The Hot Topic

We just made dinner for my parents and my brother and his family. Pork on the grill and mashed potatoes.

Over dinner, everyone was talking about an article in the New York Times about the salaries of the police officers in Clarkstown.

According to one national ranking, Clarkstown, in Rockland County, is consistently among the safest towns in America with at least 75,000 people, based on its crime statistics. In 2007, it was the second safest, and in 2008, it was the sixth.

But Clarkstown is also at the top of another category that Chief Peter T. Noonan is less thrilled to discuss: police pay. In 2008, Chief Noonan, 56, made $332,529.88. He was not even the highest paid: One of his two captains earned $335,676, while working two days a week because of a disability and spending three days a week undergoing physical therapy. The other captain earned $311,369.

Many of you are worried about employment opportunities after graduation. This sounds like a good gig. In fact, I think I will be applying for a job there soon.