Politics & Government

Clarkstown, Ramapo Cops Dominate List of Highest-Paid Government Employees in NY

Empire Center recently released the "What They Make" report for 2015. Two Rockland departments outpaced any in Putnam, Westchester or LI

Police officers dominated the list of highest-paid local government employees outside New York City in 2014, according to the Empire Center’s 2015 “What They Make” report.

The report uses pay data reported to the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015. The wages listed do not include fringe benefits such as health insurance or employer pension contributions, which can add 35 percent or more to the cost for taxpayers.

The towns of Ramapo and Clarkstown had the highest average pay statewide -- for general employees as well as police and fire.

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According to the report, New York State’s highest-paid local government employee in 2014-15 was Peter F. Brower, chief of the Ramapo Police Department, who was paid $369,088.

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Nassau County on Long Island dominated that list of highest-paid government employees, but Clarkstown did have six people on it. In the top 10 along with Brower:

  • No. 7 - Thomas J. Cokeley, Town of Ramapo (Police & Fire) $274,143
  • No. 9 - Michael R. Sullivan, Town of Clarkstown (Police & Fire) $272,037
  • No. 10 - Robert G. Mahon, Town of Clarkstown (Police & Fire) $270,753

To show how salaries compared, the report offered average salaries by region. In all of the Mid-Hudson region, the highest paid government employees were Ramapo or Clarkstown cops.

The average town cop in the Mid-Hudson region made $102,432. The average village officer made $99,169. This is how our local towns with police departments ranked:

No. 1 - Ramapo

No. 2 - Clarkstown

No. 3 - North Castle

No. 4 - Orangetown

No. 5 - Haverstraw

No. 6 - Mount Pleasant

No. 7 - Greenburgh

No. 8 - Carmel

No. 10 - New Castle

No. 12 - Bedford

No. 13 - Yorktown

No. 15 - Mamaroneck

No. 16 - Eastchester

No. 31 - Lewisboro

No. 38 - Pound Ridge

No. 39 - Somers

No. 43 - North Salem

This is how our local villages with police departments ranked:

No. 1 - Ardsley

No. 2 - Buchanan

No. 3 - Piermont

No. 4 - Sleepy Hollow

No. 5 - Irvington

No. 6 - Tarrytown

No. 7 - Croton-on-Hudson

No. 8 - Spring Valley

No. 9 - Elmsford

No. 10 - Mamaroneck

No. 11 - Tuckahoe

No. 12 - Pelham

No. 14 - Harrison

No. 15 - Dobbs Ferry

No. 16 - Port Chester

No. 17 - Bronxville

No. 18 - Hastings-on-Hudson

No. 19 - Pelham Manor

No. 20 - Pleasantville

No. 21 - Rye Brook

No. 22- Briarcliff Manor

No. 23 - Scarsdale

No. 24 - Ossining

No. 25 - Mount Kisco

No. 26 - South Nyack

No. 27 - Larchmont

No. 48 - Brewster

This is how our local cities ranked:

No. 1 - Rye

No. 2 - Yonkers

No. 3 - Peekskill

No. 4 - New Rochelle

No. 6 - White Plains

No. 11 - Mount Vernon

For the full list and report, click here.


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