Lateral transfers – leaving one agency for another without quitting public safety – are becoming increasingly common in fire and police work. Many officers and firefighters report that issues like poor leadership, stagnant pay, excessive overtime, or just a desire for a change motivate them to look elsewhere. As Lt. Dan Marcou notes, most officers seeking a transfer come from “departments characterized by poor leadership, low morale, inadequate support, insufficient pay, and a lack of work-life balance”. Others simply want higher pay or promotion prospects that their current agency can’t offer. For example, one Rhode Island chief said many firefighters were “leaving for larger municipalities… because we can’t offer” the higher pay, less forced overtime, and promotion chances available elsewhere. In Illinois, hundreds of Chicago officers have left the CPD for suburban or out-of-state jobs, drawn by better pay and incentives. In short, officers and firefighters often move to improve pay, benefits or schedule; escape poor management or politics; or find a location or culture that fits their family and lifestyle.
Police departments nationwide are actively recruiting laterals. Mid-sized agencies often pay relocation bonuses or higher salaries to attract experienced officers, offering family-friendly benefits and scheduling to compete with big-city forces.
- Pay & Benefits: Many cities and towns now offer much higher salaries to experienced hires than to rookies. For instance, Aurora, IL used to offer a $20,000 sign-on bonus to former Chicago officers and now pays laterals well over $104,000 annually – far above Chicago’s $58K entry wage. Fire departments show similar gaps: in Rhode Island, one town starts new firefighters at about $40K while a nearby city tops out around $53K. A big bump in pay or pension credit can be a strong lure.
- Work-Life Balance: Overtime and staffing crunches drive many to transfer. Smaller agencies often force long hours and canceled days off, burning out officers and firefighters. Laterals frequently cite the chance to work a fixed schedule (like 4 days on/4 off) or avoid mandatory overtime as a top benefit. Younger personnel especially prioritize family time over extra shifts – as one veteran noted, “cops of my generation had an insatiable appetite for overtime… But [young cops] work to live. They want enough money to live comfortably, then time off to enjoy it”. Many suburban and smaller agencies advertise perks like take-home vehicles, daycare, or flexible schedules to attract recruits weary of overtime and high cost of living in big cities.
- Leadership & Culture: A toxic work environment can also push people away. Officers often complain of “poor leadership” or politics on the job. For example, an experienced police recruiter advises would-be laterals to evaluate whether a department is run by “strong ethical” leaders and whether rank-and-file officers feel supported. Conversely, officers report jumping at departments with a reputation for good morale and respect. As one journalist observed, veteran cops say suburban forces have “a reputation for valuing and respecting their police officers”. Firefighters similarly mention wanting a “supportive, close-knit team” with clear leadership. When morale is low, even an entire precinct or station may experience contagion: “all it takes is one person… to go to some department, and then… three or four more follow” after hearing about the better conditions.
- Location & Career Growth: Some moves are about location – returning home, a lower cost of living, or a safer community. Others are about career path: a small-town officer may transfer to a larger agency for specialized units or promotional exams. Veterans nearing retirement might move to stay closer to family or to lock in a better pension arrangement. And firefighters, who once had to retake civil service tests each time they applied for a new department, now often use “Fire Chief’s” exams or statewide certifications to move more freely.
Weighing the Pros and Cons
Making a mid-career move has both upsides and trade-offs. Here are some to consider:
- Pros: You’ll likely see higher pay, bonuses, or better benefits at a new agency – including more transferable pension credit. Many departments now offer significant signing bonuses (even up to $100,000 in California), relocation allowances or educational pay to lure experienced hires. You may gain expanded career opportunities: some laterals quickly move into leadership or specialized roles thanks to their experience. Work-life can improve with a new schedule or fewer forced OT shifts. And, of course, you stay in the field you love rather than “take a step removed from leaving police work altogether”. A move can also feel like a fresh start – even the chance to live in a new area or community – without giving up your years of service.
- Cons: There are costs and risks. You often lose rank or seniority in practice. For example, most police laterals “retain their seniority on paper” but must typically restart at patrol level in the new department, even if they held a higher rank before. (They may make up for it with faster promotions later, but it’s a reset in the meantime.) You’ll likely face a new round of exams and training: background checks, physicals, and even partial academies. Firefighters moving states or counties may have to certify under another state’s standards, and police moving out-of-state often attend a shortened academy or training course. A new hire might also mean leaving behind your community and friends. As one firehouse blogger advises, entering a new department is “going into someone else’s home,” requiring humility and a learning curve. Finally, if the new department isn’t actually an upgrade – for instance, if they’re also understaffed or mismanaged – you could end up in the same tough situation, just somewhere new. As one career advice article warns, a department that “can’t find officers to hire or doesn’t retain its officers is a department… with problems”.
How Fire and Police Transfer Processes Differ
The nuts and bolts of a lateral move vary between fire and police agencies:
- Police Lateral Hiring: Today many police departments actively recruit experienced officers from other agencies. If you’re already sworn, you often skip the full police academy. Instead, hiring generally involves interviews, background checks, and sometimes a brief retraining or orientation. (In-state moves are easiest: you keep your existing certification, pension and may only take a short state- or department-specific course.) Out-of-state moves can require more schooling – some states do mandate a full academy for out-of-state transfers, though others offer just a condensed program of a month or less. Some large-city departments even condense training for laterals: Aurora, IL runs a four-month lateral academy instead of a year for new recruits. Senior status: On paper you may keep “years in service,” but moving often means giving up your previous rank or specialty. A lieutenant from another agency will typically re-enter as a patrol officer. (The benefit is you can potentially leverage your experience to earn promotions more quickly down the line.) Many departments advertise their pension reciprocity and will credit years of service, but it’s crucial to check: staying in the same retirement system means you “can transfer up to 10 years of service credit” for benefits like longevity pay and accruals. If you move to a different system or state, you may lose some benefits or have to satisfy new vesting rules.
- Fire Department Transfers: Fire services tend to use formal exams or certifications to qualify laterals. For example, Rhode Island now offers a Fire Chiefs’ examination that serves as a one-stop qualification for many departments. Firefighters still usually attend some training academy with their new department (especially if moving far), but departments may waive repeat basic training for experienced people. Importantly, many cities allow benefit portability: “firefighters can easily transfer their benefits as long as the pension plans are the same”. (Between different states, this can be trickier if the systems don’t match.) Promotion rules vary by department; usually a transferring firefighter starts at the base firefighting rank, but they bring prior experience when competing for future promotions. Both police and fire agencies may have hiring incentives now: it’s not uncommon for fire departments to offer “lateral entry” bonuses or higher pay scales for experienced hires just as police do.
Fire departments are also feeling the pinch. In Rhode Island, smaller towns like Tiverton have lost multiple firefighters to larger cities in one month – straining already-tight budgets and raising overtime costs from $137K to $370K in two years. Larger departments in the region (e.g. Warwick) are capitalizing by recruiting these firefighters with promises of better pay and schedules.
Real-World Trends and Statistics
- Firefighter shortages via lateral moves: In a March 2023 news investigation, Rhode Island’s Tiverton Fire Department (staff of 32) reported losing five firefighters in one month to bigger neighboring cities. The chief noted this “drastic impact” on scheduling and budgets. Overtime costs soared – for example, Warwick’s overtime spending fell from $7M to $4.8M after hiring 34 new firefighters, but several departments still saw huge overtime spikes when staffing fell. Pay gaps help explain it: Tiverton started new hires at about $40K/year, while Providence paid $46K and Warwick offered roughly $53K. The IAFF and local unions have warned that such turnover is a nationwide issue as underpaid or under-resourced crews move to more attractive positions.
- Police department attrition and relocation: Big-city forces are also hemorrhaging officers to suburbs and other states. The Chicago Sun-Times found that of CPD officers who left since 2016, 320 now work at other Illinois police agencies (mostly in the suburbs) and nearly 90 joined the Fire Department – a transfer path that used to be very rare. (Likely hundreds more went out of state to places like Florida, whose governor actively recruited out-of-state officers.) Low retention plus high retirements (often before pension eligibility) have created a “double whammy” of staffing shortfalls in cities like Chicago and New York. Departments losing staff are noticing the cost: training a single new officer through academy and field training can exceed $150,000, only to have them leave for a lateral move.
- Recruitment incentives: To combat vacancies, many agencies now offer hefty bonuses and incentives for laterals. For instance, the Police Executive Research Forum noted that Fremont, CA was offering $100,000 bonuses to ten experienced recruits. Colorado’s Westminster PD advertises a $10,000 bonus for all new hires (including laterals). Aurora, IL initially gave $20K to lateral hires and now simply raises their pay to a starting salary over $104K. Even outside Illinois, smaller agencies nationwide (from Maine to Florida) actively recruit mid-career cops. Across the country, departments offer things like take-home cars, extra vacation, or city-paid tuition for officers’ kids – all to “stop the bleeding”. The result is a competitive market: any advantage (higher pay, guaranteed schedules, good community support) can tip an officer’s decision to transfer.
Tips: Is the Grass Really Greener?
If you’re considering a lateral move, do your homework so you don’t swap one problem for another. Experienced officers advise:
- Check Culture and Morale. Arrange a ride-along or station tour if possible. Talk informally with officers and supervisors about their work environment. Do they seem positive and family-like, or stressed and cynical? Are they proud of their department? Listen to community feedback, too: city residents’ opinions can reveal a lot about how the department operates and is supported.
- Ask About Training and Professional Development. A department that invests in frequent, high-quality training often has a strong culture. Find out how often each officer trains (e.g. firearms, tactics, medical) and who runs it. If you’re moving from a large city to a smaller town, will you still get training in tactics, investigations or special units?
- Review Compensation and Benefits. Don’t just compare base pay – look at the full package. What is the pay scale progression and top-out salary? How long until you reach max pay? What retirement plan and city contributions does the department offer? Are vacation, sick leave and holiday pay comparable? If you have a pension from your old job, confirm how much you can transfer or whether you must start over. (Staying in the same pension system often lets you carry over years of service.)
- Evaluate Staffing Levels and Workload. Ask if the department is chronically understaffed. High vacancy rates usually mean lots of forced overtime and burnout. Do detectives have manageable caseloads, or is everyone working “skeleton crew” shifts? A poorly-staffed agency will struggle to support you and may have the same problems that drove you away from your old job.
- Investigate Leadership. Good leaders make a huge difference. Find out how the command staff was selected: are they long-time veterans or political appointees? Do officers say they feel trusted and backed up by supervisors? As leadership expert Jocko Willink says, “The leader is ultimately responsible for everything.” You want a department where line officers are treated fairly, not micro-managed or scapegoated.
- Consider Location and Lifestyle. Think about commute times, housing costs, schools and quality of life. An out-of-state move requires extra planning: you may need to qualify under new state laws or attend additional academy weeks. Weigh the pros (better weather, lower taxes, whatever appeals to you) against the challenges of relocating and possibly leaving friends or family behind.
- Trust Your Instincts – Do the Work. Multiple sources stress doing your research and self-evaluation. Make a checklist of what matters most to you (e.g. “good community relations,” “training,” “family schedule,” “promotion path”) and compare departments. Avoid rushing into a move out of frustration; instead, look for a place where you feel “this is a step up in quality”. Remember, an attractive hiring package might be hiding underlying issues. If something feels too good to be true, or if officers at that department seem unhappy in casual conversation, trust those red flags.
A successful lateral transfer requires careful thought. But for many public safety professionals, it can pay off in the form of better pay, schedule or culture – allowing them to continue serving their communities on terms that work for them. As one police veteran put it after his move: he did his research and now “we have a great place to work… I enjoy going to work,” and his quality of life has improved.
