Police don’t get paid shit, at least in many states. Someone I know who was average, no college degree, a sergeant, was making $145,000. That was his base salary and does not include overtime.
In other parts of the country I know the pay can be shit. To the point where departments have to recruit from out of state because no one from the area would seriously entertain the job. They'll even take people with priors so long as It's nothing too egregious and many have lowered the bar on drug tests.