Thomas Krumpter to take pay cut after he's promoted to permanent police commissioner

Even though Nassau County acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter has made more than $235,000 annually while in the top police job and was slated to make the same amount next year -- he will take a $62,000 pay cut once he is approved to serve on a permanent basis.

Krumpter, who for nearly two years has led the Nassau County Police Department in an acting capacity, is set to ascend after County Executive Edward Mangano said he plans to nominate Krumpter as commissioner.

Krumpter, a 23-year department veteran, is paid $237,265 in total annual compensation under his civil service title of first deputy commissioner, set through years of union negotiations. But the department's commissioner is paid a flat salary of $175,000 set by the county executive.

"He understands the salary; that's the way it is," Mangano told Newsday. "He will take a pay reduction. As you know, Tom Krumpter was an existing employee here in the department and through his ranks he rose to a higher salary as many of the police officers do. But the statutory salary for the police commissioner will be significantly less than he's making now."

Krumpter, for his part, said he doesn't care about the pay cut.

"Being a police officer has never been about the money to me; it's about the service; it's about doing right by the community; it's about the public," Krumpter said. "And I'm greatly honored to be offered this opportunity."

Before Mangano told Newsday he planned to appoint Krumpter commissioner, questions were raised about whether Krumpter would still be able to draw his larger annual pay if he were appointed commissioner, after the county's 2016 budget listed Krumpter's current salary of $237,265 in the line for police commissioner.

Mangano's spokesman Brian Nevin scoffed at the notion, dismissing questions about the budget line to "how two different budget directors decided to account for it."

Nevin told Newsday unequivocally: "Whoever the next commissioner is, Krumpter or not Krumpter, the salary's gonna be 175."

Krumpter, who is 49, said he won't seek outside employment to compensate for the steep pay cut or seek a state waiver in order to "double-dip" -- retire from his civil service post and start drawing from his retirement, while collecting his commissioner salary. Most retirees under 65 receiving a state pension can only earn a maximum of $30,000 annually in state or local public salary unless they receive a waiver from the state's Civil Service Commission.

"I can't imagine a scenario where I would get another job," Krumpter said. "My job as a commissioner is a full-time job that leaves little left for anything other than spending time with my family. I'm taking the job with my eyes wide open. My wife and I discussed it. . . . We will live with $175,000."

By Nicole Fuller

nicole.fuller@newsday.com@NicoleFuller

Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.