LateralWatch
Tracker › Guides › Highest-paying in California

Highest-paying police departments in California for laterals (2026)

The top 25 of 102 California agencies we track that post a salary, ranked by the top of their annual pay range. Santa Clara Police Department leads at $215,072; the median top-of-range here is $131,232. Hourly and monthly rates are converted to annual (×2,080, ×12), and hiring bonuses are shown separately, not added to pay.

Last verified: 2026-10-18. Every row links to the agency's official posting or announcement; blank fields mean the source did not state the value. Bonuses are usually paid in installments with a service commitment, so confirm with the agency before applying.

#AgencyStateLateral bonusPay (annual)Out-of-stateClosesSource
1Santa Clara Police Department
Santa Clara · Municipal police
CANone listed$168,528 - $215,072UnknownContinuousOfficial source
2Irvine Police Department
Irvine · Municipal police
CANone listed$106,766 - $171,309Yes2027-07-21Official source
3Fremont Police Department
Fremont · Municipal police
CANone listed$139,177 - $169,208UnknownUnknownOfficial source
4Mammoth Lakes Police Department
Mammoth Lakes · Municipal police
CA$25,000$108,871 - $168,235YesContinuousOfficial source
5Milpitas Police Department
Milpitas · Municipal police
CANone listed$138,261 - $168,059UnknownContinuousOfficial source
6Hayward Police Department
Hayward · Municipal police
CANone listed$138,965 - $167,731UnknownContinuousOfficial source
7Los Gatos Police Department
Los Gatos · Municipal police
CANone listed$137,675 - $167,357UnknownContinuousOfficial source
8Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff's office
CANone listed$137,552 - $167,215UnknownUnknownOfficial source
9Los Altos Police Department
Los Altos · Municipal police
CANone listed$139,740 - $161,766UnknownContinuousOfficial source
10San Mateo County Sheriff's Office
County of San Mateo · Sheriff's office
CANone listed$128,898 - $161,138YesContinuousOfficial source
11Campbell Police Department
Campbell · Municipal police
CANone listed$131,747 - $160,077UnknownContinuousOfficial source
12San Pablo Police Department
San Pablo · Municipal police
CANone listed$127,824 - $155,376
converted from $10,652.00 - $12,948.00 Monthly
UnknownUnknownOfficial source
13Pleasanton Police Department
Pleasanton · Municipal police
CANone listed$126,152 - $153,254YesContinuousOfficial source
14BART Police Department
Oakland · Transit police
CA$15,000$107,954 - $152,398YesContinuousOfficial source
15Napa County Sheriff's Office
Napa · Sheriff's office
CA$30,000$126,568 - $151,944YesContinuousOfficial source
16Gilroy Police Department
Gilroy · Municipal police
CANone listed$112,899 - $151,301UnknownUnknownOfficial source
17Oakland Police Department
Oakland · Municipal police
CANone listed$105,968 - $148,403UnknownContinuousOfficial source
18Marin County Sheriff's Office
San Rafael · Sheriff's office
CA$10,000$122,013 - $147,992UnknownContinuousOfficial source
19Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office
Los Angeles County · Sheriff's office
CANone listed$87,585 - $147,777UnknownUnknownOfficial source
20Santa Barbara Police Department
Santa Barbara · Municipal police
CA$20,000$120,963 - $147,031YesContinuousOfficial source
21Oakley Police Department
Oakley · Municipal police
CA$10,000$109,637 - $146,910Unknown2026-11-30Official source
22Truckee Police Department
Truckee · Municipal police
CANone listed$108,826 - $146,910YesContinuousOfficial source
23Beverly Hills Police Department
Beverly Hills · Municipal police
CA$45,000$118,118 - $146,750YesContinuousOfficial source
24East Bay Regional Park District Police
Castro Valley · Municipal police
CANone listed$110,344 - $146,453UnknownContinuousOfficial source
25Brentwood Police Department
Brentwood · Municipal police
CANone listed$119,592 - $145,365UnknownContinuousOfficial source

Spot an error or a missing agency? Send a correction. See how we collect the data.

Get new lateral bonuses every week

One short email: new and increased hiring bonuses, closing dates, and the top-paying agencies. Free.

Related guides