Beach department is a small but rewarding department for potential officers to work. They have 160 sworn officers and almost all of them possess a degree of some sort. Their philosophy on having an educated police force is what sets them apart.
In fact, education is part of their mission statement. They feel that lifelong learning, whether through training or higher education, is a key factor in their department’s success.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is one of the best places to work in law enforcement in Florida. The community is extremely supportive of law enforcement and the office has an excellent working relationship with the residents they serve.
Palm Beach County is one of the biggest counties in Florida. As a result, the Sheriff’s Office is always in need of new personnel. They offer a competitive salary and even have a tuition reimbursement program for employees looking to further their education.
Florida is a great place for anyone looking for a career in law enforcement. There are plenty of opportunities to work and live in the Sunshine State. With competitive pay, benefits, and retirement there are plenty of departments throughout the state looking for qualified applicants.
Sheriff Office Salary per FDLE public records
Agency | County | Entry Min Salary |
Alachua County Sheriff’s Office | Alachua | $38,560 |
Baker County Sheriff’s Office | Baker | $32,034 |
Bay County Sheriff’s Office | Bay | $33,500 |
Bradford County Sheriff’s Office | Bradford | $30,000 |
Brevard County Sheriff’s Office | Brevard | $39,728 |
Broward County Sheriff’s Office | Broward | $48,432 |
Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office | Calhoun | $29,000 |
Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office | Charlotte | $40,093 |
Citrus County Sheriff’s Office | Citrus | $36,566 |
Clay County Sheriff’s Office | Clay | $38,000 |
Collier County Sheriff’s Office | Collier | $44,943 |
Columbia County Sheriff’s Office | Columbia | $33,000 |
Desoto County Sheriff’s Office | DeSoto | $33,469 |
Dixie County Sheriff’s Office | Dixie | $29,250 |
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office | Escambia | $31,726 |
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office | Flagler | $36,327 |
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office | Franklin | $32,000 |
Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office | Gadsden | $30,000 |
Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office | Gilchrist | $30,000 |
Glades County Sheriff’s Office | Glades | $36,756 |
Gulf County Sheriff’s Office | Gulf | $36,200 |
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office | Hamilton | $22,000 |
Hardee County Sheriff’s Office | Hardee | $35,000 |
Hendry County Sheriff’s Office | Hendry | $36,000 |
Hernando County Sheriff’s Office | Hernando | $41,194 |
Highlands County Sheriff’s Office | Highlands | $35,508 |
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office | Hillsborough | $49,468 |
Holmes County Sheriff’s Office | Holmes | $25,000 |
Indian River County Sheriff’s Office | Indian River | $38,950 |
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office | Jackson | $31,027 |
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office | Duval | $40,632 |
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office | Jefferson | $31,000 |
Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office | Lafayette | $29,000 |
Lake County Sheriff’s Office | Lake | $37,485 |
Lee County Sheriff’s Office | Lee | $40,000 |
Leon County Sheriff’s Office | Leon | $43,021 |
Levy County Sheriff’s Office | Levy | $32,000 |
Liberty County Sheriff’s Office | Liberty | $30,444 |
Madison County Sheriff’s Office | Madison | $30,900 |
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office | Manatee | $46,710 |
Marion County Sheriff’s Office | Marion | $36,640 |
Martin County Sheriff’s Office | Martin | $42,216 |
Miami-Dade Police Department | Dade | $45,073 |
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office | Monroe | $46,080 |
Nassau County Sheriff’s Office | Nassau | $44,000 |
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office | Okaloosa | $37,502 |
Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office | Okeechobee | $34,000 |
Orange County Sheriff’s Office | Orange | $46,010 |
Osceola County Sheriff’s Office | Osceola | $39,500 |
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office | Palm Beach | $52,688 |
Pasco County Sheriff’s Office | Pasco | $43,802 |
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office | Pinellas | $46,410 |
Polk County Sheriff’s Office | Polk | $44,082 |
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office | Putnam | $31,000 |
Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office | Santa Rosa | $34,709 |
Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office | Sarasota | $43,264 |
Seminole County Sheriff’s Office | Seminole | $41,031 |
St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office | St. Johns | $37,132 |
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office | St. Lucie | $38,722 |
Sumter County Sheriff’s Office | Sumter | $38,791 |
Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office | Suwannee | $32,000 |
Taylor County Sheriff’s Office | Taylor | $36,465 |
Union County Sheriff’s Office | Union | $33,475 |
Volusia County Sheriff’s Office | Volusia | $38,563 |
Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office | Wakulla | $31,000 |
Walton County Sheriff’s Office | Walton | $37,000 |
Washington County Sheriff’s Office | Washington | $32,116 |