For example, a recent job posting (May 2014) for a Special Investigator with the Los Angeles Police Department showed a monthly salary range of between $44,880 and $88,092 per year. Another job posting for a police sergeant/detective with the Miami Police Department revealed an annual salary of $86,923 and $107,991. Due to their size and scope, state agencies are also likely to pay criminal investigators a higher salary than police/sheriff’s departments at the local level.