Sources suggest that A&E do not pay the detectives/police departments for their time. The payments come from a company hired by the show to promote the program and network.
More than half of Police Detectives in the United States have been in the field for more than 10 years. According to Payscale.com, their pay can fall anywhere from $37K to $100K per year, but median earnings come to around $59K per year.
A police detective is a law enforcement official who is tasked with proceeding with investigations of particularly serious crimes, which may include serious property crimes or crimes involving the injury or homicide of a citizen.
The detective helps gather and analyze evidence, interview witnesses and potential suspects, and attempts to create a case that can be prosecuted by a district attorney's office.
Career length and the particular city each impact pay for this group, with the former having the largest influence.
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