The current starting salary for a trooper is $58,748.29 (including uniform allowance). The second-year total compensation jumps to $65,662.39. Top pay for a Trooper I is $97,188.48. Troopers receive yearly increments. All recruits receive $777.78 every two weeks, plus overtime pay. Room and board are also provided while training.

Troopers typically work a 40-hour week on a variety of schedules. Overtime is voluntary, except in unusual circumstances, and is rewarded with premium pay or compensation time.

• There are 13 paid holidays a year.
• Troopers are allotted one vacation day per month in the first year of service, as well as three personal days per year. The initial vacation allotment of 12 days increases after a trooper has been on the job for five years and increases at regular intervals after that.
• Sick leave is allotted.

Members of the State Police and their families are offered two options for medical coverage, two options for dental coverage, a prescription drug plan and a vision care program.

The two options for medical coverage are:

• Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) - The HMO plan allows you to choose a plan from among several different HMOs, allows you to choose a primary care provider from a list of participating HMO physicians, requires no deductibles or claim forms, and only a possible co-payment for services. Coverage is not usually provided if you go outside the HMO for services.
• NJ Plus (Preferred Provider Organization) - Combining features from the traditional and HMO systems, this plan allows you to choose from a network of physicians, usually covers 100 percent of services in network, and usually requires a $10 co-payment for services. In addition, with a yearly deductible, this plan allows you to use the medical service providers of your choice and covers 70 percent of the payment for their services.

For an optional biweekly payroll deduction, troopers may choose a "traditional" plan or a plan offered through an HMO system.

Under the plan offered to troopers (and their spouses and children), virtually all prescription drugs require only a co-payment of $10. Generic drugs require a co-payment of only $3.

The program provides for a partial reimbursement for the cost of eyeglasses, contact lenses, and the cost of the eye examinations.

Leaves of absence are available for such reasons as: pregnancy, child care, education, family leave or military service. These leaves are usually for not more than a year and must be approved.

Members are eligible to participate in a deferred compensation plan or supplemental annuity collective trust plan in order to supplement retirement income.

Enlisted members are covered by a group Life Insurance Policy that provides 3 1/2 times their final average salaries in a lump sum to beneficiaries.

The State Police Retirement System is overseen by a Board of Trustees which includes two members of the State Police. When a trooper retires, he or she can take advantage of a comprehensive retirement plan. The plan offers a wide variety of benefits, depending on years of service.

Everyone in the State Police must retire by age 55 except the Superintendent.

• Enrollment in the State Police Retirement System (SPRS) is a condition of employment. Your employee contribution will be 7 1/2 percent of your annual salary. (Note: You will not pay pension contributions on your maintenance allowance, but it will count towards your final compensation for pension purposes.)
• Service Retirement: After 20 years of service as a New Jersey State Trooper, you are eligible to receive a pension, regardless of age, consisting of 50% of your final compensation.
• Special Retirement: After 25 years of service as a New Jersey State Trooper, you are eligible to receive a pension, regardless of age, consisting of 65% of your final compensation plus 1% for each year above 25 years. The maximum benefit that you can receive under a special retirement is 70% of your final compensation.
• Deferred Retirement: Troopers who serve for 10 years and then terminate their employment before qualifying for a service retirement are vested and thereby eligible for a pension benefit at age 55. The benefit is 2% of final compensation for each year of SPRS service.
• Optional Purchase of Former Membership: You can purchase former membership from a New Jersey State administered pension plan (e.g. PERS, TPAF, PFRS) that could increase your retirement benefit. This service cannot be used to qualify for a Special or Service Retirement. However, it can be used to compute your retirement allowance on the basis of 1% of final compensation for each year of such service credit.

• Troopers who attain 25 years of service in the SPRS are entitled to State paid health benefits in retirement according to the terms of the bargaining agreement in effect at the time they reach 25 years of service. The current agreement covering State Troopers does not require any cost sharing by the Troopers.
• Troopers who do not attain 25 years of service in the SPRS before they retire or terminate employment may qualify for State paid health benefits in retirement if they have purchased former membership for a New Jersey State administered pension plan. The former membership purchased and the SPRS time must add up to 25 or more years to qualify.
• Troopers who do not obtain a total of 25 years of state service will be afforded continuous State health benefits covered at a group rate.

If a trooper retires because of a job-related accidental disability, he or she receives a pension equal to two-thirds of his or her final compensation. If a trooper retires as a result of a non-job-related disability, he or she is eligible for a pension of no less than 40 percent of his or her final compensation.

Information or questions regarding your eligibility for any retirement benefit should be directed to the Division of State Police, Human Resource Management Bureau, Debra Hanko at (609) 882-2000 ext. 2623, email: lpphankd@smtp.lps.state.nj.us or Fred Warner at (609) 882-2000 ext. 2621, email: lppwarnf@smtp.lps.nj.us