First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Salary
Protective Service Occupations · 155K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$106,040
Median hourly
$51
Average annual
$112,190
Typical range
$63,350–$165,110
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives is $106,040 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $51 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force..
Most earn between $63,350 and $165,110 a year. There are roughly 155K people employed as first-line supervisors of police and detectives in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
- Hourly
- $50.98
- Daily
- $408
- Weekly
- $2,039
- Bi-weekly
- $4,078
- Monthly
- $8,837
- Annual
- $106,040
$106,040 a year is around the 50th percentile for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectivess. The median is $106,040.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1California$163,960
- 2New Jersey$142,990
- 3Hawaii$140,590
- 4Alaska$137,320
- 5Washington$136,280
- 6Illinois$135,080
- 7District of Columbia$134,760
- 8Nevada$132,100
- 9Delaware$131,080
- 10Colorado$126,810
- 11New York$124,080
- 12Oregon$122,130
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$175,840
- 2Vallejo, CA$175,070
- 3Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$172,590
- 4Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$167,600
- 5Napa, CA$164,150
- 6Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$163,810
- 7San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$163,700
- 8Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$161,440
- 9Anchorage, AK$161,100
- 10Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$159,810
- 11Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$158,510
- 12Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$157,650
Related job titles
Employers advertise First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives roles under these titles.
- Captain
- Chief Deputy
- Community Relations Police Lieutenant
- Deputy Chief Sheriff
- Desk Sergeant
- Detective Chief
- Detective Lieutenant
- Detective Sergeant
- Detective Supervisor
- Harbor Patrol Chief
- Harbor Police Launch Commander
- Identification and Communications Supervisor
- Identification and Records Commander
- Lieutenant
- Patrol Captain
- Patrol Commander
Related occupations
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,210
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$55,940
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$77,970
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$93,530
- Transit and Railroad Police$90,230
- Correctional Officers and Jailers$58,940
- Bailiffs$56,600
What a First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives does
- Supervise and coordinate the investigation of criminal cases, offering guidance and expertise to investigators, and ensuring that procedures are conducted in accordance with laws and regulations.
- Prepare work schedules and assign duties to subordinates.
- Direct collection, preparation, and handling of evidence and personal property of prisoners.
- Explain police operations to subordinates to assist them in performing their job duties.
- Maintain logs, prepare reports, and direct the preparation, handling, and maintenance of departmental records.
- Inform personnel of changes in regulations and policies, implications of new or amended laws, and new techniques of police work.
- Train staff in proper police work procedures.
- Monitor and evaluate the job performance of subordinates, and authorize promotions and transfers.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives make?
- The median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives is $106,040 ($51 per hour). Pay ranges from about $63,350 at the 10th percentile to $165,110 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $112,190, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectivess the most?
- California has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $163,960.
- Is First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 155K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives do?
- Supervise and coordinate the investigation of criminal cases, offering guidance and expertise to investigators, and ensuring that procedures are conducted in accordance with laws and regulations.; Prepare work schedules and assign duties to subordinates.; Direct collection, preparation, and handling of evidence and personal property of prisoners..