While law enforcement seems to be taking a lot of flak about their work, California rises to the top as the state to be a police officer.

WalletHub compared the 50 states across 30 key indicators of police-friendliness. Its data set ranges from the median income for law-enforcement officers to police deaths per 1,000 officers to state and local police-protection expenses per capita.

California has one of the highest per-capita spending on state and local police and public safety. These expenditures help provide good compensation for law enforcement officers. The average monthly starting salary of a police officer in California is a little over $5,600, the fifth-highest wage in the country.

The Golden State requires rigorous training for officers, with 560 hours of field training required, the second-highest amount in the country. Prior to that, the state requires 664 hours of basic training and does not let officers work before they have completed basic training.

To top things off, California requires officers to take de-escalation training, which reduces the chances of fatalities for both officers and suspects. It also has “Blue Alerts” which can help hasten the apprehension of suspects who injure or kill police officers.

WalletHub found officers are more likely to be attracted to police departments that steer clear of scandal and corruption, and that are transparent with their communities.

Story Date: May 6, 2025