Patrol Officer: Salary Details. The BLS reports the median annual salary for patrol officers was $56,810 in 2014. The best-paid 10 percent in the field made $92,450, while the bottom 10 percent made $33,030. State governments pay police officers the highest in the country, offering an average salary of $65,270 in 2014. California compensates officers the best, as the highest-paid in the profession work in three California metropolitan areas: San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Barbara.